Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Is it me, or is just about every piece of shareware/freeware/open source software today bundled with the Google Toolbar and/or Google Desktop???  

Worse yet, the option to install it is always turned on by default; so even when downloading an app from a reliable source you have to be extra vigilant when going through the install wizard, or it will install some crap that you didn`t ask for!  No more "yes mom" installations...

I don`t want the damn Google Toolbar on my PC!  Is Google becoming the next Real Player in their attempts to take over every computer?

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Oleg Issers | StartupNation.com Web Team

50% of computer programming is trial and error. The other 50% is copy and paste.

I never install Google desktop as long as there`s an option not to.

Unfortunately, there isn`t always the option and I have to search all over to get rid of it. 

I think there are better search engines than Google and I get frustrated with their occasional pop-up ads, especially when I`m trying to click on something and end up clicking on their ads instead.  I`m sure someone paid top dollar to sneak those past all my pop-up blockers but it`s unappreciated on this end.

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What is this "Google" people are always talking about? Could you send it to me so I can see how it`s made?

Thank you,

Google simply took the brilliant model of Microsoft and went directly to the manufacturers to bundle their software in the machines and software being sold.
Regarding free stuff, just like this site itself, how do you expect the stuff to be free without advertising (or Google) riding along with it.

In this country, we call that economics.

As the dominant market leader, they deserve it. They built something that was/is light years ahead of search, and it has opened up a world many would never even be able to find.

Techies have no problem supressing instant downloads anyway, Oleg, so what`s the big deal? You of all people know exactly how to do this.

Google is huge for a reason: what they do works. Good for them - Larry and Sergey deserve it. Their team is brilliant, their applications are cutting edge, and the world has voted `yes`.

As much as Apple commercials whine about preloads, they still, after all this time, have less than 20% of the domestic computer business. If their mousetrap is so much better, why don`t they have greater market share?

Sure, Google made some great apps.  I use their search on a daily basis and have Google Earth installed on my PC at home.  However I am annoyed by unnecessary software being bundled with completely unrelated applications (what the hell does the Google toolbar have to do with a video player app?)

I also abhor "browser helper objects" of any kind.  I don`t care if they are made by Google, Microsoft, or whomever - they are all pure evil IMO, and I don`t want them on my machine.  Considering how much you complain about scrolling on this site, you of all people should understand why I am annoyed by some "toolbar" taking up valuable browser space.

Sure I can supress the install or even uninstall it once it`s there.  The bottom line is, when I install a piece of software with default options, and end up with another piece of software that I didn`t ask for, my time is being wasted.  I don`t care how wonderful Google is, this particular practice of theirs is not a good one.  It`s also not like what Microsoft does; Microsoft works with hardware manufacturers to preload their software on new systems.  I never see random MS software bundled with other completely unrelated software.

Not sure how Apple fits into this, if at all.  I thought their big thing these days was consumer electronics rather than personal computers...

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Oleg Issers | StartupNation.com Web Team

50% of computer programming is trial and error. The other 50% is copy and paste.

In Firefox - View > Toolbars > uncheck whatever you want.

I don`t know what you downloaded that came with it. I`ve never gotten an attached Google rider.

And honestly, I have mixed feelings on it. Personally, I think the more they can know and gather using you as a guinea pig, the better their service will be and the more value they can pass on to the businesses depending on them. (It`s kind of why you now just give your whole sitemap to Google.)
BUT ... who knows. Some people are more concerned with privacy than others.