There was a fourth dimension when nosotros went to roughly proficient download sites in addition to clicked on the Download clit to download software. And what nosotros got was – software. But times guide hold changed now, in addition to things guide hold gotten a fleck messy. Now you lot guide hold to last really careful earlier you lot click on whatever Download clit or link, because you lot never know what you lot may destination upwardly with! You may become take in a download site to download, say our 340KB Ultimate Windows Tweaker, in addition to destination upwardly amongst a bunch of other crapware you lot did non inquire for!
Why guide hold things come upwardly to this stage?
Over a stream of time, something somewhere changed. Reputed download sites started getting a lot of traffic. Search Engines rank these sites well, thus many take in them to download software. People trusted them. Then came a twenty-four hours when such sites decided to encash that trust – in addition to betrayed their users! It was all nearly money!
They started offering Installers!
CNET is ane such site. So are BrotherSoft, Softonic, FreewareFiles in addition to Tucows. The open-source download site Sourceforge is yet roughly other example! I am certain at that spot are many more. So what are these Installers or Downloaders? They are zilch but setup files that essay in addition to get-go force third-party offers, bundleware in addition to potentially unwanted programs on to your reckoner earlier giving you lot access to the file you lot want. This is how the downloaders or installers expect like. 
The Download.com Installer securely delivers software from Download.com's servers to your computer. During this process, the Download.com Installer may offering other complimentary applications provided yesteryear our partners.
Brothersoft states its Download Manager policy as:
The programme you lot desire to download volition last downloaded through Brothersoft Downloader, making the download procedure much faster, showing a progress bar in addition to ensuring the programme is virus-free.
Says SourceForge nearly its Installer in addition to third-party offers:
Our mission is to assistance opened upwardly root communities to grow, in addition to nosotros sympathize roughly projects demand funds to last sustainable. We guide hold taken every endeavor to ensure that the offers that you’re presented amongst are trustworthy in addition to legitimate, in addition to non a conduit for malware, spyware, viruses, or otherwise malicious software. All offers presented via this installer are subjected to a rigorous verification procedure to ensure that you lot are safe. Furthermore, if you lot don’t guide to convey the offer, the installation volition continue, in addition to you’ll listen no to a greater extent than nearly it. Nothing is installed without your consent, in addition to no personally identifiable data is sent anywhere without your consent.
Don't press the dark-green Download Now button blindly
When you lot become on to download roughly software, you lot may run into a large Download Now button. Most people volition typically click on this button, in addition to destination upwardly downloading the download sites installer, which is ad-supported and may include third-party offers. Most don't run into them in addition to maintain clicking on Next > Next, in addition to end-up amongst software they did non desire on their computers. Fortunately, for those who are sudden enough, you lot can see a Direct Download Link too. Its really small, but its at that spot on most sites, including CNET. All Download.com Installer enabled products at nowadays guide hold this Direct Download Link that you lot tin sack travel instead of the Installer. So retrieve to click the modest Direct Download text link instead of the large Download Now clit or link. 
TWC freeware is construct clean in addition to does non force crapware
Let me last clear. Take the instance of our Ultimate Windows Tweaker. We larn a lot of postal service proverb ‘your freeware is pushing crapware'. We don't! You tin sack download whatever of our freeware from their official pages, in addition to you lot volition run into that all you lot larn are construct clean freeware downloads. But if someone downloads it from say CNET, yesteryear clicking on the Download Now button, instead of the Direct Download link, they are really probable to destination upwardly amongst Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUPs) or roughly crapware.
Crapware pushed yesteryear CNET Installer
Have a expect at this screenshot gallery which shows the software that were offered to me during the installation of our 345KB Ultimate Windows Tweaker for Windows 7, yesteryear the CNET Installer.
-
- 1
-
- 2
-
- iii
-
- 4
-
- v
During the installation I was offered Save Sense, Outobox in addition to Mobogenie. Outobox is a direct in addition to direct Adware, in addition to my safety software at ane time detected it. In effect, CNET had pushed adware on to my computer! 
Crapware pushed yesteryear Brothersoft downloader
The Brothersoft Downloader installed Search Protect, WinZip Drive Updater in addition to changed my browser defaults, when I clicked on the download link for our Ultimate Windows Tweaker. My WinPatrol went crazy barking, alarm me of the changes beingness made to my system. But I had activated TimeFreeze earlier installing it, thus was certain that on reboot, I would larn my construct clean nation back.
-
- 1
-
- 2
-
- iii
-
- 4
Things are non really dissimilar for the ane time respected in addition to sought out open-source download site SourceForge. The SourceForge Installer offered to install WinZip Registry Optimizer in addition to WinZip Driver Updater when I wanted to install FileZilla.
I wishing to clarify that nosotros brand NO MONEY from such downloads. We practice non believe inwards pushing crapware. Some developers may guide hold such a tie-up in addition to mayhap roughly variety of a sharing understanding amongst these download sites, but I or my site does not, in addition to nosotros guide hold non entered into whatever understanding for such revenue shares.
We, every bit a developer, volition last writing to all such download sites, requesting them to offering our 75+ freeware without whatever downloaders or installers and have our freeware excluded from the installer downloads, in addition to promise that they volition accede to our requests in addition to practice it soon.
I guide hold no issues nearly how each may desire to brand money. My trouble organisation is that our construct clean freeware hosted yesteryear them is monetized yesteryear them to brand money, piece the freeware or developer gets blamed for pushing crapware.
Safe software download sites
So nosotros then come to the enquiry – which are the rubber software download sites. Well today, if I guide hold to download freeware, I ordinarily prefer to download it from the developers website. This ensures that I get the latest version too. But if I guide hold to take in a download sites, I prefer in addition to trust the following:
- Majorgeeks.com
- Softpedia.com
- TechSpot.com
- Filehippo.com [See this]
- SnapFiles.com
- fileforum.betanews.com
- downloadcrew.com
Where freeware contains bundled software, roughly of them grade it every bit Bundleware or Ad supported or something to this effect. At to the lowest degree they practice non add together anything to the freeware.
I am certain that at that spot mayhap a few to a greater extent than construct clean download sites. If you lot know of whatever other rubber software download sites, delight practice part them amongst us inwards the comments, for the practice goodness of others. I am opened upwardly to updating this listing of rubber software download sites.
Don't click Next Next Next blindly
Before I conclude I would similar to say a few things. Please practice a arrangement restore indicate get-go earlier you lot install whatever novel software. Pay attending during the installation process. Don't trust the give-and-take ‘Free'. Don't precisely click on Next, Next, Next. Even the official installer of a legitimate software similar Java includes third-party offers! Opt out where you lot can, if you lot cant, only leave of absence the installation process. So you lot guide hold to last aware during the installation process!
Remember the ‘Look earlier you lot Leap' saying? Well at nowadays I would say – ‘Think earlier you lot click on whatever Download link blindly'!
UPDATE: We wrote to v sites requesting them to offering our freeware for downloads every bit construct clean direct downloads entirely in addition to non via their Installer / Downloader.
14th Jan: FreewareFiles.com has replied to us: The download director alternative has been removed from all of your listings every bit requested. We apologize for the inconvenience. That was fast!
18 Jan: Received confirmation from CNET: Your software has been removed from the Download.com Installer.
Source: https://www.thewindowsclub.com/
comment 0 Comments
more_vert