McAfee scam

Another very unhappy user here... I have no problem with Adobe including promotional offers in their update notices, but only if the install checkbox is turned off by default. So far I have not missed it, but every time I need to turn off that checkbox it makes me angry -- and then of course I need to immediately ensure that other users know not to just skip past it.

I strongly object to Adobe using this tactic -- and particularly for a supposed security update. It makes me wonder if there really is no security problem at all, and this is just a way to expose millions of people to the McAfee product for more advertising revenue.

I was once a loyal user of Adobe products, but their directions in recent years have eroded that trust. I have found very good alternatives for several other Adobe products, and have eliminated Flash from two other computers used here some time ago because of this issue. Having to deal with it yet again today has prompted me to actively seek alternatives for the remaining 2 systems.

The small already-completed check box is completely unacceptable. Tell the company  it drags your name into the mire.

I always make reasonable checks about what I'm signing for, and dont have this problem with any other reputable business. As it happened, I had to do this update twice today. The first time, I spotted the box and unchecked it. The second time,it whizzed past and I found horrible mcaffee was installing before I knew it. I cancelled the installation and did it again - but what dreadful practice  on the part of your company!

Yes, furious. Well, fairly angry. Annoyed. Perturbed. Unhappy. I demand mollification.

Was offered a flashplayer update - clicked the button, up came a panel installing the update plus unasked-for McAfee.

I was given NO warning of this, NO opt-out, the McAfee (and who knows what else?) was installed without my permission.

I do recall at some stage being asked if I wanted automatic updates, presumably entailing Adobe having fairly permanent access to my machine, and taking up resources. Said "no" of course, I can schedule an update myself. No further option to refuse additional products came to my attention.

When the installer had finished, it then fired up IE to offer yet more product. Further annoyannce.

IE is NOT my default browser; I don't like it being rudely invoked in this way.

I then looked in my taskmgr, found some other unwanted & unexplained piece of flashplayer -related activeX whatever running, killed that too. At least it didn't find its way into the start-up.

So then I was obliged to spend a while removing the unwelcome McAfee, and reading other complaints about Adobe's appalling behaviour.

I'm fed up with flashplayer's constant memory leaks, suspect spyware, frequent security holes, and the general insouciance of responses to complaints.

In addition, this imposition (no option) of an unwanted bundled product with a maintenance update is totally unacceptable.

To the Adobe representative who sees this:

1. May I have a legal assurance from Adobe that their uninstaller, and the uninstaller for McAfee which they imposed upon me, does in fact remove ALL the changes made to my system? And that Adobe has not installed, nor been party to installing, any hidden spyware on my system, for or on behalf of themselves, or any other agency?

2. I really want Adobe to stop this kind of rude & unethical practice, of installing unrequested bundleware with no (or obscure) opt-out.

Whilst others may be waiting for native HTML5 to see the demise of this awfully maintained yet ubiquitous (and once innovative) product, might I suggest that other dissenters here consider switching allegiance to

Shumway 

see also Home · mozilla/shumway Wiki · GitHub

Shumway is an HTML5 technology experiment that explores building a faithful and efficient renderer for the SWF file format without native code assistance. Our goal is to create a general-purpose, web standards-based platform for parsing and rendering SWFs. Integration with Firefox is a possibility if the experiment proves successful.

It is still a fairly new project, and I expect it could do with help and support from all of Adobe's ex-users.

(And, yes, it seems to be Mozilla effort, but I hope not tainted with the gaystapo intolerance shown to former CTO, briefly CEO, Brendan Eich in forcing his resignation - all very disappointing.)

Exact same thing happened to me and I said WTF!!!!

Whilst I appreciate updates I DO NOT appreciate having something installed onto my PC that I never asked for.

Thanks Adobe. NOT!!!!!

In my opinion, McAfee is THE WORST "Antivirus" software (Aside from Norton), if you're going to "accidentally" hide the option to opt out, Adobe, at least bundle something useful like Avast.

And it continues.  Today I had the same problem and I didn't see any opt out.  Adobe's excuse is basically "We make money from this, so we have to do it this way".  Adobe Flash isn't an independent entity.  The fact that flash is "given away" for free does not mean that you need to find a revenue stream to support it.  Having Flash on computers works to Adobe's advantage and makes Adobe profits indirectly.  Trying to justify slipping in another company's software just because they are willing to pay to absurd amounts of money to sneak it in is absolutely shameful.  Adobe absolutely does deserve to die and be replaced by a company with real concern for it's customers.

And now here it is late January 2014 and this garbage is *still* going on?  What the **** is going on here?  How could McAfee have paid you enough to compromise the trust of your users?  As that you surely have!

@Kellian1 - All I can go from is my experience.  I've tested this workflow thousands of times but each time I'm presented with the browser opening to a webpage with the opt out checkbox.

Let me help.  Look at my thread opened today.  You'll see one that HASN'T got it.    And a possible reason as to maybe why.....

Wow. Same as Kellian1.

I just rebooted my Windows 7 computer after a Windows Update, and then Adobe software said there was a Flash update. It said to save the .exe file from the Download folder and run it, which I did. It then updated Flash and installed the McAfee viral software (sic), without any options, without asking permission, so fast that I couldn't even stop it. That is really out of control. I'm scratching my head now... is this forgivable?

There was no option. I got an alert on my computer saying there was an update to Flash. I clicked to install, as usual, and a progress bar came on the screen instantly, showing Flash and McAfee downloading. I could not stop McAfee. There was no checkbox to stop it like there used to be. So I uninstalled from Control Panel afterward. I have read several threads on this and see that you, Chris, insist  that there is an option and a checkbox. There USED to be. And maybe there still is for some people. But not for me. And some others have said exactly the same. So, the fact is, there are two types of installs, one which offers you a chance to opt out and other which offers nothing,.

Chrome 25.0.1364.152 m

windows 7 64 bit

Flash 11.6.602.171