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I'd say most non-technical windows users are used to download executables via google search. As an example case, when you search for "vlc player", the top 3 Go

I'd say most non-technical windows users are used to download executables via google search. As an example case, when you search for "vlc player", the top 3 Google results are: - vlc.de (A scammer site blocked by my ad blocker) - videolan.org (The authorative source and official site) - chip.de (A german tech tabloid providing their own downloads of popular programs serving their own ads)

pantulis 5y ago
I find it very interesting that there is a business around creating download sites for free/opensource apps. SEO optimization there has to be cut-throat.
- z3t4 5y ago
  Trivia: notepad++ is open source but with a clause that you are not allowed to bundle it with spywhare. So while most sites that make money off bundling open source software with spywhare are in the twilight zone - anyone bundling notepad++ with spywhare are clearly in the wrong territory
  - josephcsible 5y ago
    Citation needed. It looks to me like it's just GPL, which has no such clause. I'm also skeptical that any license with such a clause would qualify as open source.
    - CodesInChaos 5y ago
      I see two ways around that: 1. Apply the license restriction to the official binary. The distributor would have to recompile from source to get a binary they can redistribute without restriction. That might stop some low effort redistributors. 2. Trademark the name of the software. The distributor would have to rebrand. That should be a bit more effective.
      - josephcsible 5y ago
        I guess they could have done either of those things. But is there any evidence that they did?
dehrmann 5y ago
"Do no evil," they say. At least they stopped running ads against "heart attack symptoms."
benbristow 5y ago
Installed the vlc.de thing on a VM. Seemed to just be a re-branded VLC. Even has a support forum? https://www.vlc-forum.de/ https://www.vlc-forum.de/ Seems shady though. Had a look at chip.de, that's even worse (used to be an alright site). The installer tries to offer installs of Opera, Avast and Avira - ridiculous as you shouldn't have multiple AV's installed. Albeit if you just click through nothing does actually get installed but the product you want. And then Avast tries to install Google Chrome also.

pantulis 5y ago

I find it very interesting that there is a business around creating download sites for free/opensource apps. SEO optimization there has to be cut-throat.

z3t4 5y ago
Trivia: notepad++ is open source but with a clause that you are not allowed to bundle it with spywhare. So while most sites that make money off bundling open source software with spywhare are in the twilight zone - anyone bundling notepad++ with spywhare are clearly in the wrong territory
- josephcsible 5y ago
  Citation needed. It looks to me like it's just GPL, which has no such clause. I'm also skeptical that any license with such a clause would qualify as open source.
  - CodesInChaos 5y ago
    I see two ways around that: 1. Apply the license restriction to the official binary. The distributor would have to recompile from source to get a binary they can redistribute without restriction. That might stop some low effort redistributors. 2. Trademark the name of the software. The distributor would have to rebrand. That should be a bit more effective.
    - josephcsible 5y ago
      I guess they could have done either of those things. But is there any evidence that they did?

dehrmann 5y ago

"Do no evil," they say. At least they stopped running ads against "heart attack symptoms."

benbristow 5y ago

Installed the vlc.de thing on a VM. Seemed to just be a re-branded VLC. Even has a support forum? https://www.vlc-forum.de/ https://www.vlc-forum.de/ Seems shady though. Had a look at chip.de, that's even worse (used to be an alright site). The installer tries to offer installs of Opera, Avast and Avira - ridiculous as you shouldn't have multiple AV's installed. Albeit if you just click through nothing does actually get installed but the product you want. And then Avast tries to install Google Chrome also.