While I agree the damn Ask Toolbar thing is abhorrent, you could just check the "Suppress sponsor offers when installing or updating Java" box at the bottom of

While I agree the damn Ask Toolbar thing is abhorrent, you could just check the "Suppress sponsor offers when installing or updating Java" box at the bottom of the Advanced tab in the Java control panel. I know ... I'm surprised they didn't add a "Beware of Jaguar" tab on which to place that option. As for java going to the graveyard -- don't hold your breath. Not that I mind - I actually enjoy coding in Java, given the tools & libraries that are available. Heck, I really don't even mind the language. I'd appreciate better handling of value types, and continued improvement of the GC (both to make it more cache friendly and to provide better control of pause time vs. performance), but really, I find it comfortable and productive.