Participant

Question

Bundling Google Chrome and Toolbar???

Forum|Forum|13 years ago
August 23, 2012
16 replies
88918 views

Has anyone noticed that the latest Flash update automatically installs Google Toolbar and Google Chrome? What a horrible business decision Adobe. Force installing software like you are Napster. I would fire the product manager that made that decision. As a CTO I will be informing my IT staff to set Flash to ignore updates from this point forward. QA staff cannot have additional items installed that are not part of the base browser installation. Ridiculous that Adobe snuck this crap in. All I can hope now is to find something that challenges Photoshop so I can move my design team away from Adobe software as well. Smart move trying to make pennies off of your high dollar customers.

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A

Anonymous

Nor will I install an update until Adobe removes this unwarranted intrusion. Fortunately I saw the install progress dialog and killed it before it screwed my machine up. Just to confirm I didn't receive any opt out option ( I went back to check again). Opt out is NOT appropriate in any case. This should be opt-in only or not even offered. I choose the browser on my computer and it's defintely not Chrome.

G

gdollrw

Participant

Really a violation of the trust we put into Adobe. The backlash will go viral as overworked IT staffs have to run around and undo this. There's a lesson here that Adobe needs to absorb. One would hope Adobe wouldn't be stupid enough to repeat this fiasco with AR Reader. This will fan the no-Flash flames and accelerate HTML5 adoption.

A

Anonymous

No update till an opt-in!!

4

4_Dawg

Participant

I also got Google Crome (NOT at my request) when I updated my Adobe last night. I am VERY unhappy. I did NOT see anywhere to opt out of it and when it was all done all my favorites were gone and my computer was a MESS. I tried uninstalling Chrome and when I did none of my shortcuts would work. Can anyone help me get my computer bach to where I had it?? I have some trouble with all the technical terms but can navigate my way through medium difficulty stuff.

4

4_Dawg

Participant

AND...I don't know why I should have to OPT OUT of ANYTHING. If I want something OTHER than Adobe I am perfectly capable of requesting it on my own. What Adobe did was sneaky and unprofessional.

D

dmh165638

Participant

There is no opt out checkbox appearing anywhere in the latest update. Google Chrome and Goolge Toolbar both install with no option to opt out which is a very poor way to do business.

chris.campbell

Community Manager

Thank you for the feedback and I understand your concern. For regularly scheduled Flash Player releases, such as our 11.4 release, users are notified of new features included in the release and may opt to download the latest player via http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer. This workflow allows users to optionally download software from select Adobe partners along with Flash Player. Adobe offsets the ongoing development costs of Flash Player, which is made available for free, by offering users these options. To protect users from immediate, zero-day vulnerabilities, Adobe will continue to provide security updates to those who have opted into our automatic update service.

I'd like to suggest two alternatives in your case. First, after the download page appears, if you want to pass on the optional software, simply uncheck the checkbox before clicking the download button.

Second, because you are in an enterprise environment, you might want to investigate our redistribution agreement (http://www.adobe.com/products/players/flash-player-distribution.html). With this, you can roll out Flash Player releases using standard deployment methods and even implement your own internal auto update server (http://blogs.adobe.com/spohl/2012/04/24/it-admin-deploying-flash-player-via-background-updater/)

Thanks,

Chris

A

Anonymous

For regularly scheduled Flash Player releases, such as our 11.4 release, users are notified of new features included in the release and may opt to download the latest player via http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer.

This has nothing to do with the automatic Adobe Flash security update that simply intalls Google Toolbar and Google Chrome along with an ADOBE SECURITY UPDATE !!

Note: ADOBE AUTOMATIC SECURITY UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY INSTALLS GOOGLE TOOLBAR AND GOOGLE CHROME.

Is there something not understood, here??? It seems very simple.

Please answer the question on topic, Chris.

This workflow allows users to optionally download software from select Adobe partners along with Flash Player

No, there are no options.

ADOBE AUTOMATIC SECURITY UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY INSTALLS GOOGLE TOOLBAR AND GOOGLE CHROME.

It is not possible to prevent this, as there are no options.

... something not understood, here?

Answer the question, please, Chris.

Adobe offsets the ongoing development costs of Flash Player, which is made available for free, by offering users these options

No, there are no options.

ADOBE AUTOMATIC SECURITY UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY INSTALLS GOOGLE TOOLBAR AND GOOGLE CHROME.

... something not understood, here?

Answer the question, Chris.

Adobe offsets the ongoing development costs of Flash Player, which is made available for free, by offering users these options.

No, there are no options.

ADOBE AUTOMATIC SECURITY UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY INSTALLS GOOGLE TOOLBAR AND GOOGLE CHROME.

... something not understood, here?

Answer the question, please, Chris.

Yours, Proudly Intelligent and Insusceptible to Double-Speak, which is Simply Unacceptable,

- Me

G

GeoMG

Known Participant

As I continue to do my homework, Chris, I would like to ask some questions, please.

I would like to confirm that right after seeing the auto-update notification and clicking "INSTALL" we should then be directed to that Google Chrome Choice page, yes?

In other words, that Google Chrome Choice page is number 2 before the "File Download - Security Warning" correct?

Actually, I have been trying to find a page on your site that outlines each step along the way when we use that "auto-update notification" system.

And just so there is no misunderstanding I will post a link to an image of the update notification window. Unfortunately, I was not able to find the image on your company's site, so I have to use Microsoft's site for an image. Best image on that page is the second one down near the bottom.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-windows_programs/is-adobe-flash-player-popup-safe/22979626-2edb-44ba-8e62-5c89c9d4361f?msgId=7a4b83b2-aad1-4e96-ab21-2ab01ed4dce3

Another question I have is that the only page I could find showing that Google Chrome Choice page is here:

http://helpx.adobe.com/content/help/en/flash-player/kb/installation-problems-flash-player-windows.html#main-pars_heading_5

Your screen shot, Chris, seems different. What's that yellow bar thingy?

And if that is correct and the one shown on that page for which I gave the link above (v11.3) is correct, it seems those are opt-in boxes.

How could there be any auto install of Google Chrome or the Google toolbar if we have to check the box to opt-in? Is that box already checked and we have to uncheck it?

My confusion on that point is why I am now referring to that as the Google Chrome Choice page.

Anyway, I would appreciate your attention to this thread, Chris, as I'm sure many others also would. Thank you.

I just remembered the MortenS. post above where it's written "prechecked" and I see in your screen shot, Chris, in that yellow bar thingy it seems to be "prechecked" BUT on that page where it is showing what was the view for v11.3 the box is UNCHECKED!

Yes, I mean upper-case lettering!!

In version 11.3 the box is unchecked and in version 11.4 the box is checked. Come on, man, that ain't col. No way in heck that is cool.

Are we to think -- some will -- that not enough people went for the Google Chrome and Google toolbar so Mr. Page threw a fit and ordered you Adobe folks to reset the default?

Wait, does Google own Adobe now?

My homework was going to stay with the technical on this project, but that unchecked to prechecked smell of rotten fish and that pisses me off.

Yes, it's Adobe's right to try and shove things down our throats, but it's OUR right to complain when that happens, so don't anyone be feeding me bovine excrement about my negative post here. last I knew that U.S. of A. where Adobe prospers is still a free-speech place.

UNCHECKED to PRECHECKED!!! Just great.

And don't no folks be feeding me some line about the product is free so I have no right to complain. That is a bogus argument. The price for the product is zero dollars/pounds/euros. The company set the price at zero for a reason. We have the same right to complain as those that paid 10 or 20 or 200 dollars/pounds/euros.

Anyway, unchecked to prechecked smell bad. Really bad.

And just in case -- if the image on this page is wrong

http://helpx.adobe.com/content/help/en/flash-player/kb/installation-problems-flash-player-windows.html#main-pars_heading_5

and it is checked by default then that's probably worse.

pwillener

Legend

What update? Was it a background update, or was there any user intervention involved?

I have definitely not seen any bundled installs on any of my computers.

[topic moved to Flash Player forum]

J

JDuran45

Participant

What software are you using to provent these notices and updates. These updates do not allow to view unless I update adobe. Even at this point I am forced to install parts of google into my yahoo. THIS IS CRAP!

Lew

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