Microsoft MVP Pushes Adware
I always thought I would like to be considered a Microsoft MVP, I thought it was a great way to recognize people who go out of their way to help people, for those who don’t know what it is, this is from the Microsoft site,
Microsoft?s Most Valuable Professionals (MVPs) are recognized, credible and accessible individuals with expertise in one or more Microsoft products who actively participate in online and offline communities to share their knowledge and expertise with other Microsoft customers. Customers want an enriched pool of knowledge and real-life experience to tap for advice and feedback. MVPs are helping to satisfy this need by independently enabling customers in both online and offline technical communities. Customer feedback is vital to product development and R&D. The MVPs represent an important part of this feedback loop by providing another link for Microsoft to listen to the customer.
The Most Valuable Professional Program is the way that Microsoft formally acknowledges the accomplishments of these individuals for their contributions to community. It is focused on fostering a vibrant global community where Microsoft and customers learn about each other through valued ongoing relationships. The key strategies the program employs are:
Recognize and engage with MVPs worldwide?Identify, enable and empower community influencers through a consistent quality customer relationship with Microsoft that spans product groups, services, and field organizations.
Improve customer connection and satisfaction?Recognize more customers for their efforts and improve the quality of the experience on their turf and in their language.
Drive program excellence?Professionalize services, customer offerings and worldwide roles and responsibilities to become more predictable and accountable to both internal and external Microsoft community customers.
The MVP Program, in existence for over eleven years, is represented by over 2,600 MVPs in 81 countries. Source: Microsoft
Well, apparently I was wrong, as they have recently awarded MVP status to a software developer, named Patchou AKA Cyril Paciullo, creator of Messenger Plus!, who pushes adware in his software, and not just any adware, its a hijacking, change your browsers homepage and add icons to your desktop love fest. LOP. LOP? Can you believe that? LOP has been causing people trouble forever. Microsoft’s own program, Virustotal detects this guys program, Windows Messenger Plus!. I wonder if the person responsible for selecting the MVP’s is actually doing his homework?
[...] I talked in an earlier post, Microsoft MVP Pushes Adware, about a software developer who pushes the LOP adware program in his software. Looks like Microsoft has removed him as his personal profile returns an invalid profile page. Glad to see Microsoft step up and look at his admission again. Adware, Microsoft News, Security 4:39 am | Tag Cloud .NET Active Directory Adware AMD AOL Apple Backup Blogging boot disk boot up boot.ini Botnets Browsers Browsershield Case Mods cold boot command line Control Panel Copy DVDs Core 2 Duo Detailed Bookmarks DHCP digital music DLL Help drivers Education Facetime File Conversion Firefox Gadgets Gaming News Gateway Google Google Code Search GPEDIT.MSC Group Policy Group Policy Editor hard disk Hardware HDTV hoax cloaking How To HP hybrid drive IBM AS/400 and iSeries IE7 instant messaging Intel Intel Developer Forum Internet Connection Firewall Internet Explorer internet hoaxes iPod iTunes iTV LCD TV Linux Longhorn Server News Macbooks Malware manage desktops Messenger Microsoft News Microsoft Points Mirrored Volumes MySQL Network Connections Networking Office News OpenRide operating system paging file password Pentium Piracy Plug and Play PowerPoint PRAM publisher Raid 5 RAM RC1 reboots registry reinstall Remote Assistance Reviews screen saver screensavers Security service pack services SERVICES.MSC Shutdown Problems Sidebar Skins Social Networks Software SP2 splash screen Spyware Info Startup Problems sysoc.inf System Restore taskbar TCP/IP Tech News Technorati Televisions Themes This Site Tips UI USB usb thumb drive user interface Video Conferencing Video Games Virus Info vml exploit VoIP Volume Licensing Wallop welcome screen WGA Wifi Windows 2000 Windows Genuine Advantage Windows Live Drive Windows Media Player Windows Messenger Windows Metafile Windows ReadyBoost Windows ReadyDrive Windows Update Windows Vista News Windows XP Windows XP Home Windows XP Setup Windows XP Support Tools Windows XP Themes Windows XP Tips Wireless networking X Cleaner Xbox Xbox Live Arcade XML YouTube Zango Zune [...]