Weatherbug and spyware stigma

Tim Vasquez

Tim Vasquez

EF5
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Dec 4, 2003
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I was surfing RipoffReport.com and did a search for weather, and interestingly turned up a thread on Weatherbug.

Does anyone know what the deal is on Weatherbug and the recurring topic of spyware being bundled with it? Is this just a case of misinformed clientele?

And holy crap, look at this thread. It looks like someone (an employee?) really has an axe to grind with some of the AWS / WeatherBug owners. "I am surprised we haven't been raided by the FBI." I'll leave it at that.

Tim
 
This seems to be a recurring theme with this product. I had a look here on Stormtrack (in the equipment reviews section) and there's complaints of spyware as far back as 2001 in conjunction with this software.
 
I installed AIM...and along with it got Weatherbug...which I found to be the most ridiculous thing ever. I did get a significant spyware increase, and when the program was running, it slowed the computer down noticeably. I deleted the program and sent in a very long complaint to them.
 
One word folks: Firewall

I currently receive hits on my system about once a minute, sometimes even more frequently. It's an impressive log on my firewall, especially when 95% are origonating from one ISP in Colorado (with multiple, multiple originating IP addresses).
 
My fiance is a spyware magnet. I don't know how but she can get some of the most annoying stuff on my computers. I've pretty much banned her from using my laptop (storm-chasing untensil).

She got this search bar added to IE one time and I went to un-install it. Through a series of complicated wizard screens, I finally got to the one that said, "Do you want to uninstall...?" Yes of course I want to uninstall. I neglected to read the rest of the sentence and hit yes. The rest of the sentence was, "and continue to use our services?" So it turns out I had to hit no, then it finally asked me verbatim, "Do you want to uninstall and remove our services?" I click Yes and grumble to myself. Turns out the next screen is a survey that I have to fill out EVERY SINGLE box on the 20 question survey.

A portion of my response, "Your software is @$&#, as a software developer myself, I am appalled at your attempt at a user-friendly program and you are a disgrace to software developers everywhere."

My advice, avoid Weatherbug and AOL at all costs. If I had any hacking experience, I'd shut these guys down for good for all the time they have stolen from me. As Henry Rollins put it, "They're murdering me...just a little. It's like murder in the millionth degree."
 
Whatever anyone might say, I just installed counterspy and it caught tons of spyware that adaware didn't see. Quite a bit of it originated with weatherbug which I uninstalled months ago. So weatherbug does contain spyware.
 
Gator was bad and one of the early spy/ad bugs. If I remember correctly I saw it incorporated in part of weatherbug programing.
 
Agreed on it's problems

Tim, and others...

I work for a tv station that utilizes many of the AWS weather stations locally. In a purely innocent effort, we promote Weatherbug, because we feel it's a great product to provide and it's wonderful, that it's free...but...

I too have had problems with it, on my own systems... and tried something.

I took a fresh pc with XP installed, and put weatherbug on it. Now I can't confirm it, but SOMETHING installed misc. "stuff" onto the system and from what best I can tell, it's certainly pointing at Weatherbug. This bothered me, and to this date, I refuse to promote it on air.

I also can't stand how it pops itself up, when you click on anything else in the system tray... grrr.

Tim, you know where I work, and believe me, it's a concern... we are tied to this stuff, by contract, but that doesn't mean I can't b#tch about it.

I'll let you know their response, but please understand, we have no knowledge of when/how/where this started. We were under the impression that it was purely ad-supported. I don't believe that anymore.
 
The first (and only) time I installed WeatherBug was a year or two ago. Along with it came several strange new programs on the computer. Whether they be considered "bundled softare" that I can't identify, or spyware really doesn't matter. I uninstalled, used a spyware remover, and will never try it again.

Not to mention, it's a resource hog that gives you no practical information that is not acquired elsewhere with superior quality anyway. I never saw the point.

But, I know some AOL users who love it....go figure.
 
I tried Weather bug and had so much grief that in the end I had to reformat my hard drive and re-install everything.
Won't touch any thing like that now- still have not got my network up and running again. That includes the LAN firewall so am having to resort to other methods.
 
The "free" version DOES include adware/spyware, as implied by WeatherBug's User Agreement:


10. ADVERTISING. The Software is provided for your use, as described above, free of charge, and is supported by advertising revenue. Separate, \"ad-free\" versions of the Software are available to all users subscribing to WeatherBug Plus.

11. WEATHERBUG PLUS subscription services (terms and conditions below) are free of banner, wrap, and pop up advertisements and include enhanced and customizable features that the advertising-based version does not include
Click to expand...
 
I'm not defending Weatherbug

but banner ads, wraps, and pop-ups are not classified as spyware...

Those are non-invasive...

but I'm not convinced that Weatherbug "wears a halo" either
 
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