Not this. Firefox, I mean.
Bum ! Microsoft shitting their pants again. Loosing ground to Firefox means having to deal with a real web browser, one that doesn’t let your average crappy website to influence your computer in any way.
The solution: push an update to the users (through Windows Update) to install a Firefox extension to every Firefox user. So that Firefox has to bend to their will.
Clever move: even more considering that the extension is not easily removable (did you see the grayed out uninstall button ?).
Way to go Microsoft !
Update !! Could that be related to the launch of the new Microsoft search engine in any way ?
Update(2) !! Apparently there’s a reason why Microsoft calls Bing the Decision Engine: if you use IE6 it decides for you it’s better than google.
Further reading:
- http://techgeist.net/2009/05/microsoft-installs-firefox-add-ons-sans-user-consent/
- http://voices.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2009/05/microsoft_update_quietly_insta.html
- Remove the crap
its complete WTF !!
Both are disgusting tactics from MSFT.
ASUS must be getting XP for free. Better yet, they must be getting paid to use it. Another example of MSFT’s buying and bulling power.
Nasty.
[...] It is not an unusual development and this was also entered into Slashdot and into Stefano Forenza’s Web site. [...]
Seems Microsoft keeps whacking its thumbs repeatedly. Instead of listening to its customer base it continues pushing its arrogant and bullying behaviour far beyond its limits. Especially since they can get away with it.
I wonder if there’s an NDA stating that Microsoft can arbitrarily modify a 3rd party application written for Windows without the author’s consent.