Why, why WHY *must* I install McAfee when updating Flashplayer?

[Dami11]

I am strugglling to KEEP McAFEE OFF MY COMPUTER and this doesn't help!  I have my own security system and I resent your foisting your "marketing partner" on me without my permission.  Please stop!

[C_F_McBlob]

It's NOT (absolutely NOT) foisted upon you without your permission.
Understand that there is a little box you simply click to uncheck and it neither downloads nor installs.

Now, before you go saying "I don't have time to uncheck a box"... you had time to log in, find the right forum and post a complaint to fellow users (we don't work for Adobe here in the forums... most of us anyway). That took a lot longer than unchecking a box.

[Dami11]

Firstly, thanks for the response.

Secondly, I've had an account with Adobe for years.  Not a new one.

Thirdly, nowhere in the download/install procedure did I see an option to NOT download the McAfee software.  Granted I kinda zipped right through it the first time and there is a chance that I still missed it. I have seen that option in the past and definitely unchecked it, but I do not recall seeing that box this time.  Hence my perturbation.  If I am mistaken, my apologies.  I went through the procedure a second time (and carefully read the installation instructions (in which there is no mention of McAfee)) up to the actual download.

Fourthly, I realize few users here are actually employees, but I do know that employees read the forums and will respond.  I'm actually not looking for their response, since it's after the fact, but perhaps they'll see my complaint and decide to make the additional software download choice more prominent.

Again, thanks for the response.

[pwillener]

This is the panel that the updater presented me yesterday for the 11.8 update

The 3rd-party software offers differ, but there is always a checkbox to opt out.

[Dami11]

Hmm, that is the shockwave player, not the flashplayer.  I was prompted immediately after rebooting to install the new flashplayer from this address: https://get3.adobe.com/flashplayer/download/?installer=Flash_Player_11_for_Other_Browsers&os=Windows....  I did not get that particular prompt box.  (I see now that the McAfee software is included in the URL, but it's so long that I couldn't see that as part of the address.)  No where else during that procedure is there ANY reference to McAfee or any checkboxes offering me the choice of installing it or not.  I cannot access again the original prompt to install flashplayer, so I cannot state that it wasn't an option there, but in the rest of the process, it is not an option.  I still think they need to make that option more prominent.

Thanks.

[pwillener]

Dami11 wrote:

Hmm, that is the shockwave player, not the flashplayer.

You are right; sorry for that!

But I am totally confused now; how did I get my Flash Player updated yesterday?  I think I will revert my system to 11.7, then wait until the updater kicks in again.

And thank you for that link; that does indeed not give you any way to opt out!

[C_F_McBlob]

That was just a minute ago.

[Dami11]

Fine, I'm wrong.  I'm blind and stupid, too.  And a liar. *sigh*

That is not the link I was sent to when I got the notice from Adobe upon rebooting asking me to update my flashplayer software. I provided the link above.  As I said earlier, there may well have been an option in that initial prompt, I cannot recreate it to check, so I could have overlooked the option, but nowhere else in the procedure did I have the option to opt out.

I'm done.

[pwillener]

No, no, no, no...

This is the forum playing tricks on both of you.  The link that you posted got broken up somehow (the forum does that!), and will lead to different locations depending on where you click on it.

When I click on the third line of the broken link, I actually get to the full link that will download the installer that includes McAfee (without any opt-out).  Here is the screenshot

[C_F_McBlob]

I get a redirect in Firefox or Safari Win 7 , 8 or Mac to the address in my screen shot. The only difference is that the Mac page has a trial of Lightroom instead of McAfee (which doesn't run on Mac).

[pwillener]

Try clicking on this link (from Windows).

[C_F_McBlob]

Eureka!   This may be what you're looking for Pat

No previous notice, from the screen shot you posted, and it installed McAfee (not exactly blindly - you can see it) but with no opt out. And... now I have to uninstall it before it screws up myAVG.

[chrisperson]

This screenshot Msg 12 is exactly what I got too - no advance warning & no opt out.  ( I was furious enough to log on to this forum for the first time ever).  I resent having s/ware foisted on me too!!!!

[pwillener]

P.S. I am still waiting for my reinstalled 11.7 to update.

[sick_tired]

That being true, when I go buy groceries they don't put a bike in my bag before I ckeck out. They could, because I can always take it out of my bag before checking out, just a few seconds of my time, but they still don't do it. And do you know why? because it is impolite to sell you something you are not interested in, something you didn't even ask for. Because if they do this at the groceries next time they know I'll go to the next shop.

Adobe is being rude and impolite with its own users. Be them free or paying customers, they are still your customers and forcing something into them is not polite under any circumstance.

I, for one, am certain that I'll keep any Adobe product away from my computers. Strategies such as these bundles are only for losers, and that is how I'm going to treat them.

[C_F_McBlob]

sick&tired wrote:

...they are still your customers and forcing something into them is not polite under any circumstance.

Without getting too political... ISN'T THAT like telling EVERY LAST PERSON IN AMERICA that "You're going to buy insurance (and only the insurance we approve of) or you'll pay a fine, but we'll call it a tax, so it's 'not really' a fine."

Seriously... As the sarge said in VietNam... "Is this the hill you want to die on?" Or is there one more important?

It's a piece of software. And there are ways around it:

• Flash Player for ActiveX (Internet Explorer)
• Flash Player Plug-in (All other browsers)

        (nothing in those but the plug-in)

Get over it. You're NOT losing income or property here. You need to pick your battles better...  A LOT BETTER.

[sick_tired]

First of all, I really don't get this warlike analogies. What battle? why

do you assume I am willing to "die over this hill"? It's just software,

not war. I will not die and I'm not at risk of anything if I decide to

remove Adobe Flash Player from my system. Pull yourself together, I'm not

the one shouting, being jumpy or making up war analogies in here.

You may argue Adobe is not the only one doing it, I can accept that as an

argument. Or you can argue it is not so bad to you, that's ok too. You may

even go as far as to say Flash is the best thing or claim there is no

alternative to Flash or Adobe. We can discuss all that, but get this

branded deep in your brain, I don't have to get over anything because this

is not war and this is not a battle. I'm opting out of Adobe voluntarily

just like some people opt-out at meat eating, respecting those who choose

differently. I wish everyone would do the same.

I have my reasons and my reasons may not be good enough to you, just like

yours may not be good enough to me. And we could debate about pros and cons

but what I'm not going to take is this whole bunch of FUD 101 as an

opinionated argument. I wouldn't do it coming from a friend, imagine how

much I care when it comes from a total stranger.

Meanwhile, for you and any other Flash user or IT manager out there, here's

my workaround. A really easy one.

I have simply uninstalled the Adobe Flash and Shockwave Player & Plugin.

I did it on a test machine and Chrome Browser (with Pepper Flash bundled)

seems to be working like a charm on those sites still using Flash for

banners, movies and games. I think new versions of IE have also a bundled

flash player, but I don't care since no user here is using that. Users who

used to browse with FF will get used to Chrome in no time and FF+Adobe

Flash will be removed from the system. Gone for good.

And then I'm not at risk anymore of making a mistake while doing multiple

things at the same time and end up installing some undesired software in my

whole system. I'm safe from risky bundles I never asked for (and have

absolutely nothing to do with what I'm looking for) and the old flash-based

websites are still working fine in the user's browser.

That's how it should be and that's how I intend to do it. I'm not only

getting over it, I think I'm getting around it and passed it.

[C_F_McBlob]

If it's worth getting your blood pressure to "stroke levels" over, then "have yourself a nut" if you think it's right. I gave you the links to avoid bundled software with the plug-in installers.

[sick_tired]

Now I can see how pointless is talking to you, but I'll answer anyway for the sake of the rest of the readers.

My blood pressure is very well, thank you. As I said before, I'm not the one shouting, look at the mirror if you hear someone doing so. I got well over it, around it and passed it. I'm only trying to manage the IT risks in my organization.

Yes, I'm pissed off because one of these risks was unnecessary and my provider chose to add it knowingly, just like I would be pissed if one of my employees would knowingly define a new and unnecessary process in our job routines that could very easily lead to problems (and yes, this problems lead me to loosing money). But I didn't shout and I didn't pick on you, it happened exactly the other way around, even though as my first answer (and every other one) was polite to you.

I do my job the best I can and my job is to make things smooth in my organization, not more complicated. If someone (provider or employee) includes a new and unnecessary risk it is my job to find a better solution, not simply resign and get over it because a total stranger told me so on the Internet.

And so it happens that the best solution to risk-free flash updates that I've found is by using the bundled flash player in Chrome. No Adobe solution is more simple and risk-free than this. Anything Adobe is willing to offer me (manually opt-out to a crap bundled software, bookmarked links, ...) is definitely way more risky and way worse than the Chrome solution. It is that simple.

I thank you for the links, but the default and common landing page for the Adobe Flash download should be bundle free, that is my only point here. It's not the *what* that matters most, it's the *how*. Anything else is beating around the bushes, because there is only 1 way to do things right. You can give me as many other links as you want, you may insist to death about the possibility of opting out prior to downloading, you can shout at me, you can picture me mouth-foaming and you can FUD and troll me all you want ... and you still won't see the point and you still won't be willing to respect my reasons, decisions or opinions.

What Adobe does is rude and impolite, but trolling is way worse. Don't you have anything better to do in your life than trolling people on an Adobe forum?

[C_F_McBlob]

I've solved more problems here than you've ever seen...

If that's trolling, you should try it some time, instead of acting like the whole world owes you a free ride through life with your hand held every step. You're an adult, grow the f up and act like it.

[C_F_McBlob]

Troll:

Someone who creates a fictitious name in a forum or chat room for the sole purpose of harrassing others anonymously.

So, let's see... You use a pseudonym, have no picture, and ALL FIVE of your posts are in this thread, three of which are harrassment of me. THAT makes you a troll.

I use my real name and my own picture, and I've been here for just shy of a year HELPING people (11,081 posts, 5,780 points awarded by OTHER users for my help), and the biggy... moderators here will side with me and remove you.

[sick_tired]

Yes, I'm pretty sure they will side you. First of all because you are willing to jump to fight for them at any time of the day, every day of the week and, second of all, because the way I see Adobe you two have similar attitudes, rude and impolite by default so it makes sense them siding you. But making it a battle was your decision since your very first answer to me, not mine. I am pissed off at Adobe, not at you, it's you who wants to make it something personal. I'm pretty sure you are of great help here, I'm not doubting that, but that is no excuse to go around insulting and being pushy.

None of my answers have been a harassment to you, read up again and try filing a harassment case from that. My answer was to publish my opinion about the bundled software and I have not been pushy, jumpy or insulting you at any point except for the end, that I admit. And you took the slightest and first call naming from my side to make my answer removed, I bet you think that is a battle won but I'm not interested in these petty battles, you can keep them and win them all for all I care.

You, on the other hand, didn't use the word loser but you have been treating me like one from post 1 to post N. You have absolutely no idea who am I, what my experience or needs are nor what goes through my veins yet you insist on picturing me as your enemy. You don't like my opinion about Adobe? fine, but suck it up or debate politely, don't go about insulting and harassing those who think differently than you, it only shows your darkest nature.

My IP will be banned? try threatening someone else with that, IP bans are basically FUD for those who know what it means. My stay here is over, I agree to that because I have no interest in staying. I don't have a picture and this is a new account because my only intention was to publish my concerns about this strategy of software bundling and never come back, I'm not wasting time filling my profile here.

If I chose Pepper Flash over Adobe Flash it is because the updates (or the likely incidences after the updates) may take too much of my time. I'm cutting out every unnecessary expense and waste of time in my work processes. Both Adobe Flash and you are taking way too much of my time and I got much more important things to do, so bye and enjoy Adobe Flash and the forums.

[larryanta]

Mike, you're coming across as extremely unhelpful.

We have every right to abhor Adobe's negative optioning with respect to McAfee Security Scan Plus (or any product) being installed along with an update to Adobe Flash Player.  Regardless of whether there's a simple click to uncheck a box, and regardless of whether any laws have been broken, consumers should not have to be so careful when installing an update.  At a minimum, Adobe could provide a final confirmation dialogue showing exactly what will happen next.

In my particular case, I unchecked the box, noticed out of the corner of my eye that something changed in the user agreement link to the right, re-checked the box to see what changed, UNCHECKED the box again, and guess what?  I now have McAfee Security Scan Plus installed on my computer.  I know how easy it is to uninstall it, and I did so immediately.  The point is, there's a bug.  And even if there wasn't a bug, Adobe should not use their regular patch updates to make money.  Sure, put some advertising in there if you want; but don't require action on the consumer's part to NOT install something.

[Guest]

Piss off shill. Abode knows exactly what they're doing, and that's preying on the elderly and electronically incompetent with this bundle. If they actually gave even the slightest damn about not being scumbags they would leave McAfee unchecked by default. Most computers come bundled with an anti-virus, and adding an extra one causes all kinds of extra problems.

If you think this shady shit is acceptable in any shape or form you're free to gargle my balls you walking human scum.

[Carm01]

To all who may be concerned. I figured a way to bypass all the Adobe bloatware that is offered up. I'm not prepared to devulge 100% of how I do what I do, but for those who are interested and understands a little about BAT files. I dumbed down my smart installer to a BAT file format so that everyone can see what is going on.

I will not point the exact link as I don't want to piss off anyone at Adobe, but if you go to:

SourceForge and search for 'flash updater', the BAT file is offered up in there.

Once again bat file so everyone can read the code and no trickery, it does use Adobe's offline installers offered up on this page to preform the installs automatically: Installation problems | Flash Player | Windows

My bat file or exe installer is NOT endorsed by Adobe at this time.

I doubt that the executives at Adobe will every get rid of their bloatware installs, so i offer this up, and to take out the guesswork of what to download and install or not, I have seen so many people struggle on this forum over something so simple, download and install. I offer this up as a way of easing the pain.