Java install

[KingJames]

It's been awhile since I posted here as the forums are not very busy but nonetheless I thought this warranted a post. I was loading Java on my wifes PC and it sneak installed Yahoo toolbar without my permission. I was wondering if this has happened to others and if so how long have they been doing this?

[Scavenger]

I only noticed it recently. I run Linux on both of my desktops but I did reinstalled XP on my Thinkpad and when I got around to installing Java I suddenly had the Yahoo bar. Seems like Shockwave tries to do the same thing. Not sure when Java started doing it but I didn't notice any opt out.

[KingJames]

Long time no see Scavenger! I am glad to see that I am not losing my mind about the install issue. I think it rather pathetic that just automatically assume that you would want the toolbar.

[Scavenger]

I drop by from time to time and check out the front page. The forum has been a ghost town for a while now.

[KingJames]

Yes that is unfortunate but true. I seem to be flying this plane solo right now and that is what has caused this, because limited new content means not much site activity especially in the forums.

Many of the larger sites are able to have paid staff so they tend to stick around longer, the former staff we had here were mostly top-notch but eventually most people get tired of working to produce content without making any money and they move on.

[KingJames]

I just installed the new Java version which is supposed to have lots of bug and security fixes, this time I paid a little more attention to the install and on the bottom left there was a check box for "advanced install" I believe it was well low and behold from here you can chose not to install the Yahoo toolbar.

This is ridiculous that the default behavior for this should be set as such. If I let every program that I used do things like this my system would be loaded with as much "crapware" as a new Dell.

[Scavenger]

A while back I bought a HP Deskjet 6940 printer. I have it plugged into my router so I can print from any of my computers. The driver for Linux is about 10 MB while the Windows driver is 250 MB and full of stuff I don't need. I've been trying to keep my laptop junk free so I haven't installed that driver. If I need to print something I just send it to one of the Linux machines and print it from there. What happened to simple drivers?

[KingJames]

The only answer I have for that is greed, business have found out that they can make an extra buck or two by bundling things in software like that. Dell for instance ships their laptops with a huge amount of crapware (Bloatware).

All I can say is that things have changed a lot in the past 20 years. When I graduated from business school I was taught that you didn't do things to make your customers angry just so you could make a quick buck because if you did you were likely to lose a customer down the line.

It seems that is not how things are done anymore, take CompUSA for one. They had just horrible customer service especially phone support. As an experiment I got in my car and drove to their store 11 miles from my house at the same time my wife called the store.

By the time she was able to get through the phone menu and speak to a live person to ask them if they had the item in stock I had already made it to the store found the item waited in line paid for the item and was on my way back before she finished checking the stock status on the item.