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Appointment Calendar Software: 4 Critical Features - Part 1
Effective appointment calendar software should have the ability to create multiple categories, display a monthly view, create reminders and provide recurrence capability. In this article series I will go in-depth into the above features and show...
Backup Schmackup : I'm Afraid, Very Afraid!
"Why should you be afraid?", I can hear you ask. I just got an email from my friend Miche who said, "My laptop is sick at the hospital. Hard Drive failure. Am praying data can be retrieved." Her exact words. Ohhhh : tremors of fear running up...
Expert Guide to DVD Camcorders
Thinking about a mini DVD camcorder? You're not alone, it's a rapidly growing sector of the camcorder market, with Hitachi, Sony and Panasonic all making more than one mini dvd camcorder.
These camcorders differ from regular digital video...
The Importance Of Email Backup
Viruses, software failures, power failures, human errors, hard drive failures are only a few examples of what could destroy the data on a hard drive, including all documents, pictures, emails and other files! Most home computer users don't need...
Virus Protection
One of the saddest things in the entire world is hearing the words, "I think I've been hit by a virus" or "my computer was destroyed by a virus, can you help me please?" Every time I hear these words I want to cry - well, actually I want to scream...
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Adware And The Case Against Bundled Software
Bundling software applications together is a practice much abused by purveyors of adware. The potential for sneaking unwanted software into a bundle of desirable software is obvious. The benefits of bundling software aren't so obvious. Isn't it time to consider dumping the practice of bundling software altogether?
Bundled Software: When Is It Not Adware?
If a user wants a piece of software, why can't he or she be allowed to install it separately? If the bundled software were essential to the functioning of the original software (excluding generic functions such as install, un-uninstall, and documentation), why wouldn't the developer build its functions directly into the original software?
Sure, sometimes there's a software application that clearly complements another application. But for users who do not want the complementary software, having it just means a bloated install file and a needlessly long installation process.
Does the chance that users will want the bundled software ever outweigh the risk of the bundled software being installed without the user noticing? In the case of adware, the technology community is increasingly willing to put the burden of proof on the adware bundlers:
* Cnet's download.com website recently removed any and all software that comes bundled with another piece of software that
shows advertising, regardless of how well informed the user is of the bundled software.
* Affiliate networks such as Commission Junction and Kolimbo have either cautioned advertisers against accepting adware distributors into their affiliate programs or kicked them out altogether.
* Many technology law experts are saying that the click-wrap license agreements that supposedly legitimate adware are not proof of informed consent. Some experts even say that such agreements amount to unconscionable contracts: the burden imposed by adware is so great and the benefit offered so negligible.
Adware and Bundled Software: A Modest Proposal
If the spam arms race is any indication, we may soon face even more aggressive attempts to get adware on our computers. There will be even more tortured arguments that bundled adware is installed with users' informed consent. Why not head off any of those arguments right now? Let's push for an industry standard that reputable developers do not bundle software (with a few highly specific exceptions such as documentation, installation, and error reporting).
In the end, by getting rid of bundled software, what do we have to lose except adware?
About the Author
Read more of Joel Walsh's articles on spyware and adware: http://www.spyware-refuge.com
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| Tucows Downloads - Download Freeware and Shareware Software |
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| Free Software Downloads and Software Reviews - Download.com |
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| Computer software - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
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| Computer Software in the Yahoo! Directory |
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| IEEE Software |
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| FSF - The Free Software Foundation |
| Free software is a matter of liberty not price. Think of "free" as in "free speech". |
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| Apple - Software |
| Software products for your digital life. ... The perfect addition for professional review. QuickTime Broadcaster. Encoding software for live events. ... |
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| Open Directory - Computers: Software |
| In Partnership with AOL Search. about dmoz | report abuse/spam | help. the entire directory, only in Computers/Software. Top: Computers: Software (38471) ... |
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| freshmeat.net: Welcome to freshmeat.net |
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| Software - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation (FSF) |
| Listing of the GNU software packages. |
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| Sun Software |
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| Joel on Software |
| A weblog by Joel Spolsky, a programmer working in New York City, about software and software companies. |
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| Amazon.com Software: Computer & video games, business, accounting ... |
| Online shopping for computer & video games, business & office productivity software, software from Microsoft, Apple, Adobe & more; accounting, antivirus, ... |
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| IBM Software - Home Page |
| IBM home page for all of its software products, including Lotus and Tivoli, with keyword search, category browse and AZ product names. |
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| Opera web browser: Homepage |
| Copyright © 2006 Opera Software ASA. All rights reserved. Skip navigation. Opera Software ... Copyright Opera Software ASA . All rights reserved. ... |
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| Google Directory - Computers > Software |
| Search only in Software Search the Web ... Software Categorized by Letter: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z ... |
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