Author Topic: NovaPDF Professional Desktop on Bitsdujour today (Read 13450 times)

Darwin · « **on:** October 16, 2007, 12:07 AM »

NovaPDF Professional Desktop is on offer at Bitsdujour today for $23.97. This is a fairly popular PDF creator on DonationCoder.

Curt · « **Reply #1 on:** February 18, 2008, 08:10 AM »

- and again today, Monday the 18'th of February, 2008. Again $23.97

But what do we think of this program? Can it replace my VisageSoft eXpert PDF 5?

Darwin · « **Reply #2 on:** February 18, 2008, 08:17 AM »

Grorgy liked it so much that he bought the company! No, wait, that was Victor Kiam... Grorgy liked the freebie that was given away by vunet last year (version 3, I believe) so much that he sprung for the upgrade to version 5. I know that there are other users here who will able to comment!

Grorgy · « **Reply #3 on:** February 18, 2008, 12:12 PM »

No it was'nt me, I'm innocent!, (admit nothing, deny everything

) I liked VisageSoft, but then again what i like most about it was its price, it gives you great edting abilities and I think I paid $40 Aus for it. It has some peculiarities with the GUI as has been noted in the PDF threads but overall, good bang for the buck.

Darwin · « **Reply #4 on:** February 18, 2008, 03:30 PM »

Doh!

I was thinking of eXpert PDF... Definitely a case of either too much or too little caffeine today... Sorry, George.

tomos · « **Reply #5 on:** February 18, 2008, 04:33 PM »

Definitely a case of either too much or too little caffeine today.
-Darwin (February 18, 2008, 03:30 PM)

[latenight/offtopic] sounds like a tough state of affairs when you dont know the difference there Mike

Darwin · « **Reply #6 on:** February 18, 2008, 04:42 PM »

It's a delicate balance, Tom...

Curt · « **Reply #7 on:** December 07, 2008, 04:48 AM »

Post moved to https://www.donation....msg141129#msg141129

Curt · « **Reply #8 on:** December 07, 2008, 05:54 AM »

post moved

Steven Avery · « **Reply #9 on:** May 08, 2009, 02:34 AM »

Hi Folks,

Returning on May 11, half-price at Bits.

http://www.bitsdujou...rofessional-desktop/
novaPDF Professional Desktop - Easily Create High-Quality PDF Files

I was quite impressed with the Lite which was a recent Giveaway of the Day. Although I do not do a lot with .PDFs so far, if I plan to do more in some upcoming web development, I may consider this one. Anyway, its good software.

Shalom,
Steven Avery

kartal · « **Reply #10 on:** May 08, 2009, 02:57 AM »

Hmm, I am not seeing anything impressive that would let me spend money really on that list. As far as I can tell Pdf creator can do most of it. ALthough I would not suggest you to use latest versions Pdf creator because it if filled with some spyware, search toolbar crap.

Steven Avery · « **Reply #11 on:** May 08, 2009, 05:01 AM »

Hi,

Even if PDF Creator and Nova Professional were equal I would prefer to buy and register the Nova product. For every person savvy enough to bypass the crapware since they read the forums carefully and know the installation trickeries there are 5 or 10 or 20 who have their system compromised. Better to support a developer directly with an inexpensive purchase, using specials like Bits and DC. My view, anyway.

Note: there are plenty of good freeware PDF software products, generally though they will not be as hefty, simpler printer conversion stuff. If your need is light, there are now 5 or more to take over PDF Creator. No need for supporting in any way foisting crapware on the unwary.

(Whether it is Comodo's CIS, PDF Creator or the NoScript fiasco, although I have a bit of empathy with Giorgio on the last one. I mention those three because they are all fairly recent discoveries and all from companies with a strong freeware fan base. Crapware from Symantec/Norton would barely be news, even being a paid software.)

Shalom,
Steven Avery

tomos · « **Reply #12 on:** May 08, 2009, 06:45 AM »

Hmm, I am not seeing anything impressive that would let me spend money really on that list. As far as I can tell Pdf creator can do most of it. ALthough I would not suggest you to use latest versions Pdf creator because it if filled with some spyware, search toolbar crap.
-kartal (May 08, 2009, 02:57 AM)

which PDFCreator is that ? - I know there's two (at least) - could you mean the one available via SourceForge

edbro · « **Reply #13 on:** May 08, 2009, 08:09 AM »

PdfCreator from SourceForge has an toolbar (crapware) that can optionally be installed during program installation. I opted out and have not seen any other mal effects indicating spyware.

Personally, I don't see the problem with this or any of the other programs that do this. These guys are offering quality programs for free. If some want to support them by installing the toolbars, more power to them. They do give you the option to opt out. I can think of lots of quality programs that do this. (CrapCleaner, etc)

For those that just blindly start hitting the OK button during installs without looking at what they are saying OK to, I say they get what they deserve.

Steven Avery · « **Reply #14 on:** May 08, 2009, 06:04 PM »

Hi Folks,

Actually many folks, even techies, were burned by PDF Creator's toolbar crap. The reasons are complex, apparently some silent installs -- and other problems -- foisted the crap even upon those who would normally just say no. And made worse by being an open source project. And little from the developers came forth.

You can read about it on pdffforge, sourceforge and various blogs.

Automatic Yahoo toolbar install? Bye PDFcreator
http://www.pdfforge.org/node/2598

pdfforge Toolbar - browser hijack to vmn.net
http://www.pdfforge.org/node/2540

Also threads 2406, 2423 and 2626 and 2659, maybe more.

On Sourceforge

Tracker: Bugs - 5 Remove trojan from download! - ID: 2607106
http://sourceforge.n...7796&atid=485457

Tracker: Bugs
5 Malware and Yahoo toolbar and malwa installed no matter what - ID: 2719254
http://sourceforge.n...7796&atid=485457

There is more, but that will give you some idea why PDF Creator is no longer of interest to many, alternatives are sought, whether CutePDF or a future open source or a commercial solid product.

SourceForge-hosted PDFCreator Trojan/Toolbar Warning
http://www.mularien....ojantoolbar-warning/

Also on the Mozillazine forum and other blogs and sites you will find discussion, the article above, back in March, was one of the best. (I learned about all this when GiveawayoftheDay did NovaPDFLite.)

By comparison Ccleaner did not get a free pass. e.g Softpedia would properly label them as adware. At least their crapware was much clearer than Comodo - easier to avoid -and not done with the Comodo specialty of legal intimidation and bluster. Nor with ultra-deceptive install wording and structure (again Comodo). And CCleaner is not a security app or an open source app, both of which are understandably held to an especially high standard. I never would have thought I could go to SourceForge and get crapware foisted with my open source. Thus lot of folks who might continue with Ccleaner (with some concern) find Comodo and PDF Creator software non grata -- and are less trusting of SourceForge.

Note: I believe all these being discussed were "opt-out". Generally speaking "opt-in" is far less likely to raise hackles and major concerns. Yet even there, on "opt-in" ... factors are:

how crappy is the add-on; who is doing it and why; how much finagling is there to try to make the "opt-in" attractive by falsely making it look appropriate and necessary. And how much was missed in the process (e.g. silent installs on a network) so that some may get taken unawares anyway.

The other day I was at a client and had to do some stuff on a PC loaded with crapware toolbars, including the infamous crawler toolbar. What a disaster. Those of us on forums like this should be aware of how these mercantile crap-items prey on those who do not have a large amount of puter savvy. Those are the marks for Comodo and PDF Creator and others. Much better to use a real freeware or buy a good product than try to wink at this stuff.

Shalom,
Steven Avery

kartal · « **Reply #15 on:** May 08, 2009, 06:47 PM »

I understand that people want incentive for ther effors, that is fine but if business model is not working you need to stop working on it. Some people think that this is a good way to benefit developers but I disagree. If you start a business you have something in mind, if you end up not making the money you want and start loosing money you basically shutdown your business. Tricking people to make money is not good business no matter what your intention is.

PDFforge has used popularity of pdf creator and trustworthiness of open source applications. I believe this was an abusive and mean act. Noone is asking the developer to develope stuff, he could have just stopped it instead of fillling with crapware. Now instead of being remembered as the great developer of Pdf creator he will be remembered as as a crapware distributor, although I assume that they are the same people. I might as well be wrong.

kartal · « **Reply #16 on:** May 08, 2009, 06:51 PM »

I personally do not think that any form of crapware, spyware can be called quality stuff , no matter what they are offering. If there is a string attach you just need to stay away. there is a reason why those strings are there and you might not truely understand where those strings are going really.

And it looks like downloads are done through sourceforge servers. How honest is that?

On the otherhand, how much money do you think they are going to make from attaching spyware? Really I am curios to hear about it. Is it worth wracking people`s trust? I mean how much money we are talking about it? I ever doubt if the developer makes more than couple hundred dollars a month with such spyware.

Personally, I don't see the problem with this or any of the other programs that do this. These guys are offering quality programs for free. If some want to support them by installing the toolbars,
-edbro (May 08, 2009, 08:09 AM)

Steven Avery · « **Reply #17 on:** May 09, 2009, 06:56 PM »

Hi Folks,

What has surprised me has been the lack of substantive action at SourceForge. They have a very strong long-developed reputation that can easily be shredded if they don't take solid and quick action on situations like this.

As for the crapware sources, apparently they pay a pretty penny. BillP of WinPatrol has a famous comment about how he could have retired if he took their offer. Clearly Comodo must be making a lot, there is little other explanation for their actions. With Pdf Creator the numbers are much smaller, what do you think ? "You get 10,000 to 50,000 installs, you will get a $1 an install" ? (With Comodo the install numbers could be much higher.) Maybe somebody can expose the specifics of one of those contracts.

Did you notice how the installs sometimes make the crapware look like a help in using the actual product. "You will be getting Explorer and Firefox integration". (I just recently saw the PDF Creator pictures and it is something along this line.) I wonder -- do the programs actually withhold some obvious integration feature in order to bundle it with the crapware, thereby making the normal product deliberately inferior. Or do they simply deceive in the install about the "feature" utility of the crapware toolbar. It has to be one or the other.

Shalom,
Steven Avery

mouser · « **Reply #18 on:** May 09, 2009, 07:07 PM »

my experience with sourceforge is that they are very generous and trusting when it comes to giving out sourceforge accounts and web/ftp space, and probably don't have the employees to police these accounts very well.

kartal · « **Reply #19 on:** May 09, 2009, 07:50 PM »

I say "pdfforgery"

There are alot of ways to make money if you choose the dishonest way. Probably writing s..loads of code to make couple thousand dollars a year is not a very smart way of making money in my view.