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Fake "Download" links on http://getpaint.net


OddLlama

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Well, I just found this: http://forums.getpaint.net/index.php?/topic/9922-paintnet-misleading-advertisements-leadng-to-spyware/

I don't want new paint.NET-ers to be fooled by this sort of stuff.

 

Probably need to re-revive that or something. So many times has a user clicked one of the advertisements that have a big "Download" button:

lZT8v.png

 

So here are the two websites I got redirected to.

http://get.zoomdownloader.com/go/downloadmanager?creative_id=mediumagg&source=google_display_zoomdownloader_US-250x250-rightbottom&subid=software&subid2=www.getpaint.net

http://www.wisedownloads.com/go/pdfcreator?creative_id=mediumagg&source=google_pdfcreator-display-transparent-US-336x280&subid=software&subid2=www.getpaint.net

Someone can report that or something I guess. Apparently Google will then get rid of them. DESTROY THE FAKE DOWNLOADS!!!!!! :D

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Here is my website - http://www.oddllama.cu.cc

Here is my gallery - http://oddalpaca.deviantart.com/gallery

Am I odd? - yes

Am I a llama? - yes

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Install an ad-blocker and the ads will go away. Yes they are ADVERTISEMENTS and not fake downloads.

The appealing download buttons are intended to be targeted by people who don't read the fine print first. In your screenshot it is stated in plain text what the button will download - you just didn't read it.

As BoltBait famously said "installing it is an IQ test".

Moral of the story: Be very careful what you click on. Be doubly careful what you install.

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@Odd, As EER said, "The appealing download buttons are intended to be targeted by people who don't read the fine print first. In your screenshot it is stated in plain text what the button will download - you just didn't read it."

Nos

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I agree 100% with OddLlama. Ads are necessary but this type of ad is unacceptable.

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[i write plugins and stuff]

If you like a post, upvote it!

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The subject of the ads has been raised before.  They provide an income stream for Rick, so it's entirely his call.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Agree on all points.

The issue can be partially solved by posting a statement that is very visible along these lines:

"The following ads are provided by Google at random to help pay the bills. We do not specifically endorse an ad."

 

Or place a box outline in color around them so that folks realize that the ads are NOT the site's specific endorsements.

 

Most ads appear to be site sponsored; ergo, people click on them. For the veterans amongst us, no issue; but it could be a newbie that falls.

 

Make the PAINT.NET DOWNLOAD button stand out; eliminate the possibility of confusion.

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A simple solution may be to make a simple 1 pixel-width black outline around the ad to separate it from the rest of the page. I think a large part of the issue is that ads look too much like a part of the page because of the white background on the ad.

For example:

adsolution_zps9b87db7f.png

Edited by pdnnoob

No, Paint.NET is not spyware...but, installing it is an IQ test. ~BoltBait

Blend modes are like the filling in your sandwich. It's the filling that can change your experience of the sandwich. ~Ego Eram Reputo

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As someone new here I just wanted to mention I was directed to one of those sites. Maybe I get confused too easy but I downloaded one of the bad ones and lt wanted me to download 6 other items first. Problem was if i declined one it wouldn't let me download Paintnet. I'm persistent and liked to try Paintnet so i googled it for the main site and found it. Thing is if I gave up easy I wouldn't be here so I think oddllama is right and it needs to stand out more, who knows how many people gave up or thought it was a scam because of what I went through. Just saying.

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People who wander around the Internet without using an adblocker really make me wonder; just like I would if I saw someone out my window

wandering around and shivering in the cold rain without coat or umbrella.

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@Moparguy1966 glad you persisted! welcome to the forum and to paint.net. May your stay be long and prosperous! ;D

@kreemoweet can't say I disagree. but...those people are out there, so we must do our best to accommodate.

No, Paint.NET is not spyware...but, installing it is an IQ test. ~BoltBait

Blend modes are like the filling in your sandwich. It's the filling that can change your experience of the sandwich. ~Ego Eram Reputo

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  • 3 years later...

Sorry to necro this thread, but I also wanted to comment and this was the top Google result.  I also initially downloaded the wrong installer package at first thanks to these ads.  Fortunately I knew something was wrong when it wanted me to download and install all this other garbage. 

 

It was on a work PC (not mine) that did not have an ad-blocker installed.  Being a work PC, we do not necessarily have authorization or even appropriate privileges to modify things (yay for Corporate IT!)

 

Anyway, while ad-blockers are great in most cases, when an author relies on the ad income, it seems wrong to just say "Just use an ad-blocker and you won't see them."

 

My $0.02

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When you see these ads, there's an X button on the top right of the ad you can use to report it. Please do so!

 

Google said they had cleaned this up and we need to both help them and hold them accountable.

The Paint.NET Blog: https://blog.getpaint.net/

Donations are always appreciated! https://www.getpaint.net/donate.html

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I'd like to point out a small point in that the name "paint.net" sounds FAKE! Who names a product with a DOT in it? I know too late now, but really an interesting marketing decision in my opinion; it makes a cautious person encountering the name for the first time to think "scam?"

I'm the type of person who wants to go to a real-looking website that offers a direct hyperlink to the file, period; not get it through several links to other links, or off Softonic, or cnet, etc. So there is a mentality that sees a link that looks direct, that works fast and still is NOT real and people will still click through. Smartphones have not helped, as people's thumbs are faster than people's brains. If I recommend the program, and I do all the time, I send them to http://www.dotpdn.com/downloads/pdn.html

please tell me that's the real deal; it's the first result of a basic Google search. Thanks.

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p.s. When I was doing Internet marketing, Google offered me the ability to display my product ads directly opposite any search that contained my product's keywords; if they still do that it's something to consider; the cost was small then, but then also we made a profit on sales, so it wais a different animal. Having a legitimate ad appear with the search was a way to insure customers would go to our site, and not competitors, and since the links were the same, it validated the link.

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17 hours ago, Retiredslacker said:

I'd like to point out a small point in that the name "paint.net" sounds FAKE! Who names a product with a DOT in it? I know too late now, but really an interesting marketing decision in my opinion; it makes a cautious person encountering the name for the first time to think "scam?"

I'm the type of person who wants to go to a real-looking website that offers a direct hyperlink to the file, period; not get it through several links to other links, or off Softonic, or cnet, etc. So there is a mentality that sees a link that looks direct, that works fast and still is NOT real and people will still click through. Smartphones have not helped, as people's thumbs are faster than people's brains. If I recommend the program, and I do all the time, I send them to http://www.dotpdn.com/downloads/pdn.html

please tell me that's the real deal; it's the first result of a basic Google search. Thanks.

 

".NET" (pronounce: dot-net) is the name of a software platform developed by Microsoft from 1990 until today. It is most famous for the .NET framework, an extensive code base in various programming languages. One of those languages is C# (pronounce: "c sharp"), the language Paint.NET is coded in. Since you cannot name the program "Paint" like in "MS Paint", the chosen name is "Paint.NET". Nothing "fake" about that.

The URL "paint.net" (meanwhile a redirect, what a waste!) was already taken, so the alternate URL "getpaint.net" was registered as homepage. dotpdn.com is the homepage of the dotPDN LLC, the company "behind" the software.

 

I think this is all one needs to know to see why the name is legit and good as it is.

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!st time I installed pdn, I d/l'ed installer from cnet.

on another computer I 'googled' & installed 1st link, turned out to be a new toolbar got installed, page looked like yours, , , fortunately, it uninstalled with no ill after effects.

 

-c- 

'Where's my plinth?'

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13 hours ago, LWChris said:

 

".NET" (pronounce: dot-net) is the name of a software platform developed by Microsoft from 1990 until today. It is most famous for the .NET framework, an extensive code base in various programming languages. One of those languages is C# (pronounce: "c sharp"), the language Paint.NET is coded in. Since you cannot name the program "Paint" like in "MS Paint", the chosen name is "Paint.NET". Nothing "fake" about that.

The URL "paint.net" (meanwhile a redirect, what a waste!) was already taken, so the alternate URL "getpaint.net" was registered as homepage. dotpdn.com is the homepage of the dotPDN LLC, the company "behind" the software.

 

I think this is all one needs to know to see why the name is legit and good as it is.

well obviously not. Since I never heard this stuff, and I asked a friend and they hadn't, I guess one needs to know quite a deal more than you assume. Thanks.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 23.12.2016 at 8:22 PM, Retiredslacker said:

I guess one needs to know quite a deal more than you assume.

 

Hi there! :)

 

Well, you said you never heard about the framework and you didn't understand the name. That was my point, because now that you have the knowledge about the .NET framework, you do after all understand the reasoning behind the name, don't you?

 

That's what I meant with "I think this is all one needs to know to see why the name is legit". It was not my intention to say everyone has to know that, because although the .NET framework is installed on every PC since Windows XP (so for 15 years now), it is more of a "silent" attendant. Actually I guess apart from programmers almost nobody knows about it, maybe "it is installed" if at all. I assume it might even be less commonly known than Direct X, because that piece of software is more troublesome so people have heard about it from error reports. ;)

 

So what I wanted to say in one sentence: I see why people might be confused about a software being call ".net", but my post should provide all the information you need to see 1) why the name was chosen, and 2) how the software, the company and the websites are related to each other.

 

Happy new year!

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  • 3 weeks later...

Re: LWChris explanation:

 

Well consider this: just because you can explain it, define it and relate it, doesn't make it a good idea or name. I still think it's a terrible name for a product, but to give us some perspective consider these two gems from World-Class Marketing Powerhouses

:

Pepsi's slogan "Pepsi Brings You Back to Life" was debuted in China as "Pepsi Brings You Back from the Grave."

 

Coca-Cola's brand name, when first marketed in China, was sometimes translated as "Bite The Wax Tadpole."

 

So I guess the name won't kill your chances...however, note that in each case they re-named again! :)

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