# free stuff



## Fix'n it

i am looking at download.cnet. for little gadgets etc. = i used to have a cpu and memory meter. and i am thinking maybe a different cursor. you know how there can be 
hidden" stuff that they tack on to track you or whatever.
my question = how to know that there isn't any funny business going on with these ?


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## BigJim

Fix'n it said:


> i am looking at download.cnet. for little gadgets etc. = i used to have a cpu and memory meter. and i am thinking maybe a different cursor. you know how there can be
> hidden" stuff that they tack on to track you or whatever.
> my question = how to know that there isn't any funny business going on with these ?


If it is free, there is a reason, we will pay one way or the other. IMHO


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## beenthere

Many will use a download manager, that ask you to agree to also download product xzy. Some, even if you click no, will download it anyway. Its how they make their money.


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## ZZZZZ

Where noted, CNET is "supposed to" certify that the download is free of crap. 

My experience is that this is sometimes true, sometimes not true. If you look at the user reviews/feedback, I automatically rule out downloading anything that anybody has reported as fishy. 

But I do think CNET downlosds are cleaner than most other "free download sites."

I always make a fresh System Restore backup before installing anything I download from the internet. At least you have a quick and clear path back to a clean system.

And make sure your anti-virus software is up and running and up to date BEFORE downloading anything.

JMHO DYODD.


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## joed

CNET in my experience is NO better than any others. I constantly get stuff from there that wants to install something else. Most times at least if you do a CUSTOM install you can uncheck the extra crap from installing. Most common I see are McAfee, or ASK toolbars or free stuff that is not free unless you search for the non trial version, which they make difficult to find.


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## ZZZZZ

Good point about doing the custom install. Do not accept the defaults.


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## Fix'n it

thanx guys





ZZZZZ said:


> I always make a fresh System Restore backup before installing anything I download from the internet. At least you have a quick and clear path back to a clean system.



ya know Z. i need to learn to do that.


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## mgp roofing

joed said:


> CNET in my experience is NO better than any others. I constantly get stuff from there that wants to install something else. Most times at least if you do a CUSTOM install you can uncheck the extra crap from installing. Most common I see are McAfee, or ASK toolbars or free stuff that is not free unless you search for the non trial version, which they make difficult to find.


+1. I do this also.


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## Greg.Now

In my experience, downloads from CNET are free from malware but they have a lot of annoying adwares that install even when you specifically unchecked "install it together with". Also, they keep on bugging you to install their download manager. If you're ok with that and uninstalling the adwares all the time then you should be fine.


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## mikey48

I always go to the control panel uninstall programs and check for new installed programs. Uninstall the ones they installed. Nothing is free.


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## Deja-vue

Allow me to post some (mostly) free Stuff, actually one of the biggest collections I have seen:

http://www.econsultant.com/i-want-freeware-utilities/index.html

Enjoy!
:thumbsup:


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## Nestor_Kelebay

I'm hoping someone can explain this to me...

As already discussed, when I download some freeware, I get all these things pushed in my face like adding a tool bar or changing my home page or adding a whole catalogue of different wallpapers or screen savers or some other software I don't need or want. I can understand people trying to avoid downloading all that extra stuff.

What I don't understand is why the people that write that software or just give it away want to push it on us? How in the world does it benefit someone if I have their wallpaper or screen saver on my computer? I don't understand why people go to such lengths to give their stuff away if they don't benefit in any way by us having it on our computers? Do they think that if we like their free wallpaper or screensaver or toolbar or Smilies, we're going to send them a cheque?

What am I missing here?


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## joed

The stuff is free. The toolbars etc. pay for it. They get paid to add that junk to the programs or installs.


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## Nestor_Kelebay

joed said:


> The stuff is free. The toolbars etc. pay for it. They get paid to add that junk to the programs or installs.


Who pays who to change my homepage, and how does that benefit anyone if I can change it right back to what it was?

I'm trying to understand the motivation for someone somewhere wanting me to use his screensaver or Windows wallpaper.


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## ddawg16

I have also seen OEM software with crap in it.

Key point.....know your system...have the proper tools.


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## Bob Sanders

Nestor_Kelebay said:


> Who pays who to change my homepage, and how does that benefit anyone if I can change it right back to what it was?
> 
> I'm trying to understand the motivation for someone somewhere wanting me to use his screensaver or Windows wallpaper.


It's not the wallpaper. It's just to get in the front door so to speak. Like a door to door salesman offering something free just to get into your door and give you the sales speech. It's not ALWAYS the case but more times than not you install the wall paper and something else installs too.... a tool bar for ads or some malware.

You also need to be careful of these so-called download sites. CNET is a real trap. They take often very honest freeware programs and rebag it with their "installer program" which loads a bunch of adware crap onto your machine. If you're interested in a particular piece of freeware then try looking up the program at its ORIGINAL source instead of trusting these rather dishonest download sites.

Here's what these rather shady download sites do:
http://www.thewindowsclub.com/safe-software-download-sites


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## joed

It's all about getting you to their web site. Web site clicks or visits equals dollars to the site owners for ads on the site. The more clicks the more the ads pay.


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## ZZZZZ

IMHO these guys do a pretty good job of finding the best crap-free freeware.

http://www.techsupportalert.com/


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## Nestor_Kelebay

What I've found is that if you read the various menus CAREFULLY, you can usually get to download the software you want without the bells and whistles you don't. The writer of the software you want wouldn't agree to a situation where you HAD TO download a bunch of crap to get his software. He leaves the option open to decline that other software.

But, that means you have to read each question and think about for a few seconds to realize how it could be interpreted to avoid downloading stuff you don't want. These guys go to great lengths to get you to agree to something you don't want, so you have to go to the same lengths to avoid doing what they want you to.


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## Bob Sanders

Nestor_Kelebay said:


> The writer of the software you want wouldn't agree to a situation where you HAD TO download a bunch of crap to get his software. He leaves the option open to decline that other software.


You're not following. It's most often not the writer of the software that has anything to do with the advertising attachments. This is why I said you should always try and look up the freeware's ORIGIN before downloading it from one of those download sites.

Most of this stuff is freeware so sites like CNET download these programs from their place of origin (or receive them as uploads from users) and THEY in turn bundle it with THEIR "installer programs" and then re-issue it for upload. It's all legal because the original program is not touched at all. It is merely cocooned within a new shell which is conveniently labeled an "installer".

When you install one of these CNET downloads, first CNET's "installer" runs and tries to get you to install a bunch of advertising crap (which can be really bad for your machine because a lot of this stiff borders on pure MALWARE) then when the cnet "installer" is done the power is then given over to the original freeware program for install.


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## Bob Sanders

I should add that some of these "toolbars" once installed are really tough to clean out of your machine.

AVG security search toolbar is a perfect example of that. Even when you uninstall it, it's not gone. There is a subroutine that keeps running and gradually rebuilds avg and runs it in the background without your knowledge. You have to stop the process from running and then delete everything manually from the registry.

http://dottech.org/101609/avg-secure-search-toolbar-is-malware/


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## rusty baker

Even adding something like Google Chrome these days comes with a bunch of bloated crap. I bought a Chromecast so I could send Netflix movies to my TV for my grandkids. Every time I tried to put Chrome on my laptop it came with a bunch of add-ons. I finally just decided to use an old laptop.


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## MaEvy

There are was a website for free and open source (not all) software that features only non adware/spyware/ etc but can't really remember the address right now.. Most of the time, this will happen because this is how those websites make money, which is bad for the end user of course. Even the most reliable sourceforge has gotten a lot worse, basically downloading programs when you said "No thanks".


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