5 ms·

If you click the "quick download link" on the home page it will lead you to downloading a "sponsored" version of the application, e.g. "FileZilla_3.66.5_win64_s

If you click the "quick download link" on the home page it will lead you to downloading a "sponsored" version of the application, e.g. "FileZilla_3.66.5_win64_sponsored2-setup.exe" for me on Windows. Clicking "show additional download options" takes you to https://filezilla-project.org/download.php?show_all=1 https://filezilla-project.org/download.php?show_all=1 which has links to "clean" versions of the client. Sidenote: It was Windows Defender which pointed out to me that I had downloaded "unwanted" software, otherwise I might have missed this before running the installer since I had downloaded FileZilla many times in the past without having to worry about it being bundled with unwanted stuff.

Dalewyn 3y ago
I hate bundled adware as much as the next man here, but we also need to be fair and acknowledge that FileZilla plainly informs the user: "This installer may include bundled offers. Check below for more options." The download page[1] that is referred to by "check below" then gives a list of both installers (without the adware) and ZIP archives, and notably does not list the adware'd installer. [1]: https://filezilla-project.org/download.php?show_all=1 https://filezilla-project.org/download.php?show_all=1
- mellutussa 3y ago
  "may include bundled offers" is not the same thing as "this will install adware on your computer." This is incredibly deceptive for FileZilla and excuses like this just add to the embarrassment.
  - maccard 3y ago
    It's exactly the same thing.
    - pacifika 3y ago
      Included discounts versus mining your pc for advertising purposes, ok
    - tyingq 3y ago
      Using "may" when you know full well it's "will" isn't honest. And I imagine the UI to install the "offers" makes them not really an offering, but a default.
      - maccard 3y ago
        I agree with you, but it being dishonest doesn't make it mean anything different.
    - StefanBatory 3y ago
      May include bundled offers has different emotional implications to me.
    - mellutussa 3y ago
      Ah, I see you're on our team. Well played!
    - phone8675309 3y ago
      No it's not. If I say I 'may' give you a million dollars it's much different from _actually_ giving you a million dollars.
    - CyberDildonics 3y ago
      If they're exactly the same thing, why doesn't it say "This will install adware on your computer" ?
- acatton 3y ago
  https://www.deceptive.design/types/preselection https://www.deceptive.design/types/preselection
- JeremyNT 3y ago
  If the situation were reversed, and the default were clean and the adware was buried under "check below for more options," nobody would do it. The entire point here is to trick or confuse people who aren't paying attention. I don't know why anybody would ever trust software that uses such dark patterns. Yes it's open source, but who has time to audit everything? We have to rely on other signals to determine how trustworthy a project is, and this is a strong negative signal.
  - Dalewyn 3y ago
    [flagged]

Dalewyn 3y ago

I hate bundled adware as much as the next man here, but we also need to be fair and acknowledge that FileZilla plainly informs the user: "This installer may include bundled offers. Check below for more options." The download page[1] that is referred to by "check below" then gives a list of both installers (without the adware) and ZIP archives, and notably does not list the adware'd installer. [1]: https://filezilla-project.org/download.php?show_all=1 https://filezilla-project.org/download.php?show_all=1

mellutussa 3y ago
"may include bundled offers" is not the same thing as "this will install adware on your computer." This is incredibly deceptive for FileZilla and excuses like this just add to the embarrassment.
- maccard 3y ago
  It's exactly the same thing.
  - pacifika 3y ago
    Included discounts versus mining your pc for advertising purposes, ok
  - tyingq 3y ago
    Using "may" when you know full well it's "will" isn't honest. And I imagine the UI to install the "offers" makes them not really an offering, but a default.
    - maccard 3y ago
      I agree with you, but it being dishonest doesn't make it mean anything different.
  - StefanBatory 3y ago
    May include bundled offers has different emotional implications to me.
  - mellutussa 3y ago
    Ah, I see you're on our team. Well played!
  - phone8675309 3y ago
    No it's not. If I say I 'may' give you a million dollars it's much different from _actually_ giving you a million dollars.
  - CyberDildonics 3y ago
    If they're exactly the same thing, why doesn't it say "This will install adware on your computer" ?
acatton 3y ago
https://www.deceptive.design/types/preselection https://www.deceptive.design/types/preselection
JeremyNT 3y ago
If the situation were reversed, and the default were clean and the adware was buried under "check below for more options," nobody would do it. The entire point here is to trick or confuse people who aren't paying attention. I don't know why anybody would ever trust software that uses such dark patterns. Yes it's open source, but who has time to audit everything? We have to rely on other signals to determine how trustworthy a project is, and this is a strong negative signal.
- Dalewyn 3y ago
  [flagged]