I hear you on that. And its just not google either. Try updating speedfan and see all the crap they want to install. You have to actually read the fine print to see the uncheck marks. Even then I take a trip to the windows uninstaller to see what slipped by.

Somebody posted a picture some time back with a window full of tool bars. Sad to say that could happen nowdays.

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[/quote]

Old James

I always do custom install, that gives me option to unselect Google and other third party software that might be bundled with the program I want.

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I always do custom install, that gives me option to unselect Google and other third party software that might be bundled with the program I want.

Unfortunately not with Adobe Flash Player. The last couple of updates have not given checkbox to uncheck for Google toolbar and something else I forget what. So I killed them before the install went in.

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I always do custom install, that gives me option to unselect Google and other third party software that might be bundled with the program I want.

Unfortunately not with Adobe Flash Player. The last couple of updates have not given checkbox to uncheck for Google toolbar and something else I forget what. So I killed them before the install went in.

Never had a problem installing Adobe Flash, just make sure that you uncheck the box at the beginning of the install at the Adobe web site. I've haven't seen any boxes pop up when I've been notified that an update is available either.

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I don't buy computers, I build them!!

I always do custom install, that gives me option to unselect Google and other third party software that might be bundled with the program I want.

Unfortunately not with Adobe Flash Player. The last couple of updates have not given checkbox to uncheck for Google toolbar and something else I forget what. So I killed them before the install went in.

Never had a problem installing Adobe Flash, just make sure that you uncheck the box at the beginning of the install at the Adobe web site. I've haven't seen any boxes pop up when I've been notified that an update is available either.

Through Firefox here I only get the actual Flash or Reader plugin updates (nothing extra gets installed).

For other software I've selected the custom install option whenever available for almost the last decade now.

Cheers.

Never had a problem installing Adobe Flash, just make sure that you uncheck the box at the beginning of the install at the Adobe web site. I've haven't seen any boxes pop up when I've been notified that an update is available either.

The problem is with the updates, not original Flash install. When I get the box with the (3) progress meters - one for Flash update and one for Google Toolbar and one for the other surprise install - is the first I see of the (non-chosen-by-me) other installs - and when I cancel.

Next time, I will check in the web window for the update and see if there's a checkbox there I missed.

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These are the direct links to get Latest Adobe Flash Player clean offline installers:

Flash Player for Internet Explorer
http://download.macromedia.com/get/flashplayer/current/licensing/win/install_flash_player_11_active_x.exe

Flash Player for other browsers
http://download.macromedia.com/get/flashplayer/current/licensing/win/install_flash_player_11_plugin.exe

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- ALF - "Find out what you don't do well ..... then don't do it!" :)
 

As far as the toolbar, I installed it once and then just leave it disabled in IE. Uncheck it when I see it. Google knows far too much about me without a toolbar.

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Janice

As far as the toolbar, I installed it once and then just leave it disabled in IE. Uncheck it when I see it. Google knows far too much about me without a toolbar.

I dont use google anymore.

https://www.startpage.com/

http://www.comodo.com/home/browsers-toolbars/icedragon-browser.php

And noscript addon is a good start.

A VPN is a good option as well.

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With each crime and every kindness we birth our future.

So do you not like Google Chrome or Chromium?
Try Comodo Dragon or SRWare Iron both based on Chromium.

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Mike Bader
BOINC V7.16.5
http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/team_join_form.php?id=5 - Join Our International Team
[img]http://boinc.mundayweb.com/one/stats.php?

Data mining. The more data that goes through google(or anyone for that matter) the better profile they can build of my life, which is really no ones business.
And of course they happily share this information between "business partnerships" and such, which allows virtually any company to build as much specific information as they want on anyone, and then of course they can sell this compiled information as a "service" to.. well anyone.

IE does what I need, allows me some control(not great, I have other programs to make it better) and I have no desire to go to google anything.

My youtube pages got assimilated by Google. Such is the way things go. But I do not need to make it easier.

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Janice

Here's a link to a piece of software I've used for the last year that actually works. It will block all attempts to track your movements on the web.


https://www.abine.com/dntdetail.php

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guess what.. regardless of software, when you log in somewhere? They have the information and your history on that site. Any site they redirect you to? They have the information too. And anyone they share it with? They have it too.
And anyone they shared it to that shares it to someone else? They have it too.
Mac Address? Not a problem getting. Use a Proxy server? Ahh great collection point for those that want to collect data. Wipe your cookies? Not a problem. New ones will be there in no time. Match the MAC address with the old ones.
Turn off cookies? Sure, and see how many sites you can actually get to. And those you do can still collect whatever information they get.

Am I greatly worried about all of this? No not really. More irritated than anything else. Comes from remembering the Telecom days when everything was held in strictest confidence. Those days are now long gone.

So Google will continue to collect info on what I look for. And continue to look for ways to sell it to someone else. But they sure do not need additional assistance by me installing their browser/toolbar/whatever.

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Janice

Google (or anyone else) can check my incognito porn browsing any time they want to. :-D

Cheers.

Google (or anyone else) can check my incognito porn browsing any time they want to. :-D

Cheers.

Po,po,po,po what browsing?

:-)

Surely, no I did not call you Shirley, I don't need to elaborate further? ;-)

There maybe children around here and I/we certainly don't want to go there. :-o

Cheers.

Ghostery is another good one.

It also works in the hardened web browsers I mentioned.

I use several privacy and security addons on most web browsers.
As well as lock down settings in the web browser itself.

You also use Tor or proxies.

---

Mike Bader
BOINC V7.16.5
http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/team_join_form.php?id=5 - Join Our International Team
[img]http://boinc.mundayweb.com/one/stats.php?

Am I greatly worried about all of this? No not really. More irritated than anything else.

I'm not greatly personally worried, but here's my objection and fear (if you want to call it that):

I used to go buy things. These days I mostly get online and buy things. When I was in a store I might happen-upon something I did not even know existed. When I'm online to buy something I never accidentally pass a shelf of____.

I used to watch TV sometimes (now? almost never). When I was flipping through the channels I used to stumble-on things I liked or thought were interesting. Not anymore. Now I PVR stuff and Netflix things. If a new all-time favorite show were to be on the air, I'd never see it.

I used to listen to the radio in the car. Sometimes I would hear a new artist that I liked. Now? Never. Same-old "classic rock" 400 song library with really obnoxious national commercials screaming at me and nothing new in the mix and nobody at the station, much less a DJ who "finds" things. Sure, I can listen to radio that is nothing but new, but...well, kids and their music these days.

I could go-on, but you get the idea. There's no "discovery" if everything I do is predetermined for me by someone who "knows who I am" and "feeds me what I want."

My concern is how that narrows us.

Good point, that is why for example why my radio stations are a PBS stations.

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....I could go-on, but you get the idea. There's no "discovery" if everything I do is predetermined for me by someone who "knows who I am" and "feeds me what I want."

I know exactly what you mean. When I go to Youtube, what are its "suggestions" ? Stuff I have already viewed, not even stuff of similar genre.

Duuh, if I liked it I already have it bookmarked.

T.A.