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Sun Slips Firefox Extension Into Java Update

Posted by timothy on from the we-thought-you-wanted-it dept.

pcardno writes "It seems it's not just Microsoft that have spotted a good opportunity to distribute their software through Firefox Addons. On installing the latest annoying, sysbar bubble based Java update, my Firefox informed me that I had a wonderful new Java addon automatically. Here's the addon screenshot. Yes, I could opt out of it, but why are Sun installing Addons to my Firefox without me making specific choices in the application itself? To be clear — I have never chosen to install this Addon, yet it has been installed without my permission with the latest Java Update."

3 of 311 comments (clear)

  1. You're right--convenience sucks by perspectival · · Score: 5, Informative

    Yes, now you have Java working in Firefox. Turn it off if you don't like it. Simple.

  2. Old by RockMFR · · Score: 5, Informative

    I mentioned this during the discussion about the Microsoft add-on three weeks ago. How is this news now?

  3. Re:some info, please by SatanicPuppy · · Score: 5, Informative

    It's an automatic update watcher that runs all the time in your taskbar and keeps your JRE up to date.

    It's an optional feature that is required by absolutely nothing, and one of the things it does is updates your browser. Apparently now it adds an extra update that does some prefetching that makes java load faster, and we must all riot because we didn't specifically ask for that one.

    --
    ad logicam Claiming a proposition is false because it was presented as the conclusion of a fallacious argument.