Download

Used these folks for years, I am big believer and user of shareware. But today for the second time I downloaded a file and got a virus. I can find no place on their site to report it or contact them. They are now on my blacklist. Looks like they have been taken over by hackers. Too bad, but beware do not download anything from them. Now I have random audio commercials playing even when there is no browser open. Naturally I am having a lot of difficulty figuring out how to fix this.

At one time, I recommended CNET's download.com to anyone looking for software downloads. It was my own first choice until the company broke it's policy of scanning all software downloads for viruses, malware, or adware by installing its own malware and adware. This is what happens when MBAs start taking over and everything has to be monetized, because all those people can read are dollar signs. Obviously, Sean Murphy's fixation on the almighty has blinded him to the fact that he has invited parasites that soon will consume its host. I no longer consider download.com an ethical company and would use it only as a last resort in the event of an emergency.

In last 6 months, it has basically become only an advertising site so adware & malware is everywhere. I used to use this site with a lot of confidence 5 years ago but it is basically useless now to sort for best downloads for apps, utils, etc.

They used to be great but now they try to install bloat/spyware on yr computer at the same time you install any of the hosted programs. If you wish to use them then just be very aware of what you are agreeing to during installation. I just tried to install a program downloaded off CNET only to find that it wanted to install 3 other pieces of software at the same time. The bloat/spyware was all about shopping & advertising which luckily I caught before it could infect my system. I would rather pay for software rather than allow this sort of rubbish to infect my computer & then have to pay to get rid of it!
That is the last time I use their website because it is quite sneaky about how they do it.

User reviews plagerizing user reviews scam...

Comodo geekbuddy flat lined my dell xps... I see the cnet review which shows same bad behaviour and hours of work to repair it... and then cnet plagiarizes this guys review to say how magic and wonderful it is.
So CNET is in bed with comodo. How nice. Guess I wont be looking for advice from cnet or comodo. I don't need your geek buddy... your geek buddy stinks. I am my own geek buddy.

CNET used to be a reputable and useful site, providing honest evaluations and safe downloads of software programs. The site is no longer useful or safe... everything comes with tons of malware, bloatware, spyware and adware. CNET now loads rating sites with bogus five-star ratings and google search interference by listing a full page of Cnet links. Their only usefulness is listing several alternate software sources, e.g. video converters, and the smart user will then go to the parent site and avoid the headache of an infected computer. Two thumbs down!

Cnet used to be great, now it's the one place you're guaranteed to download adware/malware and viruses, I wouldn't recommend this site to anyone who doesn't want to reinstall windows.
We need something to warn us about these kinds of sites, how that would work I don't know, but sites like cnet need to be removed one way or another. Sick of these sites being legitimized by ignorant people who don't even know what a boot block is.

I just noticed a piece of software I developed is on CNET. I never gave permission and there's no way to have it taken down. What they're doing is illegal. They're pirating software and giving it out for free. Almost as bad, they're known to package spy, bloat and malware in with their products to give the pirated software a bad rep even though it's CNET trying to make money with damaging addons. Don't download from them. They're dodgy on all sides.

For years I used download.com (now download.cnet.com) to get great products both free and paid. But the seedy underbelly of the internet has latched itself to that once great site while CNET has slept and many of the items you download have viruses or worse!

As of late I tried to download "Macgo Blu-ray Player" from their site and initially my Norton Anti-Virus said it was good. But when I installed it Norton then said that it had to trap a Trojan virus! The worse experience of the year was a trialware version of software that claimed to have many features similar to Microsoft's Viso. What I got was a hijacked computer!

So BIG SHAME on cnet for not doing a better job of policing the software that is being offered through their site. So my one-time review of 5 stars for this site many years ago has been reduced to a "You had better have GREAT defenses on your computer when you install OR ELSE!"

So stay away until CNET fixes their issues.

So they decided to add something that shuts down my PC every time I boot it up. It's $#*!ing stupid how it's still up, scamming people out of $#*! like that.