OpenCandy Brings Transparency and Relevancy to Software Recommendations;Provides
an Alternative to Deceptive `Opt-Out` Bundling Practices Common in the Software
Community
SAN DIEGO & SAN FRANCISCO--(Business Wire)--
OpenCandy today announced that Nitro PDF Software, the company behind the first
true Adobe Acrobat alternative and the world`s most popular free PDF creator,
PrimoPDF, is the latest publisher to use the OpenCandy distribution and
monetization platform. OpenCandy is powering a new revenue model for software
publishers, such as Nitro PDF, that enables users to discover other compelling
applications on a completely `opt-in` basis via a unique recommendation option
during the installation of software.
"We wanted to find a way to generate revenue to continue developing, offering
and supporting PrimoPDF at no cost to our millions of users. Unfortunately,
every option presented to us relied on mediocre user experiences, such as
`opt-out` bundles of software applications our users likely wouldn`t want as
they represented zero value-add," said Gina O`Reilly, senior vice president of
sales and marketing of Nitro PDF Software. "Partnering with OpenCandy allows us
to generate revenue while, more importantly, adding value for our users by
providing a completely transparent and optional means of discovering other great
software."
Empowering Users by Providing an Alternative to Deceptive `Opt-Out` Practices
For years, software publishers have relied on deceptive `opt-out` software
bundles to monetize the distribution of free software-much to the chagrin of
computer users everywhere. These practices have led to increasing levels of user
dissatisfaction because of having unwanted software on their computer, software
that, in some cases, has been used to spread malware. The software community
desperately needed a better way to provide users with full control over what
they download and install, while still having the ability to generate revenue
from the distribution of free software.
The OpenCandy platform is the first to provide true transparency to software
distribution and monetization, putting the power of choice back into the hands
of consumers.Since the beginning of the year, OpenCandy has powered
recommendations in tens of millions of installations-on an `opt-in` only basis.
"We`re excited the Nitro team is as focused as we are on delivering a high
quality end-user experience, and as a result, chose to partner with us," said
Chester Ng, co-founder and chief business officer of OpenCandy. "We firmly
believe that software publishers don`t need to sell their souls to monetize
their free applications; instead, they can actually add value to users by
helping them discover other useful software."
About Nitro PDF Software and PrimoPDF
A permanent fixture of CNET`s Download.com Top 30, PrimoPDF is a free tool for
high-quality PDF creation, comprising a user-friendly interface that enables
printing to PDF from virtually any Windows® application. Since its launch in
February 2004, PrimoPDF has rapidly become the world`s most widely-used tool for
free, basic conversion to PDF with over 10 million users to date, and is
consistently ranked as the #1 most popular Business & Productivity software
download on CNET`s Download.com. PrimoPDF is the cornerstone of Nitro's free PDF
software suite which currently has a base of 25+ million users and comprises the
world's #1 free PDF web browser extension, PDF Download; the #1 free online PDF
creation service, PrimoOnline; and the #1 free online PDF editor, PDF Hammer.
PrimoPDF is available for free download at: www.primopdf.com.
Nitro PDF Software is one of the world's leading PDF software vendors and the
company behind Nitro PDF Professional, the first true alternative to Adobe
Acrobat. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, Nitro PDF Software has
operations spanning North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Nitro PDF
Software products have won multiple "Product of the Year" and "Top Buy" awards,
are available in retail stores around the globe, and are used by millions of
people worldwide, including a significant number of Fortune 500 organizations,
educational institutions, and government agencies.
www.nitropdf.com.
About OpenCandy
OpenCandy is the distribution and monetization platform exclusively for consumer
software providers. The Company maximizes value for its partners by delivering
compelling recommendations through an exceptional user experience. OpenCandy
helps users discover useful applications by powering millions of recommendations
during installation of the world`s best software every month.
OpenCandy was founded in 2008 by early and founding DivX employees. The company
is privately held and funded by Bessemer Venture Partners and O`Reilly AlphaTech
Ventures. Other investors include Jordan Greenhall, former co-founder and CEO of
DivX, and Reid Hoffman, co-founder and Executive Chairman of LinkedIn. For more
information, visit www.opencandy.com.
fama PR
Brian Merrill, 619-550-1317
opencandy@famapr.com
Copyright Business Wire 2009
