Millions of users have downloaded Gator, or had it installed automatically when downloading other software, and many use it daily to remember their passwords for the many sites they visit which require registration. They also use it to fill out online forms including e-commerce order forms.
The software is touted as "FREE" but the user pays a much higher, and hidden price. Gator watches every page that the user visits and when it sees a banner ad it downloads a different banner ad from the Gator servers and places it exactly on top of the legitimate banner put there by the web site being visited. The user is unable to even tell that the banner has been replaced. The web site is now reduced to serving up content and having all of its agreements with legitimate advertisers negated by the unethical advertisers who buy ads from Gator.
While I am pretty sure that this unethical theft of money from web site publishers will be proven to be illegal, that answer will doubtless require years, allowing Gator enough time to grab as much money as possible and then move on to their next scam.
I used Gator for several years and wrote favorably about it before they took the step beyond the boundaries of ethical advertising, becoming so desperate for money they are willing to do anything to get it. My first concern was that I trusted Gator's claims that my data never left my desktop computer. That was important because I had entered my credit card information into Gator so it could fill in order forms for me.
My second concern was that I can now find no way for their software to work that doesn't involve a great deal of private information being sent back and forth to the Gator servers from my desktop computer. To think that they are not archiving a record of every page I visit and every action I take online is to fly in the face of the available evidence. Do I want to trust a company this desperate for money with a complete record of everything I do online?
I think not.
I've heard their "spin" on privacy invasion, and what an aromatic load of BS it is.
The ScumWare warriors have found a replacement for Gator and tested it rigorously, including looking carefully for any communication between the user's computer and the servers operated by the software developer. The system passed with flying colors.
The best program to replace Gator is RoboForm. Here are the important points to know about RoboForm:
- It's free.
- The only time it communicates over the web is when it checks to see if a new release of RoboForm is available.
- RoboForm remembers more usernames/passwords than Gator.
- RoboForm can fill in forms that Gator can only dream of. Any form that is non-standard enough to stump Gator will usually be filled in easily by RoboForm. You can even define new field names to be handled automatically. Great for submitting to directories.
- You can customize RoboForm's knowledge of form fields to teach it to fill in any form - anywhere.
- RoboForm works with just about any browser.
- RoboForm has very tight security that you can control to keep your data safe.
- RoboForm does not do any advertising on your desktop computer. It is simply missing from their business model.
- They do have a business model. They offer their RoboForm Pro version, which has some advanced features, for $29.95.
- RoboForm includes a program to liberate all of your data from Gator and install it cleanly and safely into RoboForm where the Wonderful World Of Gator can't get to it.
RoboForm is a mature product with excellent ongoing development and bug fixes, good documentation, rich in features beyond anything else in its category, and as an added bonus it does not spy on you and blab everything you do to anyone willing to buy the information from a less scrupulous company.
Do yourself a favor. Do the ScumWare movement a favor. Get this program and start using it.
If you have never used a Gator-like program, or Gator itself, you will love what RoboForm will do for you. It's perfectly safe so there is no reason for you to keep filling out forms by hand.
If you are currently using Gator, get rid of it as soon as you get RoboForm installed. Make sure you get rid of Gator and the Offer-Companion, which is the invasive spy program.
RoboForm has so many things going for it, you will want it for its own sake, but it also helps us drive a stake through the gator's heart. Neither you, nor I will make any money from promoting RoboForm, so why should we do it? Because it is a great program. Because it will send a strong message to Gator's advertisers when we can start showing how popular RoboForm is, proving that advertisers are damaging their images by dealing in ScumWare.
Use this program but also endorse it to your communities. Get the word out to your ezine readers and site visitors. This is a great way to re-enter the ScumWare battle. I'll be adding some new anti-Gator banners to the ScumWare web site to help you spread the word.
If you can spare thirty bucks, buy the Pro version so the developer is encouraged to continue his development and support efforts.
>> GET ROBOFORM - It's free and more powerful than Gator with no SpyWare!
