Helping people with computers... one answer at a time.
The download you want may be surrounded by often misleading offers of ... more downloads. It's incredibly important to know which one you really want.
A note about c|net Download.com: Recently, any download now puts a c|net download manger and that program downloads your file (and a toolbar). Hidden slightly is the direct download, but most people will not find it or even notice it.
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I'm not seeing a download manager, but your comment raises a very common and troubling practice: extremely misleading advertising.
And confusingly hidden download links.
It's a serious problem that at best confuses people and at worst causes them to download and install junk.
Junk that they didn't want in the first place.
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Misleading Advertising
Here's a screen shot of c|net Download.com's page for a popular anti-virus program:
Notice how many different places say "Download" - "Download Now", "Start Download", "Free Download" ... even "Buy Now".
Do you know which one is the one (and the only one) to get the download that this page is about?
Every other clickable instance of the word "download" on that page is an advertisement for something else.
Here's the kicker - c|net and Download.com are actually reputable sites and relatively tame when it comes to this type of practice.
Download links that don't say download
I'm a big fan of the CD/DVD burning tool ImgBurn. However their download page could use some work:
Can you locate the actual links to download ImgBurn on this page? Yes, there are more then one. One hint - they don't say download:
The links are there in the center, labeled "mirror," because the download is hosted on several different sites, each of which hosts a copy or mirror of the download file.
All of those big things that talk about "Download" on the page?
Advertisements. For other, albeit it often similar, products.
The admonitions that you should check for outdated drivers first?
Advertisements, nothing more.
It happens here, too...
Here's an image of my own page which recommends ImgBurn:
Google's AdSense service chooses which ads are shown. That big Download button? That's an ad for a similar product which is not ImgBurn.
It's actually gotten somewhat better in recent months. Ads used to appear that said in big, bold letters "RECOMMENDED DOWNLOAD" for products that not only had I not recommended, but in many cases, never even heard of.
Advertising is the cost of free
Advertising is what keeps Ask Leo! and many services on the web free. I try to keep it respectful of your time and attention, but even then, I don't have total control over every nuance of every ad.
More often than not, the ads are very well targeted and offer very reputable and appropriate products and services - I've occasionally joked that sometimes the ads displayed are so well targeted that they are the answer.
And yet sometimes, ads can be misleading.
Sometimes sites can be even more underhanded with many misleading advertisements around the content or download link that you're actually looking for.
One mistake and you might be downloading something that you didn't expect.
Awareness keeps you safe
The solution is relatively simple: approach the internet with skepticism.
Understand what is, and is not, an advertisement.
Read carefully the information on the page where you're expecting a download to make sure that what you click on is indeed the download that you want.
And if you're not sure - don't click. Maybe ask a friend for their opinion of what is, and is not, the download link that you're looking for.
Article C5104 - March 7, 2012 « »
Leo A. Notenboom has been playing with computers since he
was required to take a programming class in 1976. An 18 year career as a programmer at Microsoft soon followed.
After "retiring" in 2001, Leo started Ask Leo! in 2003 as a place for answers
to common computer and technical questions. More about Leo.
March 10, 2012 7:03 AM
I usually prefer to use Ninite for 'crap free' downloads and FileHippo for those I can't get on Ninite.
March 10, 2012 7:18 AM
I understand your point about advertising making free services possible. But, my time is valuable too. If the Ask Leo site has a misleading download link or button and it wastes my time getting something I don't need who do you think I'm upset with? It's Leo, not the advertiser. Free or not if you have a site you have some responsibility for the content.
March 10, 2012 9:04 AM
The easiest way to get a file you want is to, hylite the file,right click and choose copy,open Google,paste and choose a site. Just check the link (usually at the bottom) to make sure it's not where you just were.
There are many download sites that are fast simple and usually pop-up the download.
Your anti virus "should" check these links automatically so you know they are safe.Major Geek's is one I use that in very good, but there are many others so you can find one you like. But as Leo has said,"use a little common sense".
March 13, 2012 12:59 PM
Even when I'm pretty sure I clicked the right button, I always check the download manager in Firefox which shows the name of the file and download progress. You can simply abort the download if it looks wrong.
May 31, 2012 12:51 PM
I just talked to a user who got bit by this on my site (www.blackbeltcoder.com). He said he clicked a big green download button but didn't get the content he was after. When I explained we have no big green download button on that page, we realized what happened. This is a Google AdSense ad that now reflects badly on me and therefore reflects badly on Google AdSense. Google has some responsibility here and there should be a way to block such blatantly misleading ads. My only other option is to abandon AdSense.
31-May-2012