Do you trust Software that come bundled with toolbars or other junk?

I don't mind if the software maker respects your desire to deny the option. I have a beef with IObit which will leave traces on your machine to constantly reinstall their toolbar long after you removed their softwares. They'll keep on trying to re-install their toolbar regardless.

 

As long as there is an opt-out I don't mind. I just have to remind myself to pay attention when I am updating things like PDF-XC & the like. I certainly don't begrudge anyone who releases very useful freeware trying to make a profit.

 

That would be a very good reason to ignore their software. I would do too, thanks for giving heads up.

 

Automatically or what? If yes

 

Its not that I don't trust software that comes bundled with toolbars or other junk, its just that I am discouraged with the company that practices that sort of business. I know everyone needs to earn a living but I would rather pay for a version that did not come with all the extra crap I do not need or will simply look elsewhere.

 

It leaves active processes behind to bring back the toolbar. Those processes are not removed with the uninstall. I had to help two neighbors get rid of that junk that kept coming back.

 

Wow, it sounds like they don't want their users to leave, but they also make sure that the users will never come back after they've found out what you just described.

 

I've always chosen not to install their toolbar and it never has been installed.

Is this behaviour only happening if you actually choose to install the toolbar?
Also, is the toolbar reinstalled after uninstalling their products, or it is just never removed when you do the uninstall.

 

As I already said, the toolbar is reinstalled a few days after you've remove all of their products. You can uninstall it again with the "IObit Toolbar" entry in "Add/Remove Programs", but it returns again a few days later. It leaves a process running behind on Task Scheduler to do that.

 

So, if you don't mind me asking, how did you completely exorcise the ever-returning toolbar from a system?

 

I killed the scheduled task after doing an uninstall. Also made sure all add-ons in IE related to IObit were also removed. It lets some behind too.

 

I tend to stay away from iobit software after the malwarebytes saga.
I dont want to hear nonsense about its irrelevant and a "one off".
They were caught red-handed stealing ...end of story so they cannot be trusted.

 

OK, cheers.

You mean like browser helper objects (BHOs)?

 

Tell me more ...

 

i dont have any problems with those softwares as long as i can decline the third-party installations.
the authors must make money, i get that!

 

I have no problem as long as I can opt out. I even donate to some of these guys if I find their software useful enough.

 

Damn, how did iObit got into this thread? Hahahahaha

 

I don't touch Foxit PDF Reader for the time they essentially forced 3rd party software.

B U T

I still use Imgburn and Adobe Flash despite the bundling.

 

I don't mind software being bundled with toolbars or browsers.
If the application is worth it then I just opt out. I do however mind if there is no opt out option,in such case i avoid the application altogether.

 

in some cases you do not have a choice about the matter. flash player is used on most of the web so you have to just untick the bundled software.
I feel that companies like adobe,oracle etc should be more responsible. it seems unfair to push unwanted applications such as mcafee security scan or ask toolbar when you are installing a security update to their product every month or so.

 

Some software doesn't even give you the option to choose. I remember downloading Smplayer from sourceforge a while ago and was surprised it also installed unwanted ad-software bundle, with no warning. I don't recall the exact name at the moment but I think it was betterdownloads or something. The next version SF offered was clean though.

But if there is an option to opt-out, I trust that it really means opt-out.

 

It surely contributes to make most Windows PCs from random people seem like a mess pos.

 

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?p=1568297#post1568297

After this topic was locked, Iobit's program was removed from all major download sites, after a legal threat by MBAM towards the download websites, citing DCMA act or whatever the copyright law is called in USA. Later, Iobit, with its database "shrunk", was re-admitted (you can use your imagination as to what may have happened and whether there was a friendly legal settlement or not) and the case close quietly.

Then there was also this:

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?p=1706303#post1706303

 

I trust them if they also offer a slim version like CCleaner, otherwise I dont. I use to believe that if I ran an installer, choosing the opt out option, nothing would install in my PC. I found out I was wrong a few months ago when I installed something under WTF (I was using WTF at the time) and after I rebooted, I found Ask toolbar entries in the registry.

Because of that, I switched WTF/TTF to Shadow Defender and stopped running installers that come bundle with extras. I stopped using the Foxit installer and switched to the portable version to avoid any potential situation like the one I described.

Bo

 

Do you guys keep these links bookmarked or something? Hahahahaha