Ask toolbar

kwikbreaks

So many freeware programs these days include the Ask toolbar and other junkware that I'm always careful to deselect it from installs. Well obviously yesterday I either wasn't careful enough or it was installed without asking permission as when I started up chrome it was on view. I immediately uninstalled it.

Why oh why do these companies think that trying to force their junk on people is a reasonable business ethic. I'm betting that nobody who has any technical ability at all ever lets it stay in place so they have no idea if it's any good or not (I certainly don't) which in turn means it will never be recommended to others. To my mind their tactics are self defeating.

closed

Free software and apps invariably have a hidden cost - privacy, adverts or toolbars, or all three. What is chrome reporting back I wonder!?

smartphones and smartphone apps that lift gps location and contacts are also undesirable, particularly for the contacts who have no control over it, but who reads the terms and conditions when they get a free game.

In the end, it's all about money, they get a kickback

Java bundles ask (and mcafee security scan), haven't looked, but would guess chrome would bundle google toolbar if anything

aerostar

Unfortunately people do not tend to read the conditions and willy nilly just say yes to everything, and then wonder why they get toolbars etc.

The rule should be ALWAYS choose custom install where possible, that way you should be able to say no to this type of sneaky install.

If there is not a custom install then look at the screen, you may get the option not to install crxp stuff.