let's take java as an example.
it offers ask toolbar bundled with the installer
that was bundled with the last version of imgburn and everyone moaned about that too, because there is a support forum where you can complain about a free product.
there is an opt out from the bundled software in the current version, if you click custom on the install, you can choose not to install the bundled software.
whether you want the adware in the installer or not, isn't really anyones call than Lightning_UK's, as it is his, and i would assume he has to get some form of revenue to keep the forum alive and buy drives and media for testing.
it all costs money, and at the end of the day, imgburn isn't his day job.