Dustin wrote:
> "Rhonda Lea Kirk Fries" <rhondaleakirk@earthling.net> wrote in
> news:ild7oj$ldu$1@news.albasani.net:
>
>> Li'l Abner wrote:
>>> jw@myplace.com wrote in
>>> news:a0den690lmu40l7ojncvetvhf25ft3adk6@4ax.com:
>>>
>>>> If you need drivers for your computer, DO NOT download them from
>>>> this site. www.driverguide.com. You think you're downloading the
>>>> driver. When you try to install the download, you go thru the
>>>> normal process of accepting the terms, etc. Then it asks you if
>>>> you want their toolbar. I clicked "NO". But you're not
>>>> installing from the download. You must be online and it downloads
>>>> the driver, and STILL installs the ****ing toolbar, which is used
>>>> to track your usage. They claim this is how they pay for their
>>>> site. Whether this is true or not, your computer is infected with
>>>> spyware. DO NOT use this website.
>>>
>>> Hmm. I have a paid membership. I have found a lot of hard to find
>>> drivers there over the years. I've never had any such side effects.
>>> I think they have some kind of software you can download to detect
>>> devices on your computer. Maybe that's what does it. I never
>>> installed that. I usually know what driver I'm looking for and it's
>>> always for some other computer than my own.
>>>
>>> Unless this is something that has just started real recently.
>>
>> The bottom of the home page has the following link "Toolbar Removal
>> Info":
>>
>> http://members.driverguide.com/index...e=docs__help__
>> zugo_removal
>>
>> "We thank you for trying the Search Toolbar (powered by Bing TM),
>> your using that toolbar has given us the ability to keep our site
>> free and we thank you for that! We also respect your decision if you
>> choose to remove the toolbar and restore your previous settings.
>> This document will help you do that. If you have any further
>> problems, let us know."
>>
>> I don't use the site, but I've never seen anyone complain about it
>> (and indeed, I've seen people I trust rave about it), so I just
>> installed the DriverScan (not the DriverGuide Toolkit) and I didn't
>> get a toolbar. I expect that must be reserved for those who download
>> the free version of the DriverGuide Toolkit rather than the paid
>> version.
>>
>> The only problem I can see is that some of the drivers I am being
>> encouraged to download will break my computer. All in all, I really
>> think it's better to obtain drivers for specific hardware from the
>> manufacturer when possible.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
> I've used driverguide off/on for years, Had my own account when it was
> still completely free if you'd just signup. I never had any real
> problems, one infected driver once; but I don't blame them for it.
> User contributions always carry that risk.

Some of the drivers shown by the scan are the wrong drivers for my computer.
If I download and install them, certain things will not work.

Even at that, this site was recommended in the old Microsoft usenet groups
pretty regularly as well as by Fred Langa, so it seems clear that the
original post is a little over the top, especially considering how easy the
toolbar is to remove.

(I'm not all that thrilled with software that installs "bonus software" but
unless people want to start paying for "free" utilities, I don't see that
developers have much other choice given that most folks don't donate.)