DOWNLOAD ALERT: Foistware Warning - Comments Page 5

I always wondered (if I had a junk older computer to use) just how many toolbars I could download. Could I get so many that the browser window would be completely gone?

Quite simply I no longer trust C~NET after the hassle I had after the last download.

What a shame that a short-term gain has lost the long term trust of many users

Is there an alternative these days?

Just today, about 10 minutes before I read this article, I started to download CutePDF, a free program to convert Word docs to a PDF. I have done this before and had no problem; so, imagine my surprise when I got the CNET window illustrated. After not reading the fine print and getting to the 3rd window I realized that something was wrong. So I bailed. I tried it again and this time I read the find print and deleted everything and downloaded a different PDF converter.

Crapware,or Malware, or Foistware are all the same, Bullcrap programs for the Advertisers to make money! they are not made in the typical users intrest!

From download.com, several years ago, I donwloaded a game. Ican't remember if it was an anti-spy or anti-virus which detected a trojan downloader. I sent it to virustotal.com which 13 AVs detected the infection. I contacted CNET and told them it was infected. There reply was that they had tested it with THEIR anti-virus and found it CLEAN. They didn't care despite I gave them the VTotal link to confirm what I said. So I agree with you completely BOB about CNET. I've had the TEchtracker on my computer for several years and everything was OK. Then they updated it a year or so ago and a lot of crapware started getting installed. I stopped selecting the recommended install which caused the rubbish to be installed. Now, as you've quite rightly said, started this new Download App, which I tried and YES I did uncheck ALL the "hidden" Pre-checked "YES PLEASE!!" boxes for them to install crap. I installed one of their updates and then spent several hours cleaning the computer of this rubbish. I started getting pop-ups and Firefox was Hijacked. I ran Superantispyware, SPybot and Maleware Antibytes to get rid of all the sh*t.
Andy

Bob, thanks for so much, including your appreciation for proper grammar, etc. ....
There's a common mistake I see in much of your web writing, however. So, an appreciative nudge:
http://voxunum.blogspot.com/2012/04/its-not-its-its-its.html
The visual may be worth posting.

Bob, you forgot to mention Microsoft. I've run Microsoft Update only to find the Bing Desktop and the Bing Bar presented as "high priority updates". High priority for whom? I certainly don't need--or want--them. It's one thing to offer those programs, but entirely another to imply that they are needed to keep your machine functioning, which is the way I interpret the "high priority" category. Yes I've hidden those updates, but it still annoys me.

I quit accessing the Cnet black hole years ago in favor of Filehippo. And that was when Cnet was just considered untrustworthy. I read your article with great interest and it was no surprise to me they have reached a sleazy new low. Good for them, they have established a new bench mark for other sewer dwellers to aspire to.

I had the priviledge/bad-luck to try to disinfect three computers belonging to a friend. One Win7 laptop, one XP desktop, and one Win7 desktop. I had never heard of AdwCleaner from BleepingComputer.com, and it apparently was successful in reaming out what you call foistware from all three. I was so impressed I used it on my desktop.

BleepingComputer Review:
"AdwCleaner is a program that searches for and deletes Adware, Toolbars, Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUP), and browser Hijackers from your computer..."
"The types of programs that AdwCleaner targets are typically bundled with free programs that you download from the web. In many cases when you download and install a program, the install will state that these programs will be installed along with the program you downloaded. Unless you perform a Custom install, these unwanted programs will automatically be installed on your computer leaving you with extra browser toolbars, adware, and other unwanted programs. AdwCleaner is designed to search for and remove these types of programs."

It seemed to do all this on 4 computers. I'm satisfied.

I, too, have been around PC's since dirt, and CNET used to be one of my favorite sources for information and software, but, since one of their recent downloads stuck me with the "conduit.exe" malware, I simply removed CNET from my bookmarks, and refuse to visit that site ever again. I'm surely not alone in this experience, and once CNET becomes aware of the pariah they've made themselves, maybe they'll consider changing their ways. I'm not willing to bet on it, but there are many alternative fish in the Internet sea.

I'm not exactly computer nerdish and AskBobRankin has been bookmarked for a long time. But I THOUGHT I was savvy enough to thwart CNet's chicanary but ended up with crapware which took a system restore to remove.

CNet is now on page 1 of my Book Of Obscenities and will NEVER be visited again.

I gave CNet the flick some time ago when it became a nighmare to do a simple download and install from their site.
I use Filehippo for my freeware but even then, the software itself can contant traps as you have mentioned. MUST read every box before clicking and even then you can be tricked into clicking the wrong option.
That ASK foistware is a menace, another one is Bueno Seach.

Did this happen as a result of CNET being bought by CBS?

I made the mistake of downloading a media player called Synapse; carefully avoided all the appalling foistware only to find the player would not load properly for use. Went to the program's home page which is merely a list of advertizing links. Doing that resulted in SearchConduit suddenly appearing in all my browsers. After a couple of hours of work I finally had it removed only to have it reappear on rebooting the laptop the next day. It took a Norton tech about 45 minutes get rid of it. If you look at the reviews you'll see them divided between really bad and really good; the bad ones report the application doesn't load. I think it is clearly a scam. CNET's vetting is not what it used to be.

Thanks for the hints about ZDNet, somehow I'd lost track of them.

And you too, Daldoggy, for MajorGeeks; didn't know about them.

Somewhere related to this article you recommended some program that included "advanced securitycare" or something similar. I went looking, had to work to find somebody besides CDNet to get it from. Long story short as I can make it:
!. downloaded something that was supposed to be it but ended up as something taking over the machine
2 downloaded it but had to fight 6 ways from Sunday to avoid multitudes of foist ware
3 ended up with a hijacked Firefox
4 uninstalled Firefox, downloaded a new setup, reinstalled - it's still hijacked.
I'm gonna go set Chrome as much as I hate Google.

Hi, I know this is a little old but as Filehippo has been mentioned, I thought I'd add some new news.
Now Filehippo has added it's own little installer which they say will help with the downloads. I discovered it today when Filehippo's UpdateChecker said that 2 programs needed updating. Clicking on the "View Results" quite rightly took me to the results on the Filehippo Website. Now here is the WARNING!!! When I clicked on the Green arrow (just like before) the download started, then I started to run the installer (little strange only 752kb while my program is 35.7MB). OK hold everything, this is a new installer and it says that you can say yes/no to third party add-ons etc. After reading everything, I discovered what you have to do. Use the results page to see what program(s) need updating. Enter the program name in Filehippo's search box. ONLY THIS WAY can you find the little blue "Direct Download" box under their BIG Green Rectangle. Not ALL programs download the installer. The two I was to update were "Foxit Reader" which has the installer and Java Runtime Environment 8.0 build 20 (64-bit)which at this time doesn't have it!!
If you like to use their installer, don't use Express or default install ALWAYS use CUSTOM or ADVANCE!!