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Become a more creative person
Used to be when we talk about generation gap, it almost always applies to the difference in thinking between the supposedly adult generation and the younger ones. Then, it was easier to understand because our parents used to say that it's all about...
Getting Intimate with Corel Painter IX
If you are artistically inclined and would like to create breathtaking digital artworks, then the new Corel Painter IX is a must-have software for you. This new version of the Painter series offers increased speed, stability, and performance and...
Password Nightmares
Good Morning Mr. Sampson. Please type in you Personal Identification Number
XXXXXX
Sorry, Mr. Forgetful Idiot! That is not the correct password. Please slap yourself three times around your head and then apply for a new card and number –...
Watch Out For Spyware Programs That Slows Down Your Computer System
Spyware is a program that once loaded on your computer unknowingly collects information from your PC and sends it to another party. The most dangerous types of Spyware programs copies personal information that you would not share with anyone...
We'll Just Rule the World Now, OK?
One has to wonder if the corporate directive at Microsoft is as blatant as it seems from the outside. What is it that makes them behave as if monopolistic bullying is an inherent right for the biggest, baddest damned behemoth ever to roam the face...
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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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| Listing of the GNU software packages. |
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| 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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