Comments on: Uninstalled software shouldn’t hijack your browser

By: Richard Melville

Richard Melville — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 10:42:47 +0000

Stop using Windows or stop whining about it — I assume that the remark about Chrome was Chrome running under Windows.

Richard

By: Barry Collins

Barry Collins — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:12:50 +0000

The two in this particular instance were WinZip and Orb. There are countless others employing the same tactics.

Barry Collins

By: Chris

Chris — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 23:00:51 +0000

Was one of them Google Chrome, by any chance? “Was it something we said?” they ask. Pathetic.

By: JP

JP — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 22:13:37 +0000

I HATE this. Almost as much as every single bit of software thinking that it needs to install another memory resident application to check for updates to itself.

By: www.infodude.net

www.infodude.net — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:58:10 +0000

I seen this problem happen too, so, I agree – name and shame!

By: Ryan Thomas

Ryan Thomas — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:16:45 +0000

At the very least they should ASK you if you wish to visit their website to fill in an ‘exit interview’. My guess is that 99% of people will click ‘no’, which must be the same number that close the unrequested web page anyway

By: David Wright

David Wright — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:16:00 +0000

I hate that too, although for the author of the software, it is nice to know why people are uninstalling…

I’d be happy if the uninstaller asked if I had time / the desire to fill in a questionairre, but to arbitrarily redirect me to their website? Hmm, sounds like a good reason to be shot of the software.

Maybe naming-and-shaming such software would wake companies up to bad practices – perhaps include it in a review of the software, how well it uninstalls and whether it opens your browser and asks for an explanation…

That said, it isn’t hijacking your browser, but don’t let that get in the way of a provocative headline!

By: TaoistTotty

TaoistTotty — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:13:44 +0000

This is one of my pet hates.

I have even had some that will not un-install if it cannot connect to the website (i.e. you are not on-line).

This is especially bad when it is an anti-virus (taken to a web page when you do not have any anti-virus).