Just now I wanted to download ASP.NET MVC and seen there is now something called Web Platform Installer. The direct link to the installer is however still there.
A few days ago I wanted to get SQL 2008 Express. Now I only was given this Web Platform Installer and that was it. I had to Google for some time until I found the link to standalone installer.
Then last year I tried to download some ISO from their site and I had to install some awful installer just to get to the file. Our admin pulls images out of their MSDN site with this weird tool as well.
What's the problem there? It went fine for years, we could download everything over FTP and HTTP. Why now this stuff thet gets in my way and lowers drastically my user experience? I understand until know some semilegal download or adult sites were noticed to practice these custom downloaders to distribute malware. Why is MS doing this?