Author Topic: Ad Muncher On Sale at Bits duJor Wednesday, March 31, 2010 (Read 16339 times)

J-Mac · « **on:** March 30, 2010, 11:48 PM »

Ad Muncher is available at Bits today for $10.82.

I have seen Ad Muncher mentioned in a very positive light here by many DC members, so I think that I'll get me a copy of it! Comments about Ad Muncher are welcome to help me know if I am getting a winner - or not.

Thanks!

Jim

skwire · « **Reply #1 on:** March 30, 2010, 11:58 PM »

I've used it for years and love it.

taichimaster · « **Reply #2 on:** March 31, 2010, 12:22 AM »

Thanks for the heads up!! Think I am going to get myself a copy

J-Mac · « **Reply #3 on:** March 31, 2010, 12:36 AM »

I've used it for years and love it.

-skwire (March 30, 2010, 11:58 PM)

Thanks! Not that I really needed any prodding but I think I'll take it.

Jim

f0dder · « **Reply #4 on:** March 31, 2010, 01:47 AM »

Can't really see a point in (paying for) AdMuncher when there's AdBlockPlus for FireFox.

skwire · « **Reply #5 on:** March 31, 2010, 02:30 AM »

AdMuncher works for all internet-enabled apps. I don't see ads in any browser, RSS reader, etc.

J-Mac · « **Reply #6 on:** March 31, 2010, 02:40 AM »

Hey, anybody know which subscription level the Bits promo covers? I thought it would be the Basic but when clicking on the Buy Now button the checkout page has the Premium version pre-selected.

Thank you.

Jim

Dormouse · « **Reply #7 on:** March 31, 2010, 03:36 AM »

Hey, anybody know which subscription level the Bits promo covers?
-J-Mac (March 31, 2010, 02:40 AM)

Anything and everything. Basic, Premium, Multiple, Extra Years, Lifetime. Seems even to be upgrades (may need to contact them direct for these).
You want it, they'll give you the BdJ discount on it.

J-Mac · « **Reply #8 on:** March 31, 2010, 03:46 AM »

Yeah, finally figured it out. Disturbing checkout system though. Bits promo says $10.82, Buy Now click takes you to Checkout with Premium pre-selected and an additional year of updates selected. Change all that and fill out form, go to next page and - that damn add'l year of updates is slyly selected yet again.

I bought but I really hate shit like that. Poor behavior IMO.

Thank you.

Jim

superboyac · « **Reply #9 on:** March 31, 2010, 09:16 AM »

i may have to get the lifetime license for this.

cthorpe · « **Reply #10 on:** March 31, 2010, 02:35 PM »

I;m concerned that the dev have been promising 64bit and gzip for quite some time. He says it will be in a version, then that version comes and goes, and the feature is no where to be found. I like what the program does, and I am considering the lifetime license, but this makes me wary.

cyberdiva · « **Reply #11 on:** March 31, 2010, 02:44 PM »

Where does it say anything about a lifetime license? All I saw was the Premium and the Regular (or whatever it's called), both for 12-month periods. I'm not sure I really need this program, since my browsers are the primary places where I see ads, and AdBlock or the equivalent freeware seem to do a reasonably good job in Firefox and Opera, but I still find myself a bit tempted. But if I have to keep paying every year, I'm less tempted.

superboyac · « **Reply #12 on:** March 31, 2010, 02:47 PM »

To get the lifetime license, you have to click on one of the buy or continue buttons and go to the next page. There, you'll be able to choose the lifetime option. I'm probably going to get it later tonight. I'm guessing with the discount that it will be around $40-50. It's a really great program. It blocks a lot of stuff adblock can't, and is well made.

cyberdiva · « **Reply #13 on:** March 31, 2010, 06:47 PM »

Thanks, Superboyac. I'll take a look later tonight.

Steven Avery · « **Reply #14 on:** March 31, 2010, 06:53 PM »

Is it well behaved if you try to uninstall ?

Thinking of a trial tonite.

Thanks

superboyac · « **Reply #15 on:** March 31, 2010, 07:11 PM »

Is it well behaved if you try to uninstall ?

Thinking of a trial tonite.

Thanks
-Steven Avery (March 31, 2010, 06:53 PM)

I think so, though I'm not positive. It's one of my favorite programs. Just really well done all the way around, so if I were to guess, I would assume the uninstallation is good as well.

cthorpe · « **Reply #16 on:** March 31, 2010, 07:18 PM »

I installed to test last night, then uninstalled to see if it caused any problems. Everything seemed to be working as expected after uninstall.

Reinstalled it this afternoon for a more thorough test. Firefox seems more responsive without AdBlock running, and it's memory usage has dropped considerably. I also like that the filter list is maintained by a commercial entity instead of an unknown entity on the internet. After browsing around with AdMuncher running, it seems like a keeper. I went ahead and made a purchase of 2 licenses with lifetime updates for $115 (one for my desktop and one for my wife's laptop).

Carl R. Thorpe

superboyac · « **Reply #17 on:** March 31, 2010, 07:32 PM »

J-Mac is right. They are being a little shady about what is exactly involved with the purchase. i'll try to clear it up here:

--There are TWO things you are buying: the license AND the additional renewal length, they are separate. Let me explain. If you only buy the license, you get one year of renewal. If you want more years in addition to this, it is extra. So, if you want to buy the lifetime license (like I do) you have to pay for two things: the normal license and one year renewal that comes with it, AND the lifetime renwal fee. So I'll be paying for two things, which even with the discount comes to around $60.

So they are being a little clever with what they are doing. I personally don't think it's right. A lot of people have complained about it on their forums, because it is deceptive. For many pages in one thread, it seems like the developers are playing dumb about the deception (at least that's how it comes off to me), but they consider it a misunderstanding or a miscommunication.

I don't think it's right because when people go buy software like this that has updating involved (think anti-virus software) it's usually one total price that they are presented with. For example, if I want to buy Kaspersky I have the following options:
--$50 for one year of updates
--$90 for two years
--$120 for three years

Unfortunately, what Ad Muncher is doing is saying that the license alone costs $30, which comes with one year of updates in that price. But if you want more years, then one extra year costs $20, two years extra costs $40, and a lifetime of updating costs an extra $80. So it's pretty confusing and, in my opinion, a little deceptive. They claim it makes sense, but it's not the normal way of selling this type of thing.

What's even more confusing is that before you are ready to pay, you see two items in your basket because you added additional years. Only then do you realize that the payment is a two item process for really one thing.

Again, a lot of people have complained about it. The developers see nothing wrong with it. It's a little disturbing to the customers because most of them (me included) don't realize how much it costs until right before you have to submit you're payment. So the whole time you're thinking it costs $80 for a lifetime license, but then you realize it's $30 + $80. It's not good what they are doing.

superboyac · « **Reply #18 on:** March 31, 2010, 07:39 PM »

What's worse is that I have an existing license that will expire once v5 comes out. But i get no break on the lifetime license. I have to buy the lifetime license as if I was buying the program for the first time. I have to pay for a license plus the lifetime. I don't think that is fair.

cyberdiva · « **Reply #19 on:** March 31, 2010, 08:58 PM »

Well, I decided that I wasn't at all ready to pay a substantial amount of money for a program I hadn't even tried, and one whose sales practices seem a bit dodgy to boot. So I instead bought the basic version with 1 year of updates, though it wasn't so easy to do that, since I was all set to pay and realized I was being charged for the premium version. I caught that in time and changed to basic. I'll now have a year to see what I think. If it's 3/4 as good as some of you say it is, I'll be happy.

Steven Avery · « **Reply #20 on:** March 31, 2010, 09:50 PM »

Hi Folks,

Recently I set up the Hosts File system, with HPHosts, and then Hostman for the on-off and flexibility.

I realize that AdMuncher is more flexible and can be tailored, but I am not sure that it is worth the extra effort. I tried it on MajorGeeks with unclear results (turning on and off) and even managed to crash Firefox.

Does anybody see running both sides of this as redundant or complementary ? If only one, which one ?

I don't really have a major problem with ads, mostly the screen drawing time they take.

The design is solid and sensible if a bit stodgy, like WinPatrol, when I downloaded I didn't even notice the whole Premium or not aspect .. so now I check the website.

Most of my browsing is Firefox, since I still never get happy with the Opera search and tabs (Linkman seems to work now) so that is another aspect. I didn't expect the financial aspects of an ad block program to require a math degree and sharp eyes.

Shalom,
Steven

superboyac · « **Reply #21 on:** March 31, 2010, 10:08 PM »

What's worse is that I have an existing license that will expire once v5 comes out. But i get no break on the lifetime license. I have to buy the lifetime license as if I was buying the program for the first time. I have to pay for a license plus the lifetime. I don't think that is fair.
-superboyac (March 31, 2010, 07:39 PM)

All that being said, I emailed the developers and they are very responsive and quickly modified my license to be upgradeable. So that is not bad at all!

Innuendo · « **Reply #22 on:** April 01, 2010, 08:54 AM »

I;m concerned that the dev have been promising 64bit and gzip for quite some time. He says it will be in a version, then that version comes and goes, and the feature is no where to be found. I like what the program does, and I am considering the lifetime license, but this makes me wary.
-cthorpe (March 31, 2010, 02:35 PM)

The first time the author promised gzip would be in the next version of the software he had to rush a version out that worked with Vista's UAC. Everyone was upset that he rushed out a version so it would work with Vista & it didn't have gzip functionality.

After that fiasco, the author would only promise that gzip functionality would be in before v5. Count me in as one of the people wanting gzip & 64-bit functionality, though. A third programmer has been hired to work on the program a few months ago so hopefully things will progress more quickly once the new guy is up to speed.

Innuendo · « **Reply #23 on:** April 01, 2010, 08:58 AM »

I don't think it's right because when people go buy software like this that has updating involved (think anti-virus software) it's usually one total price that they are presented with. For example, if I want to buy Kaspersky I have the following options:
--$50 for one year of updates
--$90 for two years
--$120 for three years
-superboyac (March 31, 2010, 07:32 PM)

I love Ad Muncher...but my perspective is coming from someone who bought it 'back in the day' when less than $20 got me a lifetime license. It's still the best & most configurable ad-blocking program available today & I've seen signatures updated up to 8 times in one day, but I don't know if I'd pay $80 to get the functionality I have now.

On the subject of AV programs, these 'nickel and dime me to death' pricing structures is also why I jumped on a deal a year or so ago to buy a security suite for one flat price with lifetime updates as well.

superboyac · « **Reply #24 on:** April 01, 2010, 09:35 AM »

I don't think it's right because when people go buy software like this that has updating involved (think anti-virus software) it's usually one total price that they are presented with. For example, if I want to buy Kaspersky I have the following options:
--$50 for one year of updates
--$90 for two years
--$120 for three years
-superboyac (March 31, 2010, 07:32 PM)

I love Ad Muncher...but my perspective is coming from someone who bought it 'back in the day' when less than $20 got me a lifetime license. It's still the best & most configurable ad-blocking program available today & I've seen signatures updated up to 8 times in one day, but I don't know if I'd pay $80 to get the functionality I have now.

On the subject of AV programs, these 'nickel and dime me to death' pricing structures is also why I jumped on a deal a year or so ago to buy a security suite for one flat price with lifetime updates as well.
-Innuendo (April 01, 2010, 08:58 AM)

Yeah, i wish I had bought it back then also. Just out of curiosity, which security suite were you able to get a lifetime license for? That's a great deal.