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Solve : AVG Drifting Towards The Dark Side??

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The new install procedure has an option checked by default that will install the Yahoo! toolbar. AVG is adamantly defending it as a highly valued feature that is useful by millions of users. You make up your own mind but any toolbar set to install by default isn't kosher with me, especially by an antivirus. The Yahoo! toolbar isn't malicious so don't take it that way, it's just that it can be hard enough to keep toolbars off of a computer to begin with. You shouldn't have to wonder if your antivirus may be installing one also.

This thread is an example of the length AVG is willing to go in defending their decision. There were some very valid points POSTED by TeMerc that got deleted but a few of them are still there. (at the time of this posting) Well, the toolbar doesn't concern nearly as MUCH as the other comments there, the comments about version 8.0 causing major performance issues for some users. And, I don't believe the toolbar is the cause of that.

I really don't begrudge them bundling Yahoo! toolbar as long as they give the user the option to un-select it during installation. CCleaner has done this for a long time. I imagine software developers get some financial benefit from Yahoo! by allowing their toolbar to be bundled with the software and that's OK with me. After all, we get the benefit of great freeware, like these two programs. I really don't have a problem with them adding the toolbar as an option. I do think you should have to opt-in instead of out as a first choice.

CCleaner also has a slim version that doesn't include the toolbar at all. It is a result of the complaints they added it to the install. http://www.ccleaner.com/download/builds

What bothers me most is I advise many users to install AVG. Now I feel I need to include additional advice to look out for the option and uncheck it to avoid the unnecessary baggage.Code: [Select]I do think you should have to opt-in instead of out as a first choice.
Yes, I'd rather see that.

Regarding CCleaner's Slim option, I've been aware of that for quite a long time and use it, but I think many users are not aware of it; they don't make it conspicuous. So, whenever I suggest CCleaner that someone, who would be a new user, download CCleaner, I still mention the Slim option and how to get it.It looks like Yahoo has been spending big money, lately. I've seen that stupid thing, as opt-in, or opt-out, on number of installs.
It's really sad, that some good tools like AVG, or CCleaner, try to force/sneak it in on you.OK, I'm going to dig on this a little more. Check out a response left by someone from AVG in a blog complaining about the toolbar.
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the majority of threats are now coming from the WEB, so it seems logical to start incorporating the threat protection into the browser
As opposed to the threats coming from exactly where?

People testing the install are also reporting that it in fact does install by default. Period!!! That is with or without the option checked. At this time it is only in the new 8.0 version but rumored to be included with an update in the free version later in the year. They have also pulled their free ROOTKIT scanner now that it is included in the new 8.0 version.

Source and more information. It seems like just about every program you download from the internet wants to add their toolbar and most of them have some useful features. But when you stack one toolbar over another, pretty soon it TAKES up a lot of real estate on your screen. I wouldn't mind so much if there was a program that would consolidate the toolbars and you could just use the features you want. Anyone know of something like this?In Firefox, you can right click on the header, and you can quickly hide/un-hide toolbars.Quote from: spock on March 05, 2008, 09:01:28 PM
It seems like just about every program you download from the internet wants to add their toolbar

Yep, just did a test on the new Java download. The one from Sun Java is fine, but the one from www.java.com includes the Google toolbar. Sheesh, free ain't actually free any mare the toolbars seems to be like a must include pack advertisement. Ask toolbar, google toolbar, yahoo toolbar ... somewhere you have one of those being/going to be installed by default unless you stop it.I've just gotten to where I automatically check for those tool bar add-ins and any others before I download anything. I figure I can't gripe too much since the software is free. I'd rather uncheck a box than pay for the software.


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