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Cnet's Download.com and the installer scam
vlastimil:
Ooops, very bad move from download.com. Another software download site to add to the ignore list.
Up until now I have considered download.com one of the better download sites. Unlike other sites, they sometimes did a relatively thorough review of the applications they listed and the applications were approved in a reasonable time. Oh, well. The self-hosting of the installers was annoying though, but I thought they did it to guarantee functionality for their users.
Anyway, is there a "good" download site left? By good, I mean they do reviews or at least look at the software they list. Maybe softpedia.com and some specialized sites like software.informer.com, alternative.to, portablefreeware.com. Anything else?
48 hours from me as well :-)
40hz:
Try www.snapfiles.com :Thmbsup:
app103:
Anyway, is there a "good" download site left? By good, I mean they do reviews or at least look at the software they list. Maybe softpedia.com and some specialized sites like software.informer.com, alternative.to, portablefreeware.com. Anything else?
-vlastimil (August 23, 2011, 04:46 AM)
--- End quote ---
Consider Wakoopa as a software research tool. Applications usually have user submitted descriptions, user submitted screenshots, and user submitted reviews...by people that actually use the software, which is how it ends up listed on their site. It's a social network focused on software for Windows, Mac, Linux, and web apps.
They don't host any downloads and don't wrap anything in crapware. Any links to obtain an application lead to the developer's site. And if you want to pitch in and help with the wiki-style editing of application info, just join the site.
They also have their own software application to track the apps you use, if you wish to use that (I do). I have reached "Overlord" user status on the site, which means I am one of the many moderators that help keep the site spam free. There is also a DonationCoder team with 24 members which I am the manager of, although we don't really discuss anything on the team page.
40hz:
Wilder Security has words from a CNet staffer up on one of it's forums. Buried in a pile of negative other posts, there's now a very non-inspiring semi-official response from CNet.
Re: Cnet Download.com Installer
Hi,
My name is Catherine Hwang on the CNET Download.com team and wanted to get in touch with you all to address this issue regarding the CNET Download.com Installer.
The all-new CNET Download.com Installer is indeed a new feature we rolled out in the recent weeks, but it does not force a toolbar on any users. Instead, the users will encounter a single offer for an additional 3rd-party software during the download process, which is clearly disclosed and provides the option to accept or decline the offer before proceeding with the download. In addition, we only show offers for software that is approved for listing on CNET Download.com.
For more information, please visit our FAQ on Upload.com - http://cnet.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2065 and please feel free to reach out with any questions you may have. We welcome your feedback to make this a better experience for users and developers alike.
Thanks,
Catherine
Senior Partner Manager
CNET Download.com
:D
--- End quote ---
mouser:
It seems I was overly optimistic in predicting that the outrage over this would force cnet to immediately stop this practice :(
I'm not sure what we can do to put a top to this other than continuing to express outrage everywhere we can and demand that our software is removed from CNet's services, and cause enough heat that CNet realizes how badly their reputation is going to be damaged if they do not reverse course.
The response to my email to them telling them to remove all donationcoder software was to tell me to purchase their premium service if i wanted to remove their bundled installer crap. In other words this is one big extortion racket.
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