Gator mutation Claria files for IPO

Grok Headline matches for Gator mutation Claria files for IPO

Gator, er, Claria Files for IPO

Gator, er, Claria Files for IPO 04/10/2004 05:10 AM
Even with high-profile lawsuits, complaints from users and new state laws banning ad-spouting programs, the adware company formerly known as Gator has filed to go public. By Amit Asaravala.

Gator Becomes Claria

Gator Becomes Claria 10/31/2003 03:50 AM
Boston.Internet.com Oct 31 2003 3:06AM ET

Gator Wants To Go Public As Claria

Gator Wants To Go Public As Claria 04/09/2004 04:04 PM
You may remember that late last year, Gator changed their name to Claria to try to shake the "spyware" label that people kept hanging on them. Of course, a better way to do that might have been (this is just a suggestion, of course) to stop shipping sneaky adware that installs itself without people realizing it. Instead, they changed the name and made their webpage look all spiffy as if they're some kind of marketing company. Now, that they've given people a few months to forget what they're really doing, they've decided to file for an IPO where they hope to raise lots of cash to come up with other ways to get on your computer. The filings show that sneaking your way onto computers can be profitable, as they brought in $35 million in profit on revenue of $90 million.

Gator Files for IPO to Raise $150
Million

Gator Files for IPO to Raise $150
Million 04/10/2004 08:23 PM

Claria Sues L.L.Bean To Get Them To Stop
Suing Claria Customers

Claria Sues L.L.Bean To Get Them To Stop
Suing Claria Customers 06/10/2004 03:09 AM
Last month, L.L. Bean decided to go one step further from suing Claria for putting pop-up ads over the browsers of Claria users when they visited the L.L. Bean website and sued the advertisers whose ads showed up. At the time, we pointed out that this was ridiculous. Putting those ads there is no different from someone buying a billboard in front of a competitor's office, which is a practice many companies do. The real problem with Claria (and it is a problem) is that the software gets installed without users knowing it. However, if a user does want Claria's Gator product running (and, amazingly enough, some people do want it), that's their decision. There is no law that someone can't use software that pops up advertisements when they visit someone else's website. After realizing that their advertising customers were upset over these lawsuits, Claria has struck back and sued L.L. Bean for filing frivolous lawsuits. Of course, their reasoning isn't so much that these actions are perfectly legal - but that some of the companies sued are no longer Claria customers (which could mean they'll turn around and sue Claria back for causing them to get sued - some lawyers are likely reviewing indemnification clauses as we speak). Either way, this is a big legal mess over the wrong issue. What Claria is doing with their ads is perfectly legal. What they're doing with the installation of Gator, however, is a much bigger question - but none of the lawsuits focus on that.

mutation

mutation 12/19/2003 06:19 PM
Been planning

VC Tries To Defend Claria... Sort Of

VC Tries To Defend Claria... Sort Of 08/13/2004 02:43 PM
Back in April, we noted that a clueless VC had dumped $40 million into a company that was widely hated for their spyware. Now, in an article that certainly doesn't do any favors for anyone's impressions of the VC industry, a venture capitalist tries to divide the spyware/adware/malware offerings into the "nine levels of hell" and admits that anything above level 3 may be okay for VCs. It's obviously slightly tongue-in-cheek, but the point remains that certain VCs (including the writer of the article) think that even if the way you make money is by tricking users, it's ok. A smart VC with a long-term view would realize that tricking users is never a long-term strategy that will succeed. The point she is really trying to make -- which she unfortunately buries all the way at the end -- is that if users want adware, they should be able to install it themselves. This is the positi on we've taken here as well. We agree that many of the anti-spyware laws go way too far, in that they confuse two issues: (1) is the spyware being disclosed to the user and (2) should it be able to put ads next to competitor web sites. The real problem with spyware is that first issue. However, for the few people who actually do want to install these programs, they should be free to. Unfortunately, the sneaky tactics most of these programs use, shows just how much real demand they have. It's too bad that this article mostly brushes over how sneaky most spyware programs are in how they are installed, and focuses more on the competitive ad products. In the end, it makes her look like she's defending Claria, when her final hedging shows she would never invest in the company anyway (since Gator is often installed without the user knowing it, and uses popups -- both of which she deems below the levels of hell where she'd invest).

Introducing mutation events (XML.com)

Introducing mutation events (XML.com) 10/11/2002 07:55 AM

Introducing Mutation Events

Introducing Mutation Events 10/10/2002 09:55 AM
In his latest exploration of SVG, Antoine Quint introduces DOM Mutation Events as a way to integrate custom components more fully.

Introducing mutation events (XML.com)

Introducing mutation events (XML.com) 10/11/2002 07:56 AM

Mutation Creates SuperKid

Mutation Creates SuperKid 06/24/2004 09:32 AM

Claria sues L.L.Bean

Claria sues L.L.Bean 06/09/2004 05:29 PM

Yahoo clamps down on Claria adware

Yahoo clamps down on Claria adware 08/06/2004 03:10 PM
New anti-spyware tools from Yahoo detect pop-ups from longtime partner Claria, a move could put stress on the relationship.

Claria Settles The Wrong Lawsuit

Claria Settles The Wrong Lawsuit 08/31/2004 10:53 PM
I am obviously no fan of Claria. However, the law is completely on their side when it comes to popping up advertisements on certain sites. The problem with Claria (and, specifically, their Gator adware product) isn't that it pops up competitors ads, but that many users have no idea they installed it. The installation process for Gator is incredibly sneaky, leading many people to not even realize they have it on their machine. For those who do realize they have it on their machine, Claria is not particularly upfront about what they're doing (watching where you surf and popping up ads) or how to get rid of it. I'll admit that I don't know why people would want to have that app on their desktop, but the problem isn't the app itself, but how its installed and what they tell people the app is doing. So, when some websites complained that Claria was popping up competitive ads when surfers visited their sites, Claria was in the right. If the user wanted to have those ads shown, they should be allowed to. There was no trademark infringement - because no one is trying to confuse people into thinking that they were on a different site. They were just showing alternatives. So, it's a bit upsetting to find out that Claria has settled the lawsuits rather than see them go to court (where it's likely they would win -- but you never know for sure). While many people (including myself) dislike Claria's business practices, that's no reason to celebrate this settlement -- as it only means we'll be seeing plenty more of these lawsuits, sometimes directed against more upstanding companies. An end user should have the right to do whatever they want to their surfing experience -- even if it means popping up ads of competitors on sites they visit. This settlement is a setback for people being able to do what they want on their own computers.

Overstock.com Drops Suit Against Claria

Overstock.com Drops Suit Against Claria 12/13/2003 07:07 AM
SiliconValley.Internet.com Dec 13 2003 6:26AM ET

Gene mutation linked to diabetes

Gene mutation linked to diabetes 07/11/2004 07:53 PM
A natural fault in a newly discovered gene is a major contributor to type 1 diabetes, say US scientists.

Pop-up purveyor Claria settles suits

Pop-up purveyor Claria settles suits 08/31/2004 07:18 PM
Adware firm quietly settles with Wells Fargo, Quicken Loans and other businesses, CNET News.com has learned.

Lung Cancer in Nonsmokers Tied to
Mutation

Lung Cancer in Nonsmokers Tied to
Mutation 08/27/2004 02:07 PM

Gene Mutation Found in Muscle Man
Toddler (AP)

Gene Mutation Found in Muscle Man
Toddler (AP) 06/23/2004 05:34 PM
AP - Somewhere in Germany is a baby Superman, born in Berlin with bulging arm and leg muscles. Not yet 5, he can hold seven-pound weights with arms extended, something many adults cannot do. He has muscles twice the size of other kids his age and half their body fat. DNA testing showed why: The boy has a genetic mutation that boosts muscle growth.

Mutation Found in 'Muscle Man' Toddler
(AP)

Mutation Found in 'Muscle Man' Toddler
(AP) 06/23/2004 08:20 PM
AP - Somewhere in Germany is a baby Superman, born in Berlin with bulging arm and leg muscles. Not yet 5, he can hold seven-pound weights with arms extended, something many adults cannot do. He has muscles twice the size of other kids his age and half their body fat. DNA testing showed why: The boy has a genetic mutation that boosts muscle growth.

Yahoo takes bite out of Claria adware

Yahoo takes bite out of Claria adware 08/06/2004 04:58 PM
ZDNet Aug 6 2004 9:18PM GMT

Adware anxiety gives Claria cold feet

Adware anxiety gives Claria cold feet 08/12/2004 02:40 PM
There's profit in software that spawns pop-ups, but a postponed IPO shows it's a risky business, too.

CNN.com - Gene mutation makes tot super
strong - Jun 24, 2004

CNN.com - Gene mutation makes tot super
strong - Jun 24, 2004 06/25/2004 04:10 AM
Superman (or an X-man?) born in Germany .. increasing commercial meat production .. German Superbaby Threatens Mankind .. Read article

cnn.com/2004/HEALTH/06/24/muscle.gene.ap/index.html
track this site | 6 links

Mutation Makes Rats More Sensitive to
Alcohol's Effects

Mutation Makes Rats More Sensitive to
Alcohol's Effects 02/07/2005 01:56 AM

Early bird syndrome linked to genetic
mutation

Early bird syndrome linked to genetic
mutation 03/31/2005 11:46 PM
David Pescovitz: In this week's issue of Nature, neuroscientists report that they've implicated a single gene mutation in Familiar Advanced Sleep Phase Syndrome (FASPS), or "early bird syndrome." Often, people who have this condition have no choice but to crash in the early evening and wake up long before dawn. From National Geographic News:

"The net result is you can feel very isolated," (FASPS sufferer Susan) Middlebrook said. "Who wants to party at three in the morning? Nobody I know, and I'm not headed to the local bar to see who's still there." Instead, she quietly cleans the house, makes breakfast, or cuddles up with a book.

About three-tenths of a percent of the world's population lives like this, including two of Middlebrook's sisters, her daughter, and her mother. "Their whole clock is shifted," said Ying-Hui Fu, a neuroscientist at the University of California, San Francisco...

The researchers are not yet certain how the gene mutation works to shift people's sleep time. But laboratory experiments suggest mutation slows the activity of a protein called casein kinase I delta (CKIdelta). "The next step is to figure out why," Fu said.

Link

A Gator By Any Other Name

A Gator By Any Other Name 10/30/2003 08:10 AM

No IPO For Gator

No IPO For Gator 08/12/2004 04:30 AM
While people are still watching for that Google IPO any day now, the door seems to be slamming shut for many other dot coms that hoped to leap through into the publicly traded world. Among the many firms who have delayed or pulled their IPOs in recent days, famed adware ("don' t call us spyware!") company Claria (better known as Gator). No details are given, but there's a short blurb in this article noting that Claria has delayed its IPO citing "unfavorable market conditions". Maybe the problem is that their "adware" is bogging down all their underwriters' computers. August is almost always a notoriously bad month for IPOs, so it makes you wonder why so many companies have been trying to push through now. Chances are the IPO market will rebound again at some point in the near future, so this may just be a short-lived break before Gator-ware infects Wall Street.

Gator Be Gone!

Gator Be Gone! 03/19/2003 10:45 PM

Here's a little tip for Internet Explorer users if you're tired of Gator and its attempts to install itself on your PC.

"Hopefully by now you have removed that password manager/form filler Gator since it's gotten a bad reputation as spyware.  As an added precaution to keep the software from installing unwanted files on your system, also consider adding Gator to your list of restricted sites.  To do this, click on Tools, Internet Options, Security tab, and the Restricted Sites icon. Click on Sites and type '.gator.com' without the quotes into the 'Add this Web Site to the zone', then click on Add and OK." [Neat Net Tricks, 3/15/2003]

Gator Comes To Yahoo

Gator Comes To Yahoo 03/30/2005 02:11 AM
Corante Mar 30 2005 6:09AM GMT

Gator renamed

Gator renamed 10/30/2003 07:05 AM

NewsGator is NOT "Gator"

NewsGator is NOT "Gator" 06/17/2005 07:17 PM

Shortly after I announced that NewsG ator had acquired my company, I started seeing comments from people wondering whether NewsGator was related to the "Gator" spyware company (now known as "Claria"). The answer, of course, is NO (you don't really think I'd join a spyware company, do you?).

NewsGator founder Greg Reinacker wrote about this problem a few months ago, and wondered whether a name change was in order to prevent the unintended association. But renaming a company isn't the simplest thing to do, and even if the rename took place, people would still refer to us as "the former NewsGator company," defeating the purpose.

Funny thing is, I had a simil ar post in my own blog last month, related to some people taking offense to the "demon" part of FeedDemon's name. Given the problems with both names, I think it's safe to say that if we ever rename the company, we won't choose the name "GatorDemon" :)

Gator foe bitten, but still not shy

Gator foe bitten, but still not shy 12/02/2003 12:45 AM
Fresh from settling a libel lawsuit by pulling anti-Gator pages from its site, PC Pitstop plans to launch a new, expanded site critical of the controversial software.

Gmail's Similarities To Gator

Gmail's Similarities To Gator 04/26/2004 02:13 AM
ClickZ has an article that points out for all the complaints about Google's Gmail offering, one area that people haven't really explored is how it's actually similar to Gator in certain ways. Of course, since so many people hate Gator, this will automatically be seen as a negative - but what people hate about Gator is that it gets installed without the user knowing it, which isn't the case with Gmail. Also, Gator covers up other sites with popups from competitors, while Gmail just place regular text ads off to the side. However, there are some similarities - and you can imagine that companies will get upset when they find out that next to their own email marketing there is an ad for a competitor. How long until a merchant sues? There have been a number of similar cases against Gator (and others) and the results have been mixed depending on the judge. I stand by my position that throwing up competitors ads by itself should be perfectly legal - as long as the user knows what's happening and the software hasn't been put on their machine without their knowledge. Still, not everyone sees it that way - and it's likely that an annoyed retailer will sue. Another option, as suggested by Jeremy Wagstaff, is that companies that advertise by email will move to alternatives like RSS. Of course, once Gmail adds an RSS news aggregator to their Gmail product they'll face the same issue. Maybe, instead of worrying so much about competitors' ads showing up, they should just focus on making sure their product is something people want.

Gator, L.L. Bean dispute to be reheard

Gator, L.L. Bean dispute to be reheard 04/30/2004 02:57 PM
An appeals court orders greater scrutiny of the case between the two companies.

Seminoles, Mountaineers Set for Gator
Bowl (AP)

Seminoles, Mountaineers Set for Gator
Bowl (AP) 01/01/2005 12:11 PM
AP - Florida State's Chris Rix and West Virginia's Rasheed Marshall met at a children's hospital during a recent Gator Bowl function. They talked about getting thrust into the spotlight long ago as freshmen, Rix's California roots and their mutual respect.

Man Stabs 6-Foot Gator to Free His Dog
(AP)

Man Stabs 6-Foot Gator to Free His Dog
(AP) 08/27/2004 01:59 PM
AP - A man stabbed a 6-foot alligator with a pocketknife after the reptile grabbed his dog by the head, and managed to scare off the reptile.

Gator sinks teeth into new image

Gator sinks teeth into new image 10/30/2003 03:54 PM
The controversial advertising software ande-wallet company changes its name in a bid to distance itself from a brand that has become associated with allegations of "spyware."

Gator sheds skin, renames itself

Gator sheds skin, renames itself 10/30/2003 12:34 AM
Gator, the controversial advertising software ande-wallet company, changes its name tobetter reflect its behavioral marketing business.

Man Accused of Hitting Woman With Gator
(AP)

Man Accused of Hitting Woman With Gator
(AP) 07/17/2004 02:53 PM
AP - A man hit his girlfriend with a 3-foot alligator and threw beer bottles at her during an argument in the couple's mobile home, authorities said.
Grok Description matches for Gator mutation Claria files for IPO
GrokA matches for Gator mutation Claria files for IPO

Gator mutation Claria files for IPO

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