Adware on today's GAOTD: Chameleon Desktop

[Curt]

As always I went off to see what today's giveaway was, but didn't think much of it. Later on I came to think of it and downloaded it anyway, because there were some features I would like to try out. The first time I launched the program it opened the homepage of some Watermarks Factory - "okay", I said to myself, "the author wants to tell about his other products. Well, that's okay the first time you lauch one of his programs". But the very same thing happended the second and the third time! hrmmffff... Shame on you, GiveawayOfTheDay, for allowing this!
 

When I had cooled down I started to play a little with the program. I know it claims to be handling wallpapers, but it can also add many sorts of effects to all your other pictures, which you then can save - without involving your wallpaper - and this was the very feature I was interested in. To make a long story a little shorter: I am recommending (Edit: can only recommend) this piece of adware because of how easy it is to add (high quality) effects to images: just a click on a button.

Edit continued: As Nighted is pointing out, I have forgotten to tell that this adware will try to install Watermarks Factory during setup - the program this adware seems to be all about - so you (surely) may want to uncheck this option (and of course you can).

http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/

Here are some of the one-click results of this image: Adware on today's GAOTD: Chameleon Desktop

Adware on today's GAOTD: Chameleon DesktopAdware on today's GAOTD: Chameleon DesktopAdware on today's GAOTD: Chameleon DesktopAdware on today's GAOTD: Chameleon DesktopAdware on today's GAOTD: Chameleon DesktopAdware on today's GAOTD: Chameleon DesktopAdware on today's GAOTD: Chameleon DesktopAdware on today's GAOTD: Chameleon DesktopAdware on today's GAOTD: Chameleon DesktopAdware on today's GAOTD: Chameleon DesktopAdware on today's GAOTD: Chameleon DesktopAdware on today's GAOTD: Chameleon DesktopAdware on today's GAOTD: Chameleon DesktopAdware on today's GAOTD: Chameleon DesktopAdware on today's GAOTD: Chameleon Desktop

[Nighted]

Frank Cho is awesome! Chameleon Desktop....oh so terrible.

I tried it for kicks, thought maybe I could score some free Vladstudio wallpapers out of it. The installer attempted to download and install some other crap. Whoever designed that GUI needs to seriously read up on GUI design. I couldn't even find a way to close it. Had to kill the process manually.

Bad Curt, bad!

Adware on today's GAOTD: Chameleon Desktop

[Curt]

There clearly was a reason that I didn't supply any link to the program's homepage, but only to Giveawayoftheday. I have edited the post in order to amplify the warning. The program itself is actually of an okay quality, nice to look at, and easy to operate - but I am truly sorry that I forgot to tell about the pre-checked option to install Watermarks Factory. 

[Curt]

I should tell that I wrote a comment on GAOTD, warning about the behavior. My tactics must have been wrong, I don't know - I did use the phrase ADWARE!!! - anyway, my post was censored and doesn't show, even it was among the first thirty comments or so.

I find this to be a problem, to put it mildly. (Edit: wrong info deleted)
 

Giveaway of the Day (Abbreviated GAOTD on the website) is a website that gives away a piece of licensed PC (Windows) software for free every day. The site was launched on 24th October 2006.

(...)(...)(...)

Lately, the games and software have been receiving poor user ratings because of their low quality, simplicity, bundling with adware, or otherwise.

(...)

-Wikipedia

[Nighted]

Wow...that's pretty lame. So much for having an opinion or even having the change to discuss it.

I know it tries to download one of their other programs but are there really ads bundled with it?

[Curt]

... are there really ads bundled with it?

-Nighted (January 01, 2008, 02:37 AM)

No, no ads, just the forced launching of Watermarks Factory's homepage, which of course is the home of Chameleon Desktop   though it is VERY difficult to find the link   because it is not listed on the "products" page! 

Icon Constructor MAY be part of the same family.

I wonder if the owner also owns vladstudio?

BTW, clicking "?" opens this:

[PhilB66]

Icon Constructor MAY be part of the same family.

I wonder if the owner also owns vladstudio?

-Curt (January 01, 2008, 06:26 AM)

This should answer your question http://www.sibental.com/projects.htm 

I don't think Vladstudio is part of Sibental (though they are all registered in Irkutsk). See Whois record

[Nighted]

Here's a bunch of other "Chameleon" stuff.

  Strange....very strange indeed. I used Chameleon clock awhile ago actually. Never had any problems. Author added my skin to the package. Never offered me a free license though.

[Curt]

A little funny FYI maybe, but otherwise just plain embarrassing to me: This "Watermark Factory", you know: the one this Chameleon adware seems to be hardwired to, right? Guess what? I have it! -and I have owned it for 3/4 of a year!!     

But I have never used it, not even once. Today I found it by accident... it was the giveaway the 12'th of April, 2007. Why did I keep it? I have no idea - I mean: why would I ever want to destroy a picture by adding watermarks? No, thank you.

Now the big question is if I can figure out how to tell Chameleon Desktop not to keep opening that homepage anymore? Hmmm... How do you open the inside of a program? I know some ripoff'ers are doing it, so it must somehow be posible.