Donna's List of 'dodgy installers'

[MICRO]

For anyone who prefers to know, but doesn't.


http://www.dozleng.com/updates/calendar44514

[ronjor]

Very helpful. Thanks.

[Longboard]

Care for an auto start and a few delicious Reg changes with your order Sir ??
It's a damn liberty really..there are a LOT of commonly accessed tools there.
Flagrant abuse of "trust" :dry:
No doubt very detailed EULA disclaimers included but: :gack:
Be interesting to see which has 'opt out' as default: at least that would imply some customer respect.

[Mrkvonic]

Hello,

I am familiar with some of those applications. You can choose to install or not to install the add-ons. And people should READ before clicking next, next, next.

If you think about it, popups that anti-virus software sometimes create to convince you to upgrade thee free version to a payware ... well, what are they exactly? Isn't adware something that annoys you once in a while with popups?

On the other hand, they are free, partly because of the add-ons. Still, some of the applications mentioned are pure crap. Others are quite handy.

And I would not list just about any add-ons under "dodgy" - sometimes, the functions are related.

Mrk

[dw426]

{QUOTE-> Hello,

I am familiar with some of those applications. You can choose to install or not to install the add-ons. And people should READ before clicking next, next, next.

If you think about it, popups that anti-virus software sometimes create to convince you to upgrade thee free version to a payware ... well, what are they exactly? Isn't adware something that annoys you once in a while with popups?

On the other hand, they are free, partly because of the add-ons. Still, some of the applications mentioned are pure crap. Others are quite handy.

And I would not list just about any add-ons under "dodgy" - sometimes, the functions are related.

Mrk <-QUOTE}

Yeah, I pretty much agree. Now, I wish every program under the sun seemingly DIDN'T have these add-ons attached to them, but, it's business, so there you have it. The term "dodgy" is applied a bit too broadly here, IMHO. The majority on that list have an option to install the Google and Yahoo bars, which, again, IMHO, are not so "dodgy". They merely provide links to their respective services. I don't know the real situation with the Ask bar, and Google Desktop bothers me only because I prefer not to have all my files easily searched, other than that, it seems to be trying to make a molehill into a mountain. There's so much more to be concerned with, the top two "offenders" are optional installs, are in the EULA, have checkboxes that only when checked allow installation, and are both removed easily with Add/Remove and CCCleaner.

[lodore]

programs like spysweeper,avg (paid),zone alarm (paid) shouldnt have the free toolbars bundled. free software it isnt so bad but when your paying a yearly fee for a program i shouldnt have to untick anything. secuirty programs can be quite expensive anyway.

most secuirty program detect ask,goolge,yahoo toolbars as riskware so they certainly shouldnt be bundled with a security application designed to block that kind of secuirty risk.

windows live messenger installer if downloaded via IE ticks changing homepage and default search provider as default.

if on a mac you downloaded messenger for mac and it also installed windows media player mac users would be in a uproar.
but its ok for apple to tick safari and itunes with the updator even if you just want to install quicktime.

[KookyMan]

I agree. I wouldn't call it a dodgy installer if it does what its designed to do. It installs programs. It presents options to install other (Sometimes related) software in addition to the main product.

For me to call something a dodgy installer, it would have to be functionally broken, OR install supplimental software without asking first. Since a number of these do neither, I have to agree, these aren't dodgy. They just aren't newb-friendly. Which I think is half of the point. Even the TrueCrypt installer lately has caught flack for disabling the page file (for security reasons), even though it is clearly stated in the installer that it is optional to do. People just don't read beyond the "Next..." button.

[dw426]

{QUOTE-> programs like spysweeper,avg (paid),zone alarm (paid) shouldnt have the free toolbars bundled. free software it isnt so bad but when your paying a yearly fee for a program i shouldnt have to untick anything. secuirty programs can be quite expensive anyway.

most secuirty program detect ask,goolge,yahoo toolbars as riskware so they certainly shouldnt be bundled with a security application designed to block that kind of secuirty risk.

windows live messenger installer if downloaded via IE ticks changing homepage and default search provider as default.

if on a mac you downloaded messenger for mac and it also installed windows media player mac users would be in a uproar.
but its ok for apple to tick safari and itunes with the updator even if you just want to install quicktime. <-QUOTE}

Well I do agree with you Lodore that they SHOULDN'T have them bundled, for business purposes (meaning financial of course), they do. Would they stop completely if enough paying customers growled loud enough? Maybe, maybe not, but enough don't so they've stayed. Advertising is becoming the biggest moneymaker online, and that is exactly why they include them, especially in the case of Google.