Download insurance - what a scam!!

[g0dM@n]

Okay, I wouldn't be surprised if a small handful of you will disagree with me, but download insurance is SUCH A SCAM if you ask me!!!

I use Kaspersky, and I thought I was always able to download my product from my account at all times. I just go to their most recent product downloads and pop my key in after downloading those, but I just noticed today that Norton charges $8.99 for download insurance!! (for 1 yr)

On the other hand, Acronis, even after over a yr, still offers me my download. If there is going to be download insurance, it would make much more sense at say $1.99 or $2.99, for the added convenience that some are willing to pay for... for always having it available in your account.

WHAT A FREAKING RIPOFF!! I feel so bad for those that fall for this. These companies really love taking advantage of the ignorant, and being in the business man I gotta tell ya... there are soooooo many clueless people out there, especially the older generations. Most of my clients are 45-65 years old, and 95% of them would totally fall for this.

Okay... I just wanted to vent about this a bit. It gets on my nerves!! :mad::mad:

But hey it's okay... The Ultimate Fighter is on tonight and the UFC Countdown is on @ 12:30am EST. :)

[petteyg359]

If any company requires me to purchase "insurance" in order to download something that I've already purchased, I will not purchase it in the first place. If I purchase something, then they damn well better allow me to download it whenever I need to without having to pay extra.

[g0dM@n]

If any company requires me to purchase "insurance" in order to download something that I've already purchased, I will not purchase it in the first place. If I purchase something, then they damn well better allow me to download it whenever I need to without having to pay extra.

Norton says your download is available for 60 days, then if you want it longer, you have to pay $8.99....

BUT... if you DIG AND DIG on their website you can find the download yourself. The problem is it's not readily available, which is why they offer the insurance... so that it's simple and tagged to your account.

It's really messed up... but hey that's how they want to make money? I'll go elsewhere... Kaspersky is still my favorite, as far as INTERNET SECURITY goes... but I wouldn't be surprised if they do the "insurance" option as well.

Here's the Norton downloads link I've saved:
NORTON PRODUCT DOWNLOADS (http://www.symantec.com/norton/support/kb/web_view.jsp?wv_type=public_web&docurl=20090501124807EN&selected_nav=1&pvid=)

LOL... really that's all you need, not to pay $8.99...

[bchur83]

Yeah, I have noticed lately that when you add anything to purchase from Norton, it automatically adds that insurance. That is a rip off, cuz most people dont even know what it is. I always tell people who download software to make sure they burn the file to disc for backups.

[Aktunka]

Although it is related to games, this is the same basic reason that I only buy digital downloaded games through Steam. Once you buy it through them then you can download it again whenever you want to. Much better than what some other download content providers run with.

[ratbuddy]

What a ripoff. I don't see any need for commercial AV products at all, but if I did, and there was one available through Steam, they're get my money.

[petteyg359]

Although it is related to games, this is the same basic reason that I only buy digital downloaded games through Steam. Once you buy it through them then you can download it again whenever you want to. Much better than what some other download content providers run with.

Last time I was considering ordering a game download from EA, they had some stupid limit on the number of days I could download it for. Don't know if they still do that, I haven't bothered to even look in their web store since then. Great way to scare off potential customers, IMNSHO.

[g0dM@n]

Last time I was considering ordering a game download from EA, they had some stupid limit on the number of days I could download it for. Don't know if they still do that, I haven't bothered to even look in their web store since then. Great way to scare off potential customers, IMNSHO.

Steam DESTROYS all of the other options out there. Despite the still frequent crashes of the friends list, it's better than the beginning and still the best option out there.

I bought BFBC2 from EA, and I'm extremely disappointed. I played maybe 30min, and had some issues with the friends console, and I haven't played since... what a waste of my money... and I only bought it through EA b/c it was a great deal.... never again!! Only steam from here on, even if it costs a few bucks more... the headache of other platforms is just not worth it.

Being able to download your game whenever you want is AWESOME!!! I do my backups regardless, and restore from them... but it's still a good idea to know I can download if need be.

[Mr.Guvernment]

Well, back in the day when you had a Disk and no download, you ruined the disk, it was your fault, you lost it or buy a new one.

is it that hard to download a file and save it some where, burn it to DVD, and so on?

it costs them money to host this stuff and share it, think large scale here.

Also i am sure it is a push, pay $8.99 to download it for longer, or pay $19.99 to buy the newest version or something

People seem to forget bandwidth costs money and when dealing with business who deal with 1000 and 1000's of customers, i am sure some companies pay 6 digit Inet bills, heck our office pays $800 per mb of throughput we want, we can burst upto 10mb, if we average that month say 3mb, our bill is $2400.

[ratbuddy]

Well, back in the day when you had a Disk and no download, you ruined the disk, it was your fault, you lost it or buy a new one.

is it that hard to download a file and save it some where, burn it to DVD, and so on?

it costs them money to host this stuff and share it, think large scale here.

Also i am sure it is a push, pay $8.99 to download it for longer, or pay $19.99 to buy the newest version or something

People seem to forget bandwidth costs money and when dealing with business who deal with 1000 and 1000's of customers, i am sure some companies pay 6 digit Inet bills, heck our office pays $800 per mb of throughput we want, we can burst upto 10mb, if we average that month say 3mb, our bill is $2400.

So how does Steam manage to allow people to redownload stuff as much as they want?

[||Console||]

Well, back in the day when you had a Disk and no download, you ruined the disk, it was your fault, you lost it or buy a new one.

is it that hard to download a file and save it some where, burn it to DVD, and so on?

it costs them money to host this stuff and share it, think large scale here.

Also i am sure it is a push, pay $8.99 to download it for longer, or pay $19.99 to buy the newest version or something

People seem to forget bandwidth costs money and when dealing with business who deal with 1000 and 1000's of customers, i am sure some companies pay 6 digit Inet bills, heck our office pays $800 per mb of throughput we want, we can burst upto 10mb, if we average that month say 3mb, our bill is $2400.

Then charge more for the product , not these little upsales.

[petteyg359]

it costs them money to host this stuff and share it, think large scale here.

They have to keep hosting it as long as they're selling it, for new buyers to download, anyway. The cost of allowing unlimited downloads to previous buyers is negligible.

People seem to forget bandwidth costs money and when dealing with business who deal with 1000 and 1000's of customers, i am sure some companies pay 6 digit Inet bills, heck our office pays $800 per mb of throughput we want, we can burst upto 10mb, if we average that month say 3mb, our bill is $2400.

You're either greatly exaggerating, or your office has gotten an absolutely horrid deal on bandwidth. Many providers offer bandwidth less than $10/Mbps, and some less, when a large base amount is purchased.

[hafa]

Download insurance is for those who don't know how or are too lazy to save and backup their installation files. Irresponsibility=cost

[Mr.Guvernment]

So how does Steam manage to allow people to redownload stuff as much as they want?

They have to keep hosting it as long as they're selling it, for new buyers to download, anyway. The cost of allowing unlimited downloads to previous buyers is negligible.



You're either greatly exaggerating, or your office has gotten an absolutely horrid deal on bandwidth. Many providers offer bandwidth less than $10/Mbps, and some less, when a large base amount is purchased.

The joys of Costa Rica :D, direct fiber line to the ISP and out from there, a T1 here costs $1200!


I do understand, ideally they should include any cost already in the price of the product, perhaps what other companies do , people don't like seeing more money tacked onto something cause they often already think it costs too much.

You cant say the cost is negligible cause we don't know what it costs for such a service overall to all of their customer base.

Steam gets money likely from the vendors for games sales, or perhaps charges them fee's to host their games, we don't know so we cant say and just assume steam does it for free.

[jstutman]

I know of Norton. Many of customers have told me about how they were screwed. We hosted a conference with them, and they told us download insurance was a great revenue maker. Most people will buy it, not knowing they do not need it.