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● 06.21.10

●● Microsoft Shoves Bing Toolbar Down People’s Throats Using Windows Update, Cheats Search Engine Meters

Posted in Deception, Mail, Microsoft, Servers at 2:26 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

Summary: Microsoft’s hyperaggressive business practices lead to a withdrawal and require companies to change how they measure search engine market share

MICROSOFT OFTEN abuses Windows Update, which was intended to be about security, not about promoting services like Bong [sic].

=> ↺ Bong [sic]

Microsoft "sabotages" Firefox every now and then by modifying the Web browser without the users' permission. It last happened earlier this month. Microsoft goes further than that by bundling new software with Windows Update (which was supposed to target security issues), then pretending it was an accident:

=> "sabotages" Firefox every now and then by modifying the Web browser without the users' permission | last happened earlier this month | ↺ pretending it was an accident

Microsoft has bundled a Bing toolbar add-on along with its Patch Tuesday security update.The download adds the Bing toolbar to the Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox web browsers of certain users without their permission.[...]Microsoft told tech news site The Register that the stealth toolbar installation was the result of a bug in the update, and that the problem has since been taken care of.

This publication put scare quotes around ‘Bug’ in the headline. How can a company install an entire piece of software “by accident”? Perhaps this ‘bug’ is backlash from the public. Well, maybe; but maybe it’s something else. Either way, the thing about Microsoft is, it has already victimised many people’s Web browsers — browsers which are now stuck with this unwanted toolbar. Microsoft gets to say that it fixed the ‘bug’, but the mission was accomplished because many forceful installations went through.

Let this prove that Microsoft has never changed. It’s a highly unethical company that lets no law get in its way. The browser ballot which Microsoft had to implement to dodge massive fines (for serious violations of the law) is something that took Microsoft many times to get right as well. There kept being all sorts of ‘bugs’ that always worked in Microsoft’s favour. See for example:

Browser Ballot CritiqueMicrosoft’s Fake “Choice” Campaign is BackMicrosoft Claimed to be Cheating in Web Browsers BallotMicrosoft Loses Impact in the Web Despite Unfair Ballot PlacementsGiven Choice, Customers Reject MicrosoftMicrosoft is Still Cheating in Browser Ballot — ClaimThe Microsoft Who Cried “Wolf!”

When it comes to search market share, Microsoft has just 3% of the market, according to this new article from Forbes, which says that “Microsoft Slumps” and explains:

=> ↺ this new article from Forbes

Fast forward to June 2010. Microsoft has lost 40% of the market in Internet browser use–Google’s Chrome browser and the “open source” Mozilla Firefox browser control one-third of the market along with 100% of the media buzz. And in spite of years of effort, Microsoft owns a mere 3% of the search market worldwide, compared with 84% for Google.

The article is more of an Apple vs Microsoft comparison, with more at CNN/Fortune. “Technology Research Group: More Downside Risk Than Upside Potential In Microsoft,” says another new article about Microsoft’s trouble. At this stage, Microsoft directly interferes with rivals rather than improve its own products.

=> ↺ more at CNN/Fortune | ↺ another new article

“At this stage, Microsoft directly interferes with rivals rather than improve its own products.”So far over the past 2.5 years we have seen how Microsoft used unethical tactics to hijack Yahoo!, which now has an alliance (meaning that Yahoo! serves Microsoft).

=> ↺ Microsoft used unethical tactics to hijack Yahoo! | ↺ an alliance

The same dishonesty which was exposed over a week ago keeps making false headlines such as [1, 2, 3, 4], claiming that both Yahoo! and Microsoft have gained market share in search. They are publishing lies in the press, thanks to comScore which allowed Microsoft to manipulate it (Microsoft is also gaming others who are Microsoft partners that claim to measure US market share in search). Even comScore, despite being a Microsoft partner [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10], had to admit its numbers were bunk. They are breaking search and as BNET puts it, Microsoft is gaming the system. The headline says “How Yahoo and Microsoft are Gaming the Search Market, and Why it Will End”. Well, when will disinformation from the press end? Microsoft is spamming its way into claims of gains and typically, the press only mentions US market share, which almost triples Microsoft’s real impact.

=> ↺ 1 | ↺ 2 | ↺ 3 | ↺ 4 | ↺ Microsoft is also gaming others | who are Microsoft partners | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | had to admit its numbers were bunk | ↺ breaking search | ↺ “How Yahoo and Microsoft are Gaming the Search Market, and Why it Will End”

As a side note, regarding Hotmail, Microsoft is suing some more, as covered in:

=> ↺ Hotmail | ↺ suing some more

Microsoft Sues Spammer For Fooling Hotmail FiltersMicrosoft Sues Spammers Who Abused Its Spam FiltersMicrosoft Sues Hotmail Spammer…AgainMicrosoft sues spammers for abusing Hotmail anti-spam filtersMicrosoft sues alleged spammer for gaming Hotmail’s spam filter

There are even articles about it from Microsoft itself, using the R&D Magazine that it so regularly uses for self promotion and PR. Then there are the shameless advertising gigs from Ina Fried and others [1, 2] who play along with the PR.

=> ↺ articles about it from Microsoft itself | ↺ Ina Fried | ↺ 1 | ↺ 2

Microsoft is cheating online for bragging rights. When it comes to money, however, Microsoft loses at a pace of about $3 billion per year. █

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