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> back then it was universally known that those toolbars and extensions are distributed by assholes. Clearly not the case or they wouldn't have been as ubiqui
by michaelcampbell 5y ago
> back then it was universally known that those toolbars and extensions are distributed by assholes.
Clearly not the case or they wouldn't have been as ubiquitous as they were.
- selfhoster11 5y agoFlash came with McAfee. Everyone knew that McAfee is being distributed by assholes, but they needed the assholes' product anyway, so they put up with it. Eventually projects like Ninite were created precisely to install software without all that included junk.
- deleted 5y ago[deleted]
- dkarl 5y agoYeah, I think they fall into the same category as fad diets, MLM schemes, and those cold calls to buy real estate for less than market rate: incredibly popular despite "everybody" knowing better.
- slingnow 5y agoThey were ubiquitous because your unwitting grandparents wanted into install some simple application and weren't savvy enough to read and uncheck all of the boxes that installed the new Ask Jeeves toolbar.
- michaelcampbell 5y agoRight, that's partially my point. My unwitting grandparents are precisely in the set of "universally", and they didn't know nor care by whom these apps were distributed.
- TeMPOraL 5y agoOh, but my point is, they knew and cared after they got them installed and had to ask someone to have them removed.
- CozyBearNotSoy 5y agoI was aware of the problem at the time but I couldn't even install AOL Instant Messenger without having some "weather toolbar" secretly installed too.