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Cnet's Download.com and the installer scam
app103:
Softpedia still provides a clean mirror for downloads at this time.
I normally don't get my files from download sites, but the developer's site is currently unavailable, so I went looking for a mirror to get the program.
vlastimil:
Nothing tucows does surprises me. I do not bother adding my software there anymore. 8 months until they manage to approve a submission? The outrageous review fees (that apply to freeware too)? The offer to create a 30 second video review for several hundreds USDs? Tucows is a dying money machine. Let's ignore them...
app103:
Nothing tucows does surprises me. I do not bother adding my software there anymore. 8 months until they manage to approve a submission? The outrageous review fees (that apply to freeware too)? The offer to create a 30 second video review for several hundreds USDs? Tucows is a dying money machine. Let's ignore them...
-vlastimil (September 25, 2011, 06:16 AM)
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It doesn't really surprise me either, but I figured I'd add the info to this thread for the benefit of others. What Tucows has become is very sad. They used to be a great site about 10 years ago.
vlastimil:
OK, I appreciate the info. They used to be #1 years ago. I did not mean to imply that your post was not important, I just wanted to say that ignoring them is probably the best that can be done today. They have demonstrated that they only care about money and not about user experience multiple times.
bobdude11:
Their blasted installer requires admin permissions! That totally destroys the show for all portable tools
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Good point. all of my original installers are zip-compatible and can simply be unzipped and used portably. The CNet installer destroys this.
The absolute worst part about this CNet travesty is that users will blame the authors for this bundled crap, assuming that the authors have purposefully wrapped their software in the CNet wrapper in exchange for financial gain.
-mouser (August 23, 2011, 10:38 AM)
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Personally, I have never blamed the developer. I saw it for what it is - a way to extort money from users. I never knew about the backend extortion. Maybe we should approach CNET with a RICO act charge ... :D
In any event, I wanted to let EVERY developer on here know that, hopefully speaking for all of us, users that are not developers (or aspiring to be one - at 50 it may be too late for me... go! go on! leave me! I'm done for ... :D:D) very much appreciate what you all do and I use several programs on a daily basis (all mousers right now it seems - clipboard help+spell, screenshot captor, dcupdater). There is so much available on this site, I am still going through and trying everything. I test them for a week or so and if I don't use them at least three times during the week, I remove them. Not because they are bad programs. To the contrary, I have found all of them tested to be excellent. The ones I don't use, prove to be so because of the way I use my computers. they just don't fit my usage style. But keep in mind, I am still going through all of them and I know I will find more I can use.
When I can, I donate to the authors.
All I can say (pardon the diatribe), is that I hope you all continue to provide your apps and don't let this little CNET fiasco deter or discourage you.
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