Who doesn't love toolbars?

That is going from the sublime to the completely ridiculous.

Tools... and toolbars, eh!

It is not that most users are just obstinate or stubborn, just lazy.  They get the tool bars by just clicking "ok, ok, ok" when installing something.  All my friends and relatives know about the evils of tool bars now - but they still get them due to the "default" being to install it.  of course when the computer bogs down like a drunken sailor, I still get called.

That one wins the prize as the most polluted browser I have ever seen!

Yes, I did mention to Shirley to be vigilant when installing anything... to be on the lookout for toolbars and the like.  So far so good.... she's had the machine back for a couple of weeks now... and no calls for help.   

A while ago I had issues with Google Chrome being installed by default with one of the shareware media players... Winamp or JetAudio or something.  There was no option to opt out, and I stuck it to 'em with an irate email cos I don't want that crap on my rig.  I did get a reply with an apology for the inconvenience, but it was too late by then... my trust had been broken and I've not tried it (the media player) since.... and  I had previously considered buying it.... not that it matters now, since the media centre that came with my TV tuner card does all I need it to.

Yeah, it's amazing, hey.... like oozing with pollution... er, positively dripping with it, even.

Well no wonder... you've not left enough room to complete the account number and type, to then scroll down to the login button.

I preempted them.  I installed it on purpose, but it is the least used of my browsers.  I am coming to not trust Google at all.

I guess that makes it safe banking then.

I never did... think it comes from watching Bewitched.... and how Larry Tate would get real low down and devious to make a sale.   Google are advertisers as well... devious as all buggery and far less trustworthy than Larry Tate ever was.

Nah, it has nothing to do with Larry Tate.  It's just that you'd have to be living under a rock to have never heard of Google... and if you are living under a rock or have your head buried in the sand, "never fear, Google is coming soon to a rock or a  grain of sand near you." Then there's: "If you've never seen a Google ad because the computer under your rock doesn't get Wi-Fi, don't despair, we've collected millions of Wi-Fi addresses and one can be yours for the very low price of $29.95 and six Google coupons"

Yup, pretty much says it all, don't it?  The bastards are everywhere... even outside bedroom windows in city and suburban streets everywhere... taking photos of who knows what???  Well we know what of ... just not how much they'll charge people to keep them off-line.   Hmmm, that'd be all I need... photos of my naked fat arse going viral cos I spent my last $29.95 on a Wi-Fi address.

Well sort of!   Could be that one of those toolbars (and I wouldn't put it past Google) has looked into the cache and phoned home with all the account details and passwords... and if there's porn stored anywhere, could be the blackmail emails start coming soon.

The only surprising part is that some people still thought certain toolspyware bars were actually okay.  If they were legitimate software, they wouldn't keep trying to sneak them in with random freeware apps.  The fact you have to take action to NOT install them tells you all you need to know about them.

And I feel the OPs pain.  I do IT support at a company that still had a few people with IE6 and 7.  But try to kick someone off for 10 minutes to install some software and they make it sound like you asked them if you could burn down their house.  And of course, I don't have to authority to tell them 'too bad'.

Yea, Larry was the snake oil salesman.  But really, Google IS the ad salesman.  They do not charge for their email (they provide great services to colleges who opt for it - eliminates a ton of headaches adding and deleting students) or search (or any other actual service like YouTube).  So you are right, they are the ultimate Ad Company.

nor would I.  They only plead innocence when they get caught, not before.

Good point!  If a toolbar was worth anything, people would install download and install them on their own.

Ours is the selfless career.

Actually with the toolbar issue now, I tell them "Want to work, or continue to scream?"  Surprising how fast they think 10 minutes is no big deal.......even if the problem is not really a toolbar.

I just don't understand. You guys think Google is evil and all yet there are other corporations that use the same tactics as Google does. No matter what you do or don't do there will be ome company gathering info about you out there.

Do you guys think the same think about Microsoft? Yahoo?

No considering they aren't outside of my house taking pictures and then "accidently" spying on my home wifi network and uploading it to a database.  That's a breach of my privacy and I won't tolerate it.  I haven't used anything google since this came to light.

Bing has pictures of streets just like Google Earth. I have never heard of Google spying on wifi networks. As long as your wifi network is secured how are they monitoring where you go on the net?

Um, with the phone home toolbar... the phone home browser.

And when the Google OS comes out, it won't need to phone home... Google will already have had an open door into your life... did the moment you installed it.  Your privacy is only important to Google when you find out they've breached it... but don't hold your breath waiting for an apology.  While you're waiting their lawyers are looking for ways to put the onus back on you.  Like it wouldn't matter that they had to hack into your system and unencrypt a plethora of master passwords, then open 42 folders to access the real private stuff on your PC... you simply left it laying around, and therefore it was fair game... for them to peer greedily into your business.

So yeah, Google is more evil than anybody else... more evil than Microsoft and Mr. Smug, Steve Jobs himself.  Yup, when the second coming is at hand, The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse will ride through Google HQ slicing and dicing like nobody's business, and no-one within the walls shall't be spared.