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Dec 06
2008
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Shame on you Google!Posted by: Philip Roy on Dec 06, 2008   |
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I have absolutely no problem with software installing update checkers. Adobe, Apple, M$...fine...not a problem. Mostly, because if they annoy the heck out of me, I'll disable them.
Well the other day they released a Google Earth plugin (http://code.google.com/apis/earth/) for the Mac...cool! I installed...and since then have been getting dialogue boxes from "Google Software Update" telling me that there's an update for Google Talk to install....a service I don't use.
My issue is that 1) there's no way to say "never ask me to install anything related to Google Talk again" and 2) there's no way to say "Don't check for updates for me, I'll do this manually"...an option I usually set updaters that annoy the heck out of me too.
In the end I had to go onto the web and find....
1. This - http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2008/12/google-software.html
2. That Google appear to be breaching their own principles - http://www.google.com/corporate/software_principles.html
INSTALLATION
We believe software should not trick you into installing it.
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UPFRONT DISCLOSURE
When an application is installed or enabled, it should inform you of its principal and significant functions.
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SIMPLE REMOVAL
It should be easy for you to figure out how to disable or delete an application.
...
Yeah right! In the end, I found the uninstaller that will remove the plugin (that I actaully do want to keep) and with it, the software update checker they snuck in.
Shame on you Google!!
http://earth-api-samples.googlecode.com/files/GoogleEarth-Plugin-Uninstaller.dmg
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Darryn Lowe
said:
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That's a good point. I never really paid any attention to the Google one because I never really saw any updates but when you mentioned about the install sans software update I had to check. I guess I grabbed from the second source because Google Updater doesn't show up. The manual check option is a must. Why it's not included is beyond me. |
Philip Roy
said:
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Not sure what you mean by "from the second source"? Is there are version without the updater? Phil |
Philip Roy
said:
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Well I was staggered to find the message pop up again after uninstalling the plugin. Seems that doesn't uninstall the updater. I can't seem to find it, nor the instructions on the Google site about how to uninstall it. I'm going to try a different approach. I found a plugin "googletalkbrowserplugin.plugin" in the Macintosh HD/Library/Internet Plug-Ins folder. Thsi may have actually been installed by me when they first announced video chat capability, although I stand by my comments that I don't use GoogleTalk. I'm going to remove this and hope it stops checking for updates of that plugin and therefore, stops checking for updates. That said, I still have a rogue update checker installed and no way to figure out where the heck it is and what is triggering it. |
Philip Roy
said:
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Boy...it still kept happening!!!!!!! Finally tracked down this page that says what to do to fix things, although it's by no means easy.... http://www.google.com/support/...wer=100386 |
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