EasyBits has joined with Skype to offer online gaming for the last five years, but the behaviour of its software uncannily resembles the stealth tactics of adware hawkers and other distributors of potentially harmful programs. This combined with a forever sweaty spokesman has many users in a state of fear//limbo.
Since this incident Skype has ejaculated an apology at its users, that seems more like a discardable pacification than any kind of formal apology (extract below).
The software is provided by our partner EasyBits, and is part of the Skype Extras Manager. The Extras Manager has been included in Windows releases of our software since 2006. This latest update from EasyBits included elements of their desktop games organizer in error, but it neither installs nor un-installs correctly. This update has been disabled while we work with them to correct the problems and user experience.Skype works closely with its partners to ensure that our users receive the best possible Skype experience and is working with EasyBits to ensure this issue does not happen again.
EasyBits sweaty spokesman has since been pointing his soggy digits at its update installer for what it described as "unintentional installations". It published an uninstallation utility that removes the app from users' PCs out of courtesy for sodomised users.
EasyBits GO is NOT a malware, it is a legitimate application distributed by EasyBits Media as part of our scheduled update. Unfortunately the user interface in the update installer has defects causing confusing user experience that leads to unintentional installations. EasyBits Media has confirmed this problem and currently has stopped the update process and implementing a fix. We are sorry for any inconvenience this has caused to Skype users.
EasyBits' statement rather ambiguously claims that users happily accepted their unsolicited software "gift". "Since the update, game sessions have spiked from 850,000 to 7+ million game sessions globally yesterday," it gregariously exclaimed.
Separate problems last week meant that Skype's software put the phone down on users last week. Skype produced a workaround followed by an automatic update to its software that allowed users to log in to the VoIP service. The Skype Extras Manager update that foisted the EasyBits games utility on users, whether they asked for it or not, was separate to this core functionality update.
Even so, the whole incident suggests both that Skype's pre-release testing process is not as rigorous as it ought to be and that EasyBits seems to think users might rather like software forced down their throat.
It seems like this is the way the internet might be going, so you might want to start considering having a rapekit on hand at all times, before Easybits' marvelous wizard gets his magic hands all over you.
