Forums Archive Index > General Chat > Weatherbug
Date: 28 Dec 2006 4:52 pm
I know several of you (and me) use the "Weatherbug" program to monitor local and national weather. I have heard in the past that it has spyware in it...only makes sense since it is free and is sponsored by tons of ads.....
But our new IT dude in the office said it is not friendly and suggested under no circumstances should it be installed on any company computer as it can't be trusted.
I really like having access to this info but if it really is dangerous then I guess I should drop it.
Thoughts??
Thanks!
Mo
Date: 28 Dec 2006 5:04 pm
Yea, the IT department at my company doesn't like it either. But I think it's just because it takes up memory and places some spyware on their sh*t. I had one of them admit to me they tell everyone it's dangerous just so people won't download it and it gives them an excuse to try to remove it. I don't think it's malicious at all. I use it at home and work both. They don't like Google toolbars or anything that's not done by them. :wink:
If there's some proof of it being malicious, I would sure like to see it.
By the way, you've been missed by all of us. Great to hear from you!
Date: 28 Dec 2006 5:11 pm
I use weatherpop. It is free.
Frank D.
Date: 28 Dec 2006 5:39 pm
The weather bug use to come packed with GATOR, which was a known spyware, adware piece of software (crapware). GATOR didn't steal your private info, but tracked your browsing habits and provided related popups and ads.
GATOR launched some lawsuites against the the spyware software companies for calling GATOR spyware.
GATOR folks said they never pushed their software on anyone (bull I've seen it snuck on in "free programs" without knowingly accepting to install it - that makes it crapware, spyware, malware and what ever in my book).
The spyware software companies left in the name "GATOR, but checked it off to be ignored during scans!
GATOR changed their name, after the legal battles as well.
The free version does come with trend tracking software.
The weather bug itself is not a piece of spyware, but the new Gator appears to rides along with it (or use to), as far as I know/knew.
I don't know what technology they are using, I'm guessing it's the new GATOR with its lawsuites behind it so you can't call it "spyware", or they'll take your butt for all it's worth.
PC Mag: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1872520,00.asp
Quote:
This leads me back to WeatherBug. For those unfamiliar with this handy app, it's a weather-tracking and notification utility that resides in your system tray. But many people consider it a spyware blight on the desktop. There's a free version and a Plus version ($35.91 for a two-year subscription). The freeware is ad-supported; you need to sign up every couple of weeks for a new sponsor to keep using it. I've run it like this for years, but I do prefer the ad-free Plus version.
I haven't used it in years.
Apparently the Newest Paid Version is not the "resource hog" it use to be.
Pay for it, and your in the clear,
use the free version....... ???? they're doing something to get paid! :ng:
Date: 28 Dec 2006 6:11 pm
Another good article regarding the free version.
http://www.vcn.com/knowledgebase/article.php?id=351
Quote:
Is Weatherbug Spyware? Yes. It's not spying on you, but the fact is that Weatherbug installs things on your computer that cause you to get annoying popup ads all the time. Different people define the word spyware differently, but I would call it spyware (see definition of spyware here), or more precisely "ad-ware" (advertisement-supported software). Weatherbug strongly disputes this (see disclaimer below), however, to quote from their own Terms of Use: "The Software is provided for your use, as described above, free of charge, and is supported by advertising revenue." Another reason Weatherbug is undesirable is that it frequently installs other bad spyware programs, such as Viewpoint Media Player and My Search.
Many people use Weatherbug, and it’s even been recommended on the news on at least one local TV station. This is unfortunate. Unless you want lots of pop-ups, you should uninstall Weatherbug. You can get basically the same functionality without the pop-ups by downloading the spy-ware-free Weather Pulse from http://tropicdesigns.net/weatherpulse.php.
Even more interesting and speaking towards the newer version with an "opt-in"......
Quote:
Disclaimer: Weatherbug has contacted Visionary multiple times demanding that this article be removed. Weatherbug claims that the new version of their product released 8 months ago does not serve pop-ups, as long as you specifically select the custom install options and choose to not install the spyware. So, that is their position, and certainly everyone is entitled to their opinion. Hopefully now that I've presented their position, they will be satisfied and stop constantly calling us. I personally find Weatherbug's harrassment ridiculous, and it just reinforces my convictions regarding this company's ethics. Customers should feel free to draw their own conclusions and keep Weatherbug if they agree with Weatherbug's assertions.
This article is simply my own personal opinion and technical knowledge, and I, John Wiltbank, take full resposibility for it. Visionary is not responsible for the views and information contained in this article.
Date: 28 Dec 2006 7:16 pm
I can't listen to the radio without hearing the weather.
I can't turn on the teevee without seeing the weather.
I can always phone and get weather, time & temp.
If I need something non-local...there's AccuWeather & weather.com
If ***ALL ELSE FAILS***, I know how to open a window.
Given all of that, running a weather prog on the PC is redundant to say the least and risky at worst. Why would I bother???
I often think that in the midst of all this technology, we are just outsmarting ourselves.
<end rant>
AZ
Date: 28 Dec 2006 7:36 pm
Thanks for the thoughts (and the welcome...been busy trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up... :roll: ) Miss hanging out here, but I've got myself stretched pretty thin in too many directions time-wise...plus no snow=no war stories.
Anyway, Thanks for all of the good feedback. I thought I had heard that it wasn't as bad as it used to be too. Glad that Ramit shared the detailed article about the details of the program. Perhaps the custom install without the extras is a safer way to go about having this cool little tool. I don't have the ability to have the TV or radio on all day long, so the only way I have to keep tabs on the weather is online. Even the golf course superintendent(being built outside my office) would come in to check Weatherbug to see whether or not is was wise to spread another $50,000 worth of bentgrass seed today or not. He thought it was as accurate as any subscription type weather service out there. The radar pics are pretty good in our area and he was able to time out pesticide applications based on the tracking patterns of on-coming storms.
I digress.....any way, Thanks for all of the info and opinions. I always count on this group for well-rounded, experienced voice.
I'll try to stick around...I just won't be loitering like I used to! :wink:
Date: 28 Dec 2006 7:46 pm
Hope your holidays were fine Emmo...
I use an appleat I applied for and got for free from the weather channel.
I use it on my own little home page.
Clean fast, lean and mean along with a couple of links I made into preformatted searches for the weather.com
We don't have sneak thunderstorm or tornado warnings around here to worry about. The 3 day forecast works... 7day close enough.
Although we do get some freaky weather lately.
For the last 7 years of so, we've been getting a very small twister once a year. This year we had two and a big water funnel.
The little twisters touch down and chew up 2-3 back yards and a roof or two and dissapear.
Date: 28 Dec 2006 8:05 pm
ramit wrote:
Hope your holidays were fine Emmo...
Thanks for the thoughts, hope everyones holiday was great.
My whole family got the same thing for Christmas....THE FLU!
We're getting better now, but for awhile their wasn't a healthy one among us (including my extended family that we visited with on Christmas eve!) Hopefully 07 will be better.
Sounds like a good weather gadget you configured for yourself out on LI.
Like you said, here, the weather changes fast (Don't like the weather here? Wait 5 minutes! applies here!). I don't use the forecast....they get it wrong more than right. I really just like the temp, the baro pressure trend and the radar (I want to know just how long I have before I need to take cover!)
:shock: :shock:
Date: 28 Dec 2006 8:16 pm
Very nice Sharing family!!!
Glad to hear all are better.
My daughter got the bug a couple of weeks ago.
I haven't gotten it out right, just feels like I'm fighting it, get the flu-ish feeling at night and the morning. Rather just get sick and get it over with.
I even tempted fate and ate at Taco Bell. Figure it would be good to loose a few pounds - clean me out, a head start on the New Year's resolution. But nothing.
The weather doesn't change that radical here, sometimes the rain may happen a day earlier or a day later, or more or less snow. But we don't generally don't get blind sided very often.
Date: 29 Dec 2006 7:34 pm
Actually its not BS. I used to run Weatherbug and everytime I ran my spyware scanners, Weatherbug came up in the list and thats because it is spyware. Anything that is free generaly has spyware built in. There is good spyware and there is evil spyware. Do I think Weatherbug uses the evil kind? No, I don't, but I still aint going to operate it! :shock:
Date: 29 Dec 2006 8:19 pm
I used to use weatherbug in 2000-2001 then I got weather channel Desktop weather. It doesn't have spyware in it but it contains ads. Nothing too intrusive.
I have that and on my computer and a SAME (Specific Area Message Encoding) NOAA National Weather Service radio on my desk that comes on automatically with Weather Watches and Warnings.
Date: 30 Dec 2006 9:37 am
Many computers come new with Weather Bug and give you the choice of installing it or not. I did and it was a constant pain in the neck. This thing would even turn itself on after me turning it off. I had to delete the whole program to stop it.
This past momth my sister bought a PC and she asked if she should click on the "install Weather Bug" found in the program menu acessed from the start button, we deleted the thing :)
Date: 30 Dec 2006 11:37 am
I have it on my home and work computer. Both only get one advertising popup every 4-5 months. When it comes up, if you just X out of it and don't take part in the ad, it eventually stops asking every week or so. Other than that, it just runs with no ill effects. I have the free version.
I imagine as time goes by, they have different things installed on it to make it do its advertising thing. I doubt everyone that has ever downloaded the free version has the exact same thing in that regard.
Date: 30 Dec 2006 6:18 pm
My experience has been the same as Marshalls....
Perhaps there are different versions depending on the level of intrusiveness the main sponsor desires. Ours is promoted and heavily advertised by one of the local TV stations. Perhaps, with them being a primary beneficiary of having people locally see their logo and their weather radar, they dial down the nastier parts of the program?