How you can help DriverHeaven

River · May 3, 2004, 05:55 PM

I am not sure if I understand this right or not, so help me out if someone can explain.

This site is known for helping computer users with a wide range of problems, and provides information and links to help you understand computers, solve problems, provide programs and drivers.

One of the problems we are all faced with, even more so now than ever before, is adware, spyware, virus' and what have you that will slow down, take over, and crash a computer.

Yet I noticed an article about "How you can help DriverHeaven" and the suggestion is to download and install the Alexa Toolbar on your computer.

Yet I remember many a post that moderators and the top problem solvers from this site have posted telling users to keep junk off of their systems. Junk such as 3rd party tool bars that are designed by marketers to track your surfing habits.

So why is DriverHeaven now supporting a 3rd party toolbar that is designed to track your surfing habits?

River~

Logla · May 3, 2004, 06:12 PM

I dont have a problem with Alexa - Its from Amazon - A pretty reputable company so I would be happy to trust it on my system.

Its the toolbars from other places I haven't heard of that I wouldn't install or those toolbars which install themselves from another application such as Kazaa.

Remeber though that its your choice.

You dont have to donate - but it helps the site.

You dont have to click on the ads - but it helps the site.

You dont have to install Alexa - again it helps the site.

zerodamage · May 3, 2004, 06:13 PM

Alexa is not necessarily spyware in the same sense that Hotbar is. Alexa doesn't try to hide from you the fact that it is keeping track of the websites you visit. It does this only to keep track of how many times a site is visitted. Alexa doesn't install other programs to spy on you. Alexa isn't installed from a 3rd party program without you knowing about it. Alexa is what you could call "good" spyware. Spywareblaster blocks it however.

Zardon · May 3, 2004, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Logla
I dont have a problem with Alexa - Its from Amazon - A pretty reputable company so I would be happy to trust it on my system.

Its the toolbars from other places I haven't heard of that I wouldn't install or those toolbars which install themselves from another application such as Kazaa.

Remeber though that its your choice.

You dont have to donate - but it helps the site.

You dont have to click on the ads - but it helps the site.

You dont have to install Alexa - again it helps the site.

I like alexa toolbar and I use it myself, yes it tracks your site activity but to rate sites in popularity ratings. if you read the agreement it tells you what it does and its not malicious. if it was I wouldnt be using it and the "support thread" would be edited long ago.

River · May 3, 2004, 11:03 PM

damn, starting to sound like the White House press secretary around here.

not that I don't understand what you are saying, and what the intentions are of this 3rd party tool bar, browser add on, surf tracking program is, but that's ok, even if it does what you say it is only suppose to do, and it does it, it's just another one of those "why do I need it" type of things.

and don't get me wrong, I don't mind supporting DH, and just about every visit to the page I click on an ad (even though there is no real benefit usually to me, only to DH).

it just kind of struck me as a "catch22" type of thing because if some one came here and posted that their computer was all screwed up, that IE wouldn't run right, so on and so on, one of the first things out of the tweakers' mouths would of been, "unload all your junk programs, 3rd party IE add ons, and report back to us." ...and here you say "install 3rd party IE add ons."

and, "reputable" only until they get caught, cheat, lie, or some thing illegal takes place. every one is reputable up till that point.

ps. thanks for your input and point of view
River~

Zardon · May 3, 2004, 11:06 PM

only reason stu said to install alexa is the fact that advertisers use it for hit tracking and the larger percentage of our membership that use it the better as it will give more accurate results. I use it myself as does stu and a few of the admins, there is no law saying to use it to remain here but it helps. if I dont use something myself I dont recommend it, it doesnt slow anything down and is in fact many ways very useful. if you dont want to use it, dont.

May 3, 2004, 05:55 PM	#1
River -=[DHzer0point Team]=- Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Salem, Oregon Posts: 174 Rep Power: 0	How you can help DriverHeaven I am not sure if I understand this right or not, so help me out if someone can explain. This site is known for helping computer users with a wide range of problems, and provides information and links to help you understand computers, solve problems, provide programs and drivers. One of the problems we are all faced with, even more so now than ever before, is adware, spyware, virus' and what have you that will slow down, take over, and crash a computer. Yet I noticed an article about "How you can help DriverHeaven" and the suggestion is to download and install the Alexa Toolbar on your computer. Yet I remember many a post that moderators and the top problem solvers from this site have posted telling users to keep junk off of their systems. Junk such as 3rd party tool bars that are designed by marketers to track your surfing habits. So why is DriverHeaven now supporting a 3rd party toolbar that is designed to track your surfing habits? River~ __________________ Dell Dimension 4550 P4, 2.4ghz, 533mhz FSB 1gig ddr ATI Radeon 9700TX, 128mb DDR 17" digital flat panel Harmon Kardon speakers SoundBlaster Live 5.1 Logitech wireless keyboard/mouse Intel Pro/100 VE Windows XP Pro "did you want cheese with that?"

May 3, 2004, 11:03 PM	Thread Starter #5
River -=[DHzer0point Team]=- Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Salem, Oregon Posts: 174 Rep Power: 0	Alexa damn, starting to sound like the White House press secretary around here. not that I don't understand what you are saying, and what the intentions are of this 3rd party tool bar, browser add on, surf tracking program is, but that's ok, even if it does what you say it is only suppose to do, and it does it, it's just another one of those "why do I need it" type of things. and don't get me wrong, I don't mind supporting DH, and just about every visit to the page I click on an ad (even though there is no real benefit usually to me, only to DH). it just kind of struck me as a "catch22" type of thing because if some one came here and posted that their computer was all screwed up, that IE wouldn't run right, so on and so on, one of the first things out of the tweakers' mouths would of been, "unload all your junk programs, 3rd party IE add ons, and report back to us." ...and here you say "install 3rd party IE add ons." and, "reputable" only until they get caught, cheat, lie, or some thing illegal takes place. every one is reputable up till that point. ps. thanks for your input and point of view River~ __________________ Dell Dimension 4550 P4, 2.4ghz, 533mhz FSB 1gig ddr ATI Radeon 9700TX, 128mb DDR 17" digital flat panel Harmon Kardon speakers SoundBlaster Live 5.1 Logitech wireless keyboard/mouse Intel Pro/100 VE Windows XP Pro "did you want cheese with that?"

May 3, 2004, 06:12 PM	#2
Logla HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 3,311 Rep Power: 0	I dont have a problem with Alexa - Its from Amazon - A pretty reputable company so I would be happy to trust it on my system. Its the toolbars from other places I haven't heard of that I wouldn't install or those toolbars which install themselves from another application such as Kazaa. Remeber though that its your choice. You dont have to donate - but it helps the site. You dont have to click on the ads - but it helps the site. You dont have to install Alexa - again it helps the site.

May 3, 2004, 06:13 PM	#3
zerodamage HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Virginia, USA Posts: 3,478 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	Alexa is not necessarily spyware in the same sense that Hotbar is. Alexa doesn't try to hide from you the fact that it is keeping track of the websites you visit. It does this only to keep track of how many times a site is visitted. Alexa doesn't install other programs to spy on you. Alexa isn't installed from a 3rd party program without you knowing about it. Alexa is what you could call "good" spyware. Spywareblaster blocks it however.

May 3, 2004, 11:06 PM	#6
Zardon DriverHeaven Founder Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 32,480 Rep Power: 179	only reason stu said to install alexa is the fact that advertisers use it for hit tracking and the larger percentage of our membership that use it the better as it will give more accurate results. I use it myself as does stu and a few of the admins, there is no law saying to use it to remain here but it helps. if I dont use something myself I dont recommend it, it doesnt slow anything down and is in fact many ways very useful. if you dont want to use it, dont.