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by blackwater 02/12/2021, 3:33pm PST |
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OK, I realize this is an old meme at this point but damn it, it was funny. For a brief moment there, I felt like we were back in the 2010s and the internet was amusing rather than horrifying.
The story actually gets funnier though. Apparently the "cat filter" software was pre-installed on some Dell computers sold in the early 2010s.
That's right, by default you would boot up your brand new Dell whatever, turn on your webcam, and appear as a cat. And unless you could figure out how to turn that shit off, that's how you would stay. I guess you can see where this is going and it's hilarious. I like to think that someone at Dell knew about this and did it on purpose to prank their old, technically inept customers. I'm just going to keep thinking that until someone tells me otherwise.
The comments on that blog post are also great.
sachinl wrote:
Thanks man!!! I had the same problem with the Dell laptop that I got for my parents. They are just warming up to the idea of using the computers video chat etc. It was very annoying to them and me..
Thanks again!!!
You should have left them as cats. Tech support requests are more palatable when they come from cats.
Roger S.J. Sattler wrote:
Wow! Thank you! At least I see I am not alone, but I can’t get rid of the very nasty and ugly avatars to get my camera back. Does anyone know who is responsible for this? Surely, Dell must be going nuts with calls and complaints by now. I have eliminated the program several times only to have the cat keep returning.
It first appeared the other day when I opened Skype for a call after having no problems the day before. I couldn’t figure out how it happened, then thought it might be some kind of malware attack. I tried to change avatars to the ET face, but the woman I was talking to started screaming, literally, that it’s red eyes were glaring and scaring her…she asked me to quit and I ended the call.
What’s up with this? Anybody had any more luck. All of the avatars are really hideous and their emoticons worse.
Sounds like a good meeting, Rog.
lester wrote:
Unable to get rid of the cat by this method, my Dell Inspiron 2012 with Windows 7 tells me I have 3 options, Uninstall, Modify or Repair, but in fact the only option that comes up is uninstall, and I need the webcam for my work. Anyone know another path?
Sorry, Lester. If you become a cat in the Matrix, you're a cat in REAL LIFE.
Heimrich wrote:
Funny, I ended up here trying to get a program that allowed me to create my own avatars.
Here is a solution suggestion: First, download and run “process explorer” from the CNET downloads website. Its free and safe. Run it and keep it open while you do the next:
Open the webcam controler window from the computer’s control panel and disable it. This should force the “avatar software” to throw an error message. Use Process Explorer (with the target tool) to find the file that throws this message and you would have cought your Webcam thief. Write down it’s name. Then, on the “run” window on the start menu type “MSConfig” and ENTER. Go to the Startup tab and then find and disable you webcam thief from running at startup.
Restart your computer.
I hope this helps.
Yeah bro just download this random software from CNET and start fooling around with MSConfig. Easy peasy.
I imagine the cat lawyer guy reading this and shitting his pants in fear. |
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