Download.com site feedback forum: stopzilla is a scam i trusted you cnet

I have been downloading useful programs for free (mostly) from CNET for years and have com across a few that advertise free but when installed, only provide limited info and ask for subscriptions to get full use of the programs. The main types I have encountered are the Registry Cleaning programs! Just because the program did not perform to your expectations (Free and full operation) does not indicate a failure by CNET IMO. The downloaded program was free of virus or even ad-ware by your admission. The reviews on downloaded programs are an invaluable tool to preview the effectiveness of any program. Many good positives are a plus, but any negatives can indicate real problems but also may be fake complaint made by rival programmers to discredit competition. You have to decide, there are NO guarantees and after all, you are getting these programs mostly for free, offered by programmers trying to show their talent for later, commercial versions. CNET did not betray you. By your OWN admission, you simply did not read far enough in the reviews or possibly just went by the percentage values... pos-vs-neg . Enjoy the free products or just purchase the retail versions which have just as many issues.

(Just because the program did not perform to your expectations (Free and
full operation) does not indicate a failure by CNET IMO.)(The downloaded
program was free of virus or even ad-ware by your admission. CNET did not betray you. By your OWN admission, you simply did not read
far enough in the reviews or possibly just went by the percentage values)
are you involved in this scam?
did you not get the part about the fake scan?
i said no malware was found on my computer after stopzilla used a fake scan and said there was, to trick me into buying it
or maybe it was just that avg and malwarebytes are just missing all those items right?
i doubt it as they are up to date and i run them in safe and regular mode.
imo cnet is failing to keep scams off download.com
anything that gives fake results is a scam. not malware, not a virus, but a scam!

By your words, "the trial version of STOPzilla does more than just scan and list infections. It actually quarantines the infections".

So, the trial version of Stopzilla appears to find infections, but it seems from what others say here that the full version of Stopzilla has to be purchased before such, 'infections' can be removed.

What happens to those 'apparent' infections if the user decides not to buy the full version, and uninstalls the trial version?

Would you care to comment on those two points?

By the way, I attempted to visit your web site today at www dot stopzilla dot com/

My Firefox browser gave me this warning! http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/88/stopz.jpg/

The Add-on that doesn't like your web site, WOT, tells me the following;

"Warning! This site has a poor reputation";
http://www.mywot.com/en/scorecard/stopzilla.com

You may want to do something about improving your web site's and product's reputation.

Mark

those apparent threats found 'running in memory' are quarantined. If the user uninstalls your product, what happens to those threats the product found running in memory

You have already stated that, at the end of the trial period, those threats become active again. I assume any uninstall also allows them to become active again.

You, (your product), will only delete those threats if the user purchases the product.

What does that sound like to me? An ultimatum. Purchase our product, or we let loose these 'dangerous items'.

It seems a shame this trial period doesn't do the proper job, and then if the user likes your product, they can, if they wish, purchase it for full and comprehensive protection.

Mark

I think you misread my previous post. I never stated "at the end of the trial period, those threats become active again." This is not accurate.

Let me further explain the process. When STOPzilla quarantines a threat found running in memory or during the scan, the threat is removed from its location, obfuscated, and stored in quarantine. This renders the threat useless.

To be clear, when the trial is uninstalled, the quarantined threats are NOT restored.

I hope that answers any concerns you might have. Thanks again for the feedback about the trial version. I will definitely be passing it along.

Regards,
Ben

I, too have downloaded 'free' programs, specifically registry editors, only to run a scan an be told there were HUNDREDS of errors and then found out that the only way to correct those errors was to 'Purchase' their FULL program! I was angry myself, and uninstalled them and found REAL free programs that did what I needed or I purchase programs that would fit my needs. My Point was that CNET WAS NOT TO BLAME! The files I have downloaded from them have never had a virus (I believe that is what they guarantee) and many have been quite useful. If there were REVIEWS, Positive or Negative for me to research PRIOR to my downloading, then I would have known the problems and never downloaded in the first place! If those REVIEWS were available and I did not bother to read them, then the waste of my time was MY fault. I DEPLORE those types of programs. I also DEPLORE ANY so-called 'marketing-techniques' such as (microscopic writing) Unbelievable APRs on credit cards, loan accounts and many, many other products or services. Are they Scams? Apparently not by law or so many would not use these techniques. Unsavory practices-absolutely IMO to those who get caught up in them. Bottom line- Limited use/Demo type programs exist and to keep from using them, Read the Reviews or do online research before you download. One other thing, I DO NOT work for CNET, nor do I represent or WOULD I represent, ANY company that uses these aggravating 'marketing techniques'. I am just a user like yourself.

Alan, all I have to say is that there are way better security programs out there that are free. Microsoft Security Essentials for example. And Microsoft throws in a free root kit uninstaller and killer also. And if you're running windows, it'll repair your files if damaged via update. But the best and most secure security is yourself. Just because it says its a free scanner or program or whatever doesn't make it a good one. You've got to do your research before downloading and installing anything. Especially coming from a download site like cnet or filehippo or whatever. New viruses and malware and adware come out daily and not all scanners can pick them up so there will be instances where cnet or any download place may let a possible threat thru. I've been using cnet for years and I only recently had a problem after this "CBS" whatever it is took over. They allow a known adware program OpenCandy to be downloaded and installed in utility packages. And even tho I've been told that installing the OpenCandy is completely voluntary, there was absolutely no option given to me. It was the download and install and Microsoft Security Essentials sounding like it was going to war with the bomb drops and machine gun fire, etc. etc. lol. I am real hesitant when it comes to downloads from cnet now. And I will absolutely not download anything that comes from an outside source other than cnet.
As far as the stopzilla quandry. If you're worried about being reinfected with the problematic programs, just go to the folder that stopzilla uses for the quarantine and delete everything inside it. And from what I get from your statement is that you already had these problems before stopzilla so it may not have been stopzilla's issue. If it's a trial software, obviously you will need to pay before it does the operations that the paid version would do otherwise they'd get no one buying their product. That isn't a scam. Programs have been doing that for years. Microsoft let individuals have a release candidate of windows 7 but when win7 was released we still had to buy a license. That wouldn't make cnet at fault either. If you are having issues with rogue software on your pc then boot into safe mode after getting a antivirus program that will work, and do scans then and it should be removed. Here are a few of the good antivirus programs out there that you can use for free.
Avast antivirus
Spybot Search and Destroy
HiJack This
MalwareBytes
Panda Security
Microsoft Security Essentials.
all of which you can get from cnet.

All in all, just do your research first before downloading and installing programs and never ever do automatic installs from the internet. Always save to a folder first and then do a scan of it before installing.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5043148_remove-stopzilla.html

Not knowing what Windows you are using it is difficult to sat more, except at Step 2, you do not need to press CTRL+Alt+Del. Instead, right click the Taskbar and select Task Manager.

Mark

I have used Stopzilla for some time and I find it to be superior to ANY other antimalware program. The commenter himself said it found malware the otheres didn't. I have to wonder which competitor he works for...

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

im not working for any competitors, and i still think the scan showed FAKE results like so many "competitors" in the fake scan business