Virgin Media Hijack customers browser search options

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by Chrysalis

opendns do the same.

They do, but in fairness, most people don't pay OpenDNS for their service and they've got to make money somewhere. OpenDNS also offers quite an extensive filtering system that should you opt in to using it, does a good job of blocking various sites people may not want to see.

I believe the objection here is that people DO pay VM for a service, and VM are doing this as well. VM don't (AFAIK) offer the option of filtering though.

[qasdfdsaq]

Google's DNS service is free and does not do this, nor is there even a paid-for option.

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by qasdfdsaq

Google's DNS service is free and does not do this, nor is there even a paid-for option.

Fair enough. However, Google do have other sources of income. I was just making the point the OpenDNS does it for income to survive, so your point about Google's lack of a paid for option is largely irrelevant.

[carlwaring]

And I think "hijack" is a very pejorative/subjective term anyway. If I can't get to the right page for some reason, isn't it a good thing to have some help/suggestions rather than just a useless blank page?

[Milambar]

No, because it breaks numerous protocols, and established technoliogies that rely on getting a proper NXDOMAIN error back (what you are calling a blank page).

[carlwaring]

Not that that matters to most non-tech people who probably neither know nor care. (Just like me.)

[Milambar]

The old "doesn't affect me, so it doesn't matter, therefore theres nothing wrong with it" attitude, I see.

Well, if you get burgled, it wouldn't affect me, so it doesn't matter, therefore theres nothing wrong with it!

OK, its a bad analogy I know, but the only one I can think of with this migraine. I'm sure you will realise what I'm trying to say however.

[qasdfdsaq]

Originally Posted by Milambar

Well, if you get burgled, it wouldn't affect me, so it doesn't matter, therefore theres nothing wrong with it!

OK, its a bad analogy I know, but the only one I can think of with this migraine. I'm sure you will realise what I'm trying to say however.

Actually a pretty good analogy.

He gets burgled, doesn't affect us, we don't care and there's no need for any police.

[carlwaring]

Originally Posted by Milambar

The old "doesn't affect me, so it doesn't matter, therefore theres nothing wrong with it" attitude, I see.

So exactly what is "wrong" with it then, how does it affect me?

Well, if you get burgled, it wouldn't affect me, so it doesn't matter, therefore theres nothing wrong with it!

Well my getting burgled certainly won't affect you, no.

OK, its a bad analogy I know..

Indeed.

I'm sure you will realise what I'm trying to say however.

No I don't. But I am happy to wait until your migraine has passed before you answer the questions I posed, above.

Originally Posted by qasdfdsaq

Actually a pretty good analogy.

No, it really isn't.

He gets burgled, doesn't affect us, we don't care...

That's fair enough; though I think I would care that you had been a victim of crime even though I wasn't directly affected

...and there's no need for any police.

Unfortunately, this is where the analogy falls down. There is a need for the police to solve my burglary; even though you remain un-affected by it.

Still doesn't explain why I should be worried that VM want to offer me some help and suggestions as to what I may have been looking for.

[passingbat]

Originally Posted by carlwaring

Way to resurrect a dead thread

It's helped me; I knew nothing about it until I read this thread just now. Now switched off.

[carlwaring]

Why?

[Sirius]

Originally Posted by qasdfdsaq

Actually a pretty good analogy.

He gets burgled, doesn't affect us, we don't care and there's no need for any police.

I object to the hijacking on the grounds you are opted in automatically to something that makes money for the people who automatically opted you in.

[carlwaring]

I suppose that's a fair point.

But anyway, how often do you actually mis-type a URL so you see this screen and then click on one of the links? It happens to me very rarely so they're certainly not making anything through me

And I certainly don't begrudge VM another revenue stream if it helps them improve my services

[qasdfdsaq]

Originally Posted by carlwaring

No, it really isn't.

Yes, it really is.

[carlwaring]

How the heck is a burglary (that of course does not actually directly affect anyone but the person burgled) a good analogy for this? It makes absolutely NO sense!