Oracle: How about some adware to go with that new Java for Mac?

One of the things I -- and I assume a lot of fellow users -- like about using a Mac is that most OS X programs do not try to trick the user into installing adware. In fact, a lot of the programs I use do not even feature a typical setup, as they can be installed simply by copying them to the Applications folder. For someone coming from Windows, it may feel impossible to grasp at first -- yes, you can actually enjoy the install process. Wow!

Of course, there are developers who do not care about the experience their users have during and after the setup, so they bundle adware with their programs. Thankfully, on Macs it's easier to spot, but it's still something to look out for at times, especially if you wish to install Oracle's latest Java release.

Oracle is resorting to the same old tactics that Windows power users are well familiar with to trick OS X users into installing Ask's browser extensions and set its search engine as default, alongside Java 8 Update 40.

Prior to the release of Java 8 Update 40, Java was made available through standard installer packages. However, with the latest release, Oracle switched to an app-based installer, which makes it easy to bundle such adware. (That said, the "old" package installer, called JavaAppletPlugin.pkg, can be extracted from the new installer, allowing users to install Java 8 Update 40 as before.)

Before running the setup, the latest Java requires OS X users to enter their system password. This makes it easy to install Ask's crap down the road, unless the user deselects the "Set Ask.com as my browser homepage" box and clicks on "Don't Install" when presented with the option to install the Ask browser extension, the latter of which appears following the Java setup. Which is what, of course, I wholeheartedly recommend.

Since Mac users are accustomed to install methods akin to what I described in the first paragraph, they make easy targets. That said, I don't believe many non-experienced users will run into Java, as it is geared towards more advanced users -- like developers (Java is used, for instance, to make Android apps). They are, hopefully, likely to pay more attention to what's going on during the setup. Still, shame on you, Oracle!

Photo Credit: Leszek Glasner/Shutterstock

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