# "SearchSquire" fucking piece of shit bastard wankers **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 13, 2002, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searchsquire-fucking-piece-of-shit-bastard-wankers/136561 "2002-11-13T10:29:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searchsquire-fucking-piece-of-shit-bastard-wankers/136561/1 "2002-11-13T10:29:45Z")
A word of warning. Yesterday I got a popup at a site. It had a fake Thawte authentication certificate on it. I closed it down. A few minutes later when I used google, and a new, minimized IE window appeared in the bottom bar of the PC. Then it tried to run an .exe file. Luckily I have GetRight download client installed, which catches .exe files when they try to run, and asks me if I want to download them. So I maximised the window, and the URL for this is “[gopopup.com](http://gopopup.com)”, which is calling a “[searchsquire.com](http://searchsquire.com)” page. It’s fucking bastard bloody spyware, but AdAware didn’t manage to catch it. There’s now a motherfucking searchsquire.dll file in my WINNT\SYSTEM32, and I can’t delete it because it seems to run its bastard self at startup. Will have to take remedial action. Anyway, I did a google search (aided by the fucking stupid popup window that won’t leave me alone), and found this on a google cache - can’t post the URL here, so do a search for “searchsquire” and it’s the cache of the second result down: > [@](#): > > **I am Sorry** > > I am sorry for the difficulties that you experienced while using the SearchSquire software. Our software is NEVER installed without your consent, though. [total bollocks] It is an ActiveX download that appears in pop up ads on websites, prompting the user for installation [you lying twat]. The version you were using was a pre-release version in which all of the bugs were not yet removed [yeah right]. Just to give you an idea of how early the software was in the development process, you experienced your problem in May 2002 while it was not officially released through third party websites until September 2002 [why’s it still doing this sort of shit in fucking November then, you dissembling poultroon]. > > SearchSquire is NOT spyware [yes it FUCKING IS]. You can read our easy to understand Privacy Policy and quickly see where we differ from other software advertisers [Don’t - see below]. We provide free software and do NOT track your Internet usage or “spy” on you in any way [what the fuck _are_ you doing then?]. > > Again, I apologize for the difficulties you experienced with the early version of the SearchSquire software. [not accepted] > > Thanks, > Lenny Grover > New Media Properties, LLC > SearchSquire: Maximize Your Website Revenue With SearchSquire Lenny, go and fuck yourself you lying cunt. WARNING: If you go to the site and follow the “Download NOW”, it’ll install itself WITHOUT YOUR CONSENT. Cockety cunting fuck. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searchsquire-fucking-piece-of-shit-bastard-wankers/136561/2 "2002-11-13T10:34:03Z")
I sympathize, Jjimm, and maybe I don’t understand. But doesn’t clicking the words **Download NOW** imply consent? ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searchsquire-fucking-piece-of-shit-bastard-wankers/136561/3 "2002-11-13T10:55:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Libertarian \* > \*\*I sympathize, Jjimm, and maybe I don’t understand. But doesn’t clicking the words **Download NOW** imply consent? \*\* I agree, but that’s not what originally happened to me - it was a popup from another site altogether, with this fake Thawte certificate on it, and a thing that said “click yes to complete this download” - which I didn’t do, I just closed the window. Bunch of arse. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searchsquire-fucking-piece-of-shit-bastard-wankers/136561/4 "2002-11-13T10:58:56Z")
You should let [http://www.thawte.com/](http://www.thawte.com/) know about it if these pricks are faking a cert. ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searchsquire-fucking-piece-of-shit-bastard-wankers/136561/5 "2002-11-13T15:06:44Z")
> [@](#): > > There’s now a motherfucking searchsquire.dll file in my WINNT\SYSTEM32, and I can’t delete it because it seems to run its bastard self at startup Try [Swat It](http://www.lockdowncorp.com/bots/downloadswatit.html). ---
**Author:** ![Waverly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/57b2e6/32.png) [@Waverly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waverly)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searchsquire-fucking-piece-of-shit-bastard-wankers/136561/6 "2002-11-13T15:47:54Z")
Try rebooting in safe mode and move the file out. I wouldn’t delete it until you verify that everything works fine after its removal. You might also want to share your story with AdAware. I’m sure they would want their tool to catch this type of stuff. ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searchsquire-fucking-piece-of-shit-bastard-wankers/136561/7 "2002-11-13T16:09:28Z")
I just use Proxomitron ([http://www.proxomitron.org](http://www.proxomitron.org)). Kiss those popups, banners, plugins, annoying scripts goodbye. (And it’s free…). Haven’t even seen a popup in over two months. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searchsquire-fucking-piece-of-shit-bastard-wankers/136561/8 "2002-11-13T20:29:23Z")
**jjimm** , what version of IE are you using? You should upgrade if you have anything less than 6.0. My employer recently upgraded to 6.0 and I’ve hardly seen any popups since. The latest version seems to have a popup blocker included; I like it so much I that I upgraded at home this past weekend. ---
**Author:** ![Anaximenes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e99b99/32.png) [@Anaximenes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaximenes)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searchsquire-fucking-piece-of-shit-bastard-wankers/136561/9 "2002-11-13T21:19:25Z")
Not running MS Windows is generally an effective solution for these kinds of problems… ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searchsquire-fucking-piece-of-shit-bastard-wankers/136561/10 "2002-11-13T22:13:06Z")
…but not one that’s practical for any of us on work machines or who don’t feel we have the patience, time or expertise to install something else. Sorry. It’s just that so many “I have a problem with IE/Win98/XP (etc) threads” in GQ descend into “don’t use Windows” debates that are frankly unhelpful that I end up tetchy about it. I’m no fervent admirer of MS products, if it makes any difference. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2002, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searchsquire-fucking-piece-of-shit-bastard-wankers/136561/11 "2002-11-14T17:05:59Z")
\>\> Not running MS Windows is generally an effective solution for these kinds of problems… My great-aunt who is 87 and blind and does not own or use computers tells me she has never had any problems with pop-ups. Idiot.