I recently tried to download a word processor from CNET. Even though I was careful and read all the screens I ended up with 3 installed programs I did not ask for. It took forever to remove what I could find.
I will never use CNET again.
The question is, is this legal..?
Can it be stopped..?
Can it be avoided..?
Legal....maybe.
Ethical...no.
Some thoughts on avoiding PUPs.
Never accept the default or quick install. If you do you don't get the chance to uncheck the install of this crap.
If there is a choice download directly from the author's site.
If there is a SourceForge download use it. It is generally clean.
Agree, but even at that you still have to read very carefully as some programs, mainly java and flash sill try sneaking stuff in. The bottom line... pay very very close attention to what's happening on your installs, and yeah... custom, custom, custom install.
Yes, usually getting it from the author's site works, but note java and flash seems to be in bed with some of these crapware folks, so even getting it from the author's site isn't always a guarantee to be free of crapware.
As for the question of legality... I'm sure there's a slippery slope there, but you are getting free software so...
I don't use Java these days and I use the Chrome browser which has it's own version of flash updated along with chrome.
CNET used to be a great source of bloatware free software but, anymore now, downloading from there is a crapshoot against house odds. It started when blocking their cookie would cause the site to essentially lockup because it went into an endless loop, repeatedly trying to put a cookie on my computer (I don't know if it was deliberate or their web designers merely flunked Error Trapping 101, something that is pretty common anymore), then escalated to bloatware being added to the downloads. For a while, they forced me (correction: tried to force me) to download a downloader which tripped alarms on all my anti-malware programs, then they dropped that abomination and added more bloatware.
Sadly, some software still uses CNET as their only download site but, fortunately, most of those downloads are clean or the bloatware (the polite term, btw, I have more accurate ones but Mama told me not to use those words) is easily avoided.
I understand these sites have to make an income somehow but underhandly sneaking in bloatware is despicably unacceptable. If advertising alone won't cut the mustard, then shareware, where you get to try before you buy, would be a far more acceptable alternative.
Just a tip, create a System Restore Point before you Download. Try to uncheck all of the crap in the download, but if you miss some, you can always do a System Restore to before you did the Download.I recently tried to download a word processor from CNET. Even though I was careful and read all the screens I ended up with 3 installed programs I did not ask for. It took forever to remove what I could find.
I will never use CNET again.
The question is, is this legal..?
Can it be stopped..?
Can it be avoided..?
No offence, but its really easy to avoid cnets crap. I am still pissed they did this though.
Anything that states download now green button cnet installer enabled is going to install junk. If the green download button does not mention cnet installer enabled then its clean from their crapware. Although if the manufacturer offers stuff that will still be in there.
To avoid this, click the direct download link.
First shot is crapware, second is clean from it.
Always avoid big download buttons :)
Quote