"We asked IM to switch to uploading hashes of the IP and MAC address instead, and they are going to start doing that." ... c:
What we discovered about InstallMonetizer
131–140 of 188 posts
Re: What we discovered about InstallMonetizer
#132Earlier quoted context omitted.
Don't make libelous public accusations of PG if you don't know anything about the situation.
Unless the parent comment has been edited, I'm not sure what you think is libelous about it? It's certainly a questionable company, they either didn't bother to scan for open source software being rebundled, or deliberately chose not to scan, because they knew the result would be bad.
My comment wasn't edited -- I think the critic just realized that PG isn't holy or perfect ...
Re: What we discovered about InstallMonetizer
#133Earlier quoted context omitted.
Well... I would like to disagree on your opinion about cleaning up prostitution. Over here in the Netherlands it seems to work just fine. If person A pays person B for doing intimate stuff that doesn't really harm anyone.
[deleted]
I think we agree?
Re: What we discovered about InstallMonetizer
#134Earlier quoted context omitted.
You're a much more patient and understanding person than I am, pg. My initial reaction to pretty much every comment here is "Peanut gallery -- start your own incubator, or just accomplish one noteworthy thing in your life." As a non-pg entity, I feel vicarious indignation. Who are these random nobodies who think they're entitled to question how/where you spend your time and effort? And the people who get up on their…
You're more obnoxious than all the critics in this thread put together. Get off your high horse. The reason all the "random nobodies" are questioning IM's business model is that they have deep-seated feelings about the scammy business and the evilness of Windows installers. They spent hours cleaning up mountains of crap from their relatives' and friends' computers. They understand how non-tech users feel helpless in…
Thanks for demonstrating my point exactly. You are so far removed from the actual facts of the case, let alone any actual impact, and yet the fury and vitriol you're showing -- along with the certitude you have in your judgments -- suggest that, frankly, you feel entitled to have a say about anything you please. No justification necessary, you have an opinion, therefore your opinion matters.
Re: What we discovered about InstallMonetizer
#135Earlier quoted context omitted.
"literally no way" is a very strong statement - do you have any proof?
Any software that is desirable on its own will be sought out on its own. Plain and simple. There is no need to piggyback adobe PDF reader in any software that doesn't use PDFs because people who need a PDF reader will seek one out. Any sort of parasitism is trying to circumvent this process by convincing others that they need software that isn't directly needed for the problem at hand or otherwise forcing people to i…
I feel like you may be right for the wrong reasons. "Any software that is desirable on its own will be sought out on its own." is the prelude to many a failed software project. People say the same thing about films, games, apps, etc... and it's almost universally untrue.
If you are right, it's not because no good software aught to be promoted and thus this (and by extension of your logic most any type of promotion) can't be legit, but rather that there doesn't exist a non-scummy way of conducting this particular type of promotion. Is that true?
Re: What we discovered about InstallMonetizer
#136Earlier quoted context omitted.
InstallMonetizer will tank if they relied on opt-in, but will make bank if they rely on opt-out. Just like the US Postal Service if direct mailing was opt-in instead of opt-out. What's your point?
The point is that post is providing opt-out value for their users. Install bundlers are providing opt-out things their end-users don't want or wouldn't want if they understood what's going on.
Can you clarify what you mean?
Re: What we discovered about InstallMonetizer
#137Earlier quoted context omitted.
Any software that is desirable on its own will be sought out on its own. Plain and simple. There is no need to piggyback adobe PDF reader in any software that doesn't use PDFs because people who need a PDF reader will seek one out. Any sort of parasitism is trying to circumvent this process by convincing others that they need software that isn't directly needed for the problem at hand or otherwise forcing people to i…
I feel like you may be right for the wrong reasons. "Any software that is desirable on its own will be sought out on its own." is the prelude to many a failed software project. People say the same thing about films, games, apps, etc... and it's almost universally untrue. If you are right, it's not because no good software aught to be promoted and thus this (and by extension of your logic most any type of promotion) c…
I'm not saying that "no good software ought to be promoted", but rather that the promotion should happen at the places where people would seek them out (e.g. Google). Advertise for photoshop where designers would go to look for software (e.g. in design magazines, google, etc).
Re: What we discovered about InstallMonetizer
#138Earlier quoted context omitted.
The point is that post is providing opt-out value for their users. Install bundlers are providing opt-out things their end-users don't want or wouldn't want if they understood what's going on.
Can you clarify what you mean?
Please disregard that comment. I misunderstood the meaning of "direct mail" (I'm not from US). I apologize.
Re: What we discovered about InstallMonetizer
#139Earlier quoted context omitted.
I feel like you may be right for the wrong reasons. "Any software that is desirable on its own will be sought out on its own." is the prelude to many a failed software project. People say the same thing about films, games, apps, etc... and it's almost universally untrue. If you are right, it's not because no good software aught to be promoted and thus this (and by extension of your logic most any type of promotion) c…
I'm not saying that "no good software ought to be promoted", but rather that the promotion should happen at the places where people would seek them out (e.g. Google). Advertise for photoshop where designers would go to look for software (e.g. in design magazines, google, etc).
Gotcha.
Re: What we discovered about InstallMonetizer
#140I think people will be wondering if this resembles the founders' ideas when they were funded by you, and if this represents the kind of company you wish to be funding. You may of course defend the product on technical grounds (accept buttons, EULAs, etc) but I find it hard to believe that you truly think it is anything but a nuisance to end-users.
They're working on something new, and all the office hours I had with them were about that. They're not even in our database of companies as InstallMonetizer but as the new thing. (I'm not sure if I can say the name because it may not be launched yet.) I knew they had some previous product that was called a Windows installer, but I don't think we ever talked about what it did. The whole world of Windows software seem…
pg, I think you should make this point clear in your OP. The reason I say this is that I don't think the majority of the indignation towards InstallMonetizer was around the fact that they do what they do, but rather the fact that YC appeared to have endorsed their behaviour. I think it would come as a kick in the guts for a lot of people who slaved away at 'big ideas' only to get rejected for YC in favour of a company like InstallMonetizer.
I don't think the average HN user is really interested in having InstallMonetizer change their business practices (it seems futile to form a witch hunt against one of many companies).
Currently, the OP above makes it looks as though YC did invest in InstallMonetizer and that you endorse their current practices and are defending them against the mass of hate.
I think a better way of handling this would be to make it clear that engaging in questionable business practices is not the way to get funded by YC, and distance yourself as much as possible from these guys.
Just my two cents, FWIW.