Download.com - The New Home For Bloatware
Monday, August 22, 2011 by Jafo | Discussion: Personal Computing
Seems all new uploads there are being 'gift wrapped' with a proprietary installer...complete with toolbars etc that one 'must' opt out of if all you want is the proggy you were hoping to get.
Time perhaps to find a new source of your proggy downloads....
I'd checked out that flash cookie proggy and it had been wrapped....pain and a half.
More on the 'scam' here...
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Reply #22 Tuesday, August 23, 2011 2:01 AM
I love the smell of tar and feathers in the morning! 
Reply #23 Tuesday, August 23, 2011 3:11 AM
Moonchild Productions has been in contact with Download.com about the wrapper/installer stub around Pale Moon. It's in violation of the redistribution policy!
Some developers are starting to complain ... could get messy 
Reply #24 Tuesday, August 23, 2011 3:39 AM
Same here.
No matter what program you try to download all you receive is a CNet Installer.
Macca
Reply #25 Tuesday, August 23, 2011 4:00 AM
Yes its a pain alright but still a good site to find software but just go elsewhere to download it.
Reply #26 Tuesday, August 23, 2011 6:43 AM
Quoting DrJBHL, reply 8Jafo, did you succeed in downloading and installing the flash cookie remover? After opting out of the toolbar, changing the start page and search engine, it wouldn't install because of "a proxy or firewall".
Yes, but it was a pain..... certainly more than such a simple proggy warranted.
One of the banes of modern computers/net surfing is this bloody pre-occupation with browser addon toolbars.
None is "needed".
None.
Firefox has an extension called "Better Privacy 1.67" which removes all LSO's when closing the browser and notifies how many it found. So, a great work around for when I use Firefox. It removes 'em and screw the trackers.
To it I added "Adblock Plus" and "Track me not".
C-ya|net indeed, Wiz.
One of the many reasons I like downloading from the dev's website and not other places. Using Comodo-Dragon rounds out the picture. It connects through Comodo's secure proxy (when using Comodo only, or all browsers if that option is chosen).
Reply #27 Tuesday, August 23, 2011 10:05 AM
The real big problem is when people download something, the bloatware will be "blamed" on the app they installed and probably not the people really responsible.
Reply #28 Tuesday, August 23, 2011 10:23 AM
If Download .com is doing this with SD software, maybe they should not be a distributor . 
Reply #30 Tuesday, August 23, 2011 12:37 PM
Jeez...and I thought cnet immune to such nonsense. Oh wqell
Reply #32 Tuesday, August 23, 2011 1:20 PM
remember when stylexp idiots site started doing shit like this? Hell, they would have failed on their own soon enough but this really sped up the demise.
Ahhh the great memories 
. That was a true cause for celebration.
Reply #33 Tuesday, August 23, 2011 4:10 PM
Just D/L'd & fired up Comodo Dragon, surfed here & got this:
Reply #35 Tuesday, August 23, 2011 10:20 PM
Yup, it was when I began looking elsewhere for themes... hence new customization software because theirs went guts up a theme with that wrapping crap was applied.
That's how I ended up here....
.... and the place hasn't been the same since. 
Reply #36 Tuesday, August 23, 2011 10:20 PM
I know for a fact that they're keeping an eye on user's and developers reactions, and I think it's slowly sinking in that they've made a huge mistake with this one (nobody is above it, although they should have known better in the first place)... lets see how it turns out.
Reply #37 Wednesday, August 24, 2011 2:43 AM
Try freewarefiles.com. It's simple and well-organized, has nothing but freeware, no extras, tests every file, and warns you if the author has bundled a toolbar with their program. Microsoft uploads their freeware there, for instance, as well as nirsoft and all the major anti-virus companies.
Reply #38 Wednesday, August 24, 2011 6:41 AM
The owner of TGTSoft and StyleXP never packaged his products with bloatware or anything else like that Phoon. The people who purchased the ThemeXP web site from him started the packaging (which was his site similar to WC for supporting his product line). Unfortunately, it is still being done even today.
Reply #40 Wednesday, August 24, 2011 8:58 AM
http://www.freewarefiles.com/
John, thanks for giving a perfect example of ethical conduct by a software distribution website. 
Mores the pity that c|net chose to behave differently.
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Reply #21 Tuesday, August 23, 2011 2:01 AM
I often try linked stuff to verify whether links work/are appropriate for the site....not because I actually 'want' the proggy...