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Installing Java on a Mac? Beware the now-bundled Ask.com toolbar

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Java’s shady bundled adware is no longer a Windows exclusive, as Oracle has started sneaking the Ask.com toolbar into the Mac version.</p><p>
Similar to the Windows version, Java for OS X now attempts to install the Ask toolbar during the setup process, and also tries to set Ask.com as the default browser homepage. ZDNet’s Ed Bott first reported on the adware (http://www.zdnet.com/article/oracle-extends-its-adware-bundling-to-include-java-for-macs/), noting that Oracle added it to Mac installations sometime over the last month.</p><p>
To avoid the adware entirely, users must hit “Cancel” when the “Install the Search App by Ask” prompt appears. This is counter-intuitive, because all other steps of the setup process require users to click “Next” to advance. In this case, clicking “Next” installs the toolbar, even when the “Set Ask.com as my browser homepage” box is unchecked.</p><p class="jumpTag"><a href="/article/2894034/installing-java-on-a-mac-beware-the-now-bundled-askcom-toolbar.html#jump">To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here[/url]</p></section></article>

Source: Installing Java on a Mac? Beware the now-bundled Ask.com toolbar (http://www.macworld.com/article/2894034/installing-java-on-a-mac-beware-the-now-bundled-askcom-toolbar.html#tk.rss_all)