Yeah…

…but it’s a really BIG one… sufficient, for ME, at least, to not use the product. But that’s just me.

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Gregg L. DesElms
Napa, California USA
gregg at greggdeselms dot com

Well, then, Jsg, you’re right: The way the software author is doing it is wrong/bad. Shame on him/her.

Also, thank you, Anand, for updating the bottom of the article.

And, I don’t know about anyone else, but no matter HOW good is the GetGo downloader, this whole business of trying to pull a fast one on the user by sneaking toolbars onto his/her system is unconscionable; and is, in my opinion, sufficient reason not to use the software. If the software’s author cannot be trusted, then it doesn’t belong on MY machine, at least. I agree that Free Download Manager (FDM) is likely the better choice…

…and, actually, as I was looking at the two products, FDM may actually be the overall better tool, all things considered, anyway.

You know… software authors need to realize that web sites like this are going to notice them and their work, and will review it; and if there’s anything amiss, readers will write about it in comments like these…

…which comments, I have to believe, are ultimately more harmful to the reputation of the software and its author than if the review had never been made in the first place. I remember reading, years ago, that back in the ’50s General Motors did a study, and though I don’t remember the exact numbers, the overarching point of my mentioning it here was that they learned that every happy customer will tell something like 1.2 people about it, but every unhappy one will tell something like 6.7 people about it; that that something like 20% of those told about being happy will even pay attention, and that something like 90% of those told about unhappiness will not only pay attention, but will allow it to keep them from patronizing the business. Word-of-mouth, reputation… it all matters.

And when software authors do things that are sneaky and screw with people’s machines, that makes them maddest of all!

GetGo’s maker should learn a lesson from this. I won’t, of course, hold my breath, though.

________________________________
Gregg L. DesElms
Napa, California USa
gregg at greggdeselms dot com

Thanks Jsg: I have edited the post at the end.

Yes, it installs the ask toolbar without asking. When you start the installer, the toolbar is installed *before* there setup information is even shown.

When I installed, I had the Windows task manager open, and seen the ask installer show up as a processes, when it ended their installer mask showed.

Additionally, the addon for Firefox “BrowserProtect” informed me about the toolbars when restarting Firefox and provided the option to block the installation of both of them.

The removal of the ask toolbar was simple enough though the add/remove programs from Windows, however, the point that GetGo installs it without prompting and then installs an additional toolbar for it as well. Thus you get two without any options other then where to install to.

There is no message that it uses a toolbar, and removing the toolbar their application uses, kills the download manager from what I can tell.

As yet, I have only installed the software, I have not used it. I personally see no reason that a download manager needs a toolbar, considering there are several available for Firefox that don’t install a toolbar.