topic PIXMA MX522 PDF manual shows up as an EXE file in Desktop Inkjet Printers

PIXMA MX522 PDF manual shows up as an EXE file

MrSP — Fri, 03 Nov 2023 16:12:00 GMT

When I try to download the manual for MX522 Printer, although it says it's a PDF file, I get a .exe file.
pml_-win-mx520-1_1-en.exe

When you advertise a PDF as a resource, please make it a PDF not a trojan.
No thanks Canon, I don't want some garbage application installed just to see a PDF.

Re: PIXMA MX522 PDF manual shows up as an EXE file

normadel — Fri, 03 Nov 2023 23:16:51 GMT

The User Manual download is a compressed archive containing five manuals.

When you run it, it gets expanded into a folder with the manual PDF files. It does not install anything.

Re: PIXMA MX522 PDF manual shows up as an EXE file

MrSP — Sat, 11 Nov 2023 17:07:53 GMT

I prefer to download and see PDFs when PDFs are listed for download. Confusing otherwise.
Thanks for the insight.

Re: PIXMA MX522 PDF manual shows up as an EXE file

shadowsports — Sat, 11 Nov 2023 20:16:57 GMT

Its a self extracting .ZIP, provided as a convenience.

Here is the contents:

Re: PIXMA MX522 PDF manual shows up as an EXE file

normadel — Sat, 11 Nov 2023 20:17:58 GMT

It's just a way to wrap up multiple related files in one unit, instead of having separate downloads. It's done in lots of places.

Re: PIXMA MX522 PDF manual shows up as an EXE file

MrSP — Sat, 11 Nov 2023 21:50:52 GMT

I know what a self extracting file is, but not everybody knows it.
Assuming that there might be a variety of Canon printers users, I'd prefer the title of download file to match the file I'm downloading or at least to be a note, explaining there's a set of files in a self extracting zip file.
From my screen shot, original post, you can see there's no mention of multiple files, or an .exe file.
As innocuous as it may seem to some, it is not taking into account anxious ppl out there.
Signin out.

Re: PIXMA MX522 PDF manual shows up as an EXE file

12w3e4r5ty6u7ij — Wed, 08 May 2024 21:34:01 GMT

It is an absolutely ridiculous practice to force the download of an .exe in place of any other format to convey these documents to the user.

Not only is it a massive violation of cybersecurity best practices by setting up a textbook platform for a man-in-the-middle attack, it will also automatically be blocked by any enterprise network with even minimal security in place.

This is a really terrible way to "support" your users and is absolutely not doing good things for the perception of Canon as a vendor in the eyes of corporate and government IT departments. Ask me how I know....