The IE Power Grab?

Is IE trying to force itself on Search?

[Propools]

At work or home do you use Internet Explorer Version 7.0 or greater? If so, go to Google and search for "Chase". After a second or two your entire Google screen should move down and virtually the top of your screen is filled with the Chase Bank Ad. Do you find that offensive? Let's say you weren't looking for Chase Bank but looking for Chase Widgets. So, you're forced to scroll down just to get to the Google results. This is to my knowledge an IE specific tool. I wonder what the general user's response and feelings will be regarding this. We've been asked to do it.

It's $4000 for six months plus a per click amount when someone clicks on the ad. This ad will display across the major search engines, so your errant clicks and/or click fraud could be thousands of Dollars a month. Is it worth it? Is this just another way that Microsoft is trying to force it's way into the search platform, by taking one of it's software products and letting it override a Search engine?

Your thoughts....... ;)

[Receptional Andy]

I don't see anything like this using IE6, 7 or 8. Do you have any more details/a link? Sounds like some kind of 'add-on'/spyware to me.

[edited by: Receptional_Andy at 2:16 pm (utc) on Mar. 25, 2008]

[Propools]

The owner of the company had a phone conversation with a salesman from < the advertising company > and as per the owner here, he says it only works in IE 7.0. I don't know if he had to download an extension for that to happen first or not.

But he showed me the display on his PC this AM. I was floored. I'm supposed to be getting a phone call within an hour from this sales person and I'll find out more and keep you posted. ;)

[edited by: tedster at 3:15 pm (utc) on Mar. 25, 2008]

[Propools]

The pitch made was that it was a deal they had with Google, Microsoft and Yahoo. I looked at the display and said there's no way Google or Yahoo would give up THEIR real estate like that and treat the user that way.

[Propools]

So, I used my Domain Tools and looked up the domain this salesman used for sending the email and what I got back from my Domain Tools was that the domain from where the email was sent was none other than "Netscape Communications Corporation". How does that play into this I wonder? Sorry, this is not a blog I'm creating. Just journaling so I can get feedback. :)

[Receptional Andy]

Ah. This sounds like an old school scam. The ad will only show to people who have installed their software which is...no-one. It's the same as the old 'type in keywords' thing that had a brief moment of fame years ago. IMO it is highly unlikely that they have a deal with any major search engine.

Send 'em on their way ;)

[tedster]

As Andy said above, this is almost definitely a scam artist and they're using an adware download, foisted on unsuspecting users. No doubt in my mind - It's an old scam in a new package.

I would never do business with such a service, even IF they had a large enough installed user base to give a decent ROI on such a fee - and I doubt that, too. You can watch the reports on this kind of web shark at [stopbadware.org,...] a site jointly run by Harvard Law School, Oxford University and Consumer Reports

[Propools]

scam artist :o adware :o I feel SOOOO Violated ;)
I thought I knew all those tricks by now.
Thanks for the input..........Everyone. Much obliged. :)

[Propools]

After the sales agent called back and in talking with him it is < the advertising company > and there's an online demo of how this work, pretty novel, nifty idea. But of course it's an Add-On that's only available for IE 7.0 and greater. This is one sales call that fell way short of what he was expecting.
My Hat's off to you fine folks for being of such quick, fast and informative assistance.

[edited by: engine at 5:02 pm (utc) on Mar. 25, 2008]
[edit reason] No specific names, thanks. [/edit]