uTorrent Listens To Reddit After Backlash Over Toolbar Installer

enigmax
October 30, 2012
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A backlash among Reddit users has seen BitTorrent Inc. criticized over the way revenue-generating addons were presented in parallel with uTorrent client downloads. The company informs TorrentFreak that it always considers feedback, aims to provide a good customer experience, and will introduce changes soon. But whatever they are, is it really possible to please all of the people all of the time, especially ones whose requirements are “no-strings free” at all times?

Apparently everything is available for free on the web these days. Music, movies, TV shows, games – you name it – it’s all just a click away.

New business models must be found, the tide is way too strong to hold back, the genie is out of the bottle. It’s reportedly get real or get out time, or so the sound bites go.

BitTorrent users, in one form or another, have been held to blame for much of the above scenario, along with their main weapon of choice, uTorrent. But market forces are interesting beasts and ones that don’t exist in a vacuum.

BitTorrent Inc., the company behind the completely legal uTorrent, has worked hard to develop both itself and its software, but as it grows so do its costs. Somehow revenue has to be generated and these days, when you’re a company employing around 80 staff, that has to be a significant amount.

So, just like the entertainment companies who struggle to make money against free, BitTorrent Inc. has to employ techniques to give away their free product, in this instance uTorrent, and bring in the bucks at the same time.

In part this is achieved by selling uTorrent Plus, which is essentially the regular uTorrent with anti-virus, media playing and conversion functions built in. Revenue is also generated by bundling optional addons, such as a toolbar, with the free uTorrent, but a new method of offering these extras has managed to irritate a bunch of Reddit users.

The complaint centers around a single but very important button on the uTorrent site – the “Free Download” button, as illustrated below.

The problem is that the button isn’t a simple one-click download. Once a user hovers over it ready to click, the button and surrounding areas quickly change to include extra information.

The very eager user will simply see “Download” directly under their mouse pointer and will just click away, but the more cautious will notice that there are three options – all preselected – which relate to extra features and bundled revenue-generating software. You can test for yourself here.

Obviously BitTorrent Inc. need to make money, but the main complaints seem to center around the way this download page has been configured to encourage a skipping over the details (and therefore the installation of potentially unwanted software) in order to obtain a quick download.

While critics might argue that people should read what they’re agreeing to before clicking, BitTorrent Inc. say that the changes are recent and were implemented to streamline the uTorrent installation experience.

“We’ve been offering the toolbar for years as a way to support the development of our software so users can get it free,” a spokesman told TorrentFreak.

“We recently moved the toolbar to the download page so we could have more flexibility in how we describe the toolbar’s torrent-specific features and also shorten and clean up our installer, an ongoing process.”

But what is clear from the posts on Reddit and elsewhere is that the changes aren’t popular. With that in mind, BitTorrent Inc., which has a record of listening to its users, says it will do some restructuring.

“We have read feedback including the Reddit posts, and are planning adjustments to improve the experience,” their spokesperson concludes.

While we wait for the changes to be confirmed (they will apparently arrive tomorrow), what is interesting to observe is how relatively easily some BitTorrent users, despite getting a free product in return, are upset by tactics they perceive as being less than upfront.

The Reddit thread is full of threats to switch to different clients and as always there is a tendency to suggest clients with less intrusive revenue generating mechanisms, fewer adverts, then ultimately ones that offer a plain client with nothing added at all.

It seems that having to compete with free is a reality even for BitTorrent clients these days. How times change.

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http://twitter.com/RealStatikShock Statik Shock

I personally think people should read what they’re downloading. That being said. It should remain as it currently is.
- Fff
  
  Tricking people into installing spyware on their computer is NEVER a good idea. I don’t care what the software is you’re installing. Fuck everything about this.
  - logicslayer
    
    It’s no trick, it’s called read what you’re installing.
    - krazyfrog
      
      People would read if the text is not hidden like this. No one would just assume looking at the button that you need to hover over it to get the option to uncheck the crapware. Almost everyone would just click thinking it’s a simple button. I mean, seriously, do you hover over every download button thinking there would be a hidden menu?
      
      I’m not against bundling ads but this is a cheap tactic by µTorrent.
    - Seltox
      
      I can tell you right now that 70% of the time i’d move my mouse there and click the download button before I even have a chance to realise the information changes, which is going to piss me off because I have to delete the installer I downloaded, go back & read what I missed, and redownload.
      
      I don’t think any reasonable person is against them putting this stuff on the page, and no reasonable person is against bundling the ads – it’s just that they actually hide the information until a certain task is performed, and it can be missed. There is no reason not to put it in plain sight.
    - Guest
      
      It is a trick. Buttons are considered “clickable” items. You don’t expect a sneaky div to appear (with malware) when you hover over a button with the intention of clicking it in a timely manner.
      
      It’s a bit underhanded…
    - Anakedwombat
      
      problem is with some installers you dont get the option to opt out.you for teh average person not to savie doest see the custom or advance install which leads to the unhidden selections
      other problem is you ned up with so many crappy toolbars on your web browser that it makes it difficult to navagate had one person half the page was taken up with tool bars had to remove them.
    - Mat_t
      
      It’s different if it’s intentionally hidden by the time the user moves forward and clicks download.
      
      That’s called “legal shenanigans”, and hopefully will end in either utorrent backing down (as it rightfully has), or them getting sued in court.
      
      In no way, shape or form is consumer deception acceptable.
    - quawonk
      
      People would read this if it was upfront before you clicked the button and not in a popup that appears after hovering over it.
      
      Do you sit and read through those gigantic “license agreement” documents full of legalese with every single little thing you install? You must have nothing better to do with your time.
    - logicslayer
      
      If anyone knew anything about computer security, they wouldn’t go clicking willy-nilly. The behavior you’re describing, is exactly what gets people infected. Educate yourselves and get back to me.
    - p3ngwin
      
      no, it’s called a “bait ‘n’ switch”
  - http://www.facebook.com/people/Zak-Kirkpatrick/22906930 Zak Kirkpatrick
    
    Not all bundled software is “spyware”, and I’m confident that you do not know for a fact that this bundled software is spyware. I would in fact doubt that it is spyware, it is simply unwanted.
    
    Also, you would likely not be tricked to install it, you’d probably notice well before the download completed, you’d cancel the download, or at worst cancel the install and go back to see what they did…
    
    Why do we need damn warning labels and training wheels on every damn thing out there these days…??
    
    With that being said, yes, a bit too sneaky on uTorrent’s design of that page. I’m sure someone thought they were being clever when they wrote up that particular element, and now they are probably catching holy hell at the office.
- roadkill
  
  I agree mate, but sadly, some people just don’t think before taking certain actions. Also, sadly, these are in the majority.
  - XiaolinDraconis
    
    DONT THINK? you people are disgusting, nobody “thinks” before clicking a button clearly labeled “next” which is essentially what a large button labeled DOWNLOAD would be. would not have been hard to place a note at the bottom of that button stating “Hover for more options.”
- Scary_Devil_Monastery
  
  Yes and no. I fully agree that people need to be more aware of what they are downloading and installing.
  
  That said, like Fff has it, tricking people into installing unasked-for apps is NEVER a good idea. For the simple reason that it generates bad will among the consumers. Honestly, it’s a bit like obtaining a game disc and finding out later on that the DRM messes up your computer configuration…
mart_n

Whiny little bastards. Is it really that difficult to uncheck a box if you don’t want any of the bundled software on offer? No.. everything must be 100% free for the greedy masses *sigh*
- DrDavidKellysCorpse
  
  Read the fucking article you dumb cunt
  - mart_n
    
    I did read it, asshole. It’s about a load of moany little children throwing their toys out of the pram because a company has dared to try making a few bucks on their software. Look at the title of the Reddit thread.. ‘scumbag move’ lmao
    
    The ironing is delicious. These people want free software so that they can download a world of other free stuff.. and have the nerve to call uTorrent an underhanded company? Jesus wept…
    
    If you don’t want the bundled software then bloody uncheck the box.. it’s not exactly rocket science.
    - Cheesethief
      
      This IS Torrentfreak we’re talking about here, I think the words ‘give back’ are slightly lost on most of the posters here
    - logicslayer
      
      You…I like you.
    - krazyfrog
      
      You seem particularly dimwitted so let me spell it out for you. People are not mad because of µTorrent is bundling crapware with their software. People are mad because of the sleazy way they hide the check boxes and fool people into downloading the software without letting them know till the last minute. The download details aren’t made clearly visible. You only see them a microsecond before you click on the button. This is why people are mad.
    - EveryWoman2535
      
      Actually you don’t see any warning at all when you are asked to finish your update. There’s no indication that you have to “hover” over the button to see the options, and I saw no indication that I was installing anything other than the update as it was actually installing either.
    - IHaveNoBalls
      
      It seems like a waste of time to trick people into installing their toolbar this way. The people who don’t want toolbars will get rid of it instantly so whats the point. This seems like a cheap trick to get some extra installations. This deceiving attitude on utorrent’s part, doesn’t look good for their image, good to know they are doing something about it though
    - Guest
      
      BitTorrent Inc. is utterly retarded for trying to monetize uTorrent by having people install shitware on their systems. That is a fail business model right there.
      
      Tricking people into installing it is fail^2.
      
      That anyone would defend this foolishness boggles the mind.
      
      They could display banner ads in the uTorrent installer, they could start accepting donations, they could open up a Cafe Press and sell BitTorrent branded merchandise, they could charge *one* fucking dollar for uTorrent Plus. There are a few ways they could make money but they chose the stupidest possible one.
      
      And when it doesn’t bring in enough cash, do they change business models? NOPE. They just decide to push the shitware more aggressively.
      
      Fucking dumbasses.
    - Guest
      
      How is having check boxes on the SAME PAGE, YOU DOWNLOAD IT FROM, hiding it?
      
      Oh yeah, its because you’re a bunch of click happy n00bs
    - Scary_Devil_Monastery
      
      That’s not the problem. Unchecking the box and bundled adware has NEVER been a problem.
      
      What people are upset about is that the bundling is hidden in a way which doesn’t allow most users to take a stand on it.
      
      That’s a bit of deception no sane person would feel was “OK”.
    - XiaolinDraconis
      
      We would have un-checked those boxes if we knew they existed, the point of the argument is the under-handed and well hidden placement of said check boxes. Dumbass.
- Tech
  
  Get off your high horse. Not all computer users know about this type of bullshit, in fact, most don’t, as anyone who fixes computers will know. But look how great and superior you are because you’ve been using computers for a while and wont fall for this devious crap.
  
  We’re not whining for our own sakes, where trying to protect those who don’t know about this shit.
  - Matías Guzmán
    
    Well, some of us just don’t give two craps about shitty newb users who can’t read. Fuck them.
    - Tech
      
      Then why are you on here whining about them like some corporate whore?
      
      Not all of us are sad, pathetic, elitist cunts who think we’re better than other people based on their computer literacy.
      
      Some of us do give a shit about this type of stuff and it’s because of people like us that the internet is actually usable. If it wasn’t for people like us, security software would not exist, ad-blockers would not exist, pop-up blockers would not exist and every other website you visited would rape your computer to death.
    - EveryWoman2535
      
      Please don’t feed the Troll
  - Scary_Devil_Monastery
    
    Speak for yourself. I’m mainly whining about it because when the click-happy Luser gets adware, they come to me in order to get it fixed.
    
    Their problem becomes mine. And I don’t like that.
    - Justbowlinm8
      
      fag
- PelouzeTF
  
  It isnt difficult and apparently most freeloaders are reasonably tech savvy…..on the other hand, they’re also whiney little douches who’ll moan about any little thing if its not completely free and unencumbered.
  - use vuze
    
    toolbar fanboy.
    
    What a peloser.
    - PelouzeTF
      
      “Toolbar fanboy” what are you even talking about ? Were you attempting an insult ? Please tell me you weren’t lol.
    - Again
      
      peloser
  - Scary_Devil_Monastery
    
    Why am I not surprised to see you astonished at the idea that most normal people don’t like the idea of “deliberate deception”?
    
    Oh wait…as usual you aren’t concerned about the topic at hand as long as you can tack on a line of irrelevant bile thrown at pirates…
    - PelouzeTF
      
      We’re not talking about “most normal” people. We’re talking about people who don’t read shit before clicking a button. It really was that simple.
      
      These people are why there are dumb slogans on automobile mirrors say “objects in mirror are closer than they appear”……its why idiots sign up for loans they don’t understand then blame everyone else, its why people get prosecuted for downloading/uploading claiming it was everyone else but them.
      
      So no…..not most normal people at all.
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SERIK

I wonder if these kind of people read Terms and Conditions )
- abc
  
  I wonder what kind of people have the time to read Terms and Conditions
- Scary_Devil_Monastery
  
  They probably do…if the “terms and conditions” were legible.
  
  Put it like this, would you feel comfortable with signing a contract where the sales rep flashes the ToS for half a second before your eyes and then points at the other paper in front of you, going “Sign here, please”?
Pasttense

Some of us don’t have these problems because we stuck with Utorrent 2.2.1.
- Guest
  
  Some of us dont have these problems CAUSE WE READ WHAT WE ARE FUCKING INSTALLING
  - lattari
    
    So all of a sudden people here are too cool to complain and ok with hidden adware? Give me a break.
Anonymous

if something is advertised as being free, it should be exactly that. there should be no ‘add-ons’ of any sort unless they are clearly displayed and whether there are options of not installing what is not wanted. too much so-called ‘free software’ is going down this path. be open, be honest or lose customers. simples!
- logicslayer
  
  Keep living in your little dream world. Even if you can’t see these “, go ahead and assume they’re there. Nothing in this world is free.
  - Matías Guzmán
    
    It’s called GNU biatch
    - Martinez
      
      I agree. If cost is a problem, maybe uTorrent should consider switching their code from proprietary to open-source. That would save them money.
  - Scary_Devil_Monastery
    
    Damn, you mean sourceforge doesn’t exist?
    
    Have you told Stallman about this? I think he needs to know.
Moe Green

Hey, what’s that *BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP* sound I can hear?
DutchGuest

Considering about 90% of torrent clients these days actually IS free with no strings attached, i don’t get those last lines….

If Cohen (and by extension Bittorrent Inc.) wanted to assure themselves of a consistent revenue stream through Bittorrent, then making the Bittorrent protocol public domain and basically telling everyone that they could make their own versions as they saw fit was a GIANT mistake.
That he later decided to go closed source with Bittorrent (and µTorrent following suit of course) was too little, too late.
He fucked up, and he knows it.

Hell, speaking of µTorrent, it WAS actually one of the most shining examples of a free torrent client with no strings attached until ludde decided to sell it to Cohen and his consorts.
I guess Cohen figured he might make some cash through µTorrent, seeing as it’s huge userbase might be stupid enough to fall for stuff like the toolbar, the ads announced earlier this, and god knows what else they have in store.
But as it turns out, people don’t care for this type of bait and switch, where something starts out free and then gradually becomes a paid software, something which has been proven time and again since the late 70′s.
It’s never truly worked and never will.

Bottom line is that there are free alternatives out there that have no strings attached, and if Cohen doesn’t want to lose his userbase to those other clients (something which will eventually prove to be impossible if he continues with Bittorrent Inc. on this current course), he needs to do the thinking about generating revenue himself, and come up with feasible ways to make money, rather than letting shady marketing cunts pull this sort of trick that a lot of sheeple will not find very amusing.

People hate advertising, and they hate this sort of ‘try to sneak one by the user’ tricks that are the staple of adware/malware, and if there is one person who should know this through experience, it’s Bram Cohen.
The fact that this happened shows to me that either Cohen has lost control, or he’s desperate, and neither seems like a very good thing.

But Hell, what do i care ?
I switched to Deluge a while back and i haven’t missed µTorrent one bit.
- http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=516039749 facebook-516039749
  
  qBitTorrent and Tixati are great alternatives too!
- lattari
  
  Good post. The fucker would be swimming in money had he kept the bittorrent protocol to himself. I wonder how much he regrets that.
  - Anyone
    
    doubtful it would have become that popular if he did that
    then it would just have been another of many MANY P2P protocols at the time with just one client
    
    by going open source it was able to spread so fast and become so popular
o.O?

one Time, I unchecked everything when installing uTorrent and I still got the damn toolbar. After a few face-lifts later, I dropped the downloaded entirely and went to tixati. I’m a eve-online player so i like to get my daily graphs and charts porn.
http://profiles.google.com/orfetheo Orfeas Theofanis

Well, I bet not even 1% of uTorrent users pay for premium.
How is uTorrent supposed to give you a free and awesome application without getting paid? It can’t!

Tbh I switched to Vuze for the direct in-client searches and Swarm discoveries (thank you TF for showing me that), but I believe uTorrent is the best and simplest client out there.
- DutchGuest
  
  They can’t keep it free huh ?
  Try telling that to the folks who made Deluge, rtorrent, ABC/Bittornado, ktorrent, qbittorrent, transmission…
  And god knows how many others.
  
  And let’s not get started about GNU, Linux, and god knows how many GPL/GNU licensed softwares and OS’es that are out there.
- Gma
  
  What do you mean by they can’t?
  
  I might be wrong for now, but believe me that one day all software will be open source. I’ll keep my finger crossed.
  
  But for now, if you don’t like it (talking about uTorrent) remember that there is always alternative
  
  http://www.lmgtfy.com/?q=utorrent+alternative
  http://alternativeto.net/software/torrent/
  
  Long live open source developer!
Himpulat

This is a real problem, I’m not stupid (me thinks) and I tried to get the download without the smut but even tho I knew to be on the lookout I still klicked download before unchecking anything, beceuse did not know when and where it woud come up, so they got me too (I canceled the DL beceuse am a uT user already), so pretty sneaky yeah!
Montisaquadeis

There is a reason I personally get rid of utorrent in favor of something that is open sourced. Currently using Tixati as my main torrent software.
logicslayer

Normally I can agree with the hive mind. But in this case, the’re being a bunch of whiny little bitches.
Roswell1701

This is such a common practice that it’s not worth mentioning. REED BEFORE YOU DOWNLOAD…
- Scary_Devil_Monastery
  
  The point is that you usually don’t get the chance. You actually need to hover over the download button for some time BEFORE the ToS and what will get installed actually appears.
  
  That’s called “deliberate deception” and most people aren’t too keen at that, no matter what they are being deceived about.
  
  Normally I don’t think anyone has any problems with the installer giving you a popup on what gets installed or not, but this is just an attempt to sneak it under the average users radar.
  - Roswell1701
    
    Interesting… It’s been a long, long time since I installed uTorrent. This must be something new. Still, people should pay close attention when downloading ANYTHING. Remember, there’s no such thing as a free lunch. Some one, somewhere, is picking up the tab. :)
Skilo

Plenty of other opensource free alternatives, Deluge,Vuze,Tribler,Shareaza,Frostwire just to name a few.
I_troll_you_not

Just download Utorrent then use that to download Utorrent Plus.

No Problem?
Pingback: uTorrent Listens To Reddit After Backlash Over Toolbar Installer | Best Seedbox
Matías Guzmán

Why would anyone want to use Utorrent Plus? it’s like uTorrent but with a lot of crap built in…
Andrew Lee

I’m confused why people are bitching about this.. The reason behind this is almost everything free today is packaged with bullshit software you can “here is the key” OPT THE FUCK OUT… I always decline/cancel to the point of my installer closing so I can know where the true end of the line is.

Sure it’s a pain in the ass but really it’s the norm these days. However I’d probably spend a few nights in jail for a chance to kick the first person that had the idea to do this in the nuts. Same goes for captcha “thank heavens for decaptcher services”, hot topic, and Betamax.
I was going to include the TSA to that list but I don’t feel like ending up in Gitmo for being a “terrorist”.

Alright but seriously people you should make it a common practice to see what addons are included with a download/installer. If you don’t you could end up with a system full of bull stop spying on my shitware.
- Tt
  
  you idiot! it pop’s up to fast. it’s a slight trick to trick people into accepting it. thats why people are upset.
- IHaveNoBalls
  
  Its not the toolbar they have a problem with, its that users are being tricked into installing it. How hard is that to understand?
- Scary_Devil_Monastery
  
  The point being that here uTorrent didn’t give you the option to choose in the installer. They cleverely hid the opt-out option in a way which is guaranteed to fool most of the crowd out there.
  
  save for us cunning old bastards who know a few of the tricks of the trade…
Guest

Javascript turned off = no pop up / install options.

Does that mean you just get all the extras unwanted or not without any choice or are the usual defaulted options available during install?
45King

Just use uTorrent 2.2.1

Best version EVER made imo..

Download here: http://www.datafilehost.com/download-a1c294d3.html
- Tech
  
  Nobody should trust that download link, especially since the filesize doesn’t match an version of 2.2.1. I’m not saying it is actually malicious, but it’s certainly dodgy.
  
  If anyone wants to download 2.2.1 then they can get it from one of the links below:
  
  http://www.oldapps.com/utorrent.php?old_utorrent=8134
  http://www.filehippo.com/download_utorrent/9859/
  - Cifelius
    
    Thx for your precious suggestion, cheers
Yonutz

2.2.1 until the end of the world or torrents :))
http://www.facebook.com/djdutrow Robert Dutrow

That’s why I still run uT 1.7.1
Guest

Warning: in this comment I’m going to share my *gasp* personal option. don’t bother reading if you’re a torrentfreak fanboy.

Seriously, this article is poorly written, it’s like fox news. It’s written to make us think utorrent isn’t earning thousands/millions from it’s service already by saying how much these toolbars are required. Damn, ever heard of libtorrent? Money isn’t everything. People don’t like adware/spyware/crapware, regardless of it being free.

Sent to you from my Fedora/Linux computer.
- DutchGuest
  
  To add on to what you said, it’s also nice to note that once again it’s an article written by pro-corporate writer Enigmax…
  The same Enigmax who showed has blatant flaming Microsoft fanboyism in his post about the Halo 4 leak.
  I often wonder why he’s still here.
Who

its now only about the money for Utorrent. just used old versions below 3.0 as a lot of trackers are gona to start banning the use of this version. some already have.
Anon

Why cannot a company–any company–that invests time and money to develop a product on spec that it turns out you like, set a price to possess that product? And you can pay it or do without. That’s how business is.

WTF is wrong with you people?
- Fredrika
  
  > “Why cannot a company–any company–that invests time and money to develop a product on spec that it turns out you like, set a price to possess that product?”
  
  They can, and they do, please check reality next time before you write a comment.
  
  > “And you can pay it or do without.”
  
  Which is exactly what people filesharing does. You see, the product is the good or service which is sold, bought and owned(check consumer legislation if you don’t believe me, or take a basic course in economics), and that is the physical copy, or the service of offering streaming/downloads, and the people filesharing does very well without those products. They don’t need them, they don’t buy them, and they don’t use them.
  
  They instead search for the product they want from a different source, and that products is not owned or offered by the former company you talked about.
  
  The creative work in itself is not the product from the consumers or the legislations point of view, because it can not be owned, and it can not be sold or bought. A creative work is something different from a product.
  
  > “That’s how business is.”
  
  Business on the free market is subjected to competition, which is what filesharing offers, so people filesharing follows the free market rules down to the very last penny as true capitalists, not wasting money on overpriced useless products. That’s how business is for all entrepreneurs.
  
  > “WTF is wrong with you people?”
  
  There’s nothing wrong with the around a billion people that fileshare? They act has humans has always done, and they cause no harm, at the same time as creating value to everyone participating.
  
  You however, you do seem to have a huge problem with reality, human rights, civil liberties, capitalism, the free market and it’s normal rules, instead advocating fascism and some weird bizarre mix of a planned economy and communist society, to protect the profits of some weak failed entrepreneurs that apparently according to you shouldn’t have to follow the free market rules, and actually sell something to deserve monetary reward.
  
  So maybe you should direct that question at yourself?
  
  When others ask you about your warped views on human rights, the free market and entrepreneurship, you never seem to be able to come up with an answer..
  
  Well, some people are that way, afraid of reality, honest debate and actually answering questions. Instead they hide, lie and troll.
  - Anon
    
    “The creative work in itself is not the product from the consumers or the legislations point of view, because it can not be owned, and it can not be sold or bought. A creative work is something different from a product.”
    
    You are so far detached from reality in the art world your pointless and misinformed condescensions here do more damage to your cause than if you simply shut up and read a few things about the art market first. The list of creative works brought to market as for sale product and owned, bought and sold by consumers is enormous, goes back to the dawn of man and is growing everyday. Start with anything by any famous artist and the global auction houses that sell these works to collectors who purchase and own in any format. Seriously Fredrika. Have you ever been to a museum? Or a private art collection?
    
    Your consistent pedanticism makes you sound like you are about 14.
    - Fredrika
      
      > “The list of creative works brought to market as for sale product and owned, bought and sold by consumers is enormous, goes back to the dawn of man and is growing everyday. Start with anything by any famous artist and the global auction houses that sell these works to collectors who purchase and own in any format.”
      
      Is reading a problem for you? You are clearly speaking of sales of goods, as in the copy. The fact that the copy for sale is the only copy, or original copy if you like, which naturally jacks up the price, does not change the fact that it is the copy that is sold as a good, not the creative work. Again, please check consumer legislation if you do not believe me.
      
      > “Seriously Fredrika. Have you ever been to a museum? Or a private art collection?”
      
      What i find funny, is that besides the fact that your reply got it all wrong again, still not being able to separate the creative work from copy, is that you completely ignored the relevant part of the discussion, which was that of what you initially wrote, where you proved that you don’t like the free market and that you find it to be something wrong with close to a billion people because they act according to the free market rules, as intelligent capitalists, not wasting money on useless products.
      
      But as i predicted correctly, you were probably to afraid of reality, honest debate and answering questions, to take that discussion.
      
      > “Your consistent pedanticism makes you sound like you are about 14.”
      
      Someone who finds it important to the get the facts straight, after you’ve attempted to pervert them once again, sounds like about 14? Then what age should we assign to you based on your ignorant perversion of the facts? 10? 5? The latter would usually be when one’s the most obstinate and always arguing against reality just because.
      
      Actually, wasn’t just because the exact argument you used the other day? Yes it was. Hhmm..
    - DutchGuest
      
      Your constant dancing around the real issues and trying to deflect by pointing out supposed flaws of others to mask your own fuckups instead of countering arguments the proper way makes you a troll and an Imbecile.
      
      I’d rather deal with Frederika, at least that way there’ll be a decent discussion going on instead of this nonsense of yours.
- Guest
  
  Sounds good. Maybe next time you go shopping at the supermarket, barcodes will suddenly start installing stuff onto your credit card without knowledge, or start charging you a little more when you least expect it. You’d support that, right?
- Guest
  
  Why can’t you read?
  
  BitTorrent Inc. isn’t charging money for uTorrent, they have not set a price to possess it. What they ARE doing is trying to make people install spyware, which is incredibly stupid.
  
  Your comment has nothing to do with BitTorrent, uTorrent, or this article.
  
  WTF is wrong with you?
- Who
  
  the problem is that Utorrent is not open source and they legally can charge for it. but instead of charging for it they are adding sponsor support and are trying to force people to pay that way witch is wrong IF the included software *besides the Utorrent client* is infected with bugs and even worse tracking software. that’s NOT how legitimate business works.
- Scary_Devil_Monastery
  
  Why am I not surprised to see you and PelouzeTF becoming outraged over the fact that a company deliberately deceives their clientéle into installing ad-ware in a way designed to remove their freedom to choose?
  
  Normally, most installers prompt you to choose what you wish to install.
  
  What the fuck is wrong with you? Right back atcha.
Xxploit

Is it annoying? Yes.
Am I so retarded that I’m gonna fall for it? No, but I can’t speak for everyone.
- Scary_Devil_Monastery
  
  Am I so retarded that I’m gonna fall for it? No, but the people who are and do then come to me for help.
  
  So any installation tricking it’s users into installing unwanted crapware is indeed my concern since it means that I’m the one who gets to dodge requests for help.
  
  And every sane person with IT skills should consider that part.
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Justaguy

Just move to another client if you don’t like what is happening with your current choice.
No biggy
Randy_Lahey

I listen to a lot of people, but the ridiculous ungrateful hivemind of Reddit is not one of them.
zhochi

http://al.ly/t2W
Karma316

They’re still giving the user a choice which is appreciated. If you don’t want the extras don’t install them, if you accidentally did, uninstall then reinstall without the addons,simple.
http://twitter.com/Mr_Gentoo Derrik Diener

Utorrent went to shit a long time ago, personally I just switched to qBittorrent. Its on all platforms and is open source. If Utorrent does something shady, leave. Utorrent has been far from good for over a year.
opensource recomended

Every month or so Utorrent tries to sneak something in on it’s users, especially new users. No matter how much they apologize and claim to listen to their users, Utorrent is not going to change their mindset, or intent. They want to force advertising on you, something I detest on a computer I own and control the content on. Drop Utorrent and go with a free and open-source client, many which are available.
AfroJack

I actually clicked the uTorrent button.
polsenpol

Yeah enigmax, people are stealing left and right on the internets, hurting the artists !
That’s why Lars Ulrich couldn’t afford his own private Caribbean Island, NOT because
he snorted several million dollars worth of blow up his nose, right ?

Tell me something enigmax :
How much money is a band paid for having their music played on US radio ?? NOT A SINGLE CENT !
See – Music IS already ‘free’ .

Support your band : Listen to the commercial (aka ‘Album’), then go hear them next time they are in your hood and give them some of your money for their work !
- Noname guest
  
  Actually, polsenpol, artists are paid for having their music played on US radio. It’s a very small amount, but it is there.
  - DutchGuest
    
    Actually, that money goes to the record companies.
    I can guarantee you that very little, if any, ever makes it as far as the artists themselves.
MC

Whiny bastard children again. From what i can work out, this bundling used to be a feature of the actual utorrent installer, which means you downloaded the stuff whether you wanted it or not. Now it looks like theyve moved the elective options to the web page, before you download the installer. For the slow of brain, let me spell it out for you: Thats an improvement. Yet Le Reddit is still up in arms about bittorrent inc. trying to stay afloat while they build the New Media.

If youre enough of a fucktard to just keeping hammering the next button and not read what youre installing, you deserve everything you get. This has been the case on the internet since it was first possible to download and install programs, about 15-20 years. If you havent got the hang of it by now youve got bigger problems, or you are 11 years old. Besides, its not like theyre bundling malware is it, its just a browser bar and stuff.

tl;dr no sympathy with your faux moral outrage, fucking READ what you are agreeing to you stupid kids.
- DutchGuest
  
  As stated before; what about people who block Javascript (or all scripts in general), who never even SEE that choice ?
  
  And if you want to claim that making the toolbar available with this kind of sly malware/adware tactic, that is DESIGNED to trick users, ISN’T sleazy, then you’re as big of a fucking asshole as the sneaky marketing fuck who came up with this underhanded technique in the late 90′s.
  
  Yes, users need to learn to read.
  But it IS an underhanded trick, and it’s not just sheeple that fall for this method, it also works on any user who’s in a hurry who simply doesn’t notice the whole menu that appears as they hover over the button, and especially considering how long you need to currently hover over it for the menu to appear, it IS A SNEAKY FUCKING TRICK.
  No more, no less.
  If you don’t get that then i suggest a serious LART’ing, or maybe the good ‘ole cluebrick treatment.
  - MC
    
    The world is full of sneaky fucking tricks. Welcome to planet Earth. It should only catch out the morons who dont even notice this shit happening though. So either you are a moron and are thus duly asspained about it, or you are not and should have no problem. Which is it gonna be? Or are you telling me you want to go on some sort of altruistic crusade to protect every idiot computer user in the world from their own stupidity? Good fucking luck with that.
    
    The blocked JS hiding the options is a valid point. It seems they are already implementing changes for this though, due to the reddit. I prefer a company that makes mistakes and can admit it and make it right, to one that thinks the sun shines out of its ass 24/7.
    - DutchGuest
      
      No, i wish to do something much, much worse than going altruistic; i wish to make sure i don’t end up having to remove that µTorrent shitware from a few hundred PC’s i do maintenance on, owned by the sheeple we both mentioned *whistles innocently*.
    - Gae
      
      If you block javascript, then the download button will not work so that point is gone.
      Plenty of companies do try sneaky tricks to get you to install junk, but a big clear pop up box is not really in the same category. And if you were in a hurry and installed this, then that is your problem. If I am in a hurry and I run across the road without looking its not the fault of the car when it hits me is it? It is your fault for rushing something that you should take time with (installation of free software).
      
      Plus look at it this way, if people were not stupid enough to install these things then the software would not be free for those of us that stop for 5 seconds and read the information.
    - Scary_Devil_Monastery
      
      ya, well, anyone running a JS blocker – and thus being “reasonable” will fall for this as they end up with no option to opt-out. Neat trick.
      
      Point being that any company which actually attempts to deceive it’s customers will and should have to deal with some emotional response from said clientele. No one likes being lied to.
Just Curious

Anyone stupid enough to use the later versions of utorrent deserve what they get.
http://www.facebook.com/DaffyDaveA David Daffy Austin

“Bit Torrent has a record of listening to it’s users”, but only after they have got it wrong & have been caught trying to pull a fast one & sneak something past it’s users. Personally I would be happier if they did a bit of User/Audience research before the event.
cgimusic

I really wish BitTorrent would accept donations. I have absolutely no use for uTorrent Plus and don’t really want to donate $25. I would happily give them $10 in exchange for nothing but when I tweeted them they said they don’t take donations.
Gae

Really? Bundling toolbars with pre-checked boxes in downloads or installers has been the standard for years now with free software.
If you are prepared to install software on your machine but you can’t even be bothered to check what some very obvious tick boxes do then that’s your own stupid fault.
- DutchGuest
  
  But the problem is that it’s not in the installer you mindless drone, they pull a fast one ON THE DOWNLOAD PAGE.
  And the check boxes didn’t appear unles you hovered your pointer over the download button for a few seconds.
  Sure, after the few hundred/thousand complaints they changed it, but they still tried to pull a fast one.
  
  And don’t give me this bullshit about toolbars being the fucking standard, it’s the standard for devs who create software and then decide after a few years of freebies that they don’t want to keep it free, but then are too chickenshit to admit it and go pay to use, because they know users will generally walk away to other, genuinely free alternatives.
Your name

Ironically, uTorrent got popular by being “a plain client with nothing added at all.” It even got its name from minimalism. The current version is just another piece of bloat.
zhasha

http://al.ly/t2W
Jerry

This is a stupid article. The writer makes it as if we’re suppose to feel guilty for downloading free software. For the most part in torrent history, the best torrent apps have always been free. This ‘revenue generating software’ is spyware. Anyone who supports this, is either A) too dumb to get most things B) a technological fool. Only an idiot would install spyware knowingly to ‘support’ a previously free client.
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Blah Blah

Just got hit by this intrusive sypware myself. Sorry, but the popup/div takes far longer to change and display than moving your mouse to the button and clicking. I had to leave my mouse still for a a very noticeable delay before that crud shows up. Even then I had to change my browser settings to get it to display as that kind of code used to display that div is the same kind of code that can be used maliciously in 3 out of 4 major browsers. That is deceptive sneaky and downright garbage. uTorrent can suck my hairy ones.

To the moron who says you need to read before clicking Next, it is not the install process, you are tricked into downloading the shit you do not want.
EveryWoman2535

There are numerous legitimate reasons why people are so upset about these utilities associating themselves with this software (and it has NOTHING to do with being naive or careless):

1) Instead of allowing the user to choose to install it, the default is that you are agreeing to installation: I was aware of the options the last time I updated Bittorrent and very carefully unchecked all of the boxes. I don’t want my browser (and browsing) bogged down by toolbar add-ons, let alone additional toolbars. But Of COURSE I wanted to finish my update (or finish installation), however by clicking this button I inadvertently agreed to install the toolbar.

2) Deceptive installation/Deceptive links: This button did not even offer a hint that by clicking it I was installing the toolbar, nor was there a check-box on this window allowing me to opt out. I didn’t even know about hovering over it to reveal the hidden menu until I came to this forum! That’s ridiculous! You cannot blame careless users in this case, it was clearly meant to be deceptive.

3) Installation is using the very same tactics utilized by viruses and malware so OF COURSE people are jumping to the conclusion that it is a virus or dangerous malware infecting their computers and going into panic mode. People have a right to be angry over this! It should not be that hard to opt out–and if they are being that sneaky, if it’s installed like a virus, if it acts like malware, AND it bogs down your browsing,…it really makes you wonder DESPITE reassurances.

4) Removal instructions are hidden: To top it off, uninstalling the thing is really annoying and depends on the type of browser you are using BUT the information for uninstalling it is very hard to find–the forums don’t even have a search option (but that is a complaint not specific to this issue). Again, acting like mal-ware or a virus.

5) It’s another d*#^$ toolbar. AND plugin: I–as well as most people, do want to support our software developers, but this business of automatically adding toolbars and adware onto our browsers is a big problem. They restrict our viewing (especially with the new aspect ratios) and can slow browsers to a creep–which is not of any benefit to the user (or the software provider–it IS after all, a SEARCH bar).

6) Changes Home page: Seriously? Why? At least this checkbox is easy to see.

7) INFORMED choice: I have to say that the few ad pop-ups I saw (from the adware) weren’t terribly intrusive and were easy to dismiss. If I’d had an actual choice, perhaps I’d have chosen to install it. Show us how the adware would look and work: web shots for example. Provide settings and other options for the user (options like how often the ads appear, size, flash on or off, blocked ads, interests, etc.). Ads aren’t all bad and can be helpful to the viewer (but consider your target consumer here, we tend to prefer anonymity). I understand that the software developers need to earn revenue, but the users need to be in control of how those ads are presented, and that control can certainly extend beyond all or none.

Conclusion:DON’T ACT like MALWARE. If the software developers just changed HOW the stupid toolbar is installed that would go a long way in soothing ruffled feathers–allowing people to opt in rather than forcing them to opt out. Provide information regarding what they are installing. No pressure. Definitely make it easier to uninstall–like including the information on the toolbar under “help”, or installing it so the Windows programs “uninstall” wizard works. Better yet, find another option that doesn’t affect our browsing ability. This toolbar is very invasive in more ways than one.

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uTorrent Listens To Reddit After Backlash Over Toolbar Installer

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