Why does crapware still exist?

[HammerHead]

Method

In my case the method is not always the same. For example this site presents me with the window where I choose to save or open (same as the one you posted). But then there are sites that load the file opened and in a new window.

In the case of the new window not a new tab (this is for Nitro Reader) their is a menu shows up when you hover at the bottom which gives a choice of open in default reader, save (DL) Also there is zoom controls. That I believe is part of Nitro.

 

[Night Hawk]

The FF prompt and that particular reader is simply the program selected when asked what you are going to do with the file itself. open, save it to a folder with the option for automatically seeing that done from then on. What I was referring to earlier was those times when a site plainly states "Adobe reader required".

Typically Windows will default to Adobe if you have it installed where you may not even see a prompt like that but simply prompted for opening or saving a file. As far as seeing any crapware the most I've seen with anything Adobe was the option for the ask toolbar when going direct to their site to download a newer version for something. When prompted by notification about an update you never see anything other then the newer version go on.

 

[lehnerus2000]

The FF prompt and that particular reader is simply the program selected when asked what you are going to do with the file itself. open, save it to a folder with the option for automatically seeing that done from then on.

I am aware of that.

You wrote (previously):

Well not everyone is aware that they can easily save pdf files to the drive and view them with a separate program.

Firefox, Chrome, IE9, Maxthon & Opera automatically ask you what you want to do.

Firefox and Opera offer to make your choice the default action.

What I was referring to earlier was those times when a site plainly states "Adobe reader required".

bobafetthotmail asked for a link to be posted, so that we could check it out.

Can you link one I can access to? (please don't link to your tax payment forms)

As far as seeing any crapware the most I've seen with anything Adobe was the option for the ask toolbar when going direct to their site to download a newer version for something.

The Flash Player installer page always offers to install McAfee (well ... it always offers it to me).

When prompted by notification about an update you never see anything other then the newer version go on.

Agreed.
The Flash Player Auto-Updater appears to only update Flash.

 

[Golden]

Chrome allows you to nominate your default download location as well:

 

[Night Hawk]

The separate downloads for each always tend to see the "other options" when comparing those to the update notifications for things like reader, Flash Player, and a few others. McA(Fail) and the ask.com toolbar are the more frequent items seen with those. You know where those end up! :roflmao:

Here I have one other continual prompt which appears to be for Flash Player with "failed to update" popup since WaterFox is the 64bit flavor of FireFox. Yet the download for the Mozilla browsers for the open source flavor of the Flash Player seemed to have no trouble at all with the install.

Getting back to the Adobe reader required this is looking back not only in the last few years but collectively for the last decade or so when running into that frequently. On one of the old XP builds I had left Adobe out of the equation but ended up needing to back after it when the Sumatra reader was rather new at the time.

Back before the fresh 7 install in June I actually had Opera set as the default on a few things and I ended up seeing the icon for Opera on too much. FireFox 12 was on as well as Opera, the last Netscape Navigator 9, WF, and some others like Flock and Ice Weasel when having a collection of them going. Each except Netscape was set to ask each time once the Opera situation was corrected.

 

[Fantail]

Even Adobe trys to bundle some things in with the update, although I haven't seen this the last couple times. I noticed that whenever you went to the site, it tried to get you to include something from McAfee in the d/l (some kind of toolbar I believe). It was off to the side so you had to be sure to look at the entire page before hitting the update button. Wonder how many people inadvertently d/led McFubar?
...

The other night I 'rented' a movie off Amazon - was prompted to update the Adobe player version - installer progress bar shows two other included crapware installs - no selection option other then canceling the entire install.

I had thought a predominate higher quality company would have the decency to avoid annoying users.
I was wrong. Fracking scumbags.

 

[gregrocker]

I've been letting Adobe updater stay in msconfig>Startup to test if I can get clean Flash updates due to their importance for performance and security. So far I've not gotten anything added that I can see in Programs or Browser Add-Ons.

The MucAfee Scan offer does show up to deselect in their download from Adobe website. The fact they're in with that big money ruin racket makes me think less of their company.

 

[Night Hawk]

McAFudgewares always seem to be in cahoots with a large number of companies to push their own crapware trialwares! :sarc: I've run into that one all too many times when going to look at some new program or service and then all the crap you have to uncheck or see new search engine, home page, addon toolbar tossed in your face! 'take that crap and shove it somewhere! Grrrr...."

Typically you would expect some crud when trying some free dvd burning program and be faced with items that will install as part of the installation where you then remove each one separately later. For the name brand companies it is annoying as all heck for the typical user and doesn't reflect well on a particular company.

 

[Fantail]

I just updated KMPlayer.
Download prompted with two additional 'optional crapware'.
Actuall Install prompted for two addtional 'crapware options'.

Scank weasle nonsence.

 

[Night Hawk]

Don't you just love it! barf! to the extreme! I've had them where "you had to download" the other Crapola just to get to the main program you wanted to look over! :mad2: ( "we got another guiliable fool today!" ha haaa :devil: smirks some wise #$%&@ in the background)

 

[x BlueRobot]

Most websites are now full of crapware links, so it makes it difficult to find the real link most of the time.

 

[gregrocker]

If it's hard for us to find the actual download link amidst all the crapware links, imagine what the average consumer ends up with on their PC.

 

[x BlueRobot]

Sometimes the average user is drawn into these crap links, since they believe they are installing a helpful program, which in reality is just spyware or some program which consumes so much of the system's resources, it begins to corrupt and slow down Windows.

 

[Solarstarshines]

Does anyone have the new Adobe Reader and how do you like it? I have stuck with 9 to avoid the bloat and it's being updated regularly so it seems secure. But I don't want to be unnecessarily stubborn.

Greg i know this is kind of late but i recently installed the reader on another rig or updated persay and it went through fine scan came up negative

I think Adobe is the safest you'll get at the moment and it works just as good as anything else

 

[gregrocker]

Yeah I do use Adobe Reader and it's updates for v.9 are clean. But I was wondering if there are any advantages or drawbacks to moving up to v.11. I think of v.9 as the Slim Reader and apparently they and others do too since it's still supported.

 

[FuturDreamz]

Does anyone have the new Adobe Reader and how do you like it? I have stuck with 9 to avoid the bloat and it's being updated regularly so it seems secure. But I don't want to be unnecessarily stubborn.

Greg i know this is kind of late but i recently installed the reader on another rig or updated persay and it went through fine scan came up negative

I think Adobe is the safest you'll get at the moment and it works just as good as anything else

I love the irony. Especially since Java had long been marketed as a "safe" cross platform environment while Flash was known to be unsafe.

 

[Night Hawk]

And now you see a reverse role for Java and Flash apparently! As for getting to the actual download amidst a ton of crudwares I've been running into that one for a long, long time now! I may have to go through several sites when not being filtered out just to find a clean one to download or to refer someone else to!

That's like trying to wade through the sewers in order to find one gold coin! :sarc: You can get hit from all angles trying to figure which is what on too many sites. Then your system protection filters out the download pages as well when trying to get a certain download from different sites. You know those other pages are likely bugged!

 

[Solarstarshines]

Yeah I do use Adobe Reader and it's updates for v.9 are clean. But I was wondering if there are any advantages or drawbacks to moving up to v.11. I think of v.9 as the Slim Reader and apparently they and others do too since it's still supported.

well what i thought to be as safe is unsafe i just replyed on a thread about the reader zero i uninstalled it and went with nitro pdf im not sure as of why there is a security breech but im not taking any chances

 

[gregrocker]

Can you link the thread?

 

[Solarstarshines]

http://www.sevenforums.com/security-news/278502-adobe-reader-zero-day.html#post2292645

crazy just after i got it too :huh: