Download.com Pushing Bloatware

Ew. Download.com is making users download new software through a proprietary installer that also installs a bunch of third-party programs, ExtremeTech reports. This is pretty gross and dishonest. But really, does Download.com even matter anymore?

As much as Apple wants to consolidate all software in christendom under one brushed aluminium dome, web download portals like Download.com don’t really make sense anymore. They were great! Back when dialup speeds hobbled our ability to scour and a good mirror wasn’t always a given, riding a portal’s fat pipe was a godsend. But speed’s precluded the need to rely on one site for your software — you can quickly comparison shop, and even a relatively slow connection is still pretty fast for program downloading.

Maybe Download.com realises this, and maybe that’s why they’re wrapping their wares in money-earning junk. [ExtremeTech]

Image: ghacks