Why You Shouldnโt Use GShade
Even after two years, I still see people using GShade and claiming it's a safe program, when itโs really not! There are already some older Tumblr posts about this, but I figured itโs worth refreshing the issue.
Around two years ago, GShadeโs developer added a code that could forcefully shut down your computer, not because of a bug or security measure, but on purpose. Why? Because he was mad that someone, specifically a 16-year-old made an alternative way to install GShade without using the official updater. Instead of handling it professionally, the dev decided to add a malicious code as "punishment" for anyone trying to modify GShade. Thatโs malware behavior.
At that time you also HAD to update Gshade to unistall it. โ
(Developers "Apology") โ
Now, you might be thinking, โOkay, but that was patched out, so itโs fine now, right?โ Nope. Because the biggest issue isnโt just what he did, itโs the fact that he still thinks he did nothing wrong.
The Problem with Closed-Source Software Like GShade
GShade is closed-source, meaning no one except the developer can see or verify whatโs actually in the code. This is a issue when dealing with someone who has already abused their control over the software.
With open-source programs (like ReShade), anyone can look at the code, verify itโs safe, and contribute to improving it. If something shady is added, people can catch it immediately. But with GShade, you have to just trust that the dev isnโt hiding anything malicious. And considering his past actions, thatโs a massive risk to take.
Even if GShade is "safe" right now, nothing is stopping the dev from adding another backdoor, data collection, or something even worse in the future. Since no one can see the code, you wouldnโt know until it was too late. And given that he still defends his actions, thereโs every reason to believe heโd do something similar again.
โBut Iโve Never Had Issues With GShadeโ
A lot of people say GShade runs better than ReShade or has better effects. That might be true, but no amount of quality or convenience is worth putting your computer at risk. Just because something hasnโt caused problems yet doesnโt mean it wonโt in the future. Malicious code can be slipped in at any time, and because itโs closed-source, no one would be able to warn you.
And honestly? You shouldnโt be using software made by someone who has already proven theyโre willing to mess with your computer. If a developer intentionally inserts harmful code once, they can do it again.
What Should You Use Instead?
Thereโs a safe and open-source alternative: ReShade
- Itโs free and open-source, meaning the community can review the code to ensure itโs safe.
- It can do almost everything GShade does, and while it may take some tweaking, itโs worth the effort.
- Most GShade presets can be converted to work with ReShade with a bit of adjustment.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, itโs your computer, and you can do whatever you want with it. But if you choose to keep using GShade, just be aware of the risks youโre taking. The dev has already demonstrated that heโs willing to sabotage peopleโs computers when he feels like it. He still thinks he was justified. And because GShade is closed-source, he has complete control over whatโs in the code without anyone being able to check.
So ask yourself: Is that really the kind of software you want to trust?
ReShade is a safer, open-source alternative that doesnโt put you at risk.
Here are some links that discusses the whole topic:
