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I'm quite sure that the ads aren't javascript based since that would be much too easy for people to find a way around. I'm sure they run off the software that you're required to have installed and running at all times.

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What a god awful idea. Imagine having your computing experience interrupted every 20 minutes with full screen ads? I couldn't use a computer like that. Free or not.

It would not be so bad if the advertising were less intrusive. Perhaps a banner across the top of the screen? I can't see this becoming too popular.

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The following 5 key terms and conditions are for your guidance only, and do not constitute a legally binding agreement. Before delivery, you will be required to complete a written agreement, either by post or online.

1) On screen advertising: In exchange for your free PC, you must accept up to 3 minutes of on-screen advertising per hour of PC use. Every month, you will receive a cd containing adverts to be shown over the following four weeks. Each disc must be loaded onto your PC for the system to update. Should you fail to do this, your PC will be disabled.

2) The PC is lent to you for a term of 36 months, after which you will be offered a new computer and a new agreement, or you can simply return the old machine to a local collection point.

3) Your household must use the PC for at least 30hrs per calender month, or approximately 1 hour a day.

4) The PC must be connected to the internet at least once a month, and you must maintain an ISP dial-up account throughout the term of the agreement.

5) The principle applicant should be 18 or over, and provide a home telephone number. We will conduct a security check linking you to the address given. Under certain circumstances, you may be requested to provide alternative proof of ID. This offer is restricted to one PC per household.

If you accept these terms and conditions and consider yourself eligible, then please click on the 'Order your free PC' button to the left of your screen, and complete the short application form.

seems like they can do it without anyone hacking the ads, even tho i think people are going to go insane with those ads interupting

Edited by SimplyPotatoes
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this is doomed to fail, I'd like to have seen the business plan they put together to get their financing.

So..who's gonna volunteer to test this for Neowin? :shifty:

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All of their ads and things are controlled through software, since this is a free PC I have no doubt someone out there will find a way to go in and take out all the junk, and keep the PC from being disabled.

Otherwise, fullscreen ads every 20 minutes? What the hell are they thinking? We would all have to sit with egg timers by the PC. Imagine the AIM conversations:

FreePCMoron1: Uh oh, almost time for my commercial break, talk to you in a minute

SensiblePerson233: You can get a PC at Walmart for $200...

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well you dial into their server using their custom made dialing software...and then it would scan your pc and when you dial in it checks to see how much your using it, if your not using it any and you never dial in to them....they are going to take it back

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What a god awful idea. Imagine having your computing experience interrupted every 20 minutes with full screen ads? I couldn't use a computer like that. Free or not.

Ive seen some peoples PC are like that at the moment, Ads all over the place because of the ammount of spyware and crap they have it so this would probably be better for them.

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so its going to have any ammount of spyware and crap on it, id like to see what a scan of adaware returns on it. Someone should get the PC and do a report on it exclusively for neowin.

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Could you not just add another hard drive to the machine and setup a dual boot with linux on the other hard drive. If you have a broadband connection then just let your computer use their software for 2 to 3 hours while you are a sleep. Or you could just use knoppix and do the same. Just an idea.

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i think its a load of crap, what do the company get out of it ? just imagine the wasted bandwidth and resources if all 100,000 computers are connecting to a server. They could be using it for something good like the seti project or something along those lines. I thought that people hated spyware and we were trying to get rid of it not increase it. to a noob its like get a pc pre loaded with spyware, you dont have to worry about installing spyware we have already done it for you.

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yeah well the case will be rivited or something instead of conventional screws, so apart fromm ripping the case apart there wont be a way to get inside. therefore if you rip the case apart its damaged and they would get suspicious. so theres no way of modifying the hardware. Oh yeah it will be cracked but it might be harder than what people think.

Edited by Sawyer12
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I think the ad software requirement is built into the hardware.

There would be no point cracking it anyway. The pc still belongs to metromony not yourself so anything like that would be the same as hacking into someone elses pc over the internet i figure.

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FreePCMoron1: Uh oh, almost time for my commercial break, talk to you in a minute

SensiblePerson233: You can get a PC at Walmart for $200...

LMFAO

Haha!

That's great man!

:rofl:

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