this post was submitted on 15 Dec 2024
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No kink shaming.
It is super bad form for a commercial website to provide software with malware.
Although this happens sometimes when commercial hosts get hacked and have their copies intentionally corrupted. I think the internet has had more than one epidemic, killing the whole download from sources you trust advisory.
Also some types of malware like adware and spyware are more commonly accepted.
I mean. What you gonna gate keep for new grounds back in 99 too?
You either have open systems where yes, some people can do bad things, but people have access and can do cool things, or you make it more exclusive safer less creative less accessible.
You don't get both.
Isnt adware a program that shows you ads outside of itself?
Are there trusted apps that add ads to internet explorer or your taskbar?
I don't trust them. But some established software hosts provide them.
Ads are a security hazard themselves and a vector for malware, and people have gotten infected from the Forbes site without adblocking, so yeah, it's a risk. USUALLY the site / developer will report that it's adware so you can make that choice, which makes it slightly less unethical.
Do you have any examples?
Its really bad if apps that are allowed on established software hosts modify other apps to put ads in them
Do you remember the bad old days when you'd go to someone's house and their browser would be unusable because it had so many toolbars installed? That was often from legit sites bundling crap into installers for software they hosted.