Gator, er, Claria Files for IPO

Grok Headline matches for Gator, er, Claria Files for IPO

Gator mutation Claria files for IPO

Gator mutation Claria files for IPO 04/09/2004 04:02 PM
Internet stock offerings may be heating up, but Claria may be hindered by its controversial adware.

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.

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).

Claria sues L.L.Bean

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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]

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 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.

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 renamed

Gator renamed 10/30/2003 07:05 AM

Gator Comes To Yahoo

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

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

CNN.com - Man stabs gator to protect dog
- Aug 27, 2004

CNN.com - Man stabs gator to protect dog
- Aug 27, 2004 08/29/2004 12:08 AM
CNN.com - Man stabs gator to protect dog - Aug 27, 2004 .. Even walking the dog is an adventure in Florida .. cnn

cnn.com/2004/US/South/08/27/gator.attack.ap/index.html
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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."

ABCNEWS.com : Man Accused of Hitting
Woman With Gator

ABCNEWS.com : Man Accused of Hitting
Woman With Gator 07/19/2004 04:26 AM
Florida Man Accused Of Hitting Girlfriend With 3-Foot Alligator During Argument .. This sounds like

abcnews.go.com/wire/US/ap20040717_876.html
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CNN.com - Florida man accused of using
gator as weapon - Jul 18, 2004

CNN.com - Florida man accused of using
gator as weapon - Jul 18, 2004 07/20/2004 02:40 PM

Forum Stories: removing gator and hotbar

Forum Stories: removing gator and hotbar 07/13/2004 05:32 AM

Briefly: Gator, L.L. Bean dispute to be
reheard

Briefly: Gator, L.L. Bean dispute to be
reheard 04/30/2004 04:18 PM
CNET Apr 30 2004 8:29PM GMT

12-Foot, 400-Pound Gator Captured in
Miami (AP)

12-Foot, 400-Pound Gator Captured in
Miami (AP) 01/04/2005 12:43 AM
AP - A 12-foot alligator weighing more than 400 pounds and described as among the largest ever caught near downtown Miami was hoisted from a creek Monday by a firetruck.

No. 17 Florida State Wins Gator Bowl
(AP)

No. 17 Florida State Wins Gator Bowl
(AP) 01/02/2005 12:29 AM
AP - Coach Bobby Bowden stuck with struggling quarterback Chris Rix, and he eventually sparked No. 17 Florida State with two long second-half touchdown drives Saturday, beating West Virginia 30-18 in the Gator Bowl.

74-Year-Old Woman Survives Gator Attack
(AP)

74-Year-Old Woman Survives Gator Attack
(AP) 04/23/2004 08:23 PM
AP - A 74-year-old woman survived an attack by a nearly 10-foot-long alligator that bit her on the leg and arm and dragged her into a lake.

Florida St. Tops W. Virginia in Gator
Bowl (AP)

Florida St. Tops W. Virginia in Gator
Bowl (AP) 01/01/2005 06:23 PM
AP - Florida State overcame mistake after mistake to avoid an unprecedented third straight bowl loss. Leon Washington ran for 195 yards and Chris Rix crafted two long second-half touchdown drives, leading No. 17 Florida State to a 30-18 victory over West Virginia in the Gator Bowl on Saturday.

OpenOffice World-Readable Temporary
Files Disclose Files to Local Users

OpenOffice World-Readable Temporary
Files Disclose Files to Local Users 09/10/2004 01:05 PM
Jérôme (Sep 10 2004)

Milwaukee Postal Workers Find Live Gator

Milwaukee Postal Workers Find Live Gator 11/15/2003 10:07 PM
Reuters via Wired News Nov 15 2003 8:08PM ET

Gator Eludes Arkansas Cops, Game
Officers (AP)

Gator Eludes Arkansas Cops, Game
Officers (AP) 06/16/2004 10:05 AM
AP - Mention alligators in Arkansas, and the slow-moving bayous of southern and eastern parts of the state come to mind. But a stock pond in the Ozarks is also harboring a young reptile with large teeth.
Grok Description matches for Gator, er, Claria Files for IPO
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Gator, er, Claria Files for IPO

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