Dien Rice
May 25, 2012, 04:50 AM
Maybe someone would edit that link - Eva, can you still edit your post and remove the link so that no-one else goes through the experience??
Hi Margaret,
I made it "non-clickable" - so people can still go there if they want to, but you have to copy-and-paste the link into your browser...
Unfortunately, this is common with a lot of free downloadable software nowadays. You really have to be alert when installing it, and read everything carefully...
The way they make their money is to "trick" you into installing toolbars and all other kinds of things into your computer, which can change the "home page" in your browser, and so on...
I do use some free software. But when I install it, I read everything very carefully. Any check box which comes "pre-checked" I usually "uncheck" - since those are often the parts which make you install stuff you don't want!
Also, with most software there's a box which you have to "check" in order to install it, which is the license agreement. Unfortunately, with a lot of free software nowadays, with the agreement to install a toolbar (or whatever) that you don't need, they make it look like the license agreement - so most people probably "automatically" agree to it, and before you know it, it's messed up their system... I think this approach to "tricking" people to do things is very unethical.
By the way, anything on the page Eva posted which says "Hosted" should be okay - it's only the ones which you have to "Download" which you have to be careful with...
Best wishes,
Dien
Hi Margaret,
I made it "non-clickable" - so people can still go there if they want to, but you have to copy-and-paste the link into your browser...
Unfortunately, this is common with a lot of free downloadable software nowadays. You really have to be alert when installing it, and read everything carefully...
The way they make their money is to "trick" you into installing toolbars and all other kinds of things into your computer, which can change the "home page" in your browser, and so on...
I do use some free software. But when I install it, I read everything very carefully. Any check box which comes "pre-checked" I usually "uncheck" - since those are often the parts which make you install stuff you don't want!
Also, with most software there's a box which you have to "check" in order to install it, which is the license agreement. Unfortunately, with a lot of free software nowadays, with the agreement to install a toolbar (or whatever) that you don't need, they make it look like the license agreement - so most people probably "automatically" agree to it, and before you know it, it's messed up their system... I think this approach to "tricking" people to do things is very unethical.
By the way, anything on the page Eva posted which says "Hosted" should be okay - it's only the ones which you have to "Download" which you have to be careful with...
Best wishes,
Dien
