Grab Java, Get MSN Toolbar Free
Posted 11/13/08 at 09:58:05 PM | by Mark Edward Soper
It's an all-too-familiar marketing ploy: download a utility you really want, and get a toolbar for your browser free. This week, Microsoft joined the "download one, get one free" bandwagon, but with a twist: Redmond announced a deal with Sun Microsystems to offer the MSN Toolbar to US users of Internet Explorer whenever they download the Java Runtime Environment. MSN Toolbar offers one-click access to Live Search, direct access to Windows Live Hotmail and Windows Live Messenger, and stories from the MSN network. If you hate toolbars, or your browser's already running your favorite toolbar, you can opt out of the MSN toolbar.
This Microsoft plus Sun pairing represents a big "win" for Microsoft, as Google's toolbar was previously being offered as the freebie with Java. As El Reg points out, this sort of thing is nothing new for Sun and Java. Java's also been used to deliver offers of OpenOffice and the Yahoo! toobar (the latter to Mozilla Firefox browser users only).
So, how do you feel about these combo deals? Would you rather get a coupon for free french fries, or are you comfortable with getting "two for one" downloads"? Hit Comment and sound off.
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Welcome to the despised crowd MSN
Submitted by tkid124 on Mon, 2008-11-17 08:51
It is well known among the computer
crowd, even the semi-savvy, that most free-ware downloads come with a
'free' toolbar. I think that this is fine, my only real issue is that
when opting out require clicking on advanced install options (For
Advanced Users Only). So if you know how to installer the toolbar, an
"Advanced User", then you would have clicked on the
'advanced install options,' so um, well I just can't imagine why
grandma's have so many toolbars on their Internet Explorer browsers.It is well known among the computer
crowd, even the semi-savvy, that most free-ware downloads come with a
'free' toolbar. I think that this is fine, my only real issue is that
when opting out require clicking on advanced install options (For
Advanced Users Only). So if you know how to installer the toolbar, an
"Advanced User", then you would have clicked on the
'advanced install options,' so um, well I just can't imagine why
grandma's have so many toolbars on their Internet Explorer browsers.
Bad for the masses
Submitted by Talcum X on Fri, 2008-11-14 09:48
I havnt ran into a toolbar that I liked ( or needed for that matter) They take up space and resources. And sometimes you get nasties you didnt ask for. If we want stuff like this, we know where we can find them.
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I hate companys who try to
Submitted by kowal on Fri, 2008-11-14 06:17
I hate companys who try to slip them toolbars buy us........Grrrrr.....like vista isn't sluggish enough already.
One more thing i have to click no to.
Submitted by Sonickid101 on Fri, 2008-11-14 01:18
Its annoying, unecessary, and it always ends up on there by accident [insert swear word here] toolbars always end up being installed by accident.
Submitted by mikemckay on Thu, 2008-11-13 21:39
when the option to install something you probably dont want or need is checked by default, its very annoying. i know way too many people with a million toolbars on their browsers that they never use, or even know what they are. call it stupid or ignorant....yes i agree.....but its annoying for me to deal with questions about them and try to convince people they really DID install that.
I don't understand what
Submitted by theplustwo on Fri, 2008-11-14 06:33
I don't understand what benefit these even pretend to have, since nowadays every major browser has a built-in search box which can be configured to your search engine of choice. Still some people prefer them. My mom loves the Google toolbar for IE no matter how many times I show her that there's already a search box (which I set to Google) built in to the application, she insists the toolbar is "easier."
Submitted by bloodgain on Fri, 2008-11-14 09:16
If you do a lot of Google power searching (like me -- I'm a computer scientist), the Google toolbar is sometimes more than just "easier". It has a lot more features available than the default Firefox search box, and makes doing searches that aren't just plain web searches a few steps shorter. I also use keyword highlighting constantly, so it saves me the step of retyping it into Firefox's "Find" box.
However, I only use Google toolbar because it offers direct links to Google's powerful features, and has a small footprint on Firefox. But if I want it, I'll go download it myself -- I don't need it "offered" to me.
I'm just saying not to assume that none of the available toolbars have any benefits. Just because they don't have a benfit for you doesn't mean they don't benefit other people. There are a lot of very popular Firefox Add-ons that I find pointless, but are obviously popular for a reason.
Submitted by xs0u1x on Thu, 2008-11-13 21:44
you get the infamous argument "no i didnt install that" and me and you, the it professionals, have to say "yes you did.....it was an option you overlooked" and then you get "no, your lying, i dont know what your talking about"
its a pain in the ass and i do not know one single person that actually uses this crap anyways.
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