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Class action lawsuit filed against Lenovo over Superfish

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Re: Class action lawsuit filed against Lenovo over Superfish

#51
post #7

"Notably, Lenovo did not preinstall the Superfish program on any of its computer models that were marketed to businesses or more sophisticated computer users." That's a particularly damning accusation.

I'm wondering how'd they figure out if a user (not business) is a 'more sophisticated' computer user.

Re: Class action lawsuit filed against Lenovo over Superfish

#52
post #37

Suprise that no market their computers as "crapware free".

You used to be able to pay $50 extra on Sony laptops for it to come clean. While that's technically better than no option at all, it doesn't make me miss them too much.

You also used to be able to buy a Sharpie marker at the same time as a CD purchase to defeat their rootkit installed from music CDs. I don't miss them too much either.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_BMG_copy_protection_rootk...

Re: Class action lawsuit filed against Lenovo over Superfish

#53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd format it with a fresh version of whatever OS came on it just to be safe. I actually have always done this when buying pre-built computers just to get rid of all the junk that comes from the manufacturer.

Excellent suggestion. I highly second that. Yes, even though more and more vendors are making that harder. For example, claiming that reinstalling the OS voids your warranty.

Because then they wouldn't benefit from the crapware they installed, so they need to disincent you.

Not running crapware is theft, just like not watching commercials is theft. The only way they can afford to sell you a PC at those prices is by subsidizing their profit with crapware income. /s

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/676651/posts

Re: Class action lawsuit filed against Lenovo over Superfish

#55
A year or eighteen months from now look for a settlement in the case. Each of the affected class members will be entitled to a $5 discount on an anti-virus product plus up to $25 if they can provide detailed documentation showing actual economic losses. Any money left over after the coupons and payments are made will be given to a charity hand picked by the plaintiff's attorney. There will also be injunctive relief in the form of Lenovo promising never to do it again, seriously this time guys. The representative plaintiffs will each be awarded $5,000. The class attorneys will be awarded $4 million. $750,000 will be set aside to pay a class action settlement processing company which will put up a website, send out notices, and process claims.

After a pro-forma hearing a judge will approve the settlement as fair, reasonable, and adequate.

Re: Class action lawsuit filed against Lenovo over Superfish

#56
post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well one can void one's warranty root and install cyanogen mod...

and then have it freeze and restart every day -__- (I guess is just my particular experience and might not apply to everyone)

And crash at random times in random apps.

Re: Class action lawsuit filed against Lenovo over Superfish

#57

A year or eighteen months from now look for a settlement in the case. Each of the affected class members will be entitled to a $5 discount on an anti-virus product plus up to $25 if they can provide detailed documentation showing actual economic losses. Any money left over after the coupons and payments are made will be given to a charity hand picked by the plaintiff's attorney. There will also be injunctive relief i…

And through all of this, the Lenovo name will continue to be tarnished. That's where the real damage is.

Re: Class action lawsuit filed against Lenovo over Superfish

#58

.. reinstall any computer you get from scratch; Firmware Bios spying is of course much harder to get rid from.

Many of these computers don't even come with OS reinstallation media. They tend to have recovery partitions on the hard drives which will only restore the computer to its initial spyware-ridden state. I downvoted your comment because of your implication that spyware wouldn't be a problem if only everyone were as sophisticated as you.

You're setting a good standard for downvote etiquette. It's kind to not leave people guessing and I think it strengthens our community.

Re: Class action lawsuit filed against Lenovo over Superfish

#59
post #43

Suprise that no market their computers as "crapware free".

Microsoft's trying to create a premium “Signature Edition” category with that as the selling point: http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/cat/Signatur...

I've bought a couple of these. They're sure nicer than the crapware-ridden vanilla consumer machines (where it takes me an hour or two to remove the crapware . . . and even then I'm not sure).

Re: Class action lawsuit filed against Lenovo over Superfish

#60

Suprise that no market their computers as "crapware free".

Microsoft uses licensing discounts to bribe PC manufacturers into force-bundling Windows in jurisdictions with weak consumer protection laws.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bundling_of_Microsoft_Windows#...

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