Main Area and Open Discussion > General Software Discussion
What the hell is OpenCandy?
1NR1:
Hm-mm. Good discussion here about many sensitive issues: downloading transparency, up front information, what is an ad and what constitutes spying. Perfect subjects for the DC site.
I for one when first reading about Open Candy thought the concept seemed somewhat benign, even after reading and re-reading "opposite" sides of the issue.
Until I viewed the 'video'. This is "in you face" advertising. Of course so is most marketing online and to me it's only the Internet version of floor posters in the grocery aisles. Those I never read. However, Open Candy requires that you read their advertising and read it closely and become a participant, willing or otherwise, by tapping your options.
Lastly, this concept lends itself well to a shifting baseline, that is, will this style of marketing creep into general use? Probably, especially when 'names' are throwing money at it, and those (like me) who would rather burn and loot than sell-out, fade away.
Cordially,
NR
cmpm:
I can either super glue my mailbox shut (that is in my front yard).
Or throw the ads away, but wait.
There may be an ad in there I'm interested in, and there has been.
Point being, what is being advertised is as important as how it is being advertised. Since as the daily mail in my front yard (what a waste of paper) can be discarded.
And it seems to me I have opted in without my sayso to many bs mailings. Just by living here. And the county publishing info on my house.
So, if they would ask first if they could mail me some ads that would be nice. But no, I'm here-they know it and I can not stop the junk mail. Just throw it away.
But I don't have to call their phone or respond to them directly.
The US Postal Service doesn't seem to care much.
Except for fraud.
----
OC seems to open their doors to software.
Ok-finally-question! Questions actually.
What are the requirements to be an "opt-in".
Is the software through OC inspected in any way.
Such as Softpedia and MajorGeeks and many others.
What are the standards set to be a part of OC?
The installer issue aside, I'm talking quality and safety.
As well as ad-free operation of the product as discussed.
And full disclosure of info collecting practices of the products included in OC's opt-in.
-Maybe this was covered, and I missed it....
Kind of like-
I only want quicktime-not itunes
or worse.....
drapps:
@cmpm: Is the software through OC inspected in any way.
Such as Softpedia and MajorGeeks and many others.
What are the standards set to be a part of OC?
The installer issue aside, I'm talking quality and safety.
As well as ad-free operation of the product as discussed.
And full disclosure of info collecting practices of the products included in OC's opt-in.
--- End quote ---
Excerpt from my long post
@drapps said
What happens when a developer wants to participate (as a publisher or advertiser) in the OpenCandy network
-I check the Hosts file providers to see if a potential developer that wants to participate in OpenCandy is on those lists.
-I check McAfee SiteAdvisor and WoT.
-I check the potential publisher’s and advertiser’s installers using Virus Total.
-I check antispyware forums to see if user’s have any issues with the software.
-I look at the company’s business practices in general.
In addition, our software guidelines (which we be available soon for all to see) were built on top of AND further enhance policies created by Download.com, StopBadware, and the Antispyware Coalition. As well as our own ideals…
--- End quote ---
I (and the rest of the OpenCandy team) don't want ANY software in our network that we wouldn't use ourselves (or recommend to our mother, father, sisters, brothers, best friends, etc..). That's a big part of what I do at OpenCandy, I make sure potential members of our network meet that quality/security/privacy bar. :) I accomplish that by going through the steps outlined above, as well as by downloading, installing and testing each piece of software myself.
Hope that helps. :)
Thanks!
Dr. Apps
Software Community Guru
OpenCandy
http://twitter.com/drapps
cmpm:
Thanks for the reminder from your earlier post.
The current software outlets are quite sufficient and list the products/applications that are useful to me.
And, well, I would like to see what softwares signup with OC.
So we will see. That will be very revealing I think.
drapps:
Thanks for the reminder from your earlier post.
The current software outlets are quite sufficient and list the products/applications that are useful to me.
And, well, I would like to see what softwares signup with OC.
So we will see. That will be very revealing I think.
-cmpm (May 15, 2009, 01:16 PM)
--- End quote ---
@cmpm
From the publisher side (those who recommend) a few apps you can check out are MediaCoder, MediaInfo and Startup Manager to see the (high) quality of software they are recommending.
We've been in a "closed beta" since October 2008 and we've focused exclusively on getting the developers of the high-quality applications we (personally) know and love to participate in the network. We've also been reaching out to developers of great applications on the Download.com Top 50 and Sourceforge.net Top 50, as well as other highly regarded apps (the awesome apps out there that are still largely undiscovered and thus don't have the download volume it takes to be included on "Top 50" lists).
Also, just to reiterate, the developers (acting as publishers) in our network ARE and ALWAYS will be the ones who picks the software they want to recommend (from the available pool of applications that have passed our strict guidelines).
If you haven't seen the YouTube video I put up yesterday, it's available here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Wr5DIbOAaA
Thanks :)
Dr. Apps
Software Community Guru
OpenCandy
http://twitter.com/drapps
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