Google Bundles Toolbar With Adobe Apps

grammar fascist writes "Sci-Tech Today reports that Google is paying a 'significant amount' to bundle Google Toolbar with certain Adobe downloads. From the article: 'The initial venue for the Google mini-app will be downloads of the popular and free Shockwave multimedia player. The move is seen by some observers as an effort to outflank Microsoft, especially as Internet Explorer 7 nears its formal launch this summer [...] Interestingly, Google's search toolbar will be available only when Shockwave is downloaded for use with Internet Explorer on Windows.'"

Comments

Alternatives

[Phroggy]

If the alternative is bundling the MSN search bar, I'm completely in favor of this.

Re:Alternatives

[jb.hl.com]

Oh, so it's alright if Google does it, but not if Microsoft does it? It's a pain in the hole either way.

Google are inconveniencing everyone through this. Acrobat Reader is already a 20MB download for reasons I can't imagine. Why bloat Shockwave in the same way?

this hurts ADBE more than it helps Google

[Anonymous Coward]

This reminds me of the Yahoo-Toolbar in Acrobat7, this brings nothing for Adobe - but a slight decline in reputation as a manufacturer of high-end software tools.

Obnoxious

[rm999]

I hate bundled software - I find it annoying, and everynow and then I forget to unclick the box when I am quickly installing something. I know a lot of freeware and toolbar companies do it, but I always thought (hoped?) Google was above that.

Re:Obnoxious

[vistic]

I began looking at the comments for this story just to see how many comments will say it's a good thing or how many have excuses why it's acceptable.

I was disappointed there were so many.

Google Toolbar is a good program for those who use IE (I think it's totally unnecessary for Mozilla) but Google or not, bundled software is just obnoxious. It's sad to see Google going down this road. If I want to install Google Toolbar, I will go to google's website and download and install it. If I go to the shockwave download site, then I only want shockwave.

Google's contributing to the problem a lot of people have, where they have too many programs installed on their systems they never wanted. Too many programs installed even, that they don't even know are there.

Thanks, but no thanks

[kirun]

Although it's nice of them to helpfully include carefully selected sotware from premier partners (where the careful selection process is making sure it's the highest bidder), even if they promise to be really, really, good and not create a bloated installer, perhaps they could get the message that if I'd wanted to install X, I would have. If I'm installing a player so you can make massive profits selling people the encoder, I shouldn't have to look at ads as well. The fact that they've had to create a FAQ telling people why they shouldn't be annoyed suggests they know this.

Its a major annoyance

[pl1ght]

Its one more program you have to keep an eye out for when installing otherwise "free" software from adobe and etc. I put it in the adware/spyware category because if you dont actively pay attention to your next/next/next clicking during install you will get a shitty google toolbar slapped onto your browser which is really annoying...

hmm?? firefox

[Anonymous Coward]

firefox bundles google search and defaults to google (..and makes millions) and no one on ./ says anything

600 x 768 web pages..

[Shivetya]

with all the damn tool bars trying to install themselves we're going to have to change our pages to be best viewed at 600 pixels in height.

google, msn, yahoo, viewport?, and others. Whats left for the webpage itself?

Re:Google crazyness..

[Xymor]

That's actually good ideia. Download the e-book for free, and the ads pay for the royaties. And could still buy a ad-free hardcopy if you want.