Let me show you what it looks like without adblock:

http://imgur.com/a/kuKqo

My daughter accidentally downloaded 6 different programs while trying to download Paint.net some which were malware. While I understand these are ads probably out of their control, their website is extremely deceptive in my opinion and should be modified to make the actual Paint.net download more obvious.

heck, I downloaded some random program while trying to install it a few weeks ago - and I've got a compsci MSc from Oxford.

I did the same about 6 months ago trying to grab speedfan for someone else in the office. I never had any trouble before cause adblock and so didn't even think to be careful :(

I am surprised that any ad networks allow these links. It ine of the few things that makes me want to install an ad blocker.

It's why I do use adblockers. I try to disable them on sites that don't do anything nearly this scummy, which is frustrating because stuff like Paint.net I otherwise want to support.

I'm pretty sure these ads are exactly what they are to maximize click-rate, and therefore to give Paint.NET's author the most money. Very exploitative (with emphasis on exploit).

What I find interesting is that when people go to the PDN forums to call him out on it, even in a nice way ("hey, I love your software but I got a bunch of malware instead due to the big fake buttons, just wanted you to know"), he blasts them and whines about how little money he makes off of a project he pours his life into, and how he's going to just quit because it's not worth the hassle anymore.

Then he releases a new version, makes even bigger buttons that lead to even scummier malware, and the cycle repeats.

I get the need to make money off of your hard work, and certainly the guy does a fantastic job on the software, but he's pulling some really shitty tactics to make that money. Why not a lite/pro version setup, or something else above board?

The lite vs. pro version is a great suggestion and I would have purchased a pro version for my daughter immediately to avoid the malware hassles it caused us. Instead she purchased an academic version of Photoshop which was $100 USD or in that ballpark. This is a shame because Paint.net is a great product and I'd like to see it succeed but their business side is poorly executed. I'll need to head over to the PDN forums and express my frustration.

ImgBurn has the same disease: http://i.imgur.com/8HbuKgl.png

The real download links are below the fold.

I realize this might normally qualify as a throw-away comment on HN, but, "Good grief!"

People who aren't familiar should take a look: I hadn't realized how bad it's gotten.

People like my mother (just helping her the other day) would be totally stymied by this. And... I guess I can be glad my sister just got a Mac.

(Speaking of which, why is there an ad for "Free Zip for Mac" on a page for a .NET dependent Windows program?)

For three years I worked for a company that actually created and distributed the fake download button ads (along with a wide variety of other "interesting" projects). I even designed some of the creatives during early A/B tests. And even I still click the wrong link on occasion.

Hopefully the general public will soon learn to avoid the big green "Download here" arrows too.

But then the ad-makers will probably come up with something else instead.

wow that's insane.