Why can I not receive the Giveaway of the Day anymore if I don't use social media. I used the " e-mail" link but nothing happens. This rots. Been a member here for years. Anyone help?
[closed]
I don't use social media
(47 posts) (24 voices)-
Cyndirandy
MemberPosted 9 years ago # -
Hi, Cyndirandy,
you are right, this is not user friendly, it's done to pay the bill for GOTD and Facebook.
And it is what we users have to pay for "free" software.But, this Facebook window is not much more than an annoyance. Just close the window, the download should be in your regular download folder.
Or right-click the download link, with "Save Link As..." you won't get the FB site.Good luck.
graylox
23-07-2015Posted 9 years ago # -
mikiem2
ModeratorI think Cyndirandy was talking about Wednesday when the 2nd page was gone, replaced by a popup overlay requiring a F/Book or Tweet interaction, or an e-mail. Today it's gone, I assume because it had an impact on downloads.
Lest anyone think badly of what might have been an experiment, the other free software sites have all played with similar options, & they also sell software to help pay the bills, which I imagine like everything else are only getting higher.
Posted 9 years ago # -
... Wednesday when the 2nd page was gone, replaced by a popup overlay requiring a F/Book or Tweet interaction, or an e-mail....
That's funny, I didn't notice that. Maybe my Ad Muncher spared me that annoyance.Posted 9 years ago # -
Whiterabbit-uk
Games GuruI agree Cyndirandy. I refuse to create a facebook page and do not use Twitter. I've tried to get a download link for the past two days but so far haven't received any links to download yesterdays or todays.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Tony-photoplus
MemberYeh I have just found out today that the systems changed! WTF is going on here? Its an awful change. Prefer the old way. And I don't want anything linked to me FB page as there is too much already. I getting rid of junk that come to it and people that just latch on. So GAOTD can we change it back?
Posted 9 years ago # -
Amy1
MemberIs this the cost of progress? Sure I just wrote a 30 second script when I load GOTD, so I only get the direct link. But that cheats you of FaceBook link revenue even though I refuse to give up my rights to these "Social Vampire" sites. You could make MY own "FaceBook GOTD link bypass script" a GOTD...... But you would need Facebook to download it...(facepalm)
Posted 9 years ago # -
krypteller
MemberI also do not do Facebook. But I can all the downloads I want. Both from the English and Dutch pages. So I suppose your problem is not Facebook-related.
Posted 9 years ago # -
mikiem2
ModeratorWednesday didn't bother me -- another site was giving away the same app, so I didn't bother trying or looking. Thursday was the old normal. Friday the overlay was back -- once you clicked the download link you couldn't access the page or anything because of that overlay. Close F/Fox, open the GOTD page, right-click & download, just as Chris posted.
FWIW I've lost several F/Book acct.s because the [IMHO Bigo*s] ask me to prove it's really me via a SMS text message to my cell phone -- no other option is given, nor would they answer a dozen e-mails to support on the subject. I'm hearing impaired, & they make no provision for us folks without a cell phone -- a cell would be as useful to me as t*** on a bull as they say. ;)
I **thought** I might have found a solution using a free phone number from Google, which would work for text messages using my Android tablet... Google took the phone number away because I never made or received a phone call!
That said, I've got a F/Book acct I use VERY seldom -- I'm getting close to running out of e-mail addresses with those idgits, so I don't press my luck [I don't want to set up another e-mail acct just for those [BEEP] people]. If it was required I'd sign into F/Book for GOTD, but the number of apps I checked out would drop dramatically.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Carol M
MemberThe beginning of last week I was able to download programs on the giveawayoftheday.com web via 'right-click on the download link and selecting "Save target as" from the menu'. that NO LONGER WORKS! I have a FACEBOOK account which I very seldom use and tried logging into FACEBOOK to do the download: NO IDEA of where the download link is!! Tried to get the download link via the email link: NOTHING happened! What is happening??? I don't use social networking because I have no need to and there are documented problematic issues with social networking sites. I don't want to be FORCED to try to use social networking to do downloads from giveawayoftheday.com. However, even trying that method does NOT work for me! Any help in being able to download software, primarily without having to go thru social networking, would be greatly appreciated!! I read in the comments above that the reason for FORCING users to use social networking is financial. I don't understand this since when I log into FACEBOOK I don't see any ads or at least I overlook anything that looks like an ad! FORCING users to social networking is NOT working if one thinks there maybe a financial gain for giveawayoftheday.com!!!
Please post how to get the downloads -- the right-click on the download link isn't working for me!!!
Posted 9 years ago # -
ChrisS
Administratorthe right-click on the download link isn't working for me!!!
Yeah, I noticed that earlier this week as well. I don't use Social Media and I'm not going to send an email so I wouldn't download even if something did interest me.Based on some reports in the giveaway comments you might check your SPAM folder for the email.
I'm rethinking what I said above about the reason for the extra download page. The sub-page says "We need your help to keep offering the best software completely free. Share our links on social media, and more quality developers will join in." I now think that means the project will soon be over.
Maybe it will morph to a weekly project but I don't think it will go forward in the current format because the message of the sub-page is the same one that repeated daily in the Giveaway comments - there is a dearth of quality software, it's the same-old, same-old download every single day. I don't really agree with that sentiment because (a) it's really a demand for a better quality of "free" and (b) the project is what the users have made of it. The "ratings" say people want Video Convertors, the lack of quality software says people don't want to pay for Video Convertors. The project will fail because not enough people are buying the offered software and advertising on free Social Media will not change that one bit (or byte).
Note that you can still download the Game Giveaway without any sub-page (for now).
Posted 9 years ago # -
Whiterabbit-uk
Games GuruIt would be a sad loss to the community if the giveaway project does fail. Personally I rarely download giveaways any more; I've purchased just about every program I feel I would need. The rest are just of no use to me.
I used to download everything, but realized after a few years all I was doing was inundating the start menu with loads of programs that I wasn't using. I tend to format my main drive a couple of times a year then reinstall windows, thus losing the giveaways. I'd reinstall windows and start all over again. I started purchasing programs from contributing developers shortly after I joined the community back in December 2006; usually when the developer offered a decent discount if purchased within a specific period after the giveaway.
Maybe the giveaway team should adopt a similar strategy to BitsDuJour (BDJ). I like their approach, offering some great deals on loads of different programs every day. I've purchased quite a few programs via BDJ thanks to the variety they offer; whereas it's been a long time since I purchased a program given away here on the giveaway project.
My most recent purchase via BDJ was Ultra Fractal, which I purchased last Tuesday. I didn't really need it, but it appealed to me. :) I've purchased several programs from BDJ this year and many more in previous years.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Whiterabbit-uk, nice to see you have a password again.
.... (deleted)
Posted 9 years ago # -
mikiem2
ModeratorI paid attention today... what happens is once you click on the download button it runs a script, popping up the Share dialog. If you click the F/Book button or link you get a sign-in dialog. Once you sign in there's a share button or link in the lower right -- once you click it the original pop-up window changes to show a big Download link, & clicking that is what starts the GOTD download.
If you don't see that happening Carol, it might be that something's keeping the script from running properly -- it might be a security setting in the browser, or security software, or the browser itself may just not work with it. I had Firefox not work with it the 1st day the pop-ups returned, but today it worked OK. It's also possible for one of the later pop-ups to cover the original pop-up with the download link -- if I hadn't dragged the top pop-ups out of the way I wouldn't have been able to see that it changed to show the Download link.
Posted 9 years ago # -
emperor
MemberI haven't been downloading anything recently, especially as most of the software now is not unique to this site (whereas at the outset the service was unique and a lot of the offerings were quite special). Hence I have not seen the '2nd Page' that is referred to above until today. However, I did see that right at the bottom of the pop-up page there is a link in small text that allows downloading without the need to use social media. So at least for today it doesn't look as if we have to use social media to get the giveaway. Whether this is a recent addition or not I don't know, but it is not as dire a situation as I had expected from reading the preceding posts.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Yozzer
MemberI only found GOTD last year, and thought it was a great site, but I feel things have changed.
I understand the need to generate revenue, but this has to be carried out in a way that does not impact the visitors to this site negatively.
I stopped visiting when the "re directions" became evident a little while back, and suspect malware links became evident, but returned, and found the facebook links. The email link only worked for me once about 10 days ago, usually I get no email link, and as I do not like facebook, it seems I will only be able to read the comments on software to assess the quality of what is on offer.(Right clicking is not working for me). I will call again in a month or so and see how things are.Posted 9 years ago # -
mikebarr9
MemberHey GOTD - some of use members have been here for years and supported the vendors that we wanted to support - not all of us are "Social Media Mended" and by creating these popups have created unfriendly memberships to a lot of the GOTD members.
I am sure that many of the users here have by word of "mouth" given out the good deals that are available on your web site, I know I have - but I won't anymore until your "pop up" is reduced in size or gone entirely.
When I want to download software, I don't want to have to open a half-dozen or more pages just to download a product. If this is the case, I will just scan the user comments and find another source for another free product.
How about thinking about all your membership, not just creating further headaches for those who want to use your website - you might as well go to a "paid" for use website for free software.
Posted 9 years ago # -
emperor
MemberSadly it appears that the helpful and user friendly direct download link has now been removed, at least it is no longer visible to me. This is a great shame as a lot of the software (but by no means all) offered here is also made available on other sites (maybe not on the same day) without quite so many hoops to jump through and without the wrapper.
Posted 9 years ago # -
mmartinez
MemberFoe years I try the software and since this message starting to appear, I have decided to stop.
I was already subscribe by email and that should be enough. I do not use Facebook or Twitter in a regular basis. So as long as I am getting this message I will not be testing software anymore. I hope the developers learn that it does not work.
Thank you for all the yearsPosted 9 years ago # -
Charles
MemberBeen a member here for a long time but hadn't downloaded anything for awhile, today decided I would try this Ashampoo slide show maker. But get this window wanting me to use social media to download (never saw this before), I don't use social media so tried the direct link to get them to email a link to me, but never received anything. When I try to enter my email again it says the link has been sent to me and won't let me enter anything again. So if this is the new normal I won't be using GOTD any more.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Charles,
See what Robert Stray Cat wrote regarding the link that PC.Welt provides.
I do the same on my personal blog (in Dutch). Normally, after about 15 minutes after the giveaway is available, I start my blog and provide a direct link at the top of the blog, just below the line *** in bewerking *** (*** in production ***). No guarantee, because on some days I want to do other things than stand behind my laptop.
I hope Giveawayoftheday will provide the direct link themselves again.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Peter65
MemberBeen a member of the GOTD mailing list for a number of years now and have discovered some real gems in that time. But for the last 6 months or so I've noticed a clear decline in the quality of programs on offer..as well as less and less "free" and more "Trials", which kind of defeats the whole point of this service in the first place..if it's supposed to be free, then that's what it should be.
Anyway, today was the last straw..I'm not on FB and never will be..so this is goodbye..just unsubscribed from the mailing list. Sad to see things come to this after so long..and I hope things change for those of you who remain.
All the best to everyone.
Posted 9 years ago # -
jgf
MemberWell, a pop-up instead of a download. Right click for "save as..." doesn't work (unless you want to save an html file), there is no direct download link. So we are now faced with the draconian mandate that we must continually link via Farcebook to get downloads here. An egregiously repellent decision, and one in which I will not participate.
While I have four Farcebook pages, none are used outside of that site; I do not use them to register, link, like, or download. And never will. FWIW, I do not play those irritating captcha games, I do not email anyone for a download link, I do not accept those "downloads" which merely give you a small exe to run to download the file (and do who knows what in the background); in each case I merely close the tab and move on. Is this site to join that list?
I have been a member here for many years, it is one of my daily stops, and have probably downloaded three or four offerings per month; some useful but used so seldom a purchase was not considered, others used a few days and gladly purchased. But I fear this procrustean attitude towards integrating social media into the process will diminish, rather than enhance, this site.
Posted 9 years ago #
Topic Closed
This topic has been closed to new replies.