10 ms·

Interesting. I didn't see that - I assumed it was just a result of advertising it to everyone who searched on Google. Do you have any specific examples?

vlan0 11y ago
Adobe is guilty of this. If you download Flash Player from their site, the "Optional offers" are to also install Chrome and Google Toolbar. Both of which are checked by default.
- zobzu 11y ago
  you're thinking google did not pay adobe for this, adobe is doing this just cuz they like it? are you mad
  - nacs 11y ago
    Parent isn't saying Google didn't pay (I'm sure they paid per install) -- just that Adobe is guilty of allowing these sleazy auto-install offers which Google took advantage of.
  - vlan0 11y ago
    Adobe can do as they please. This is corporate America....of course there is money involved :)
JohnTHaller 11y ago
Adobe Flash - When you download and installed Flash for Opera or Firefox, it would trick you into installing Chrome as your default browser unless you noticed and unchecked a box: http://i.imgur.com/Uldw6X3.png http://i.imgur.com/Uldw6X3.png Java - When updating, Java on Windows would often trick you into installing Chrome as your default browser unless you noticed and unchecked a box Avast, AntiVir, etc - Nearly every free antivirus on Windows was paid by Google to install Chrome. The free antivirus would notify you there was a new version and if you clicked the UPDATE or CONTINUE button without noticing and unchecking the box, you'd wind up with Chrome installed and set as your default browser: http://i.imgur.com/hNZLbmL.jpg http://i.imgur.com/hNZLbmL.jpg The majority of the non-techies I know and had set up with Firefox have no idea how Chrome got on their machines and became their default browser. I'd wager a lot of Chrome's desktop userbase on Windows is due to shady bundleware arrangements. Chrome was still engaged in the above behavior the last time I checked.
- k__ 11y ago
  Growth hacking at large. Impressive :)
  - MOARDONGZPLZ 11y ago
    No, it's not impressive. It's deceptive and a dark pattern.
    - Aldo_MX 11y ago
      Google's not at fault; Adobe, Oracle, and every other greedy software vendor are.
      - JohnTHaller 11y ago
        Google is knowingly paying for it.
        Aldo_MX 11y ago
        So does Intel and many other "trusted" vendors, we all know about the power of default values. As I said, people shouldn't be upset at Google, installing Chrome was a significant improvement, or would you rather see IE8 still as the dominant browser? I blame Adobe, Oracle, etc. because they have the trust of the users and a piece of software considered essential by many people, yet they decide to use the shady practices that cheapskates use. If it weren't Chrome it would be the dreaded Ask Toolbar or something even worse, so it's not the fault of Google, quite the contrary, installing Chrome as a byproduct is possibly the least negative outcome.
        serge2k 11y ago
        > installing Chrome was a significant improvement Is it? Across the board they are entitled to make that decision for every user? it is absolutely as bad as any of the crapware vendors who do this. Google is just as bad as the ask toolbar people.
mordocai 11y ago
ccleaner and possibly the other piriform products do this
- tunap 10y ago
  Correct: all Piriform products do this... unless chrome is already installed/detected.
neerdowell 11y ago
CCleaner: https://i.imgur.com/LNFjqzd.png https://i.imgur.com/LNFjqzd.png The checkbox is pre-selected.
- nacs 11y ago
  The irony in CCleaner, a tool to help you get crap off your computer, doing auto-install offers.. For those looking for an alternative, try Bleachbit [1] (works great on Linux/Windows, open-source). [1]: https://www.bleachbit.org/ https://www.bleachbit.org/

vlan0 11y ago

Adobe is guilty of this. If you download Flash Player from their site, the "Optional offers" are to also install Chrome and Google Toolbar. Both of which are checked by default.

zobzu 11y ago
you're thinking google did not pay adobe for this, adobe is doing this just cuz they like it? are you mad
- nacs 11y ago
  Parent isn't saying Google didn't pay (I'm sure they paid per install) -- just that Adobe is guilty of allowing these sleazy auto-install offers which Google took advantage of.
- vlan0 11y ago
  Adobe can do as they please. This is corporate America....of course there is money involved :)

JohnTHaller 11y ago

Adobe Flash - When you download and installed Flash for Opera or Firefox, it would trick you into installing Chrome as your default browser unless you noticed and unchecked a box: http://i.imgur.com/Uldw6X3.png http://i.imgur.com/Uldw6X3.png Java - When updating, Java on Windows would often trick you into installing Chrome as your default browser unless you noticed and unchecked a box Avast, AntiVir, etc - Nearly every free antivirus on Windows was paid by Google to install Chrome. The free antivirus would notify you there was a new version and if you clicked the UPDATE or CONTINUE button without noticing and unchecking the box, you'd wind up with Chrome installed and set as your default browser: http://i.imgur.com/hNZLbmL.jpg http://i.imgur.com/hNZLbmL.jpg The majority of the non-techies I know and had set up with Firefox have no idea how Chrome got on their machines and became their default browser. I'd wager a lot of Chrome's desktop userbase on Windows is due to shady bundleware arrangements. Chrome was still engaged in the above behavior the last time I checked.

k__ 11y ago
Growth hacking at large. Impressive :)
- MOARDONGZPLZ 11y ago
  No, it's not impressive. It's deceptive and a dark pattern.
  - Aldo_MX 11y ago
    Google's not at fault; Adobe, Oracle, and every other greedy software vendor are.
    - JohnTHaller 11y ago
      Google is knowingly paying for it.
      - Aldo_MX 11y ago
        So does Intel and many other "trusted" vendors, we all know about the power of default values. As I said, people shouldn't be upset at Google, installing Chrome was a significant improvement, or would you rather see IE8 still as the dominant browser? I blame Adobe, Oracle, etc. because they have the trust of the users and a piece of software considered essential by many people, yet they decide to use the shady practices that cheapskates use. If it weren't Chrome it would be the dreaded Ask Toolbar or something even worse, so it's not the fault of Google, quite the contrary, installing Chrome as a byproduct is possibly the least negative outcome.
        serge2k 11y ago
        > installing Chrome was a significant improvement Is it? Across the board they are entitled to make that decision for every user? it is absolutely as bad as any of the crapware vendors who do this. Google is just as bad as the ask toolbar people.

mordocai 11y ago

ccleaner and possibly the other piriform products do this

tunap 10y ago
Correct: all Piriform products do this... unless chrome is already installed/detected.

neerdowell 11y ago

CCleaner: https://i.imgur.com/LNFjqzd.png https://i.imgur.com/LNFjqzd.png The checkbox is pre-selected.

nacs 11y ago
The irony in CCleaner, a tool to help you get crap off your computer, doing auto-install offers.. For those looking for an alternative, try Bleachbit [1] (works great on Linux/Windows, open-source). [1]: https://www.bleachbit.org/ https://www.bleachbit.org/