Opt-In instead of Opt-Out for McAfee

[justmonk]

You've got many posts on the forums regarding this issue, and if you look on google you'll see there are a LOT more people frustrated with this than just the folks on the forums here: https://www.google.com/search?q=adobe+flash+antivirus+frustration&rlz=1C1CHFX_enUS498US498&oq=adobe+....

At what point does Adobe value it's reputation more than it values a few bucks from McAfee? Would it be impossible to renegotiate a cheaper deal with them for opt-in instead (not pre-selected) and recoup the difference by maybe offering another opt-in option, or maybe including some advertising for other Adobe products... this whole business of forcing a download on your users evokes sour memories of things like the Lycos web browser toolbar that would try to piggyback on other software installs, and were a PITA to delete and remove. LIke some kinda malware garbage.

I've always held Adobe's reputation in higher regard, too bad Adobe doesn't seem interested in living up to their prior standards. It's like Cadillac offering spinners and shag carpeting as a standard option on all it's new cars.

[C_F_McBlob]

Adobe Reader, Shockwave, AIR and Flash Player are “freeware”. That means you PAY NOTHING for them.

Adobe PAYS developers to make & update them and they offer them to the public WITHOUT CHARGE, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. That requires server space, bandwidth, and maintenance of files as well as hundredss of links, on dozens of webpages, throughout this site.

Adobe offsets those costs by including “bundled” software with downloads and updates, for which the third party developers reimburse them on a “per download” basis. You can argue and protest all day long about “corporate greed” and how “Adobe makes enough money from their paid software that they don’t need to do this”, but the facts are: YOU DON’T RUN Adobe, and YOU DON’T DECIDE how they make their money or how much is “enough” for them to offer millions of downloads a week, worldwide, in dozens of languages… for nothing.

Add to this, Adobe IS NOT the only company that engages in this practice, and it’s NOT something that just started. Oracle systems includes Google Chrome and Google Toolbar with Java, which is a NECESSARY component for Windows, Mac and Linux. VLC Media Player includes AVG Safe Search and AVG Toolbar with their downloads. Roxio Media Creator includes Norton Security Scan with updates, Corel includes McAffee Internet Security with WinDVD updates. Those are just a few examples. This practice has been going on since Windows XP was released. Failure to notice it before now DOESN’T change that.

There are Adobe updates that install McAffee with no “opt out”, and they’ve been reported, but if Adobe management’s intention was to remove those updaters, they’ve made no effort to do so to date.

This is a user-to-user forum, with very limited employee participation, and NO ONE from Adobe management participates here, or even reads these pages, to my knowledge.

    •    Posting angry, inflammatory or profane comments here won’t change it.

    •    Threatening to boycott Adobe here won’t change it.

    •    Uninstalling all Adobe products on your computer in a juvenile tantrum won’t change it.

    •    Threatening frivolous litigation here won’t change it.

    •    Personal attacks on other forum members here won’t change it.

There are links to download FULL installers of Reader and Flash Player which are posted hundreds of times every week in these forums. These contain no bundled software, and are easily bookmarked for future reference. Additionally, instructions to disable automatic updates are posted throughout these forums. Utilizing both will allow you to take full control of what you download and install. If manually updating your software is NOT something you choose to do, then you need to accept that the updaters will occasionally (and without warning or opt-out) have something you don’t want, and you’ll have to remove it yourself when it’s installed.

[justmonk]

Dear Mike M.

Your point of view is appreciated. Thanks for sharing, as I've just done with my own point of view.

Regardless of your reply, my opinion remains that having McAffee as a pre-checked download is sneaky, tricky, and a crap move on Adobe's part. I am adding my voice to the thousands of others out there that feel the same way.

Have a nice day.

[lucid_enigma]

I totally agree.

I'm constantly uninstalling McAffee off of kids' computers and cannot understand how anyone rationalises the fact that McAffee WILL INSTALL unless you say otherwise.

What is the point in installing by some kind of deception when it isn't really wanted anyway?!?  All it acheives is annoyance and frustration and possible conflicts with AV software that people actually choose to install!

It should never install unless you explicitly agree to it (not the same as not not agreeing to it!) and it should never install on updates to software when you have already said no!

And arguments like "other people do it" or "it's nothing new" are pointless.  It doesn't make it any more acceptable.  Many people murder and have done for thousands of years.  Doesn't make it ok for me to murder someone?!?

I will be emailing McAffee (or Intel, whoever own it now) to tell them that I will NEVER buy or use their AV software on principle of Adobe's attempts to trick me into installing it.  I encourage others to do the same.

Perhaps they will then insist that Adobe play fair.

Oh and Mike M, calm down and keep your points relevant to what is said here!

[C_F_McBlob]

Everything I posted... wait for it... IS relevant.

It's "freeware". If you don't like the way it installs there ARE alternatives. Or perhaps you'd like your money back?

It ISN'T going to change, no matter how much you kick, and scream, and pout, and whine, and cry.

Use the offline installers

Flash Player for ActiveX (Internet Explorer)

Flash Player Plug-in (All other browsers)

posted here hundreds of time daily... or live with the bundled stuff because you're too lazy to do it right.

[lucid_enigma]

None of it is relevant since it only explains why the third party software is bundled which is not the problem.

It doesn't excuse its attempts to trick its way onto unsuspecting people's computers, which is the problem (and seems pretty pointless anyway?!?)

It also waffles about abusive, angry comments which none of ours are (except for yours)

And the problem is nothing to do with "being too lazy to do it right", nor am I kicking, screaming, crying or any of the above. You're the only one behaving in such a fashion.

I have four Autistic children who WILL ALWAYS click yes to the prompt to update since they know you must keep computers updated. They will NEVER untick the box since they don't understand what it's asking and don't change things that they don't understand.

Hence I repeatedly have to uninstall software that should never have been there. There never has been any real consent to its installation so it should never have been installed.

That is why it should default to unticked. Not to enable my laziness.

I don't get what you think your belligerence and patronising really adds to this conversation but it certainly does nothing to nullify our argument or to bolster yours?!?

[C_F_McBlob]

So... I take it, you'd like a refund for Flash Player?

[lucid_enigma]

A safer assumption might be that I'd like to Opt-in instead of opt-out for McAfee?!?

That is after all the actual title of this thread and what I totally agreed with.

[henss13404559]

I will be contacting Madison Murphy of Adobe.