Firefox download with Google Toolbar

[Soapy Sam]

I just formatted the laptop drive. (It's Spring).
Reinstalling Firefox, the first 2 downloads I tried came with the Google Toolbar preinstalled.
I shied away and found a version without it.

I heard the GT was a security hole. Is this true /. false?
I don't really object to google, but why do I need it bundled with Firefox?
Is this imitation micro$oft bloatware?
What next? Picasa2?

 

[skoob]

I heard the GT was a security hole. Is this true /. false?

It depends on what you mean by security. I'm not aware that Google Toolbar would have any security flaws. Howevery, some people have voiced security concerns with some of its features. More specifically, if you enable the "PageRank" feature, every URL you visit will be sent to Google. Also, the toolbar automatically and silently updates itself.

I don't really object to google, but why do I need it bundled with Firefox?

I think the reason why you've found downloads of Firefox bundled with GT is their "Adsense Referral Program". IOW, you've probably clicked one of those "Get Firefox" buttons on someone's page (and at the same time earn them $1) instead of going directly to the source.

Anyway, those downloads aren't supposed to contain Google Toolbar anymore, so I don't know why you got it.

 

[Soapy Sam]

Thanks for that.
Ironically, I had simply googled "Firefox", not connected from elsewhere.
The first two Google download links both had the toolbar.
This was around Midnight UK time, 12 March.

 

[Ove]

It seems to me that every friggin' program you download theese days "offer" google toolbar installed. I dont want that sh** either.

 

[alfaniner]

Mine came with it but I did something to get rid of it. Might have disabled it in the Manage Add-ons menu.

 

[Psi Baba]

It seems to me that every friggin' program you download theese days "offer" google toolbar installed. I dont want that sh** either.

I've noticed that when you follow the prompt to update Micromedia Flash, if you are not careful to uncheck the tiny box, you will get the Yahoo! Toolbar, which I've seen cause problems on others' computers.

Did I mention I hate websites that require you to have Flash to view their content?

 

[Ove]

Google launched IE7 a week before it was available on Microsoft's own page in Denmark but it was a IE7 with the toolbar "integrated" grrrrrrrrrr. How can a compagny that run the best search engine on the web be so openly spammin' ...