Theme

[Changes_everything]

Ah well, calling PCThreat and malwaretips.com sites that try to trick people into downloading software is quite bold, coming from you. While I have nothing to do with the sites I linked I also do not really know them; just googled for a description of the damage your software does to a system. They both appear to be simply anti malware blogs, if apparently well established.

If I can find the time, and after what you just wrote I think I will, I'll go through the hassle of setting up a VM, so I can test things myself. Pardon me for not trying out your software without some advanced safeguards.

[Krulle]

I have to confess I linked the Malwaretips.com page too.
I never scrolled past step 2, as that would be the last thing I'd do when removing some "Browser Hijacker".
And yes, step 3 and following are things I would never do either. They seem superfluous and actually counterproductive to what I am trying to do when removing unwanted programs.

But indeed, WebSearch+ is a potentially unwanted "web enhancement" for me, because
a) there is no "enhancement" or improvement in my web experience when using websearch.brandthunder.com instead of my usual websearch engines.
b*) I wanted to install something completely different thing, and I do not see any reason why I have to agree to a "bundle installation".
c) it does changes to my computer which I need to undo afterwards, instead of asking me during installation what parts I want and what not.
d) it changes webpages to the extend of making the use of other search engines like google annoying (link, link 2,link3 which are not in pop-ups)

* I did not want to install this theme or any other theme. But I ran across something else a while ago, where "WebSearch+" was bundled. So I stopped the installation and searched somewhere else for what I needed.

Now, to tell you the truth, the worst "bundle" program I ever had and saw, and the very specific reason why I oppose any "bundle installation" at all, are Norton and McAfee with their "free trial version", which generally f*ed up my system and never got off cleanly, and in the case of Norton, made it impossible to install any antivirus software (because Norton "Free trial version" blocked any installation of antivirus software, even after it startied popping daily warnings that the "free trial version" has expired and does not protect the system anymore, with links to pricey upgrade stores).

When I want a theme, I install a theme, and don't want anything else.
When I want an additional browser search add-on (as I have several installed in FireFox), I add another one I test as an additional. I may promote it to my standard if it turns out to be useful.
The websearch+ has been tested once (a few years ago, on a dying system used for installing and testing hundreds of add-ons). It gave me totally unrelated search results and an unpleasant amount of advertisements. So it did not get installed on the new PC right next to it.
I don't even like installing something simple as a theme by using an executable installer.

While the theme really looks great, it's just not something I would want. My browser is an all-purpose webtool, so no need to make it look like I only go to goblinscomic and affiliated sites.


And it boils down to me disliking the business model.
Advertising free programs as google chrome, and only delivering modified versions, while making it appear on first glance that this is the actual and unchanged product.
And with a company name "Brand Thunder" behind it, it looks like the quality of the search results are secondary behind the presentation of brand advertisements.

But, and I give you that, Brand Thunder is not a company I would classify as "black sheep", as you are open over what you do (I don't remember that from a few years ago, but now I see warnings everywhere) and why.
I don't begrudge you your business model. By now you seem to put a lot of effort into it all.
But still, there are many computer illiterate people around who click everything because it's on sites they trust. And this is the part I do not like. yes is clicked so easily... It even happens to me every now and then.
And I do think they should be warned, that the WebSearch+ is a potentially unwanted program which will get installed at the same time as the theme they actually want.

► Show Spoiler

(And no, I don't want facebook to use my image or name for advertisements. That's why they don't have my name. And if I ever find out they use it, I would sue them, as they would need ACTIVE AGREEMENT according to the laws of my country to do so. At max they have passive agreement from me, as I never opposed them changing their agreements with their users, and I sometimes visit facebook sites because the information I want is only available on facebook pages. :( )

[willpell]

If you'd rather send Brand Thunder a few dollars and get a free theme, I'll send you an address.

Yeah, that's a much better name. That "potentially unwanted" thing got a derisive snort from me when I saw it. Can you say, "weird euphemism," boys and girls? No...? How about "sell-out weasel words"?

Yeah, we live in a really strange world these days. There are slightly fewer things trying to murder or sicken us, but the tradeoff is having a myriad of petty annoyances that our ancestors could never have conceived of.

[gamecreator]

I think he meant free from additional "features".