They are bowing down to the desires of their parent company, CBS, a large TV network corporation (didn't know if you knew that, since they might not broadcast in Antarctica
). Broadcast TV has no love of the Internet, nor any understanding of it. To them, it is an expense, a parasite that sucks at their profits. So now they try to suck some back via toolbar installers.
There are people who work for Cnet that have stated this was a bad move, both before it happened and after. But this decision came from high-up the chain, actions clearly stating, "We want more money from this site, and if we cant get it, then its not worth running". Best part is, the are audacious enough to call the toolbar wrapper a "secure downloader", claim its to protect the DL.com users from infections and unwanted installs.
I have left this site behind. And I cant say I miss it. Less mindless Apple/Android fans to give me a headache.