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davidh
December 6th, 2011, 03:25 PM
Download.com wraps downloads in bloatware, lies about motivations
By Lee Mathews on August 22, 2011 at 12:26 pm
http://www.extremetech.com/computing/93504-download-com-wraps-downloads-in-bloatware-lies-about-motivations This information is out of date. I just downloaded VLC 1.1.11 from there and it seems not to have any bloatware with it. However, I thought it still might be worth a word of warning to use care if downloading from cnet.com
ndebord
December 16th, 2011, 10:39 AM
This information is out of date. I just downloaded VLC 1.1.11 from there and it seems not to have any bloatware with it. However, I thought it still might be worth a word of warning to use care if downloading from cnet.com

David,

Won't use Download any more. They have changed their setup so that you get a download with cnet stuff automatically placed in front of the actual installation setup file. Not nice. I use FileHippo most of the time instead.
davidh
December 16th, 2011, 04:16 PM
David,

Won't use Download any more. They have changed their setup so that you get a download with cnet stuff automatically placed in front of the actual installation setup file. Not nice. I use FileHippo most of the time instead. I was looking for an old version of some software and several of the hit results that came up on Google required registration and/or acceptance of bloatware (or spyware? or adware?). But I was able to find what I was looking for without the added garbage on FileHippo too :)
davidh
December 20th, 2011, 07:13 AM
David,

Won't use Download any more. They have changed their setup so that you get a download with cnet stuff automatically placed in front of the actual installation setup file. Not nice. I use FileHippo most of the time instead. Nick,
FWIW, I just noticed that OpenDNS is now categorizing download.cnet.com as "adware", thus blocking it under their "moderate" setting for blocking. However the cnet.com is not blocked.
ndebord
December 28th, 2011, 05:57 PM
Nick,
FWIW, I just noticed that OpenDNS is now categorizing download.cnet.com as "adware", thus blocking it under their "moderate" setting for blocking. However the cnet.com is not blocked.

David,

Yup, no longer a good site.... Once I found FileHippo, that became my primary download site, particularly, as you noted, it also lists older versions. It's not perfect and sometimes doesn't have "stuff" but when it doesn't I just wander around with Scroogle until I find what I need. (I also use Norton Safe Web to check sites before downloading form them.)