Spammers in the The FreeWare Files (a.k.a. the X-files) Area

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Spammers in the The FreeWare Files (a.k.a. the X-files) Area

(26 posts) (12 voices)

Started 12 years ago by Anonymous
Latest reply from Anonymous

Anonymous
Unregistered

Aren't you guys (GAOTD Staff) even a little concerned at the spamming going on in your freeware download area?

I'm a programmer and want to give away some programs I've written. While looking around the Internet for a place that is a good home for this, I found you guys. Unfortunately, your freeware area has been taken over by screensaver and puzzle spammers. Other freeware sites caught on to this long ago and found ways to stop it.

I rely on my free software to generate interest in my retail products. I can't see the logic posting my free software here when it has to compete with a thousand copies of a single "free puzzle" program that has been posted all over your categories--with only the picture changed, no less. All so the poster can give downloaders the "reward" of sending them to a site that he gets affiliate cash from.

Not only is this a masked form of payware-masquerading-as-freeware-on-other-sites-pockets (your pockets, too), it makes it clear to me that users would give up browsing LONG before they would find my program in the 1000th place down the line (since last night, even). My program would get lost in the freeware-spam you are allowing to exist on your site. Users would stop coming to the freeware area since they know it to be a joke.

Please consider doing something about this. I'd like to stick around as a programmer, taking suggestions and creating free software for others on the forums. I'd even bring in other programmers of the same mindset.

But not with the spam problem you've got right now.

Any comments?

Thanks,

Kerry

Posted 12 years ago #
graylox
Moderator

Hi, Kerry, welcome to the GOTD forums.

You are so right with what you are writing and I really hope the GOTD Project Team will correct theses deficiencies.
As these forums are user forums run by voluntary users, I'm afraid we can't help you very much.
I will send a PM to the keymaster as an info, and perhaps you will write directly to the Project Team with the Contact Form or even better read: For Developers - with more links for direct contact.
I hope we will hear more of you and perhaps get your (pay)-software as a giveaway.

graylox

Posted 12 years ago #
Whiterabbit-uk
Games Guru

Just to let the community know, Kerry is not talking about the games freeware project that we volunteers have contributed to, but the freeware section where all sorts of software is available. Unfortunately I can't comment on that part of the giveawayoftheday site which I only ever visit to find suitable audio converters for the community. (usually linked to when I review a game giveaway that may have annoying music that some giveaway members may want to change).

Lets hope the owners do something about it as i'vew always considered the giveawayoftheday project a safe place to visit, but obviously the freeware section may not be from what Kerry says.

Posted 12 years ago #
graylox
Moderator

We had several comments about that problem in the past - and to be honest, if it wasn't GOTD I would give it a bad rating.
OTOH, quite often you get the message, that a particular link is deleted, because it wasn't kosher (well - these are my words). At least that shows, that this section is moderated.
You get a lot of links to GOTD's freeware site when you google for a programme, but often you just find a misleading keyword.
I hope this part of the GOTD web-page will not "drag down" the good reviews for GOTD.

graylox

Posted 12 years ago #
Whiterabbit-uk
Games Guru

I agree with you Graylox. It would be a great shame if that was to happen. To be honest we have a good cadre of community members that post details of loads of freeware programs and games; plus, in the comments section there are always good alternatives to the 'giveaway' of the day (well most of the time), so I really see no need for that spam infested freeware library that doesn't appear to be moderated at all and is almost devoid of any peer reviewed comments.

Posted 12 years ago #
graylox
Moderator

The so-called "Freeware library" brings a lot of hits in search engines -
that's good for the site owner ($$$).
As not every hit lives up to its promise, many users will be annoyed or even feel cheated. Those users won't be attracted to try the main part of the GOTD page - the daily giveaways, and the word-of-mouth advertising will be rather bad -
that's NOT good for the site owner (~~$$$~~ + a bad reputation).

graylox

PS:
You know, English isn't my first language, so I ask you, when you read
Looking for quality free software?

how do you understand this sentence?
Could it be quality-free software? Or quality free-software?

Posted 12 years ago #
Dragonlair
Member

You know, English isn't my first language, so I ask you, when you read

[quote]Looking for quality free software?

how do you understand this sentence?
Could it be quality-free software? Or quality free-software? [/quote]

I see the point but I see it as "Quality Free-software" - emphasis on the "Quality". That statement really should have a hyphen to clarify the point.

Posted 12 years ago #
graylox
Moderator

LOL - yes of course.
It was a tongue-in-cheek remark.
However, seeing some of the offers, it could be the other way around.

Posted 12 years ago #
ChrisS
Administrator

To further confuse the tongue-in-cheek let me add that "low-quality" software is still "quality" software. When a company advertises "quality merchandise" the implication is that it's "high-quality", but if you must stress that you're selling "quality" goods then you're likely selling "low-quality" stuff. It's the same as when somebody starts a sentence "Honestly...", you know they're about to lie.

But as to original poster's point - the freeware section is working as intended. I was looking for something a few weeks ago and the first several matches to a simple Google search pointed to the GAOTD freeware section. I clicked a couple and the links were completely useless. The freeware section is designed, or gamed, to get search engine hits, it's not intended to actually provide usable results.

Posted 12 years ago #
Idunnobutiwastold
Gaming Acolyte

Joking aside. GOTD is clearly using upfront methods to generate traffic (social media, mostly).
However, I for one would like to see the Freeware Section cleaned-up. That way, links could then be browsed with ease, same as the other reputable freeware sites on the Internet.

Posted 12 years ago #
Anonymous
Unregistered

Thanks for all the comments.

Let me give you an example of the Freeware I've written that I'm hesitating to post in the Freeware section:

Winabler is a drag-and-drop object enabler with standard Windows® menu object capture ability.

Have you ever been evaluating software and discovered a feature you wanted to try was disabled or "grayed out"? Well, Winabler will usually enable the feature regardless of the software's intentions. It particularly comes in handy when a program contains features that are crippled by disabling buttons, drop-down boxes or the like and you want to fully evaluate the "crippleware" prior to possibly purchasing it.

Winabler v.2.0.0.2
Screenshot

Winabler is Freeware. Keep it in your favorite toolbox for that time you really need it.

Posted 12 years ago #
Anonymous
Unregistered
One more thing:

For those of you who may be tempted to cry foul at the thought of criticizing the guy who uploaded all the "Free Puzzle" software, here are some of the examples of the puzzle names uploaded:
1. cure-for-anxiety-puzzle L2k8dfjd
2. fast-fat-loss-puzzle s5dfJH6n
3. fat-burning-foods-for-women-puzzle s3dvJ7m
4. social-anxiety-disorder-test-puzzle o4Pj7Rl
5. Freepee Puzzle lslk9-s2gnw
6. PFpcl Puzzle
7. px90 workout bird puzzle
8. Scentsy Puzzle
9. NaturalPenusEnlargement Puzzle sqjsiwkqkhhsjq
10. Get Paid For Reviews Puzzle kqjslqjwwhqj
11. AFM Affiliate Marketing Money Puzzle
12. Money Making Puzzle h19arkon-@12
13. SG School Grants Puzzle
14. DS Jiggsaw Puzzle
15. Pole Barn Packages Puzzle pqlskahhhsqknsqhh
16. Cure For Panic Attack Puzzle smnqjsklashqhhw
17. Dentist San Diego
18. Tinnitus Jackle Puzzle
19. dcbd2007
20. bdt2008
21. BYD Yoga Relax Puzzle
22. RBM_puzzle_n8@-1TmL9anw3
...and my all-time favorite:

HCH Hemorrhoid Tinkerbell Puzzle

...you guessed it, you get pimped to http://howtocurehemorrhoid.com/...

Here's the true tragedy; of the first 500 results searching for "puzzle", I only found these TWO legitimate programs (at first glance):
1. Fancy Puzzle
2. 123 Free Puzzle - Card Games Collection
I really pity the uploaders of these two free programs. They must be mightily discouraged that all the puzzle spam is hiding their quality stuff from the world. We can't really expect them to continue their generosity, now, can we?

Kerry
Posted 12 years ago #
Anonymous
Unregistered

You know... I think I'd like to be the moderator for the Freeware area. I'd keep it pristine and laugh in the face of spammers. I can write deletion software that would keep up with their randomized-speed-posting software with no problem.

Anyone have an idea who I should point to this post concerning managing the Freeware area?

Posted 12 years ago #
graylox
Moderator

Hi, Kerry, to your question whom to contact, please read my first answer.
We are only volunteer administrators in the forums. I have already contacted the keymaster, but it is always better, when other users contact the team too.

As far as I know, there are capable programmers in the GOTD Project Team. And watching the rankings of this site, I'm not afraid, that they do a bad job - though there is always a reason for improvement.

Thank you for your concerns.

graylox

Posted 12 years ago #
Robert
StrayCat

Someone moderating(and updating) the freeware section sounds like a great idea.

Just wondering..
why Tinkertoys dot net doesn't provide a viewable download section (obviously ever since 2007) ... and doesn't even mention Winabler.

Posted 12 years ago #
Anonymous
Unregistered

Hmmm. How to answer that...

I used to mention it but took Winabler down when the WinAble virus hit. People were confusing my program as a virus and it steamed me.

Well, I've only recently started gathering all the stuff I've written to post there. You might say Life got in the way :)

I'll be updating it soon.

And, thanks to you for replying, too, graylox.

Posted 12 years ago #
delenn13
Minbari Ambassador

Thanks, Kerry for the program and Good luck!

Posted 12 years ago #
Anonymous
Unregistered

You're welcome. Enjoy :)

Posted 12 years ago #
Lester (Chip)
English Mod

I think many forgot about the freeware section a long time ago, I know I did lol

Posted 12 years ago #
watcher13
Member

I hope this won't be seen as a criticism to GOTD. I'm sympathetic to their problem here, although putting a name to it might not be what they would want. GOTD has faced this problem before, with services they've offered malfunctioning which made them look bad. Do you drop those services or fix them? In those cases, they did an admirable job fixing them. Whether it's worth it to spend the time in this case....

If I'm right in my speculation, the freeware files section was more of an intentional afterthought than anything else. In other words, to have one just to say that they had one. Makes the sight look more comprehensive. Obviously, allows the developer's to attract more attention to themselves beyond their on site adds. Of course, it's a standard practice: if the developers have any useful freeware they've made "lying around", why not offer it with your paid software to attract more views to your page, and, hopefully, get more purchases on your useful commercial stuff? And why not also attract more attention by making it available on useful file depositories like this one. And, if the section attracts non-client developers, it just makes it look more comprehensive.

The sad truth, of course, is that the scammers and spammers never rest in their efforts to spread their corruption through their endless ripoff attempts. That's the conundrum: is it worth GOTD allocating precious time and, possibly, limited resources to police something that's really not an integral part of what they do - something that even COMPETES against the project's primary purpose, since it could present free alternatives to that day's giveaway? As to voluntary moderation, we had this discussion quite awhile back about main page moderation. The idea was that it was problematic to give volunteers the necessary permissions since you had to worry about their intentions, their time, their devotion, even whether the problem could be solved by one person. I expressed the technical opinion that it usually doesn't require such comprehensive "keys to the kingdom", but we never adequately resolved that question. Peaking that far behind the curtain makes some people here anxious, though that's partly because they think I want to know ALL the secrets. However, I actually don't have the time, the patience, or the boredom threshold to care THAT much.

Along the lines of what Chip said, I used to use the freeware section, but, since there are sites that are better organized (that's, again "of course", intentional), I've forgotten about it.

Posted 12 years ago #
Anonymous
Unregistered

http://hosts-file.net/default.asp?s=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.giveawayoftheday.com%2F

Classification: MMT - Sites engaged in the use of misleading marketing tactics
may be talk to Hphosts and fix it ?

The sad truth is that GOTD last 2 day spam it like we like spam tell me why ?
tipard com
http://www.siteadvisor.com/sites/http%3A//www.tipard.com/video-converter.html

spam

http://www.mywot.com/en/scorecard/tipard.com

Spam

http://hosts-file.net/?s=tipard.com

Query: tipard.com
This site is currently listed in hpHosts
Host: tipard.com ( 2 H )
Current IP*: 208.43.131.62 ( 2 H )
IP PTR: 208.43.131.62-static.reverse.softlayer.com
Added: 23-04-2009
Added By: MysteryFCM
Updated: 23-04-2010
Classification: EMD - sites engaged in malware distribution

http://www.websecurityguard.com/detail.aspx?domain=tipard.com&url=tipard.com

Posted 12 years ago #
Anonymous
Unregistered

Any idea why the Freeware Section is still in "Beta 2" (top of the page) after all this time? Seems it's been months.

I'll be asking the devs, too, but wanted to see what forum users knew.

Posted 12 years ago #
Lester (Chip)
English Mod

Seems it's been months.

Months? Try years lol

Posted 12 years ago #
Giveaway of the Day project team
Key Master

Hello everybody!

First of all let us thank you all for your concerns and suggestions regarding GOTD freeware library. We created that part of the project for you to be able to find free alternatives for the titles no more available as giveaways.

Unfortunately, further proper support of this section is impossible due to technical reasons. Thus the decision was made to close it permanently.

We are sorry for any inconvenience it may cause.

Best regards,
GOTD project team

Posted 12 years ago #
graylox
Moderator

Hello Team :)

That is a wise decision, indeed.
It's not only better for your clients - users and developers - but for the reputation of the GOTD project too.

Thanks for the info!

graylox

PS: Is there any hope, that there is a cure for the ailing voting system too?

Posted 12 years ago #
Anonymous
Unregistered

I agree, graylox. Good call, Key Master :)

Posted 12 years ago #

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