Viewpoint Toolbar for Internet Explorer: A class apart
Freeware, Preview, Search Tools and Services, Web Stuff April 30th, 2004
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There are search toolbars and then there is Viewpoint Toolbar. It does what an average search toolbar does and takes it one step ahead. It uses Yahoo! search engine technology to display results but the difference is the visual representation of the search results. The toolbar shows the usual search result as a web page but in addition to it, it fetches thumbnails of the shown search results in a very Mac OS X style with zooming in and zooming out on mouse hovers. Very yummy indeed. The good thing about the thumbnails is that you can make out if it’s a content rich site or just another keyword spammed site filled with advertisements. Since the generation of thumbnails is done in real time, the process can be quiet painful on a normal dial up connection so they do let you disable the thumbnail display and use the toolbar as a regular search toolbar.
And it does the other functions of a search toolbar pretty well too. There is the usual popup blocker with one interesting extra option (allow non ads popups) which sounds pretty ambitious. Would need some more tests before I can actually fall for that claim. Then there is a search saves features as visual bookmarks, where your searches are saved as clickable thumbnails! Very interesting indeed.
Shortcomings? Pretty apparent. It is supported only on Internet Explorer. Not surprising considering all the popular ones out there are IE only. It needs a good fast connection to properly exploit the features. Should not be a big problem now considering broadband is cheap. And it eats a big chunk of your browser window while displaying the thumbnails. Though it offers you three sizes to choose from.
Is the technology revolutionary? I beg to differ. I don’t know how old this toolbar originally is, but I remember using an Internet Explorer utility way back in 1999 called girafa. It showed you the thumbnails in the sidebar. The website still exists so does the tool and the technology is apparently used by MSN to show search previews. So, it’s a good idea implemented well which works fine for people like you and me who want more than just results as links!
Download: Viewpoint Toolbar
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About
I use it I love it and just can not believe that it took the internet this many years to reach this point! It really is an amazing tool and anyone who does not have it is really missing out on the most useful tool that they will ever come across. Plus it is FREE! Love IT! I have never been so blown away by an innovation.
I use this tool bar extensively at work. It reduces the number of keystroke for my common website I visit. The visual nature of the tool bar is very intuitive and more natural to me than the text book marks. I am absolutely amazed at the the features. I never liked tool bars till I found this one.
I have disabled all my other toolbars…this one is the best….no opening and closing web sites to find your information…see visual search results in this toolbar..a must see
[...] . Only the value added services made them different from the other toolbars in the market. Viewpoint Toolbar was a good example. Recall Toolbar is the latest [...]
[...] ndy. And apparently some people find it to be too bare. That is why we have had tools like Viewpoint Toolbar and Girafa that add more to the search engine results. These [...]
I like this toolbar a lot. The only issue I have with it is that when I click on the options tab, there are no options! Anyone know why?
I believe there is an issue with SP2. That is why the options tab comes up blank.
How do I uninstall Viewpoint Toolbar?
If your control panel doesn’t show up, get the XP SP2 patch fix here: http://search.viewpoint.com/help/features_2.html The new v2.5 beta toolbar has many more cool features and a much better no-bug control panel! Get it here: http://search.viewpoint.com/toolbar/download.html To uninstall the toolbar, go to add/remove programs in your control panel, and select Viewpoint Toolbar, but I don’t recommend it ;-) I’ve found this to be the most fun and useful search toolbar out there. I highly recommend it!
This toolbar comes up as Spyware. Is it? Why can’t I remove it?
Why is it spyware? How can it be removed?
The viewpoint toolbar was added to my browser without my consent and I am pissed off!! I am trying to get rid it of right now. I don’t care how good it is - this is not acceptable. There is no excuse for doing this.
Sandy
it’s spyware crap.
I’m sick and tired of companies thinking they can just install whatever the frell they want to on my computer. Sure, Viewpoint Toolbar just might be incredible, but why do they feel they can just install it without even asking? This kind of crap has got to stop.
Plus, it makes me nervous to see my Spyware Blockers all identifying this as Spyware, and the only positive comments I see sound like cult talk.
Stop Spyware. If I want your product on my computer, I’m fully aware of how to download and install applications on my own.
They certainly have a dedicated advertising team, if nothing else.
But installation without opt-in, and spy features aren’t honest things to do.
May it is good,I don’t know because I received it a short time ago.But why without my consent?And why the antispy program tells me that the bar is spyware?I”ll remove this bar soon
Really people. Viewpoint Toolbar is nothing but spyware, and if you like it you’re ignorant. Think about it. Would a major corporation really prepare you a nice little toolbar for no benefit? NO. The “block popups only if they are ads” feature is a trick - it blocks everything except viewpoint’s own ads, or companies that pay viewpoint money to allow the ads past the toolbar. The software that installs it is an internet parasite. As the parasite is quite invasive, it either installs tracking cookies, etc. on your computer or opens ports to make you vulnerable to viruses. To remove it (in windows XP) go to start, then control panel, then add or remove programs, then hit the remove/change button for both the “viewpoint toolbar” and “viewpoint manager” entries, then proceed to uninstall. then, run an antispyware program such as the free Lavasoft Adaware to ensure that the program is REALLY gone and won’t come back.
One thing I left out of my previous post: during the add or remove programs stage, be sure to kill Viewpoint Media Player also. It can be hard to find, as it has the same icon as windows media player.
P.S. be careful not to kill windows media player
Creepy spyware people. These people are fake, work for marketing companies, or the company themselves. Go to Add/Remove and make sure you turn your firewall on (or they’ll report your uninstallation).
I can’t get this piece of *&^*&^* off my machine. It won’t uninstall from the control panel– the uninstall.exe program is a shell– and if you drag it to the trash it magically returns if you reboot. SPYWARE!
I had not installed this software, then out of nowhere on a web page a box popped up that looked like a regular app window, it had no title bar. It offers to “Update” its software, as if it’s already installed; it’s deceptive. I clicked Update thinking it was something I had already installed and it installed the toolbar automatically (no confirmation).
on second thought, I think I might have had the viewpoint media player installed already. It’s still deceptive though; I never wanted the toolbar.
Scumware. Plain and simple. I did not ask for it, it was installed anyway. I am the only user of my machine, and I ALWAYS opt out of piggybacked apps when given a choice. I came home for lunch one day, and there it was waiting on me.
Also, go ahead and ignore anything Mr Michael Tzez has to say about this. He is either an employee of Viewpoint or a pseudonym for someone that is. A google on his name brings up 4 different sites where he has been professing the glory of this trash.
If it is such a great product, why is it installed in such an underhanded way? Why not just be honest and let people choose to install it if they want? Because no one wants this trash.
liked tool bar on wifes pc thought i would like to try it
This toolbar is spyware. All you idiots praising it are rediculous! The program was placed on my computer without my consent and is most likely transmitting information that it has no right to. Companies pay lots of money for information on browser history of potential customers. Are you people retarded?
I do not appreciate (and would never support) a software that auto installs on my computer. It is rude and should be illegal.
I’m completely F___ING pissed about it. I went to work with a normal functioning computer and when I get home, this thing was on my computer. I thought it was something that SBC had done and was ready to take my business to Charter when I came here and found that it’d been installed on OTHERS without consent as well! I can’t believe you’re able to get away with COMPLETE DISREGARD FOR PRIVACY!! I plan on going a lot higher with this than this shitty comment board which YOU moderate anyway!!
I too automatically delete all SPYWARE (which is what this is) when as soon as I discover it’s been installed on my computer without permission.
The “people” singing the praises of this POS are obviously fakes who just want to see how many suckers they can get to try out this horrible menace.
Bugger off, spyware freaks. Your name is mud.
I’ve noticed on all these review boards (Download.com etc)have a bunch of reviews which sound VERY similar….. and like infomercials!
Seems like the company knows how us folks check out products.
Check out their website. They don’t sell any products, only advertising packages,… things like scrolling popups. These apear on computers whose users have installed,….you guessed it, their “free” toolbar !
Stay away from ViewPoint. All negative posts above are true. You can’t even alt+tab out of their advertisement to install the toolbar which mysteriously appears while you’re working. You have to click on their “No Thanks” button which probably attempts to install more Spyware on your computer.
I NEVER EVER EVER sign up for mailing lists, for free offers, for browser add-ons that promise to improve my user experience. Yet somehow this Viewpoint spamware showed up on my computer. I have uninstalled it before and six months later it came back. Viewpoint are scum, and the initial posts in this thread are bogus views from paid shills or bots.
I did not ask for Viewpoint and yet it appeared on my program files. I have removed it twice, only to see it reappear. I have removed it with XoftSpy, only to see it reappear. It significantly SLOWS down my browsing even though I have NOT used it and do not use IE. How the hell do i get rid of the bloody thing??????????????
cant get this self downloading spy crap that installs itsself off my computer!they are hackers that should be sued class action for all the time ive wasted trying to remove it and INVASION OF PRIVACY!!!!this is BS
Xoft and all other spyware removers only temporarily remove viewpoint until you resighn back on to net!Someone post cure please!!!I dont want to have to restore my pc to day ! and i dont even Know if that will work!!!Viewpoint Technologies can go to HELL!!!
I would just like to say that the toolbar is shit it comes back if you uninstall it
This thing has driven me bonkers. Have been trying to remove it for a long time now. No anti spyware or anti Adware program seems to work. Have tried Spybot S&D, Adaware SE & XoftSpy. Only XoftSpy removes it temporarily until you restart the machine. Anyone with a way to remove this please post it on a noticeboard somewhere you’ll be doing us all a huge favour.
These guys should be put out of business. I have tried everything to remove it but it is in my registry. Any ideas how to get it out would be great. Toolbar Spyware!!!
Tracks user information, installs without notice, uses immense system resources.
It is apparant that despite their protestations that ViewPoint is not spyware… they ARE INDEED Adware and intend to be.
As ViewPoint is pre-installed by a number of PC Vendors, and is included with numerous software installs including AOL and AIM - it is quite prevalent in terms of installs. AOL is particularly egregious as it AUTOMATICALLY REINSTALLS ViewPoint every time you open AOL if you uninstall ViewPoint. (Unless you know the SECRET to turn it off.
ViewPoint masquerades as a useful, innocuous, and misunderstood and maligned technology to enhance your web experience. Unfortunately it seems it has little real purpose beyond being a fancy graphics adserver.
http://www.clickz.com/news/article.php/3561546
Viewpoint to Plunge Into Adware
Viewpoint will develop a behavioral targeting product in 2006, execs said during the company’s Q3 earnings call.
It will work by collecting clickstream data on users who have installed the Viewpoint media player, then using that data to target ads and content on the company’s partner sites. Viewpoint claims 120 million users have installed its player.
CEO Patrick Vogt announced the behavioral tech in the wake of a downbeat quarter for Viewpoint and its ad systems unit in particular, which includes Unicast. Viewpoint reported a net loss of $1.5 million on total revenue of $6 million.
Execs blamed the poor earnings on several factors, including weakness in the company’s sales and marketing organization and publisher integration problems with its new Fuse ad management platform.
Capitalizing on advertiser demand for user behavior data could bring a gush of revenue. However, it’s a risky strategy given Internet users’ privacy concerns and an unsettled legislative environment around desktop software that gathers user clickstream data. The company will likely encounter a significant backlash unless it loudly and explicitly warns users of its new tracking practices — and maybe even if it does.
In an interview after the earnings announcement, Vogt insisted Viewpoint would comply with all laws and maintain a high standard of privacy.
“We’re going to be conservative,” he said. “We can’t afford not to do the right thing for the users. and the enterprises.”
He declined to elaborate on the offering, but said it will be introduced by the second quarter of 2006.
The adware move is only one part of what appears to be a general strategy of diversification at Viewpoint. Vogt also said the company will expand its creative services, historically focused on rich media production, into more of a full service offering.
“No longer will customers have to work through multiple companies for creative, media buying. and ad serving,” he said. “Viewpoint will do it all.”
That strategy will put the company into direct competition with ad agencies, whom Vogt said Viewpoint has relied on too much to convey the value of its products to advertisers. The company will also lower silos between its divisions, a move it hopes will increase business from existing customers, and create a consulting practice, which it says will bring in new ones.
Corrected & Retracted: An earlier version of this story indicated specific Viewpoint partners are aware and approve of the future behavioral marketing product. ClickZ regrets the error.
Further, AOL automatically REInstalls Viewpoint upon startup of their software, if you have uninstalled it. The only way to prevent this is a pretty closely guarded secret:
http://edeldoug.blogs.com/thoughts_rants_raves_and_/2006/03/aols_forced_ins.html
AOL’s Forced Installation of Viewpoint Spyware CAN Be Prevented
Computing.net has reported: “Both AOL’s internet software and the AOL Instant Messenger program (AIM) are force installing unwanted software called Viewpoint Media Player on people’s computers.” http://www.computing.net/security/wwwboard/forum/9665.html
Many Antispyware programs can detect and remove Viewpoint, however AOL reinstalls it EVERY TIME you open AOL if it’s found missing!
AOL has incorporated Viewpoint into it’s AIM and Superbuddy features, and considers it integral to AOL “functioning properly”. Therefore, even if your antispyware is able to detect and remove all vestages of Viewpoint, AOL will reinstall it the very next time you log on!
According to Paretologic, makers of Xoftspy antispyware software, Viewpoint is not only spyware, but it can slow your system down due to it’s hogging of processor cycles and memory.
http://labs.paretologic.com/spyware.aspx?remove=Viewpoint%20Toolbar
“Viewpoint tracks user information, installs without notice, uses immense system resources.”
AOL DOES have a way to prevent this, though… but they are SURE keeping it a secret. In fact, the process CAN’T be found unless you know about it! Hence the reason for this article! EVERY AOL user should know about this.
Open AOL and go to “help” on the toolbar. Select “About AOL”. Next is the SECRET STEP. You must then press “CTRL+D” to access a “secret” panel to disable all of the desktop and IM fancy features that are associated with viewpoint. This is the only way to prevent AOL from re-installing Viewpoint at AOL startup.
Most users will find their system performance improves once they have removed viewpoint.
Related Reading:
http://www.spywaredaily.com/2005/03/spyware.html What is spyware?
That Michael Tzez idiot obvious works for the turds who design Viewpoint/ViewManager as he is all over the internet singing it’s non-existant benefits. I hope he gets screwed in the ass by a rhino. What a prick. Bottom line is viewpoint is spyware/adware and they are very devious at how they install it.
A little observation I noticed through my strolling on the web regarding Viewpoint, is this recurrent fellow, Mr. Tzez. He is omnipresent, where Viewpoint is mentioned, it seems he also has to join in the discussion. He’s here, he’s also at a couple other websites discussing the nature of this software and whether it is spyware.
Typically, his first response, after fully denying that Viewpoint is spyware, is that whoever is publishing an article about viewpoint, is merely trying to gain advertising dollars, as if the author believes that only publishing an article on viewpoint will be profitable. Quite a sophisticated conspiracy, but it is a phantom, a diversion by Mr. Tzez so that he can attack the author.
What he has revealed, and I’ll give him credit for it, is that he owns stock in Viewpoint, and he has his own interests in mind when he attacks someone mildly discussing Viewpoint. I would say that he is amongst the most selfish of players in this ring of advertisement, misinformation, and subterfuge.
The truth remains that Viewpoint is installed quietly and inconspicuously, piggybacking on AIM on who knows how many other applications and most users find this alarming, and eventually annoying. I’ve had my games interrupted because my firewall wanted to know if viewmgr.exe could access the internet. If this were any other program I willing and knowingly installed, I would not be so annoyed, but this is viewpoint, something I don’t recall installing, something whose function I did not know before I looked out on the internet. I believe this scenario matches with many other concerned individuals, and they have a right to know, and peacefully rid their machine of this software if they do not want it.
I will maintain that it is not entirely necessary to remove Viewpoint, because it is overall not obtrusive (although some websites claim it uses system resources, which can be spoken for nearly any program in use today) nor spyware (although it suspiciously acts like it), I personally feel satisfied to have it removed from my machine, and I hope it remains like that. If it ever has to be installed again, I want to be informed.
I hope Mr. Tzez eventually learns to calm down and empathize with his fellow internet patrons instead of treating all speaking out against Viewpoint as a threat to his wallet.
A couple interesting links discussing Viewpoint:
http://ask-leo.com/is_viewpoint_spyware.html
http://edeldoug.blogs.com/thoughts_rants_raves_and_/2006/03/aols_forced_ins.html
Mr. Tzez,
I have read your posts on may other discussions on Viewpoint. I recently noticed this software om my computer and being far from novice know I never installed it or had it installed as any sort of bundled software. Any program or company that places software or cond on my hard drive without my explicit permission, I define as spyware and malicious in nature. I have also determined that one of two things is most likely true about you. Either you are a moron to whos depths cannot be described or you work as some corporate whore for the company that develops/makes money from/distributes this program that is a worthless piece of crap in my opnion. Also, I have noticed that you have referred to other opnion articles as slanderous. This reference proves your ignorance on many levels. First, as we live in a country where the freedom of speech is protected, opnions cannot be held as slanderous unless they are stated as fact (which none of the articles you attacked quoted as fact). Second, slander is for spoken word only, written word cannot be slander.. it’s liable. Stop working for your puppeteer and lear some legal terms you (in my opnion) worthless piece of cybernetic bull crap. get a life.
Seth Bryant
thebellsinside {at} cox(.)net
Feel free to respond once you get some sort of correct or reliable information, dick.