Download site script

I have an existing web site and I would like to add a download section to it.

The download section will have categories of recommended open source software, freeware, and shareware. Each application will have a description. Users will be able to download software from the web site without accessing an external site.

What is the best script to use to create (and monetize, with AdSense), this sort of download section of a web site?

 

Are you looking for PAD file support in it. Or does the members have to fill in the details of the software they want to submit to your site.

 

I didn't know about PAD until you mentioned it -- it looks pretty cool!

I didn't intend to let people submit software to the site. If an application is worth listing, we should already know about it.

As you can tell, I am really new to this concept. I don't believe that I yet know enough to know what I want.

 

Will, since you would like users to be able to download software from the web site without accessing an external site i think you need to have permission from the originating publishers of the software you are planning to list in this download section.

I don't think you can just ad a direct link to the file. A such that after clicking the link you wil see this type of window:



You can however link to the homepage of the software publisher(s) in question. But direct linking to the file is not going to be appreciated by the publishers.

Just a heads up so you won't waste a lot of your precious time on this matter.
Good luck Will!

 

Edz:

I was thinking that I would host the downloadable files.

 

You can host your own downloadable files, just make sure to read the licenses of each of them because publishers do not grant redistribution rights.

As for monetize, you can combine AdSense, Google search and some Sponsor offering software, spyware/antivurs checkup, etc, which are banner oriented.

Otherwise you can implement a javascript requiring to click a link before proceed to the downloadable file.

Obviously, that must-click must not be AdSense but any other Affiliate pay per click program

 

Yeah that could work i guess. I would ask for permission first to be sure if it's allowed. I don't know if those large download sites have special agreements or something but this could very well be.

 

I am coming into this with zero knowledge, so I appreciate all of the ideas.

 

Humm... The opinions are correct If you are accepting the PAD files then it is okay. You can just point the users in right direction and then they can download the files if they want to from a redirect to the publishers page.(Software Author)

And yes you cannot host the downloadable files in your own server. If the author of the software submits his or her software to your site and you have a page of terms and agreement which he clicks before submitting then write that "He or she is giving you a right to host their trail versions or freeware versions on your server"

Still the idea of hosting the softwares on your own server is not good. Bcoz the softwares own terms and conditions state that they cannot be re-distributed in any form. (Most of the softwares nowadays carry this notice)

If you want complete guidance in setting this up then let me know. I operate a Software Download repository as you can see in my signature. And that way you can offer downloads to the users. Other then that you will have to obtain permissions from all the indivuduals which will be a big headache for you.

Thanks.

 

I had the same idea but was put off with the prospect of having to try every software download first to make sure it was virus and spyware free. Secondly the time it would consume to monitor each software download and make sure the most recent stable software is available.

 

even i have an idea of strting a download.com style site please recommend a script

 

if it was that easy to open a download.com site.. everyone would have started one

 

Well For the above two posts. I have dreamed of owning a download.com style website. But let me show you some points.
Download.com is very huge and it has the best domain name for the kind of site.
Next the headache for creating that kind of site is too much. And you don't get enough in return from it. Due to the competition with giants.

I own a software repository of my own and maintaining it is real headache. I have hired one guy to look, just look at it and fix problems if there are any. And still there is peanuts in revenue from it. I thought over of putting google adsense on it. But I am thick minded and think that putting google adsense will make my site look unprofessional. So as a thick minded webmaster I decided against it.

Recommending a script is not easy because there is no such script available in market. And those who have that script. (That is thick minded people like me) they don't want to sell it cheap.

Before building this site of mine I also looked for the script with PAD files support and top rated, reviews etc. But then they come in encoded forms and they are not easily editable.

Any thing else that I can help you with let me know. I will be glad to guide you.

 

@nick - what script you using for your download site? I'm running download site too, but a niche one, currently only have over 300 files hosted. And yes, most of the files is hosted on my server because most of developer doesnt have website and if they do, they still want me to host it to help them with bandwidth consume.

I use static html on frontend with olate download as backend. But I'm still looking for a good download script, still not success though

 

use joomla with mosets tree, but it's not free however, if you use joomla, may i know what system you are on now ??

 

I could get away with using no script at all, just plain shared HTML pages. This is because I don't intend to have a large download site -- I only intend to have downloads relevant to my sites existing content.

I'll probably need thirty pages of download categories and under two hundred total downloads.

Maintenance time is a significant worry. My current business model requires that pages go a long time with extremely minimal maintenance.

 

you would need that, of course due to handling the files, there are 2 of them, that comes with joomla, mosets tree, not free, jxplorer, an ability to limit access to certain members, and it's for free, here :

jxplorer - http://extensions.joomla.org/component/option,com_mtree/task,viewlink/link_id,418/Itemid,35/

mosets tree - http://extensions.joomla.org/component/option,com_mtree/task,viewlink/link_id,233/Itemid,35/

some custom templating in joomla will do it with your main site.

Note : joomla.org itself using mosets tree to handle the file they host, of course they good enough ehh.

 

I am actually leaning away from using PAD files because of duplicate content issues.

 

I plan to switch to joomla with moset tree component too, but currently, having a hard time try to configuring the SEF. Currently, my site is not a downloads only site, but more a community site with a downloads section. I believe, Will plan to make this kind of site too. Even though you can use plain html as a start but I believe when the downloads section expand, you need some kind of script that will do it automatically for you. Too bad, after more than 2 years, I'm still searching for good one.

Btw, scripts.com also using joomla with moset tree.

 

Which part did you having hard time with SEF?? Explain please, maybe can help.