Best regards,
Alex Miller

Come on now- it’s WeatherBug… somehow I don’t see any widgets or concern for users in the near future. Savvy computer users have avoided them for years, they only exist because when Great Aunt Mabel gets her first computer she doesn’t know enough not to install it and provides them a few more precious accidental ad clicks.

Not to fear though- when the kids come to visit on the holidays, they run a malware scan for her and clean it right off.

That is a pretty awesome extension. Although I don’t watch a lot of online video, I’m sure others would be interested in saving a local copy of a video to their computer.

FBB, FTW!

Thank you for commenting. I value your insight as one of the developers of WeatherBug, but I’d like to raise a few concerns I have about your reply.

First, I did promote the Firefox extensions on their own merit. I didn’t even have to say IE sucks for my suggestions to be valid.

At no point did I state that WeatherBug was spyware, I simply offered an ad-free alternative for an end user to check their weather. Browser add-ons that don’t bundle spyware is a reasonable quality that users may find useful in their making informed decisions in their download choices. However, it may have been an implication that WeatherBug was spyware because it was contained with a link to a site that specialized in malicious software removal. That interpretation is not my own, and up to the readers to decide.

I personally dislike WeatherBug. This opinion is formed from technical expertise from helping numerous others with this software and personal experience with my girlfriend’s computer. Specifically, it is unacceptable that the way it bundles an IE BHO so it is natively difficult to remove and consumes valuable computer resources as it was fetching advertisements. I’ve had to manually remove the program and its contents by using the Microsoft Registry Editor, Spybot Search & Destroy, and a few minutes within HijackThis to fully remove it.

As a computer programmer and what I would assume, a power user, would understand that these requirements are beyond reasonable for the average or novice computer user to remove. If you believe these characteristics are ethical, acceptable or even something to be proud of — this only adversely impacts your credibility with me.

Not only have I proven your claims that WeatherBug is not ad-ware false, but I’ve validated this with an example described above. In addition, you incorrectly quoted me as stating WeatherBug is spyware, but since you’ve mentioned it, I’ll nod in agreement with your assumption.

If you believe I am grossly incorrect, I’ll be happy to author a full forensics investigation into how the Weatherbug software and provide a full analysis of whether or not WeatherBug is determined to be spyware. However, doing so may potentially violate the EULA and I’m not particularly in the mood for legal intimidation. Again, it’s an open offer — just say so.

As a suggestion for “your software,” I suggest that you take a look at what upsets users so much. Is it the ads or is it the hassle with uninstalling it — or is it both? Perhaps if WeatherBug offered a complimentary option to take advantage of it without ads, that may help satisfy many users. How about diving into a new market, and offer WeatherBug Widgets for one’s MySpace or blog. This will enable users to use your service, and perhaps help you clear your self-earned reputation. The bottom line is that if you made uninstallation seamless and not harmful to user’s computers — then I’ll be okay with it.

Instead of harnessing the blogosphere for honest communication, you comment of people’s blogs saying that they are wrong lacking any corroborating evidence — instead a link to your “About Us” page. This is an utterly lame and weak argument, but I’ll accept it.

While I am skeptical of the “wisdom of crowds,” especially on the Internet, the facts don’t lie and the fact I offered a competitive product (Forecastfox) it was clear your allegiance to WeatherBug clouded your ability to discern quality in software and what users really want.

Best Regards,

Joe

Oh and lmao… do WeatherBug employees search for their employer’s name seeking those who would besmirch WeatherBug’s honorable reputation?

I do not mind you promote other weather extensions. Please promote them on their merits and stop unfairly accusing WeatherBug.

Weatherbug has never been spyware or adware. We are not flagged by any antispyware program and what your read on some web sites is pure nonsense and without any proof or evidence. We own and operate the largest weather station network in the country. I am not sure why you or any body else think we jeopardize our network by engaging in illegal activates.

For more information about my company please visit
http://weather.weatherbug.com/about-us/about-us.html

Ben