Ask bundled with Superantispyware?

Discussion in 'other anti-malware software' started by oma53, Oct 17, 2011.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. oma53

    oma53 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2008
    Posts:
    87
    Hello,

    When I tried to upgrade to the newest version thru the program my system crashed and I had to uninstall it. I then downloaded the program from the official site (superantispyware.com) and installed it, but a few screens into the install I was presented with the “ask toolbar”, which I declined.

    Upon speaking with a friend who had a similar experience with the newest version not installing correctly, he stated he did not see any option for the ask toolbar. The superantispyware forum has no mention of it either.

    Has anyone else seen this option?

    Thank you.
     
  2. hayc59

    hayc59 Updates Team

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2002
    Posts:
    2,841
    Location:
    KEEP USA GREAT
    I saw nothing of the sort during my install
    and have not heard other wise from any one else.
    I posted at Nicks forum and shot him an e-mail directing him here
    to see what the answer is...hope it is not bundled with SAS
     
    Last edited: Oct 17, 2011
  3. m00nbl00d

    m00nbl00d Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2009
    Posts:
    6,623
    Yes, it bundles Ask.com toolbar, but as you can see in the attached image, it comes deselected by default.

    SAS team doesn't sneak on users like other software developers do. That has to count for something. I don't personally like SAS, but one has to admire the approach of not having it selected by default, so... :thumb:
     

    Attached Files:

  4. Trooper

    Trooper Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2005
    Posts:
    5,507
    I have the paid version, and did not have a prompt for the Ask toolbar.
     
  5. m00nbl00d

    m00nbl00d Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2009
    Posts:
    6,623
    It makes sense to be part of the free version only. The installer is the same, though. :D
     
  6. oma53

    oma53 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2008
    Posts:
    87
    Thank you m00nbl00d for answering my question.

    Yes, mine was also not selected and I do agree with you on this. I wish others would follow Superantispyware example and make this simple to see what the options are.

    Thanks again everyone.
     
  7. m00nbl00d

    m00nbl00d Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2009
    Posts:
    6,623
    No problem. And, yes, SAS team made the right move, become many people click and click without reading what the installer says, and then they get the surprise... What's this on my browser?! :D

    -edit-

    I personally don't mind this kind of stuff (toolbars, etc), as long as the software developer allows the user to opt-in, instead of trying to make the user fail to opt-out. Again, to the SAS team :thumb:
     
  8. hayc59

    hayc59 Updates Team

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2002
    Posts:
    2,841
    Location:
    KEEP USA GREAT
    Ok, I am getting more info like this that its the FREE edition
    only so far..as you have said atleast its not ticked by default
     
  9. acr1965

    acr1965 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Oct 12, 2006
    Posts:
    4,995
    Does the Ask toolbar also come bundled with the portable version of SAS? Also, is a user asked to install the toolbar at each update?
     
  10. Trooper

    Trooper Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2005
    Posts:
    5,507
    Indeed. Guess they are following in the footsteps of Avira. :D
     
  11. hayc59

    hayc59 Updates Team

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2002
    Posts:
    2,841
    Location:
    KEEP USA GREAT
  12. m00nbl00d

    m00nbl00d Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2009
    Posts:
    6,623
    Well, if Avira did give the choice to opt-in... why not. Opt-out isn't that awful... unless we got a happy clicker around. :D
     
  13. SUPERAntiSpy

    SUPERAntiSpy Developer

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2006
    Posts:
    1,088
    It's not bundled, but rather an optional install that, if elected, enables a Professional feature - scheduled scanning at no charge. A "bundle" means it's included and installed as part of the package - we have an optional install. Nothing is disabled or features lost if the user elects not to install - it's still the great free SUPERAntiSpyware we have always produced!
     
  14. hayc59

    hayc59 Updates Team

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2002
    Posts:
    2,841
    Location:
    KEEP USA GREAT
    Thank you Nick for clearing that up
    and good to go!!
     
  15. Trooper

    Trooper Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2005
    Posts:
    5,507
    I agree!
     
  16. Kernelwars

    Kernelwars Registered Member

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2010
    Posts:
    2,155
    Location:
    TX
    seems like ask is everywhere.:)
     
  17. mrpink

    mrpink Registered Member

    Joined:
    Mar 29, 2010
    Posts:
    407
    No, it doesn't
     
  18. TomBrooklyn

    TomBrooklyn Registered Member

    Joined:
    Feb 10, 2004
    Posts:
    76
    Is Anybody Going to Opt In to Toolbar bundled with Superantispyware?

    It looks like nobody is interested in Opting In.

    Or is there?
     
  19. Night_Raven

    Night_Raven Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 2, 2006
    Posts:
    388
    Re: Is Anybody Going to Opt In to Toolbar bundled with Superantispyware?

    Well, from two unchecked boxes they went for two radio buttons.

    http://i.imgur.com/NYSCF.png

    With the previous approach (checkboxes and opt-in) the happy clickers weren't in danger of accidentally installing a toolbar. Now it's more likely since they have to make a choice and in the haste to continue might select the option to install the toolbar. Granted, this is not as bad as having checkboxes and them being checked by default but it's definitely a worse approach (for the user) than before. Also, now the toolbar and the change to the homepage go together, whereas previously one could select them independently.
    Those are small changes but they are in favor of the vendor, and not the user.

    They are taking small steps but eventually will most likely end up with your standard checkbox/opt-out crap.

    Good job, SUPERAntiSpyware, Support.com, or whatever, keep sliding down the slippery slope. And don't forget about the rationalizations and excuses, as they are an integral part of any person's desire for more and more profit.
     
    Last edited: Nov 10, 2011
  20. m0use0ver

    m0use0ver Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2011
    Posts:
    81

    Et Nick,

    Do you still block or remove FunWebProducts at all or have they been delisted recently ?

    Just my 2cents but perverse logic whilst either once or still killing one head of a many headed beast you would wish to feed nourishment($'s) to another one of its other heads.

    Will take a spread bet on how long before you market/bundle a *registry cleaner* now :-*
     
  21. SUPERAntiSpy

    SUPERAntiSpy Developer

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2006
    Posts:
    1,088
    Re: Is Anybody Going to Opt In to Toolbar bundled with Superantispyware?

    This change was actually made because we have had several support requests where people wanted to know how to get the free scheduled scanning by installing the toolbar - they simply missed it by clicking "Next" blindly through the installer.

    The toolbar is still 100% optional and opt-in - so nothing has changed from a performance and package standpoint.
     
  22. Baserk

    Baserk Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2008
    Posts:
    1,321
    Location:
    AmstelodamUM
    Re: Is Anybody Going to Opt In to Toolbar bundled with Superantispyware?

    Does this minor change, in a FREE program that no-one is forced to use, really warrant the above worries?
    Afaics, only the mindless 'happy clicker' is in danger here.
    So what? People who randomly install stuff and don't read what they are installing actually deserve an Ask.com toolbar now and then imao.
    Do I like Ask.com? No. Do I appreciate devs who keep their programs Ask.com free? Sure.
    Then again, would I mind having Ask.com packaged in the program my company is selling, when the economy is adrift and I might loose my job if profits really go down? No.
    The moral highground is an easy place to live when you don't have to feed kids, pay rent and tuition bills (or pay employee salaries) because others are paying these costs for you.
    What I mean is, SAS seems to be the program some WSF members love to hate and I resent that attitude even more than the Ask.com toolbar install option that only numbnuts will install.
    rant /off
     
  23. Night_Raven

    Night_Raven Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 2, 2006
    Posts:
    388
    Re: Is Anybody Going to Opt In to Toolbar bundled with Superantispyware?

    Really?
    If they had clicked blindly through the installer and missed the checkboxes, then they must have missed the whole page, and if they had missed the whole page how did they know about the possibility to have a Pro feature enabled for free to begin with? It's only mentioned there, and if they had actually read the part about the Pro feature, chances are they would've seen the checkboxes as well.
    Even if we assume there have been users that had read that part, had missed the checkboxes, and had asked you about it, those would be very few users. So, you decide to make it more inconvenient for everybody else (even if by a little) so you can please a handful of people.

    I'm sorry, I'm having a really hard time buying all this.

    It's already been discussed here I believe. The bigger issue isn't that Ask Toolbar is being offered. The bigger issue is that it's offered by a security vendor. Basically the same thing happened with Avira a little while back. These are companies that should have an exemplary behaviour because they are in the business to protect the user from all kinds of malware. It's even more ironic here, because the product has literally "antispy" in the title, and it's offering another product that for all intents and purposes spies on the user.
    Generally when companies want to get more revenue, they try discounts to appeal to customers. It seems whoever is in charge here decided to go for the easier way, regardless of the dubiousness of the approach.
    I myself am one of those who loves to hate SAS. In fact I liked it so much I translated it (version 4) to my own language. However the level of support I received was appalling. It took them 11 or 12 months (don't recall exactly) to integrate the completed translation into the installer. I've translated a number of other products (Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, WinPatrol, DefenseWall, Returnil System Safe, Shadow Defender, Hitman Pro and ImgBurn) and no other vendor has ever been so apathetic/unprofessional as SUPERAntiSpyware. This was the beginning of a series of disappointments.
    True, I don't like it much anymore, but it's not a "love to hate" thing, it's not even hate in general, and I have reasons to feel the way I feel.
     
  24. twl845

    twl845 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 12, 2005
    Posts:
    4,186
    Location:
    USA
    I use the PRO version of SAS, so don't get the Ask trap. Ask has paid so many apps to include this trap to get you to include their toolbar we should be conditioned to look for it when we install stuff so we don't accidentally check the radio button when it appears. :ninja: :thumbd:
     
  25. Baserk

    Baserk Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2008
    Posts:
    1,321
    Location:
    AmstelodamUM
    Re: Is Anybody Going to Opt In to Toolbar bundled with Superantispyware?

    Thanks for posting Night_Raven, I can imagine that what you wrote about can lead to resentment and to a certain degree, I agree on the 'irony'.
    However, your case seems an exception imo, other (casual) users seem to have a gripe I don't get.
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.