ClipGrab

ClipGrab is a multi-platform software package for downloading videos from various websites such as YouTube, Vimeo, Dailymotion or Facebook. It has been praised for its user-friendliness, but also flagged as malware by security software.[1][2][3] It can convert the downloaded files to other file formats such as MP3, MPEG4, OGG Theora or WMV. It is published as free software under the terms of version 3 of the GNU General Public License.[4]

ClipGrab
Initial release5 November 2007 (2007-11-05)
Stable release
3.8.12 / 29 May 2020 (2020-05-29)
Operating systemMicrosoft Windows, macOS, Linux
Available inEnglish, German, French
TypeDownload manager
LicenseGPL v3 (free software)
Websiteclipgrab.org 

Features

ClipGrab officially supports the download from a handful of video websites which include YouTube, Dailymotion, Vimeo, and Facebook. In addition to this, the software provides a heuristic which can also download videos from sites that are not officially supported. When available, ClipGrab offers different quality options for a video. With this feature, the user can choose between downloading a high definition, standard definition or low definition version of the video. ClipGrab can automatically detect compatible URLs when they are copied to the clipboard. The program provides an integrated search function for YouTube. It also lets the user convert the downloaded files to other file formats such as MP3, MPEG4, OGG Theora or WMV. It has especially been praised for its clean and easy-to-use user interface.[1][2][5] Software review site softoxi.com states that "[ClipGrab] has a beautifully designed graphical user interface" and "stands out immediately for its look, feel and performance"[6]

License

ClipGrab is published as free software under the GPLv3 license[7]

Unusually for an open source project, file checksums, code repositories, developer documentation, or online issue trackers are not publicly available. Until 2015, ClipGrab published an online source code repository including a GPL open source license.[8]

Development

ClipGrab was originally developed in the proprietary programming language PureBasic,[9] and could only download one video at a time. Later, the software was rewritten using C++ and the Qt framework and published under the terms of the GPL v3. Since version 3.0, the program is also available for macOS.

Criticism about malware

The ClipGrab installer for Windows includes installCore,[10] an advertising software module classified as a potentially unwanted program (PUP) or potentially unwanted application (PUA) by some anti-malware products. Due to the use of installCore, ClipGrab has been described as "loaded with crapware".[1] Virus reports on the ClipGrab forum have not received a response from the developer.[11][12] Articles on ClipGrab from 2018 onwards are more critical, and classify the software as malware, rather than as a helpful consumer product, as in reviews from 2011-2015.

An alternate download without InstallCore is also offered.[13]

See also

References
  1. "ClipGrab lets you download and convert videos from the Web". thewindowsclub.com. 10 November 2012.
  2. "ClipGrab - Download". www.chip.de.
  3. "Remove Clipgrab virus". 19 July 2018.
  4. "ClipGrab COPYING". Philipp Schmieder.
  5. "German newspaper "Der Tagesspiegel" recommends ClipGrab". tagesspiegel.de (in German). 6 February 2010.
  6. "Review by softoxi.com". softoxi.com. 24 November 2011. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  7. "ClipGrab COPYING".
  8. "ClipGrab Git COPYING". Philipp Schmieder. 12 August 2013. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015.
  9. "Initial release announcement". purebasic.fr (in German). 15 November 2007. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  10. "Legal mentions". clipgrab.org. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
  11. "Remove InstallCore from your installer". 30 June 2019.
  12. "downloaded a copy from clipgrap.org. HAD A VIRUS". 15 April 2018. Archived from the original on 5 June 2020.
  13. "Remove InstallCore from your installer". Retrieved 24 October 2020.
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