name & shame ... bad installer software ... we use everyday

[muckshifter]

Below is the current list of dodgy installers:

* Adobe Flash Player - Google Toolbar
* Adobe Reader - eBay Desktop
* Adobe Shockwave Player - Norton PC Checkup
* AOL Instant Messenger - AOL Toolbar
* Apple’s Software Updater - Safari Browser, QuickTime, iTunes
* Applian FLV Player - Yahoo Toolbar
* Auslogics Registry Defrag - Ask Toolbar
* AVG 8 - AVG Security Toolbar (Yahoo Search bar)
* BitComet - Google Toolbar
* CCleaner (standard installer) - Yahoo Toolbar <<<Offers Slim version, without toolbar (http://www.ccleaner.com/download/builds)
* Comodo Firewall Pro - Ask Toolbar (This toolbar is detected as spyware/adware by several vendors)
* Comodo Internet Security, Antivirus & Firewall - Ask Toolbar
* Cyberlink PowerDVD 8 - Google Toolbar and BETA of Moovielive
* Daemon Tools - Search tool and sponsor ad module
* Defraggler - Yahoo Toolbar
* DivX - Yahoo Toolbar
* FoxIt 3.0 - - installs FoxIt toolbar, makes Ask.com your default search, create desktop, quick launch, and start menu shortcut to eBay
* Free Download Manager - Software Informer bundle
* Glary Utilities - Ask Toolbar
* GOM Player - Google Toolbar (checked by default)
* GoogleTalk - no addon but will change default search setting of IE
* GoogleEarth - Pre checked Google Toolbar installation
* ICQ 6 - ICQ Toolbar
* Iobit Advanced One Care - Yahoo Toolbar (selecting no will still do changes on the system)
* IrfanView (Google Toolbar for IE and Google Desktop Search)
* iTunes (QuickTime, AppleSoftwareUpdate, AppleMobileDeviceSupport64, Bonjour64, MobileMe64) <---- undisputed leader
* Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 6 Update 10 - installs Java Quick Starter, Microsoft Live Search Toolbar, OpenOffice installer pre-checked
* Logitech Setpoint (Logitech Yahoo! Toolbar)
* Maxathon 2 - Facebook Sidebar Plugin
* McAfee Site Advisor update - Yahoo! default browser search
* MP3 WMA Converter - Yahoo Search and Delio Comparsion Shopping Toolbar
* Nero Burning Rom - Ask Toolbar (This toolbar is detected as spyware/adware by several vendors)
* PC Tools Firewall Plus - Google Toolbar and Threatfire
* Recuva - optional Yahoo toolbar (checked by default) <<<offers Slim version without toolbar (http://www.recuva.com/download/builds)
* Shockwave Player - Norton Security Scan or Google Toolbar
* SIW (System Information for Windows) - Crawler Toolbar
* Skype - Google Toolbar
* Spyware Doctor - Google Toolbar
* Spyware Terminator - Web security guard, Crawler
* Sun Java RE (online installer) - Google Toolbar
* Sun Java - OpenOffice.org
* Trillian - Ask Toolbar and Weather Channel Desktop
* Unlocker 1.8.7 - eBay shortcuts
* Veoh media player - Yahoo toolbar, search engine change & search protection
* Webroot SpySweeper - Ask Toolbar (This toolbar is detected as spyware/adware by several vendors)
* Winamp - Winamp Toolbar
* Windows Live Installer - Windows Live Toolbar and Sign-in Assistant
* Windows Update - Windows Genuine Advantage Notification - (pre-checked, not required, should not be high-priority)
* Windows SteadyState - Windows Live Toolbar
* Winzip - RegistryBooster
* Wise Disk Cleaner - Ask Toolbar
* Wise Registry Cleaner - Ask Toolbar
* xplorer2Lite - Conduit toolbar
* YaHoo! Instant Messenger - YaHoo! toolbar, with ‘YaHoo! Search Protection’ and homepage change to YaHoo!
* ZoneAlarm - SpyBlocker (Ask Toolbar) (This toolbar is detected as spyware/adware by several vendors)

 

[Abarbarian]

Neat list. Luckily I only use a couple of those programs and picked up on the "extras".

 

[floppybootstomp]

Aye, I can spot several there that give you a choice, the Winamp toolbar, for instance, can be de-selected during installation.

I noticed that Foxit 3 installed it's own toolbar, within the Foxit application only, whether you de-selected it or not. It is removable from Control Panel but stuff like that really makes you lose confidence in a software vendor, free or not.

And yes, I'd agree, iTunes is the worst offender, forcing you to install Quicktime just to use it's (rather shoddy) software.

 

[Nobody in particular]

Hmm, Nice list Mucks

Doesn't Adobe make you use their Download Manager now

 

[muckshifter]

Hmm, Nice list Mucks

Doesn't Adobe make you use their Download Manager now

err, not for me, I block all Adobe stuff.

 

[Ian]

Uhhh, iTunes!!!! That's the worst offender on my PC I've just stopped it from adding all the extra clutter, but it keeps trying whenever I update!

 

[muckshifter]

Uhhh, iTunes!!!! That's the worst offender on my PC

I've just stopped it from adding all the extra clutter, but it keeps trying whenever I update!

Wait till you get a Bill off them for their efforts ...

 

[Nobody in particular]

err, not for me, I block all Adobe stuff.

Haha Love it lol