Note that actually provides a direct download link for those users who log in with their (free) CNet account (see screenshot to the right). Thus, for example, the author of the prominent image editing freeware Paint.NET, Rick Brewster, surprised to see the component added onto the Paint.NET download has gone on record in asking that they remove the download wrapper from his program, calling it a violation of the license and and asking them to either stop the practice or remove the software from the website. The difference in this case is that is circumventing software authors altogether, not asking permission before adding this (unnecessary) monetizing component, and certainly not sharing the revenue.

This sort of thing is not atypical, of course we’re all quite accustomed to authors trying to cash in on the popularity of their free software, which we at Freewaregenius can completely understand, as long as it’s possible to opt out of this in the installation process. I recently downloaded some installers from, only to find to my surprise that they have adopted a “web-installer” style “download manager” that offers to install random crapware before downloading the actual installer, such as the Bing or Babylon toolbars.

Download realplayer cnet