Is MacKeeper a legitimate program?

First, note that I actually have tested MacKeeper, and have had a number of interactions with the company. You can see the link that I posted earlier in this topic (Beware MacKeeper) for some of that information. You should also ask yourself this question: why, on a brand-new Mac OS X system, does MacKeeper report a "critical" issue with "junk files?"

I mean, every one of those files was put there by Apple. How can they be junk? Looking through the list of "junk" files it gave me, none were actually junk. Of course, cleaning up all those "junk" files required payment... surprise, surprise.

Before you start criticizing people's opinions of MacKeeper, you should read all the information that has been posted as to why they have those opinions.

I dont think that there has been over 30 viruses, trojans or malwares to ever effect the operation of a mac. and none of them stopped the mac from working AT ALL.

Well, you're wrong. By my current count, there are 39, and that's not yet counting the new Clapzok proof-of-concept virus that appeared two days ago. See:

http://www.thesafemac.com/mmg-catalog/

As to the operation, stopping the Mac from working has not been a goal of malware since the early days of malware. The really nasty stuff can infect your machine and you'll never even know it's there. We still see Flashback infections now and then, despite the fact that the malware hasn't been in distribution for more than a year at this point.

Finally...

Lagitamate? Ha

Word of advice... don't make fun of someone else's spelling when you yourself repeatedly misspell the same word, and have even misspelled your own username.

I run plenty of programs that are not in the app store. Apple wants you to believe that their app store makes things safe for mac. If you believe that then you will buy more from them. aka HIGHER PROFITS not better safety.

Find Smoke, C4D, Mpeg clipstream, Studiometry, Divinci Resolve, or even Adobe Creative Suite in the app store, They are not there. Now find people in the movie or broadcast industry that will say these programs are not legitamate. I am not even sure if diskwarrior is in the app store.

So what i am saying is that being in the app store means nadda / nothing other than this is what apple sells.

BTW. Google and Yahoo is spoffing your browser based on what you search. If you are signed in to google while you surf its even worse. Plus not all links are links. Some of them are ads, again based on your searches. They look like they are links to chocolatecake.com but they are ads for ask.com or netflix.

Its a browser filter or addon in most cases.

orbor wrote:

Several folks mention that MacKeeper as "911" something-or-other is available on the Apple App Store.

It used to be, but for whatever reason either Apple or ZeoBIT elected not to make it available through the AppStore a few months ago.

The website also has the name "Kromtech" which also isn't in the App Store.

Apparently they are under new management, but I don't know any more than what it says on the web site. I see they now have offices in the UK and AUS and nothing about their former Ukrainian connection.

Recently, the MacKeeper website opens automatically when I click links on sites and to sites that are completely unrelated to that program. In other words, they are intervening in some way to force me to visit their web site.

They used to be even worse, but are well known for their aggressive approach to advertising. It's possible they are using something new, so take a look at Thomas' Eliminating browser redirects and advertisements paying particular attention to any new Extensions you find in your browser.

orbor wrote:

I click a link on a website that has nothing to do with MacKeeper to open another site that has nothing to do with MacKeeper. A separate window for MacKeeper opens, as well as the site I was going to.

This is what's known as a "Pop-Under" which is a legitimate way to provide advertising content in most all browsers I know. It's different from a "Pop-Up" which can be blocked. Even Netflix resorts to this sort of thing. The site you click on has contracted with a third party to provide this advertising, so you need to take it up with them.

I don't see most of this because I'm using several extensions to block most all advertising. You might want to check into that.

Predator — Naturally, you're missing my point. OTHER people cited the presence of the application of the App Store as if it means something, not me. I trust the App Store is more than some random website, but sure they aren't perfect. In any case, it isn't on the App Store now, if it ever was.

MacMacs0 — Actually it's a "Pop-Over" not a "Pop-Under" and it's the same size as my browser window, which makes it much more annoying. I get plenty of pop-unders…yes, especially NetFlix's little window. However, I'm very confident that one of the sites (there may have been more than one) where I click the link does not have a contract with a 3rd party to provide this advertising. I have notified them. Thanks for the tip on the extensions. I'll look into them.

Thomas Reed.

1st i do not think i have made fun of spelling ever. It has always been my assertion that if you can correct the word then you must have understood and intelligence is understanding the message not the spelling.

I think anyone can tell i dont care about spelling or even syntax in my post.

2nd even apple puts unneccessary files on a device. Its called BloatWare. Also i do not believe apple or mackeeper is correct about junk files and when my mackeeper finds these files THERE IS NEVER A CHARGE.

Maybe thats the problem

YOU SAID:

"Before you start criticizing people's opinions of MacKeeper, you should read all the information that has been posted as to why they have those opinions."

Why would i care what those post say if i have the software myself. Though i have read about 30-40 threads on this only about 10% actually have a well defined reason for disliking it.

YOU Said:

""

Well, you're wrong. By my current count, there are 39, and that's not yet counting the newClapzok proof-of-concept virus that appeared two days ago. See:

Wow, Thats amazing. I'm so impressed that your number was 9 more than my guess. NOT ONE of those have shut down a mac. or impeded a program from running.

You Said:

"" The really nasty stuff can infect your machine and you'll never even know it's there. We still see Flashback infections now and then, despite the fact that the malware hasn't been in distribution for more than a year at this point. ""

If you do not know that malware exist or you have not seen it, then why would it be a problem? I cant see why. Maybe you can explain how something that never effects me is a problem?

There comes a point when you have been using something so long that you know enough to beable to discern what is a real threat and what is not. I pay attention to real threats and not manufactured problems that NEVER EFFECT ME.

People can always point out why something is bad or why you should hate or dislike something. That is the easiest thing in the world to do. We are trained to think that makes us smart. It does not. What makes us smart is how we capitalize on the good in life no matter how small. It is a good thing that i can uninstall programs fully all at once without going to different folders to remove the left overs. That is why i like Mac Keeper.

Any *** can complain or slander or tell you whats wrong. It takes a smart person to assess the good and use that to improve things. Everyone goes negutive but somepeople live by it. i.e. The GOP, TV Networks and the Media. I would add every forum on the web also.

So what do you find good about the program since nothing in it has shutdown a mac?

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when my mackeeper finds these files THERE IS NEVER A CHARGE.

That's because you already bought it.

Why would i care what those post say if i have the software myself.

I don't care. That's not my business. If you like it, fine. However, you are trying to influence others with your opinions of the program at the same time that you are criticizing us for doing the same thing.

I'm so impressed that your number was 9 more than my guess. NOT ONE of those have shut down a mac. or impeded a program from running.

You were off by 25%. That's a not insignificant amount, and it's demonstrative of the fact that what you are stating as fact is not accurate.

As to whether these have impeded a program from running, you're wrong again. Just to name one example, Flashback caused Safari to crash on opening, every time, in many cases. Other malware did far worse things than simply making things not work.

If you do not know that malware exist or you have not seen it, then why would it be a problem? I cant see why. Maybe you can explain how something that never effects me is a problem?

You don't have a problem with a malicious hacker redirecting you to phishing sites, logging your keystrokes, uploading files from your hard drive to a malicious server, capturing all your network transactions, etc? These are all things that malware may do, and you may never know about it. As far as most people would say, those things are far worse than making a program, or even the whole computer, crash.

So what do you find good about the program since nothing in it has shutdown a mac?

What do I find good about MacKeeper? Its anti-virus engine is actually pretty good. When I tested it in January, it caught 95% of my samples, and 98% if I eliminated extinct malware from the sample set. That's because it's using the Avira engine, which is developed by anti-virus professionals. (Prior to this change, their anti-virus engine stank... badly.)

Beyond that, its functions are largely unnecessary or can be duplicated by free or cheaper software. (Even the Avira anti-virus engine is free.) Its "cleaning" functions are frankly scareware, and have been known to damage systems in the past. The developers have used outright fraudulent advertising techniques in the past. They have even tried to pay me to express a different opinion publicly.

>>I have used MacKeeper for 8 years with no problem.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mackeeper

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeobit

ZeoBIT LLC was incorporated in September 2009 in the US State of California.

That must mean it's now 2017.

This is the day i switched from a 500gb hard drive to a 1 tb hard drive.

Wiki can be edited by anyone.

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Thomas Reed

You Said:

You don't have a problem with a malicious hacker redirecting you to phishing sites, logging your keystrokes, uploading files from your hard drive to a malicious server, capturing all your network transactions, etc? These are all things that malware may do, and you may never know about it. As far as most people would say, those things are far worse than making a program, or even the whole computer, crash.

None of this has ever happened. two words Little Snitch google it an download. Dont forget 600gigs of software. Just because others dont know these programs which are not on the app store is not my problem.

Its like people who try to knock verizon's services cause they cant afford them. Peoples inability to know or afford is not a reason to say something is not good and most of the post on mackeeper are like that.

My quam is not that i am a mac keeper cheerleader. I am just against non researched opinions. People read 5 pages and thing they know something. They dont. Until you are in the water you dont know how it feels.

I am certified in fcp but it ***** now but will i come out here and say you cant do pro work with it? NO

I just dont like it and that does not make FCP a bad program.

MacKeeper is a useful program period. Have you ever once thought that your experience with mackeeper is bad cause you expect the free version to work like the paid version. What it cost is so nominal i dont even remember what i paid. But i would guess less thn 100.

People should educate themselves and stop repeating what they hear or read. most of the opinions on the web are not credible. you can even put mine in that category if you like. But i am not paid by who ever makes MacKeeper and i would do the same defence of mac, adobe, maxon, autocad, smoke, panasonic, sony, red, samsung, motorola, verizon, dodge, range rover, ecco, duluth trading or any of the products i have had GREAT results with.

No everyone does not have the same experience but in most cases its because they dont know what they are doing or how to use what they have.

MOTTO:

It is more important to do what you can with what you have, than it is to talk about what you could do with what you dont have.

Motto 2:

Knowledge plus action = wisdom.

Stolen Motto:

Its not that i am smarter than you its just that i stick with the problem longer.

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Preditor wrote:

This is the day i switched from a 500gb hard drive to a 1 tb hard drive.

OK, I can accept that, but I don't understand what point you are making? You've used it since Aug 2011? That's quite a bit less than 8 years.

I downloaded MacKeeper 1.0 on Jan 18, 2011. I also spoke with their Tech Support desk at length shortly after that as they are located about a mile from my home and I needed to understand more about their anti-virus module to solve a conflict I was troubleshooting. I also spent some time talking to the CEO about a variety of subjects at Macworld 2012.

Preditor wrote:

Wiki can be edited by anyone...

But the Better Business Bureau records cannot: ZeoBIT, LLC and now they are into Cloud computing.

None of this has ever happened. two words Little Snitch google it an download.

I'm not sure why you believe that such things have never happened. Consider RSPlug, aka DNS Changer, which infected large numbers of people and stole financial account information through phishing via browser redirects. That's just one example. I will refer you once again to the Mac Malware Catalog I mentioned earlier.

Little Snitch is certainly not any kind of guarantee. Some malware has been known to disable Little Snitch once installed.

Have you ever once thought that your experience with mackeeper is bad cause you expect the free version to work like the paid version.

I have actually tested both, and there's really no difference, except that there are a lot of disabled features in the trial version.

MadMacs

MacKeeper was on the 500gb drive for years before that. You attempted to quote Wiki as if it was fact but that screen shot shows you that the wiki was wrong. Now you are trying to say that that date on my machine is where i started. THATS INCORRECT LOGIC. It is an attempt at spin though.

I do not remember my G5 Dual 1.8 ppc being without MacKeeper. So now you can look up when the G5 was made and discontinued. Cause Thats where i started using MacKeeper( 2-4 months after i bought a BRAND NEW G5 is when i started using it)

I have no idea who was the 1st developer but It was on my G5 which is still being used by my son.

Thomas Reed

You Said:

I'm not sure why you believe that such things have never happened. Consider RSPlug, aka DNS Changer, which infected large numbers of people and stole financial account information through phishing via browser redirects. That's just one example. I will refer you once again to the Mac Malware Catalog I mentioned earlier.

There was a sunami in india that killed a bunch of innocent people but i wasn't there. So no the sunami did not effect me. When the tornados hit OKC i wasn't there so again this did not effect me. All of the things you put into that paragraph may have happened to a lot of macs but it has not ever happened to mine. So no they do not effect me.

I fell off a jib that was 10ft in the air and broke a table on the way down. I twisted my ancle in the process. Did that effect you? NO. Are you taking precaustions to use a larger jib now? NO, you are not. Why? Cause you didn't fall off a jib.

You Said:

Little Snitch is certainly not any kind of guarantee. Some malware has been known to disable Little Snitch once installed.

I will bet money that until i said "Little Snitch" you had never heard of it. Yet here we are again with you having been introduced to Little Snitch just yesterday and now you want to give an oppinion on its effectiveness without ever using it. You read how many post on Little Snitch in 24hrs?

Unqualified critique AGAIN.

Everytime i open mackeeper i have to ok connection with little snitch. It has not allowed any connections i did not ok including Adobe and Apple itself.

But your 24hrs of reading is suppose to be a contradiction to my 1 year of use with the software. No. I doubt that you have used it due to your paranoid thoughts on malware and viruses. Fear can only stop you from experimenting and no experimentation means that you really are guessing.

You may know a lot about apples but that does not mean that you know about oranges also.

I have problems with my mac account and sometimes the resouces available on my towers. But nothing has effected my machines accept harware failures of drives and video cards. FCP and compressor however, gave me the screen of death 3-4x before i figured out it did not have all of its components and the fix was a reinstall.

Now if i had just seen that screen of death and then removed FCP and the screen of death stopped. I could have developed a negutive opinion and said that Apple's FCP make my computer crash and its a bad program for mac. But didn't I did further research and trials to find the exact problem which took several tries.

Stolen Motto:

Its not that i am smarter than you its just that i stick with the problem longer.

Most people do not pine for the long process of finding the solution. I do.

Does this mean i am all gunho to go out there and do anything with my system? NO. It just means that i would rather find out for myself if i can not find any consistent reviews and i can not verify those reviews with my collegues WHO ACTUALLY HAVE USED IT. Still even then, i will see for myself within reason instead of believing talking points that are random and often PAID.

Maybe its because i have more than a few systems to try it on and i can experiment without it effecting my edit bays.

This is not about MacKeeper as much as it is about people reading what someone else wrote without any experience with actually using the software they say is bad.

I really cannot inderstand why you are pursuing this argument. You are being unduly critical of two well regarded contributors and appear to be totally oblivious to the experience both they and many others have experienced.

Go to 'More like this' and you can read all night about the trials and tribulations of MacKeeper users.

Then come back and apologise.