My Zango Page

[Simon]

I have to admit that after trying to get to LOR with "ZangoToolbar" as my useragent, I do like the seamless approach of not opening another window and the customized page definitely has a good effect.

On my tests, if I typed LOR into the browser, I had no back button anyway. If I clicked someone's link to go to LOR, then my back button took me back to the site where I'd clicked the link. Since it doesn't get the surfer pissed by messing with their back button, I think this is a good way to go.

The page with the instructions for how to get rid of Zango does not tell them they need to reboot their computer, or that they should reboot and check certain things afterwards to be sure they got it all. Is that correct, no reboot needed?

[virgohippy]

I have another possability to add to Simon's words of caution with the htaccess redirect:

What if the surfer is so NOT tech-savvy that they're unable to remove the tool themselves?

It's a great list of instructions you have there Jim, and you've executed things very well, but seriously... to the average surfer this might read as geek jargon.

If there was an instant correction tool that could handle all the steps with a single click, then I could see forcing the surfers to comply as a viable option. However, because we'd be forcing them to do surgery on their own systems, something not all can do, I think it would piss off a potential customer.

That being said, I do think it's a great idea to link to your splash page if my page detects the toolbar. This way we're giving the surfer the option to comply with a personalized message without using a popup - which, as Simon pointed out, would probably just be ignored anyway.

I imagine creating a really big, annoying, full-page warning statement is a great incentive to comply.

I'll be sure to add in a link to your page on as many of my pages as is feasible, and I'll give you a list of all the domains I add it to.

[QuickDraw]

Originally Posted by virgohippy

I have another possability to add to Simon's words of caution with the htaccess redirect:

What if the surfer is so NOT tech-savvy that they're unable to remove the tool themselves?

It's a great list of instructions you have there Jim, and you've executed things very well, but seriously... to the average surfer this might read as geek jargon.

If there was an instant correction tool that could handle all the steps with a single click, then I could see forcing the surfers to comply as a viable option. However, because we'd be forcing them to do surgery on their own systems, something not all can do, I think it would piss off a potential customer.

That was kind of the first thing I thought when I saw the manual removal instructions, everyone I know who is not computer literate probably could not follow those instructions.

Also, if Zango is running in the background they're going to have to either kill the process ( which I'm sure would just respawn anyway?? ) or reboot into safe mode in order to even delete the executables. I don't have the cojones to install it and see but any adware/spyware/scumware I've come accross doesn't give up without a fight.

As far as solutions, I think it might be worth the time to either make a more robust removal tutorial with step by step screenshots OR if there is a small enough removal tool, allow them to have the removal tool sent to them via email at something like Hotmail / MSN where attachments are virus scanned with McAfee prior to being downloaded and state in big red text that the file will be scanned.

Obviously the email solution isn't without flaws but I think there needs to be an optional removal solution ( or many ) aside from asking someone who's not computer literate to use regedit. Also, and I know you don't want any exit links, but at the very least I would throw up links to Spybot S&D, Ad-Aware, and Windows Update / IE 7 ( didn't it just go final or at least out of beta..? ). Make them copy and paste if you must.

Just my $.02