SourceForge is now bundling adware without dev permission

All things BZFlag - no [OT] here please
Post Reply
cidentan50
Private First Class
Private First Class
Posts: 45
Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2006 8:20 pm

SourceForge is now bundling adware without dev permission

Post by cidentan50 »

http://arstechnica.com/information-tech ... ng-adware/

The BZFlag project uses SourceForge to host its binaries and source code. The downloads page on the BZFlag.org has links to SourceForge and nowhere else. Years ago, SourceForge used to be a reputable place to download free and open source software, but that all changed after they got acquired. In 2013, SourceForge began bundling adware into the installers of Windows programs, as long as the developer opted in to enabling the SourceForge-provided installer. If the developer did so (for example, FileZilla), he or she would receive a cut of the revenue. So it was definitely shady on SourceForge's part, but at least at that point it was still opt-in for the developer.

Now it's not.

SourceForge has begun injecting adware without getting permission from developers. Projects that have stopped updating their SourceForge pages but continued to update their program elsewhere are now having their accounts taken over by SourceForge editorial staff. The SourceForge editorial staff then replaces the program's original installer with the adware infested SourceForge installer, without getting permission from the developer. The maintainer of GIMP-Win, the Windows port of the GIMP, contacted SourceForge asking them to stop but he never got a response.

Clearly, SourceForge isn't what it used to be. They're exploiting their formerly good reputation and Google ranking to get unwitting Windows users to come in from search engines, etc. and download their adware. They are ruining the reputation of good open source programs created by thousands of contributors. At this point, no legitimate developer should be using SourceForge and no user should ever be downloading anything from that website. Please move BZFlag elsewhere.
Last edited by cidentan50 on Thu May 28, 2015 4:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
JeffM
Staff Sergeant
Staff Sergeant
Posts: 5196
Joined: Fri Dec 13, 2002 4:11 am

Re: SourceForge is now bundling adware without dev permissio

Post by JeffM »

Bzflag was moved to github almost a year ago, https://github.com/BZFlag-Dev
There hasn't been a release so no bins
ImageJeffM
cidentan50
Private First Class
Private First Class
Posts: 45
Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2006 8:20 pm

Re: SourceForge is now bundling adware without dev permissio

Post by cidentan50 »

Can you put the current release on GitHub and then link to that on your Bzflag.org download page, instead of linking to SourceForge?
User avatar
JeffM
Staff Sergeant
Staff Sergeant
Posts: 5196
Joined: Fri Dec 13, 2002 4:11 am

Re: SourceForge is now bundling adware without dev permissio

Post by JeffM »

The bzflag development team has not finished doing it's SVN to Git conversion, so there is no one repository to put the bins on.

I would talk to them about it in IRC
ImageJeffM
cidentan50
Private First Class
Private First Class
Posts: 45
Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2006 8:20 pm

Re: SourceForge is now bundling adware without dev permissio

Post by cidentan50 »

Okay, I did. Blast007 told me he's aware of the situation and plans to have BZFlag stop using SourceForge ASAP. They're talking about using GitHub releases or just hosting it themselves.
User avatar
blast
General
General
Posts: 4931
Joined: Fri Mar 21, 2003 3:49 pm
Location: playing.cxx
Contact:

Re: SourceForge is now bundling adware without dev permissio

Post by blast »

We actually have finished the Github migration as of recently. Also, Sourceforge is not wrapping our installers with their crapware bundle at this point.
"In addition to knowing the secrets of the Universe, I can assure you that I am also quite potty trained." -Koenma (Yu Yu Hakusho)

Image
cidentan50
Private First Class
Private First Class
Posts: 45
Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2006 8:20 pm

Re: SourceForge is now bundling adware without dev permissio

Post by cidentan50 »

blast wrote:Also, Sourceforge is not wrapping our installers with their crapware bundle at this point.
That may be true for now, but there's nothing stopping them. Also, there are people who refuse to download any software from SourceForge whatsoever— and I think that's a good idea. I've seen several comments to that effect on Reddit over the past few days, including multiple comments advising users to block sourceforge.net on their firewall/router.
Post Reply