RANT: I don't want the freakin' toolbar!

Stop trying to push extra apps onto my system!

I'm so tired of installing applications and plug-ins on computer systems that all ask me -- and default to assuming yes -- would I like to install extra toolbars and (for me) useless utilities on the computers I am working on.

NO, I DO NOT WANT {insert add-on application/toolbar name here} ON THESE SYSTEMS.  If I did want that toolbar/application I know exactly how to go get it, where to place it for easy and convenient access to get it loaded on to systems that I'm working on, and need not have it SHOVED in my face by these 'partners' that are supposedly trying to be overly helpful.

In reality the reason these toolbars/applications are getting shoved in my face is so that the people that provided the other applications I wanted will reap some financial rewards for helping to get me to take these other applications from their partners.

I've had enough of this whole tired system though.  I don't want to have to answer no, or click off the check box.  Yes, I'm glad I at least have the choice, and yes, I know that the people that provided the other plugins and tools that I'm installing are providing them for free thanks to (perhaps) some of the money they are getting paid by Google and Yahoo! (and eBay, etc.) for shoving these toolbars/applications at me, but I really wish that the apps/plugins/toolbars that I want came -- for lack of a better term -- naked and without all of the extra crap.

I know I can be lazy and just remove the unwanted toolbars/apps later if they are 'accidentally installed' and I do wind up having to do just that many times where someone installed these toolbars and didn't know that they didn't have to do it (and don't want/use the new toolbars anyway).  I hate doing that though because I never know if someone really wanted these toolbars or not, and like many applications that get installed in Windows, you never know what extra crap comes along with the toolbars/apps that you'll never be able to truly get rid of.

Perhaps it wouldn't be such a pain if these applications/toolbars truly, completely, seamlessly removed themselves when you uninstall them but so many of them don't even come close to doing that and I don't want to have to be a freakin' computer genius to know what files I can remove later without ill-effect on the systems I'm working with.

146,419 views 80 replies
Reply #1 Top

Yes Google and Yahoo!  I'm pointing at you people.  At the same time I'm pointing at Sun (installed Java lately? Did you wind up getting Google toolbar with it??), and pointing at Adobe (installed Acrobat Reader lately? same problem), and Real (who already offers up enough of their own crap-ware/bloat-ware add-ons with their products) and others.

I'm also pointing at OEMs and system builders like Gateway/Acer/E-machines, and Dell (who has finally awoken to the idea that they should sell systems that don't force all of the add-on applications onto the buyers of their systems, but of course they charge a little extra for it, which is the obvious trade-off that is made in the equation here), and Lenovo, and HP/Compaq, and Toshiba, etc.

All are GUILTY!  Guilty I say!  of stealing computer CPU cycles and horsepower out from underneath us as they install all of these add-ons on our systems through their partnership deals and through defaults that make us opt-out, rather than opt-in to having these things pushed onto our PCs.

Reply #2 Top

Yes Google and Yahoo!

I hate those as well, and always uninstall them when I go to work on a computer.

Reply #3 Top
I agree wholeheartedly, terpfan, these tool bars and 'supposed' browser helpers are a confounded nuisance/pain in the arse that do more harm than help to your PC. I mean, try to imagine just how much RAM you'd actually have left if you consented to every one the cursed things they try to force down your throat.

Just the other day I was confronted by a MySearch tool bar that was bundled with a msstyle I fancied converting to a WB....the problem being that unchecking the 'I agree' box disabled the 'next button. In other words, they're not giving you a choice because you have to agree to install the toolbar to get the file.

I had the last say though....I discovered that by right clicking on the exe, the package could be safely extracted by winRAR to a location of my choice...from there I took the desired file and deleted the rest.
Reply #4 Top
Agree.
Reply #5 Top
Yeah those are evil. I have seen up to 5 toolbars on some users computers. The display were barely visible below all the ( literally ) overhead of toolbars.
Reply #6 Top
I agree too, "Wasted window space". I always choose "Custom install" so I can see what they are trying to install without me knowing and if they don't give you that choice I uninstall the toolbar after. But there are those people who think they are there to make it easier to - Surf, Search, etc... and then they just get used to them being there. "You can lead a horse to water..."
Reply #7 Top
Here's another one of similar nature.
Apps that, by default have an automatic update feature turned on.
Java in particular is a classic example. Do you have any idea how fickle apps that use java can be? Quite a few software companies tend to be way behind on the latest and greatest version of java, and will cease to function properly is java is updated.
Yes, it's easy to turn off the auto update function, but when you have rolled out jave to about 700 pc's in an organization it can be hell to disable this.
Back on your examples, Google toolbar. I've found a way to block it on a network by just creating a google folder under program files and denying permission to everyone but domain admins. I've seen the dam thing work around that and install in the users documents and settings folder. I just feel violated.
Reply #8 Top
And Apples Auto Update that insists on upgrading my Quicktime installation with iTunes.
Reply #9 Top
I once had to fix someones pc that had so many toolbars on it that the cursor acted it was having an epileptic fit....took some 10 minutes to reboot....and upon running spybot also had 700 some pieces of spy/malware on it. I agree with this constantly "add this or you can't have that" software being over the top.
Reply #10 Top
and upon running spybot also had 700 some pieces of spy/malware


I did not work on the machine, but the record I have heard of (from a Resnet Tech) was 4500! My record is a mere 1100.
Reply #11 Top
700? 4500????? 1100? I guess people really aren't too smart.
Reply #12 Top
I did not work on the machine, but the record I have heard of (from a Resnet Tech) was 4500! My record is a mere 1100.


my record is 2500

SSG,

No, people aren't very smart. When you start up the computer and see some "cute" little animation prance across the screen, you KNOW you're in for a fun time!
Reply #14 Top
my record is 2500


I dont want to top you, seriously!
Reply #15 Top
4500!


Holy Crap! I'm surprised the machine didn't need cpr!

Just with 700 some the thing was having convulsions.
Reply #16 Top
Holy Crap! I'm surprised the machine didn't need cpr!


I agree! Like I said, that was reported on a list I belong to. And it was not a "top that" thing, so I can only assume that since it was college, they were just bitchen, not braggin.
Reply #17 Top
........are you serious?.....why dont you just click no, install the program and move on with your life?...what a waste of boiled rage...........  
Reply #18 Top
You don't get his point at all.
Reply #19 Top
Point being?   
Reply #20 Top
You don't get his point at all.


No she does not. But at least she prevented me from taking the opposite view just to make sure this was JU and not "Pod Persons R US".
Reply #21 Top
And Apples Auto Update that insists on upgrading my Quicktime installation with iTunes


Yeah, me too on this one. If I want to update, I'll go to Apple and update.
Reply #22 Top
Have the serenity to not stress so much on something you have no control over and know everyone else deals with it too. Uncheck the boxes and move on.

Reply #23 Top
Have the serenity to not stress so much on something you have no control over and know everyone else deals with it too. Uncheck the boxes and move on.


You have learned well Grasshopper!
Reply #24 Top
I agree! Like I said, that was reported on a list I belong to. And it was not a "top that" thing, so I can only assume that since it was college, they were just bitchen, not braggin.


Well, the 2500 (and change, of course) wasn't braggin' either...lol!

The most I ever heard about (from a credible source) was right around the 4500 range. I can't even BEGIN to imagine that. Anything past the 500 threshhold, in my experience, is pretty thrashed.
Reply #25 Top
was right around the 4500 range


College kids!