µTorrent Makes Ads Optional Following User ‘Revolt’ - Polidicks

[QUOTE][TABLE="width: 600"] [TR] [TD][B]BitTorrent Inc, the parent company of uTorrent, is backpedaling on its decision to force advertisements on users of the popular file-sharing client. While the upcoming uTorrent release will still include “sponsored torrents”, users will have the option to turn these off if they don’t wish to see them. In a statement the company stresses that they will continue to experiment with new revenue models to support the development and innovation of file-sharing software.[/B] Last weekend we [URL="http://torrentfreak.com/utorrent-becomes-ad-supported-to-rake-in-millions-120810/"]broke the news[/URL]that uTorrent will soon become ad-supported. The ads will come in the form of sponsored torrents through which advertisers can reach uTorrent’s user base of 125 million active users worldwide. Along with the announcement BitTorrent Inc. asked users to voice their opinions on the decision, and in the days that followed dozens did just that. While these commenters represent a minuscule fraction of the total number of uTorrent users, their feedback was both negative and fairly unanimous. “An absolute disgrace. uTorrent used to be an excellent lightweight client with some great features, now its just a bloated and buggy piece of crap which is now going to be bundled with adware,” [URL="http://forum.utorrent.com/viewtopic.php?pid=676036#p676036"]one user said[/URL]. “You were great until a short time ago. Now you are just turning into a bloated mess like all the others. Whoever the genius was to think including ads in your pretty GUI would be a good idea should be gently hung with barbed wire,” [URL="http://forum.utorrent.com/viewtopic.php?pid=676080#p676080"]another added[/URL]. Although these sentiments might not necessarily represent those of the majority, it did motivate BitTorrent Inc. to rethink its decision to force ads onto users. Today, the company announced that they will give users the ability to opt-out of the sponsored torrents when the initial version is released. “We’ve long contemplated an opt-out mechanism for the new offers and advertisements we will be experimenting with. Given all that’s been said here, we’ve decided to release the initial version with an opt-out mechanism. Users should have the choice to opt-out, and we will provide them with ways to do so,” said BitTorrent CEO Eric Klinker. According to Klinker it was never their intention to merely cash in on ads. The extra revenue will be used to improve current and future file-sharing technology. “Opt-in offer experiences also help us bring new levels of investment; not just to the uTorrent client, but also to future iterations of peer-to-peer technology. In other words: experiments like this can help prove to the world that there is a legitimate third way in digital distribution.” “Experiments like this help us give the distributed technology that we all believe in a fighting chance,” Klinker adds. BitTorrent Inc has grown explosively in recent years, both in terms of revenue and employees. Current annual revenue is estimated at somewhere between $15 and $20 million and the company is backed by millions in venture capital. By adding sponsored torrents the company will be able to expand even further in the years to come. This is not the first time that a group of uTorrent users has lashed out against BitTorrent Inc for changes the company made to their flagship software. As is the case for all software, there will always be people who reject change. However, this hasn’t stopped new users from adopting the company’s products. With its uTorrent and BitTorrent clients the San Francisco company currently has a dominating market share of over 75%, which translates into more than 150 million active users a month. uTorrent has experienced the most spectacular growth by multiplying its active monthly users fivefold to 125 million in less than 4 years. [QUOTE][B]Update:[/B] In a [URL="http://forum.utorrent.com/viewtopic.php?id=123284"]separate forum post[/URL] BitTorrent responds to accusations that uTorrent has become bloatware. The company is also considering a lighter version of uTorrent, but these plans are not concrete yet. “We will be removing Apps in a near-future release because they’ve not been a success among our user base worldwide. Similarly, we will evaluate other existing features. We know that not every one of our features is a success, and our goal is to ship a slim base product with only those features users like and use.” “Beyond this, we hear the calls among many of you for a µ that is smaller and meaner than the current µ. Something like 1.6, 2.0 or similar. Over the past year, we’ve discussed various paths to getting there and are taking this request seriously.”[/QUOTE] [QUOTE][tab]Source: [/tab][URL="http://torrentfreak.com/utorrent-makes-ads-optional-following-user-revolt-120815/"]TorrentFreak[/URL][/QUOTE][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/QUOTE] Good.

[url]http://www.oldversion.com/download-uTorrent-2.2.1.25302.html[/url] Just install 2.2.1 and never update again.

oh no adverts i will never see

Poor guys. I have nothing against ads as long as they aren't pop-ups or anything.

I have nothing against ads as long as they're not [i]forced[/i].

[quote]“An absolute disgrace. uTorrent used to be an excellent lightweight client with some great features, now its just a bloated and buggy piece of crap which is now going to be bundled with adware,” one user said. “You were great until a short time ago. Now you are just turning into a bloated mess like all the others. Whoever the genius was to think including ads in your pretty GUI would be a good idea should be gently hung with barbed wire,” another added.[/quote] Only the internet can throw exaggerated overly bile-spewing tantrums over puny issues like these.

when they announced ads my life was literally over good to see they're making the right decision by giving me what i want for free without the inconvenience of me giving them revenue

[QUOTE=VistaPOWA;37284474][url]http://www.oldversion.com/download-uTorrent-2.2.1.25302.html[/url] Just install 2.2.1 and never update again.[/QUOTE] Why 2.2.1 exactly and not 3.2?

[QUOTE=FalconKrunch;37284676]Why 2.2.1 exactly and not 3.2?[/QUOTE] Because 2.2.1 is lightweight. More recent versions are bloated with useless shit.

[QUOTE=Kljunas;37284692]Because 2.2.1 is lightweight. More recent versions are bloated with useless shit.[/QUOTE] its so bloated its taking up all my hard drive i cant stand it [img]http://puu.sh/Wbrn[/img] [editline]17th August 2012[/editline] its so slow to start up too!

[QUOTE=rampageturke 2;37284791]its so bloated its taking up all my hard drive i cant stand it[/QUOTE] Sorry for preferring the best version even if it isn't a big deal.

I don't care about versions, or ads at all (unless they force themselves open and pop up in my face when I'm doing something else), because the program still does what it's job and that's all I or anyone will need

Why does anyone care anyway? You just start a download, then never look at it for a few hours until it finishes.

I might actually get it, because they're fixing the files not showing before you download with magnet links.

I was always going to update, but now I can turn their ads off too! (honestly the way it was described before was just a suggested featured torrent at the top of the list that I would never have paid any attention to anyway)

If you don't mind ads you can turn them on. I despite ads so I can turn them off. Win win?

Deluge master race. also, dont feel sad about their revenue. They make fucktons from the toolbar already.

If it's optional, that's great but I'm wondering who will put an effort to turn them on, as in who will actually want ads? They'll probably make it sefault on with the option to turn them off so people who don't care provide revenue.

[QUOTE=thelurker1234;37285626]Deluge master race. also, dont feel sad about their revenue. They make fucktons from the toolbar already.[/QUOTE] Deluge is just plain slow rtorrent masterrace if you have a linux box. For windows, not much beats utorrent

Conclusion: Pirates don't want [I]anyone[/I] to make money.

[QUOTE=t h e;37285762]If it's optional, that's great but I'm wondering who will put an effort to turn them on, as in who will actually want ads? They'll probably make it sefault on with the option to turn them off so people who don't care provide revenue.[/QUOTE] It's opt-out rather than opt-in. If it was the other way around, nobody would turn them on anyway. Taking this approach at least lets people see them and decide for themselves if they want it. I'm still kinda clueless about complaints for ads in a program that spends the majority of its time in your taskbar though.

I'll keep them on. I'm too lazy to actually care. Besides I've used their software for years now and never donated. I think it's the least I can do. It's not like my torrent software is always open in fullscreen anyway. I only ever look at utorrent for 5 seconds at a time.

[QUOTE=Darkimmortal;37285774]Deluge is just plain slow rtorrent masterrace if you have a linux box. For windows, not much beats utorrent[/QUOTE] There is practically no difference in connection speeds. And uh, utorrent is definitely more resource intensive that deluge is on my side

Oh jeez! We offer a free program! God forbid we try something with our consumers that gives us some revenue for our hard work!

[QUOTE=RoflKawpter;37286271]God forbid we try something with our consumers that gives us some revenue for our hard work![/QUOTE] uhm isn't it a little hypocritical to say that about a torrent application?

Transmission.

[QUOTE=thisispain;37286468]uhm isn't it a little hypocritical to say that about a torrent application?[/QUOTE] Linux distros and other free content come in torrent form. Not all torrents are pirated content.

[QUOTE=draugur;37286509]Linux distros and other free content come in torrent form. Not all torrents are pirated content.[/QUOTE] if that's what you use torrents for then i hate to tell you that you are in a vast minority.

Doesn't seem ethical having ads on a torrent app.

[QUOTE=The golden;37286567]People need to stop associating torrents with piracy.[/QUOTE] It's not about piracy, it's about it being a program that requires zero upkeep. You put out updates now and then and that's the stretch of it.