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Adobe wants Ninite to stop rolling out crapware-free Flash

theregister.co.uk

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Re: Adobe wants Ninite to stop rolling out crapware-free Flash

#71

Post by m0nty »

doron wrote: post #54

We use Ninite Pro extensively within our network. Not only does it allow remote updates (whereas locally it requires administrative rights most users don't have) it also allows disabling of update notification and disabling of shortcuts. The update process Adobe employs is a nag for admins, the constant flow of acrobat updates and flash updates is a bombardment of announcements which most users in a corporate environ…

As a sys admin in a school, Ninite is awesome. I really don't want installers and updaters popping up in front of small children and (often, technically illiterate) staff, and Ninite facilitates this. At the same time, it makes it easy for me to update software at a time to suit me - usually the holidays. The fact it denies Adobe the chance to trick me (or my users) into installing additional, unwanted software is a major bonus. It just means I don't have to visit users' PCs later to uninstall the crap.

Re: Adobe wants Ninite to stop rolling out crapware-free Flash

#73

Post by eliasmacpherson »

JohnTHaller wrote: post #10

This article is a bit... lacking. First off, the Flash updater on Windows works quite well on modern Windows systems. Second off, Ninite isn't just some good Samaritan, they're a for-profit company. Third, and related to the second, Ninite's updater costs $10 a year while Adobe Flash's built-in updater is free. They also have a Ninite Pro version that supports remote updates and installs and costs $240 to $2,220 per…

http://xkcd.com/1197/ This is a reasonably accurate description of Flash updater, how is your experience any different? It deserves being panned.

Re: Adobe wants Ninite to stop rolling out crapware-free Flash

#74

Post by samstave »

swies wrote: post #57
JohnTHaller wrote: post #10

This article is a bit... lacking. First off, the Flash updater on Windows works quite well on modern Windows systems. Second off, Ninite isn't just some good Samaritan, they're a for-profit company. Third, and related to the second, Ninite's updater costs $10 a year while Adobe Flash's built-in updater is free. They also have a Ninite Pro version that supports remote updates and installs and costs $240 to $2,220 per…

First I want to say thanks! We love your work at PortableApps.com and send people there whenever they ask us to add portable software. Our value is keeping the catalog up-to-date and putting a nice interface around the updating process. Not ad-blocking. We actively uncheck toolbars for maybe 5 apps. If those apps removed their toolbar offers people would still use Ninite to track updates and automate work. On profits…

Ninite is fantastic. There simply should not be any naysayers - the naysayers cannot provide the experience Ninite provides.

Ninite's ability to group many products into a singular downloadable installer is heaven. Keep up the awesome work.

Re: Adobe wants Ninite to stop rolling out crapware-free Flash

#75

Post by gusfoo »

GhotiFish wrote: post #35
JohnTHaller wrote: post #10

This article is a bit... lacking. First off, the Flash updater on Windows works quite well on modern Windows systems. Second off, Ninite isn't just some good Samaritan, they're a for-profit company. Third, and related to the second, Ninite's updater costs $10 a year while Adobe Flash's built-in updater is free. They also have a Ninite Pro version that supports remote updates and installs and costs $240 to $2,220 per…

You're right. With them being for profit, they have lost their credibility. Frankly, just look at their website: https://ninite.com/updater/ Aren't there other free updaters? Sure, but they don't work like Ninite Updater. With Ninite Updater it's one step to download and install all your updates in the background at once. Yup, This story is not black and white. I'm actually on adobe's side.

> With them being for profit, they have lost their credibility.

Why? Their software automates a repetitive and complex task thereby saving money. Some of the money saved goes to paying Ninite but everyone still wins.

Re: Adobe wants Ninite to stop rolling out crapware-free Flash

#76

Post by GhotiFish »

swies wrote: post #64
GhotiFish wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're right. With them being for profit, they have lost their credibility. Frankly, just look at their website: https://ninite.com/updater/ Aren't there other free updaters? Sure, but they don't work like Ninite Updater. With Ninite Updater it's one step to download and install all your updates in the background at once. Yup, This story is not black and white. I'm actually on adobe's side.

Sorry for the confusion. That copy is about things like Filehippo Updater, not built-in updaters. The aggregation and automation arguments still apply, but it's not intended as a jab at them. I'm still confused at how making money destroys our credibility. It's a good thing for the people you trust with software updates to be profitable. Pro users paying us for extra features like remote mode lets us offer Ninite fre…

Is that what you are?

because looking at the website, you sure look like a bog standard marketing pitch to the average consumer selling fundamental computer operations for a price.

At least Adobe isn't selling me the copy function at $3.99.

If you were coming from selling a service, that would be different (we aggregate a working ecosystem of programs ready for your selection, subscribe to our repository!), but you're not. You're selling a program more than a service.

I just find it incredulous to see the phrase "We deserve better than this" where "better" is having basic functionality sold to you.

Re: Adobe wants Ninite to stop rolling out crapware-free Flash

#77

Post by DannyBee »

w1ntermute wrote: post #56

Can anyone with a legal background explain if Adobe can actually force Ninite to change the way their software works? AFAICT, they can't. Why did this guy give in to Adobe? Because they've got an army of lawyers they can attack him with?

Yes, they can legally stop ninite from redistributing the installer using the installer license terms if they like. It's a dick move, but not illegal

Re: Adobe wants Ninite to stop rolling out crapware-free Flash

#78

Post by R_Edward »

stplsd wrote: post #28
FreezerburnV wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a developer, I kind of take offense to the allegations of Java (and Flash as well, I suppose, it's supposed to be pretty good) being "crappy software". The JVM is actually a rather awesome piece of software which offers good performance and good garbage collection. And interesting new languages have been created and flourished on top of the JVM. (Scala, Clojure) Please know the difference between bad/customer unfr…

>good garbage collection If Java had true garbage collection, most programs would delete themselves upon execution.

I'd be happy if the Java updater would garbage collect old versions of Java after it installed a new one. How many versions does the average user actually need?

Re: Adobe wants Ninite to stop rolling out crapware-free Flash

#79

Post by tghw »

JohnTHaller wrote: post #10

This article is a bit... lacking. First off, the Flash updater on Windows works quite well on modern Windows systems. Second off, Ninite isn't just some good Samaritan, they're a for-profit company. Third, and related to the second, Ninite's updater costs $10 a year while Adobe Flash's built-in updater is free. They also have a Ninite Pro version that supports remote updates and installs and costs $240 to $2,220 per…

> Because automatic updating is a feature of CCleaner's business model, too. The paid version of CCleaner has automatic updates.

As a user of the free version of CCleaner, I'm almost certain it also has auto updates, unless they removed that in a very recent version.

Re: Adobe wants Ninite to stop rolling out crapware-free Flash

#80

Post by SoftwareMaven »

astrodust wrote: post #60
doron wrote: post #54

We use Ninite Pro extensively within our network. Not only does it allow remote updates (whereas locally it requires administrative rights most users don't have) it also allows disabling of update notification and disabling of shortcuts. The update process Adobe employs is a nag for admins, the constant flow of acrobat updates and flash updates is a bombardment of announcements which most users in a corporate environ…

If your users get used to clicking "yeah, whatever" on any and all software update pop-ups, this will almost certainly become an attack vector. Adobe Reader, Flash and Oracle's Java each have their own nuisance updaters that are constantly pestering you for attention. That software-updates-as-a-service is now a thing is really a sad state of affairs, but if Ninite can make a go of it, right on.

Adobe Flash updates are already an attack vector for some malware. My wife was presented with a "FlashPlus" installer to "update to the latest version of Flash" that looked exactly like Adobe's with the exception of the name. I'm still not sure what good fortune intervened to show me that particular installer before she hit "install".
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