180solutions has new plan to curb rogue installations

When I read the headline at seattlepi.com, I had an immediate deja vu.  The company announced today plans for new technology to make it more difficult for distributors to install 180's software on users' computers without their knowledge. They are releasing "Safe and Secure Search" which will be embedded in the new versions of Zango Search Assistant and 180search Assistant, according to company spokesman Sean Sundwall.  New distributors will be forced to use the new technology and existing distributors will have until December 31, 2005 to change.  Currently there are 8,000 to 10,000 distributors using the old methods. 

Will 180's new plan work?  In the Seattle PI article, Eric Howes notes some of the problems with 180solutions' past practices, including "half_hearted attempts" to clean up their problems. I have personally witnessed installations of 180solutions' software through exploits as recently as 10 days ago. 

The Seattle PI article and 180's press release state do not describe how the new technology will work, so I am unable to comment on that.  Given 180's history of highly publicized but mediocre attempts at reform in the past, color me skeptical.