Looking at the Magix website, I found a page about free Magix Photo Designer 7. Thought I'd try it; downloaded it. The download said it was from CNET, not Magix. Strange. It downloaded an installer, which, when clicked, then brought in the program... very slowly.

But that wasn't all. It secretly loaded four other programs... some fake free games, and a Babylon toolbar that tried to hijack my browser. Aarghh! Took me 15 minutes so clear out all the crap... a couple of the new programs didn't want to go right away.

This sort of thing is unacceptable. I know Magix is German, out of Berlin -- maybe the EU allows crapware, or at least people there tolerate it more than we do in the US. But here, it is only done by bottom-feeding pseudo-software companies masquerading as real ones. The US crapware, like Magix's, always tries to peddle something, to pester you to buy something you never asked for and don't want.

This isn't something where you'd give the crapware vendor another try... their stupid schemes are not accidental, and God knows what they'd infect your PC with, given a second chance.

I've bought Xara products for many years. But tonight, Magix lost me as a customer. Over and out.