Windows software downloads are a mess.
Many programs give a shot to drag adware and other malicious junk onto your gear.
Even safe programs we test sometimes turn to the dark side and start bundling junk later.
Software Downloads Change
Here’s the worst thing we have to deal with.
We did our due diligence – everything is fine.
But applications are often sold to new owners, or the current owner becomes desperate for income.
These formerly trustworthy applications add adware, web client toolbars, spyware, and other junk to their installers.
This shouldn’t apply to more trustworthy software, but it sometimes does.
We regularly recommend software like Firefox, Chrome, LibreOffice, CCleaner, VLC, and other popular applications.
Lesser-known utilities are even more suspect.
This is true even for established, legitimate software.
Oracle’sJava runtimeattempts to roll out the Ask Toolbar.
Torrent is a popular BitTorrent client, but have you tried downloading it recently?
Be sure to decline the offers."
But not all readers will pick up on that warning.
You’ll have to wait until later – Ask is hoping you’ll forget to do that.
Yes, we Windows geeks have built up an immunity to this throw in of junk.
Many of us don’t even notice – we just carefully click through installers and consider it normal.
But many people still fall for this trap.
you’ve got the option to mouse over a link and see where it goes.
But these links trick people.
We’re not thrilled about the other software downloads these sites push, either.
For example, let’s go back to Torrent again.
When you download Torrent, Torrent “recommends” you download the VLC media player.
This sounds like a great recommendation – VLC is a very good media player.
To add insult to injury, Torrent actually warns you to “Beware of online scams!”
when you install it.
Yet they’re “recommending” you download VLC from a shady third-party site!
Of course,the Windows desktop has many positives.
