Ranting and venting

[EarthDog]

+1...or, just look.

 

[bob4933]

+1...or, just look.

Not always that simple anymore honestly.

Here's a great example. Not only is there no link at all to the actual download, there are "official" links that are cluttering it as well. Only until you scroll down will the link pop up.

http://download.cnet.com/Avast-Free-Antivirus-2014/3000-2239_4-10019223.html?tag=main;pop

 

[Automata]

Not always that simple anymore honestly.

Here's a great example. Not only is there no link at all to the actual download, there are "official" links that are cluttering it as well. Only until you scroll down will the link pop up.

http://download.cnet.com/Avast-Free-Antivirus-2014/3000-2239_4-10019223.html?tag=main;pop

Works for me.

 

[ATMINSIDE]

Not always that simple anymore honestly.

Here's a great example. Not only is there no link at all to the actual download, there are "official" links that are cluttering it as well. Only until you scroll down will the link pop up.

http://download.cnet.com/Avast-Free-Antivirus-2014/3000-2239_4-10019223.html?tag=main;pop

Or just don't use CNET since they add garbage to their installers.

 

[Silver_Pharaoh]

Works for me.

View attachment 143623

View attachment 143624

^ Yessir, same here.

Or just don't use CNET since they add garbage to their installers.

I've noticed that...
Irritating to say the least.

 

[bob4933]

Strange, when I click it, it tries downloading the "Cnet installer" O.O.

 

[Silver_Pharaoh]

Strange, when I click it, it tries downloading the "Cnet installer" O.O.

It does that by default IIRC anyway
But it doesn't do that for me.

Weird...

 

[Bobnova]

I hate cnet now. Ever since they started forcing their downloader and adware.
I do not download anything from them.

 

[Silver_Pharaoh]

I hate cnet now. Ever since they started forcing their downloader and adware.
I do not download anything from them.

Wasn't there a way to not download their "installer"?
I can't seem to find it, I thought it was below the "download now" button?

 

[RJARRRPCGP]

Or just don't use CNET since they add garbage to their installers.

SourceForge was busted for doing the same type of thing to .exe installers!

I usually worry when the package isn't a .zip or the like when at SourceForge.....

I could care less if half the world goes on a SourceForge blocking crusade.....

 

[caddi daddi]

the adblock thing works.

ie on the left and firefox with basic adblock on the right.

 

[Silver_Pharaoh]

Yep. Sites looks cleaner too eh?

 

[caddi daddi]

even makes it easyer to use.

 

[Bobnova]

Adblock does miss many ad-related download links though, so don't assume that anything that says download is in fact the real download.

I'm not aware of any way to download from cnet that isn't their download manager.
To be fair, I don't even click on cnet results when I'm searching google for something now.

 

[caddi daddi]

I have stopped with cnet also.

I would assume that with adblock, if you had a limit on net use (att, comcast and such) it could help keep you under that also.

 

[BachOn]

This has been an interesting discussion. But my original question asked if there were any sites where shareware and freeware could be downloaded without added programs.

Lessons I learned - watch out for ad buttons trying to look like a link for the software you want.

Some form of ad blocker might be worth the investment.

CNET has started adding extra stuff to things you download.

I did get memtest. And I've created a bootable USB Flash drive.

Thanks for all the assistance.

I still favor the death penalty for those who knowingly act as purveyors of malware and viruses.

BO

 

[caddi daddi]

the fact is , some yes, no promises.
majorgeeks looks ok if used with a little salt.
I am trying some others, softpeidia has some that contain extras.

 

[ATMINSIDE]

Usually the creator's site is the safest, avoid big sites like CNET because they add random crap.

 

[RJARRRPCGP]

the fact is , some yes, no promises.
majorgeeks looks ok if used with a little salt.
I am trying some others, softpeidia has some that contain extras.

But, MajorGeeks gets a clean rep from me, for the fact that I can't recall a single bad link with them.

While OTOH, Download.com seemed to start getting sloppy with some links and would be bad links.
(This was way before Download.com started doing the mandated adware trickery bull.)

 

[georgelogy]

The sheer amount of garbage on most of these download sites now is apalling.

Website owners that complain about users running ad blocking software and hurting their bottom line have no one to blame but themselves -- especially when their "advertisements" consists of nothing but a START DOWNLOAD button. This is total BS and is not an advertisement at all. Its just a motivation for users to stop going to your site. A few advertisements are fine, but not that crap.