Download.com Now Wraps Downloads In Bloatware 397
MrSeb writes "At Download.com, page designs have been repeatedly tweaked over the years to push its updater software (now called TechTracker), TrialPay offers, and the site's mailing list. Bothersome, perhaps, but certainly not inexcusable. They've got to make money off the site somehow, after all, and banner ads don't always do the job. Now, things have taken a turn for the worse: Cnet has begun wrapping downloads in its own proprietary installer. Not only will this cause the reputation of free, legitimate software to be tarred by Cnet's bloatware toolbars, homepage changes, and new default search engines — but Cnet is even claiming that their installer wrapping is 'for the users.'"
Re:Wow, when you can't trust CNET (Score:2, Insightful)
Well, maybe you shouldn't spend so much time blocking banner ads? Were you really that surprised that it will just move sites to use other ways to make money with advertisements, or move them to pay model?
Sourceforge is no alternative (Score:5, Insightful)
The last few Windows apps I've downloaded from there came with their own "INSTALL TOOLBAR FOO" now in the installer. PDFCreator is one example.
This is why we're headed towards managed computing and app stores. The game is just too dirty. Joe User has no idea whats going on. His computer has a dozen toolbars and all he's done is follow his geeky friend's advice to install stuff like PDFCreator or other GPL products. I'd rather just be microbilled 20 cents or whatever they make per install. Shame no one has properly cracked the microbilling nut.
Re:Wow, when you can't trust CNET (Score:5, Insightful)
At least I can still turn off my TV in the middle of an advertisement.
And TV ads don't eat into your download cap and infect your TV with malware.
Premium? (Score:5, Insightful)
If you would like to opt out of the CNET Download.com Installer you can sign up for a Premium subscription or PPD promotion, both of which are being excluded at this time.
If find it hilarious that they are talking about how this is 'for the users' and such a great thing, yet the 'premium' subscriptions don't have to deal with this bullshit. If it's sooooo great, shouldn't it be available only to premium users?
Re:Driving users to the App Store (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Wow, when you can't trust CNET (Score:5, Insightful)
* Yet.
Lots of newer TVs and Blu-ray players now have Java... it's only a matter of time, I think.
Scary thought!
Re:Wow, when you can't trust CNET (Score:5, Insightful)
So far with Java I have seen Ask Toolbar, Bing Toolbar, and one other (I forget what). Adobe tends to push Ask Toolbar and Google Toolbar.
What really gets me about the Bing Toolbar is that on any computer with IE8 or IE9, Bing is already the fucking default search engine for the search box anyways. So why the fuck does MS have to push a goddamn toolbar everywhere?
Re:Wow, when you can't trust CNET (Score:3, Insightful)
Get a Linux distro like Ubuntu, if you can live without windows. Their package repository contains gigabytes of software, with practically perfect install and uninstall, and totally malware-risk-free.
This is one of the main reasons I run Linux instead of Windows.
A Software Author's Perspective (Score:4, Insightful)
I just sent the following email to Download.com:
Please be advised that your your "CNET Download.com installer" is in violation of the terms of my software. Section 4a) permits distribution UNMODIFIED copies only. Additionally, section 4c) does not permit "bundling" with other software components.
Please remove my software from your site immediately, as the reputation of my application is now at risk.
Sincerely,
Steven Greenberg
Author, GSpot Codec Appliance
Re:Wow, when you can't trust CNET (Score:4, Insightful)
I`d side with you about apple not being a reputable company, as they also keep bundling Quicktime with other downloads (Safari ? iTunes ?). Anyway..
The default link for Safari for Windows [apple.com] does not include QuickTime, although you can optionally click a button and choose to receive it. iTunes comes with QuickTime... mostly because it requires QuickTime. PS: iTunes also comes with Bonjour for Windows... mostly because it uses Bonjour.
On the Mac, of course, QuickTime, iTunes and Safari are already pre-installed.