Download Speed -- Can you download faster with a download accelerator?

by Dennis Faas, infopackets editor
http://www.infopackets.com


"Increase your download speed with software X!"

At some point, you've probably come across a program that claims to download programs faster: Download Accelerator (Speedbit), Marketscore (previously Netsetter), and GetRight (Headlight Software) are just a few popular titles.  But did you know that these programs do more harm than good?

How download speed is effected by a download accelerator

When a file is being downloaded, it is sent to your computer using a single connection: you are connected to the web site, and the web site is sending you a file.  A download accelerator works by increasing the number of connections to a web site so that the same file can be downloaded faster.

Are you being watched?

The truth is that almost all download accelerator programs contain some sort of Adware or Spyware.  Adware is software that sends advertisements to your computer through a banner window or pop up advertisement.  Spyware is intrusive software that keeps track of information about you, and has the ability to collect your name and email address via the Windows Registry in order to send unsolicited emails.  How nice!

Read the Fine Print

Most accelerators offer some sort of "essential" feature, such as the ability to resume a download.  The "essential feature" is usually what interests most users to install the download speed enhancing software in the first place.  As with most software obtained from the Internet, download accelerators come with an End User License Agreement (EULA) which is displayed during the installation process.  Most of us are so accustomed to skipping through the install procedure that we miss out on the tidbit about the Adware and Spyware which will be installed on our systems in addition to the main program.  Some programs such as MarketScore come hard-coded with Adware and Spyware and cannot be uninstalled separately.

Uninstalling couldn't be easier... or not!

In general, the nature of most download accelerators must modify the Windows Registry so that multiple connections can be opened in order to increase download speed; as well, it modifies how your computer interacts with the world wide web so it has the ability to send advertisements to your machine.  In MANY cases, a download accelerator does not uninstall cleanly and can leave many web applications (such as Internet browsers) unworkable.

Not convinced?

While surfing Cnet.com, I came across some astounding user reviews about MarketScore and Download Accelerator.  In my research, I have noted many users who stated that a download accelerator did not increase the speed of their broadband connection (cable/DSL/ADSL) when downloading from the web.  The sources are listed from the below links.  I took the liberty of cutting and pasting some interesting comments as well, following the links.

• User Reviews about SpeedBit's Download Accelerator
• User Reviews about MarketScore

• "Don't Download This!!!"
  Once installed, it is impossible to get rid of. Going to the MarketScore site for uninstallation just removes the components you can see. Since running this program, I can no longer access sites without refreshing two or three times.
• "Bad Bad Bad"
  I had a customer inadvertently install this software (advised he did not intentionally do it and doesn't know how it got on his machine). The software not only did not enable higher speeds of surfing, but made it impossible to view web pages at all using IE5.0/5.5.  The removal tool on the web site requires a membership, of which neither I nor my customer have.  The software continually places a proxy setting in Internet Explorers proxy settings and is unremovable. Prevents the customer from accessing his ISP normally and if the proxy is down, not accepting connections, or is otherwise unavailable, the customer is just SOL.
• "Horrible program, waste of space!"
  All this program does is fill your inbox with spam. I have a cable modem and have not noticed any increased in download speed.
• "Complete invasion of privacy!!!"
  This is a quotation from the user agreement of DAP5. Basically, it can spy on you legally. "In order to enable the development and improvement of products and services, for providing greater consumer experience (by relevant offerings), for the operation of some of the functionalities of the Product and Services and for the ability to send you targeted promotional materials of SpeedBit or any of its business partners, SpeedBit may gather contact information and other personally identifiable information (such as username, email address, country and zip-code), and demographic information (like their age, occupation or gender). SpeedBit, it's partners, affiliates or other third parties may use any information submitted or collected from you. If you wish to remove your information from SpeedBit email mailing lists and stop receiving future email communications from SpeedBit you may unsubscribe by an email to: emailunsubscribe@speedbit.com."

More Adware and Spyware programs

Unfortunately, more and more programs are being produced to promote Adware and Spyware.  Why?  Simply because it pays the developer who wrote the program.  Programs which are FREE usually come at some price.  If you want to check whether or not a program you have installed contains Adware or Spyware, I recommend visiting Spychecker.  It contains a database full of Spyware and Adware programs:

http://www.spychecker.com/
AOL USERS CLICK HERE

More about the Windows Registry

http://www.infopackets.com/articles/systemregistry.htm
AOL USERS CLICK HERE

Amendment -- In response to this newsletter; a reader's comment

----- Original Message -----
From: "Betty J. Van W."
To: <suggestions@infopackets.com>
Sent: Thursday, March 14, 2002 6:32 PM
Subject: RE: Download Accelerator Plus


[Edited by Dennis Faas]

I have been using Download Accelerator Plus (DAP) 5.0 since it was Version 4.0, on a cable connection and I cannot relate to the experiences quoted in your newsletter about Download Speed. However, I was aware from the start that it was "Adware," and so I took some steps when I installed it.

1) First of all, I NEVER let anything to be installed on my computer automatically except my virus file updates and Zone Alarm (a software Firewall)! Also, I generally install programs while offline, so I can stop any programs attempting to send my personal information through the Internet.

2) When I installed DAP 5.0, I DID NOT opt for installing Gator, which I knew was a program which did a lot of Spyware type tracking.

3) When I 'registered,' I completed only the minimal information required - a lot of the demographics are not required fields, but if you enter any of it, then go to the next screen, you CANNOT go back and delete anything. So, try paging through the demographic form and only entering required info - if you find something you think you can't allow Speedbit to know about you, abort the registration/installation.

4) At the end of the registration, when DAP attempts to send my personal information to their central computers, I'm not connected (remember, I disconnected from the Internet).  It still starts my browser, but I click the stop button to terminate the contact - ignoring any message that the installation cannot be completed.

5) Next, I run AdAware (http://www.lavasoftusa.com/) to remove Download Accelerator's Spyware component. AdAware is a program that removes Spyware from your system and currently costs $15 US to register a single License.

I use Netscape 4.79 as my browser of choice, so I don't get into the hassles with the DAP Bar or any of IE's other inconveniences (at least to me), but at times I have used it with IE 5.01, 5.5 and 6.0, and merely select not to display the DAP Bar. It still activates when I begin to download files, and the annoyance of the ads are gone, besides, replaced by a blessedly quiet, empty frame.

I do not configure DAP to download unattended, or to search for downloads for me - perhaps that is why I have never had any spam in my mail. Infrequently, I will get an ad from Speedbit, encouraging me to purchase DAP so I can be free of the ads, which I delete from my mail's Inbox.

I don't let DAP install downloads, and when the download is completed, I delete it from DAP's menu.

I have found that, whether it's due to multiple sites or expanded caches, DAP does appear to increase my download time most of the time.

The only slightly annoying thing I can't be rid of is the little message light bulbs flashing in my tray while I'm downloading (which go away after DAP is closed, which try to sucker me into going to Speedbit to upgrade from my beta (Adware) version to the shareware
version. All in all, it's a fair trade!

Sincerely,
Betty Van W.

My Reply:

Hi Betty,

Thanks for the great comment. I did hint in my newsletter that Download Accelerators _do_ help with DialUp connections (actually, I worded the exact opposite -- they do not help Broadband connections).

What you said sounds to me like it took you a while to "learn" how to use the program the way that you wanted to use it. Most people who download a program like this don't know any better and let it automate most of their tasks. Is it at this point when Spyware and Adware become very intrusive.

You are able to control most of your instances because you have dialup connection -- or perhaps you've unplugged your broadband connection entirely. Could you imagine not being able to control whether or not you want to connect to the Internet? This is usually the case with Broadband since you're always connected to the Internet. This is how the Adware and Spyware can _really_ become annoying.

- Dennis
infopackets editor