a warning about downloading files

[William Sommerwerck]

On the page for downloading the HP PL-series plasma display service manuals,
you'll a number of download options. Be careful.

Some of these involve first installing an application that supposedly
simplifies or speeds up the download process. These are hardly ever needed,
and are present simply to give some seller or software publisher access to
your computer. They are present even on major, reliable download sites.

Several months ago I got angry with a programmer whose application could be
downloaded only by using one of these intrusive utilities. When he got back to
me, he said he wasn't aware of this, and didn't approve. Fortunately, there
were other buttons on the page that performed a direct download.

Look closely before you click. "Your Manual is Ready For Download. Download it
Here. 100% Free." (or similar) is a "Do Not Touch" warning.

"'We already know the answers -- we just haven't asked the right questions."
-- Edwin Land

 

[John Robertson]

William Sommerwerck wrote:

On the page for downloading the HP PL-series plasma display service
manuals, you'll a number of download options. Be careful.

Some of these involve first installing an application that supposedly
simplifies or speeds up the download process. These are hardly ever
needed, and are present simply to give some seller or software publisher
access to your computer. They are present even on major, reliable
download sites.

Several months ago I got angry with a programmer whose application could
be downloaded only by using one of these intrusive utilities. When he
got back to me, he said he wasn't aware of this, and didn't approve.
Fortunately, there were other buttons on the page that performed a
direct download.

Look closely before you click. "Your Manual is Ready For Download.
Download it Here. 100% Free." (or similar) is a "Do Not Touch" warning.

TANSTAAFL!

John :-#)#

--
(Please post followups or tech enquiries to the newsgroup)
John's Jukes Ltd. 2343 Main St., Vancouver, BC, Canada V5T 3C9
Call (604)872-5757 or Fax 872-2010 (Pinballs, Jukes, Video Games)
www.flippers.com
"Old pinballers never die, they just flip out."

 

[klem kedidelhopper]

On Dec 29, 12:53 pm, John Robertson <s...@flippers.com> wrote:

William Sommerwerck wrote:
On the page for downloading the HP PL-series plasma display service
manuals, you'll a number of download options. Be careful.

Some of these involve first installing an application that supposedly
simplifies or speeds up the download process. These are hardly ever
needed, and are present simply to give some seller or software publisher
access to your computer. They are present even on major, reliable
download sites.

Several months ago I got angry with a programmer whose application could
be downloaded only by using one of these intrusive utilities. When he
got back to me, he said he wasn't aware of this, and didn't approve.
Fortunately, there were other buttons on the page that performed a
direct download.

Look closely before you click. "Your Manual is Ready For Download.
Download it Here. 100% Free." (or similar) is a "Do Not Touch" warning.

TANSTAAFL!

John :-#)#

--
    (Please post followups or tech enquiries to the newsgroup)
  John's Jukes Ltd. 2343 Main St., Vancouver, BC, Canada V5T 3C9
  Call (604)872-5757 or Fax 872-2010 (Pinballs, Jukes, Video Games)
                     www.flippers.com
       "Old pinballers never die, they just flip out."

Thanks for the tip William. i had suspected something like that. Lenny