Okay I tested a Cnet download (results)

lehnerus2000 said:

I've gone to sites to download their programs and they have sent me to CNET.
Normally I lose interest at that point.

I found that Price Gong thing on my PC (January).
I don't know where it came from or when it happened.

I particularly hate sites that insist that you must install their download managers.
Normally I refuse to download programs from those places.
I had to install the Adobe Download Manager to get a trial copy of Flash.

I've seen that too, they have their program or utility hosted on another site like Cnet or even MajourGeeks. Download managers just make me go somewhere else to get the file.

Would all of you believe I used CNET for several years,
without having any problems, or knowing it is not
trustworthy? Obviously my ignorance caused me to do
some extra work.

Also, I was once advised that it is better to use
a download site, because they test for viruses
or spyware, as opposed to the publisher's website.

I have since been using other download sites or
the software publisher's website, as suggested
here.

Thank all of you for responding and
sharing your information and opinions.

Dsn California said:

I was once advised that it is better to use
a download site, because they test for viruses
or spyware, as opposed to the publisher's website.

Au contrarie, the original publisher is THE main interested in having clean downloads, it's the only you can trust 100% (hopefully) since it will be uploaded there directly from the author's compiler.

Third party sites that just replicate might have outdated versions, or deliberately alter them to include their own things along with the real program. Not to say that they are evil and infecting everything around, but if you're after 100% confidence of originality, safety, information and support, there is no match for the real publisher website. Keep the other sites for the reviews though.

Avast has also ruined their reputation by forcing users to install Google Chrome and Toolbar even if you select Custom install and deselect these options along with all the other crapware they've added - WebRep, Gadget, etc. I refuse to have to uninstall this crapware along with 80 registry leftovers again. Fail, Avast. Farewell, Ye Mateys!

Layback Bear said:

Hopefully all the quality post in this thread will help many and therefor stop a lot of problems before they start. If in doubt you can go back to the post #1 and start reading again. Then select some very good programs to help you.

Its funny, I was just reading in new to Windows 7 forum and dude recommended by giving link to Malware bytes program download at Cnet. So I opend link, clicked download, open folder but have not installed for two reasons-- but first I recall, I don't remember seeing any additional stuf at Cnet ---and I had no idea that Cnet was all that bad because of ads and additional junk until reading this thread and not sure how i would remember which sites are trusted in future;

1) i'm not sure if malwarebytes will play well with my MS defender and free Avast,

2) it requires me to turnoff firewall--- wherever that is --- and turnoff all anti-virus programs,

so untill I know that they will play well together, not sure if I will take the time.

Do not expect and answer to these latter off topic concerns, just posting that it was funny doing recent inload from Cnet just before reading this thread.

Will take my Malware questions to Security Thread. The knowledge base at this place is incredible to/for me.

Rsix