Summary: Browser toolbars come from two places: the browser, and addons or toolbars you ask for. It's easy to ask for toolbars without realizing it.
Where did this new toolbar in my browser? I didn't ask for it.
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Actually it's likely that you did.
Before you protest that you most certainly did not, I need to point out one of the most annoying techniques being used to deploy more and more and more toolbars.
It all counts on your not paying close attention.
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This afternoon I was installing an update to the popular Java runtime, which is software that is used by some websites to provide rich functionality beyond just displaying static pages as I do here.
The update consisted of the normal installation program which proceeded to ask me the normal installation things and agreeing to the software license. (Another annoyance, but that's for another day.)
Then I came to this screen:
I almost without thinking hit Next.
In doing so, I would have been asking to have the Yahoo toolbar installed.
Note the circled item - the option to install the Yahoo toolbar is selected by default. If you're not paying attention and just trying to get the update installed and get on with your life, it's trivially easy to miss the fact that you are asking for a toolbar to be installed.
Personally, I find this very annoying.
I have nothing against the Yahoo toolbar. It's a fine toolbar, and if you want what it offers you should absolutely run out an install it. I don't.
I have nothing against Java or Sun, really. Java also serves an important role for web sites that want to do more than just display pages.
What annoys me is:
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And this installation is not the only case. It's not uncommon at all to see installations that include, somewhere along the line, an "option" to install a toolbar or some other unrelated software.
Why? Typically because they get paid to do so. I can even kinda, sorta understand it for free software as a way to recoup some of the expenses involved, but the practice is certainly not limited to only those.
So aside from griping about the practices of some software vendors, what's the real take-away here?
Pay attention.
Understand what it is you're installing, and read each step of the installation options. You might find that you're about to "ask" for something you didn't really want at all.
Related:
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Toolbars in Internet Explorer: how do I get rid of them? Toolbars in Internet Explorer can be handy, but each means less room for web pages. We look at steps to get rid of most toolbars in Internet Explorer.
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How do I delete history items from my Google tool bar? Deleting Google history takes a few steps, depending on what Google history you mean. Here are step-by-step instructions for deleting Google history.
Article C3710 - April 25, 2009
When are companies going to get it into their thick heads that people DO NOT WANT their ridiculous toolbar crap on their computers. We don't want it! We don't need it! And to add insult to injury, they sneak it in the installation program of the program you want to install by having the box already checked on yes. Cute. Real cute. Why don't they leave the box unchecked and let people decide for themselves? I've been using the internet since the early 90's and it was much better then. It's things like this that have turned the internet into a sea of crap.
Posted by: Zachary at April 29, 2009 5:50 PMI almost got caught by the Yahoo toolbar screen in Java update.
in fact, the first couple of times the update was offered to me I Canceled the update because I didn't want another Yahoo toolbar added to Firefox.
I already had one in Firefox, didn't want another.
The 3rd or 4th time around I finally figured out all I had to do was to Uncheck the check box and press the Next button to go on with the update installation.
I'm glad I am not the only one who noticed this update OPTION. ;-)
Posted by: Ed Vance at May 2, 2009 7:32 AMI got the Ask toolbar when I didn't check the box and so I went to the control panel and uninstalled the Ask toolbar software. However, it is still on my browser Firefox and also on IE. Now how do I get rid of it?
Posted by: Bettine Cavanaugh at October 15, 2009 6:07 AMLuckily the Java updater seems to ask you if you want the update instead of just installing it.
When I was new to XP (a long time ago in a land far far away (literally)) I used to leave things open only to find them gone the next day. It was then I figured out about microsoft's ingenious plan to punish people who don't save their work :P
But yes, the fact that they do put the toolbars as standard options is to me akin to an electrician fixing something for you, then putting a sticker on your tv advertising sattellite tv in exchange for being paid by them. Or perhaps to going to an attraction only to come back and find a bumber sticker on your car that wasn't there when you went in. To me it's just impolite of them and an annoyance especially when installing everything from scratch as many programs now seem to have these "options".
Posted by: Jeremy M. Rumble at November 25, 2009 11:29 AMYou don't need to download anything to get a toolbar - I just discovered this.
I just accessed IE for the first time since this is a new computer, decent security software installed too. It had no Ask toolbar to begin with. Then after browsing google search (didn't even access any websites), I think after 3 pages, suddenly Ask toolbar just appeared there.
I was quite miffed, it wouldn't uninstall so I had to get rid of it manually.
Posted by: Lola M R at February 20, 2010 1:10 AM