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Y Combinator is funding the future of spam in Windows

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Re: Y Combinator is funding the future of spam in Windows

#401

Post by graue »

nivla wrote: post #370
jacquesm wrote: post #204

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> They also have deals with download.com/softopedia/softonic to change/rewrap your installer, without your agreement, often violating your license; or they give back money to those websites, so they are ranked higher than normal other downloads. I can confirm this, it's the reason we stopped having a download altogether even though it offered features that were hard to do without a download. Using software I wrote as…

Heck, if it was just downloads I could still somehow steer clear of it but I really hate it when companies like Oracle and Adobe bundle this with their security updates and it is checked on by default[1]!! Even worse to realize that reputable companies such as Google, Ask and McAfee compensate them for doing it. [2][3] [1] http://i.imgur.com/3zWPK.jpg [2] http://i.imgur.com/5mAdH.png [3] http://i.imgur.com/P9CKl.png

I believe Google Earth's Windows download does the same thing: there is a checkbox to download Chrome as well and set it as the default browser, and it's checked by default. On the download page, not in the installer.

Re: Y Combinator is funding the future of spam in Windows

#402

Post by jarek »

drivebyacct2 wrote: post #386
bjustin wrote: post #170

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you can get used to Unity in a week or two, I recommend Ubuntu. Fedora has always worked fine for me, but Ubuntu tends to have fewer rough edges.

I use Ubuntu and I can't stand unity. It's far too easy to do `sudo apt-get install gnome-shell` and do `sudo add-apt-repository ppa:gwendal-lebihan-dev/cinnamon-stable; sudo apt-get update; sudo apt-get install cinammon` and still enjoy the Ubuntu base (community, font patches, etc). I've bounced around between many DEs lately. Elementary is really great, especially when I was just coming from OS X, but I've been sh…

xfce improved my experience of ubuntu considerably as well and the install was trivial too (sudo apt-get install xubuntu-desktop). alt-tab works there!

Re: Y Combinator is funding the future of spam in Windows

#403

Post by r0s »

angrycoder wrote: post #271
swies wrote: post #16

Y Combinator also funded our solution to crapware. http://ninite.com Basically we automate multiple installers and decline toolbars just like you would. Users range from the nontechnical to NASA. We even have a huge blind user base because these installers are frequently hell to navigate with a screenreader. We make money selling a Pro version with extra features to businesses and school IT departments. It works well…

So YC is like the crack dealer who also runs his own rehab clinic. Pretty smart.

That would be more like selling crapware removal apps, which is already a common scam.

Ninite is more like pasteurization.

Re: Y Combinator is funding the future of spam in Windows

#404

Post by jiggy2011 »

Paul_S wrote: post #374
dexterchief wrote: post #352

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There emphatically is not a worse motivation that being willing to do anything for money. Do something to ensure there is a little less tragedy in the commons. Please.

Sorry, this is off-topic but surely hatred is much worse a motivation than anything. Honestly, I'm not advocating money as a good motivator. I go to work and I buy things and I'm happy with capitalism but really, I just spent the last few months working on something I like with absolutely no money in it (and it's GPLed). Money is just there so I can get by and enjoy the really fun things. Just realised how much of a…

If you are motivated by hate and have money, you can pay people who are motivated by money to do your hating for you.

Re: Y Combinator is funding the future of spam in Windows

#405

Post by mratzloff »

biot wrote: post #237

When it launched OpenCandy did this and all installs were opt-in only: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10094314-2.html I'm not sure if that's changed in the meantime, but I recall it being a refreshing change from every other system which defaulted to automatically installing additional software rather than the user specifically having to choose to opt-in.

OpenCandy is basically the only credible operator in this space.

Re: Y Combinator is funding the future of spam in Windows

#406

Post by NZ_Matt »

smacktoward wrote: post #196
scrumper wrote: post #158

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because the assumed knowledge required to understand the procedure under Archlinux is vast compared to that under Windows. Here are the concepts you need to know in order to do the work under Archlinux: 0. How to load your terminal program 1. The command line 2. Permissions/root 3. Package managers in general 4. pacman in particular (what, it's not the game?) 5. Command line switches 6. Piping 7. grep 8. What "looks…

Your overall point is correct, but your "under Windows" example is oversimplified. The Windows user still needs to know: 1) What an "installer" is 2) Where on the filesystem it goes when it's downloaded 3) How to navigate to that location in Explorer 4) That double-clicking the installer runs it etc. Some of these are things that you can learn from general Windows usage, but then the same could be said of several of…

That's just not true. On Windows you only need to know how to click next and then look for the icon of the installed programme on your desktop.

Re: Y Combinator is funding the future of spam in Windows

#407

Post by gus_massa »

pg wrote: post #326

We're investigating. It will take at least a couple days, because we'll need to meet with the founders in person. FWIW, the install window Patrick overlaid on top of InstallMonetizer's site in that screenshot is not actually InstallMonetizer.

In the screenshot of Patrick, Norton appears as another of the clients of InstallMonetizer.

Norton is well known to have a preinstalled version in new computers that it's almost impossible to uninstall. I don't have a screenshot, but there is one in these articles: http://www.zdnet.com/blog/bott/can-microsoft-cure-pc-makers-... http://hothardware.com/printarticle.aspx?articleid=1731

(Perhaps the version that they install trough InstallMonetizer is more user friendly, but I'm at least a little afraid to try it.)

Re: Y Combinator is funding the future of spam in Windows

#408

Post by nisa »

chronolitus wrote: post #315
radley wrote: post #192

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I took a look at your image and started a search for Babylon Browser. Autofill added stuff like "hijack" and "took over my browser". Sounds like very bad news: https://www.google.com/search?q=babylon+browser

I can confirm that it is tenacious. I don't know how since I always check for crapware, but I ended up with babylon having taken over my firefox browser. I removed it, but - just checking - oh look, there it is again. Luckily, chrome is my go-to browser, (which explains why I haven't tried more brutal removals), but it is definitely not as simple as uninstalling. It seems to be worse than I thought. http://support.mo…

Looks like even clicking on "Decline" does still made you prone to tracking from them. The excuse given in the answer is also pretty poor: http://i.imgur.com/FpjFp.png (permalink: http://www.mywot.com/en/scorecard/installmonetizer.com/comme...)

Re: Y Combinator is funding the future of spam in Windows

#409

Post by cookingrobot »

TeMPOraL wrote: post #118
archangel_one wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, I've run afoul of the "download button" adverts before. I'm not surprised to see them on torrent sites etc, but it amazes me that some supposedly reputable download sites would allow such things.

CNet/Download.com is not reputable. It's malware distributor. The best rule of thumb is: if it looks shady, don't go there ever again. Another: every good program has an author, and this author has a valid, non-malware-installing link on his/her website.

I learned this the hard way just the other day - installed an app from them and ended up with half a dozen adware installs as a side effect of their installer. I used to think that cnet was above board, but apparently they're not anymore.

Re: Y Combinator is funding the future of spam in Windows

#410

Post by redthrowaway »

pg wrote: post #326

We're investigating. It will take at least a couple days, because we'll need to meet with the founders in person. FWIW, the install window Patrick overlaid on top of InstallMonetizer's site in that screenshot is not actually InstallMonetizer.

Thanks for at least acknowledging the concerns raised here. That's all we can reasonably expect a responsible investor to say/do at this point.
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