Lets have a campaign against SNEAKERWARE

Hi there

Let's start boycotting mis-leading sites that

1) Offer's FREE DOWNLOADS - but the product is NOT FREE - the download is !!!

2) Sites that link to a program you want - but then when you get to the actual link the real download is very confusingly made hard to find -- there are all sorts of "Toolbars" - other apps and particularly Video converters or "system optimisers" etc . Many people will download the wrong item.

3) The worst of the lot - sites that ostensibly offer things like FREE drivers (in any case these hardware drivers are in the public domain anyway on the manufacturers sites) and then to actually access the part of the site you want there's a "Go PRO" or a PAY required. These sites are SNEAKERWARE.

I am in no way against people making money - but it should be UP FRONT and Honest -- confusing download links and SNEAKERWARE sites should be AVOIDED - if enough people did this then these sites would be more up front and less confusing.

Hands up anybody who has NEVER installed a toolbar etc by mistake -- very few I suspect.

Cheers
jimbo

1. A quite well known program : Tuneup Utilities

2. RealPlayer.

3. Hmm, tuneup utilities? and too bad, avast free.

I completely agree with you. And now the ads (toolbar, go pro, etc.) is on the installer itself (with no obvious button to not install).

Tip for End-users:
IF a program installer shows things like toolbar install, uncheck ALL checkboxes there, even if it shows "I agree with the Terms and Conditions...etc). The setup will continue even if you didn't check the terms and conditions checkbox (from the toolbar, etc).


I never install a toolbar that came from a sneakerware, since i always follow the tip above.

It's a real nuisance, I have installed, Babylon, Delta and countless with funny names, now even security programs like AVG, Avast have joined the band wagon, for any downloads I trust only Majorgeeks and boycotting the rest.

EDIT: Ask Toolbar installs even after unchecking the box :shock: