Re: its out and can be played at

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Posted by yackydoodle (Ranked on Scrabble 2 (Zone) Ladder) on January 19, 2003 at 10:39:28:

In Reply to: Re: its out and can be played at posted by TheWall812 on January 16, 2003 at 22:34:27:

: : It is out but it is called Scrabble Complete. Only site to play it so far is game spy arcade

: Game spy is well-named... the interface you download to play there includes installing loads of spyware on your computer. If you clean your of these programs, it will insist on reinstalling its files next time you try to play there. The spyware isn't exactly harmful, but it tracks where you surf, etc.

I know that Gamespy has a history of installing spyware along with their software, but this can be cleaned off, and shouldn't be reinstalled. They had been doing this by asking if you'd like to install "helpful" extra programs. The chief culprits in the past have been Gator and WebHancer. At present (I just installed Gamespy to check this out) they don't seem to have either of those, but they do have another program extra they ask if you'd like to install. Just don't install any of them.

Essentially, in the default GameSpy setup -- if you just install it without unchecking boxes -- you'll wind up with some spyware and a lot of junk mail arriving at the e-mail address you give them. So, if you are going to play on GameSpy, go through the pages carefully during installation and uncheck every box. I would also suggest you not use your real name or address when they ask for it (you should have some phonies you use for this purpose online; phonies you can remember) and don't use your regular e-mail address -- use, for instance, a hotmail address that you keep just for sign-up purposes online when a phony address won't work. BTW, a phony e-mail address will work for installing GameSpy.

After installing, run Ad-Aware (everyone should have it). Ad-Aware is a free spyware removal tool. Other times when you should run Ad-Aware are when you install or update Internet Explorer, as Microsoft generally installs spyware (a program called Alexa) during that process. Ad-Aware is available at http://www.lavasoftusa.com/. Get their update program too while you're at it (RefUpdate).

There are two reasons you don't want spyware. One is that who really wants to be spied on. The other is that spyware tends to slow down your machine and your internet connection.

GameSpy itself is okay, if you have to use it. If you have some other option, I'd suggest you use that option. GameSpy is rather instrusive in what it installs on your machine and even after uninstalling it, you have at least one folder and many registry keys still there. I'm used to going in and deleting this sort of stuff, so I don't find it a problem, but if you're not a tech type, you'll probably find it difficult. So if you don't have to use GameSpy, I'd suggest you don't, but if you have no other place to play, follow the steps above.

One other thing: one small program that GameSpy installs is often thought to be a trojan (virus-like program) but isn't. It's ICQMAPI.DLL, which gets put in C:\Program Files\GameSpy\icqmapi.dll. This is not a trojan, but instead is a program which integrates GameSpy ICQ (their chat ). If you don't want to use their chat, you can delete it.

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: : : It is out but it is called Scrabble Complete. Only site to play it so far is game spy arcade : : Game spy is well-named... the interface you download to play there includes installing loads of spyware on your computer. If you clean your of these programs, it will insist on reinstalling its files next time you try to play there. The spyware isn't exactly harmful, but it tracks where you surf, etc. : I know that Gamespy has a history of installing spyware along with their software, but this can be cleaned off, and shouldn't be reinstalled. They had been doing this by asking if you'd like to install "helpful" extra programs. The chief culprits in the past have been Gator and WebHancer. At present (I just installed Gamespy to check this out) they don't seem to have either of those, but they do have another program extra they ask if you'd like to install. Just don't install any of them. : Essentially, in the default GameSpy setup -- if you just install it without unchecking boxes -- you'll wind up with some spyware and a lot of junk mail arriving at the e-mail address you give them. So, if you are going to play on GameSpy, go through the pages carefully during installation and uncheck every box. I would also suggest you not use your real name or address when they ask for it (you should have some phonies you use for this purpose online; phonies you can remember) and don't use your regular e-mail address -- use, for instance, a hotmail address that you keep just for sign-up purposes online when a phony address won't work. BTW, a phony e-mail address will work for installing GameSpy. : After installing, run Ad-Aware (everyone should have it). Ad-Aware is a free spyware removal tool. Other times when you should run Ad-Aware are when you install or update Internet Explorer, as Microsoft generally installs spyware (a program called Alexa) during that process. Ad-Aware is available at http://www.lavasoftusa.com/. Get their update program too while you're at it (RefUpdate). : There are two reasons you don't want spyware. One is that who really wants to be spied on. The other is that spyware tends to slow down your machine and your internet connection. : GameSpy itself is okay, if you have to use it. If you have some other option, I'd suggest you use that option. GameSpy is rather instrusive in what it installs on your machine and even after uninstalling it, you have at least one folder and many registry keys still there. I'm used to going in and deleting this sort of stuff, so I don't find it a problem, but if you're not a tech type, you'll probably find it difficult. So if you don't have to use GameSpy, I'd suggest you don't, but if you have no other place to play, follow the steps above. : One other thing: one small program that GameSpy installs is often thought to be a trojan (virus-like program) but isn't. It's ICQMAPI.DLL, which gets put in C:\Program Files\GameSpy\icqmapi.dll. This is not a trojan, but instead is a program which integrates GameSpy ICQ (their chat ). If you don't want to use their chat, you can delete it.

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