I got a question from one of my users-- turns out they needed a Flash upgrade for their browser, so I ran the install. This is a pretty regular routine; I run the installer, look and double-check for opt-outs (e.g., toolbars and "services"), etc.

Imagine my surprise when-- as part of what was labeled an "urgent security update"-- the update installed Chrome on the machine, without confirmation, request, or even a smug little after-the-fact pop-up! I just saw the short-cut suddenly appear on the desktop, and had to go uninstall it.

Now, I got nothing against Google creating a new browser, or even with Adobe from trying to "encourage its use", but I'm pretty peeved at unsolicited software installing itself without my permission. It's no different from malware, especially if it then requires security updates to keep it from being a back door to OTHER unsolicited installs. I didn't ask for it, didn't want it, and wasn't even told it was "bundled".

Shame on you, Adobe. And Google, for being "especially evil".

Well, on further investigation, I discovered that they're not actually wrapping the program (despite what my browser was telling me), but rather pulling a bait-and-switch. By tacit acceptance of their "secure download", what one is actually downloading is a separate program that (after doing lord-knows-what on your machine in addition to installing a toolbar) then downloads the actual program.

So, no wrapper, no mucking with licenses, but clearly bait-and-switch. And the kind of stuff that nefarious trojan loaders pull all the time.

When I buy peanut butter (the natural stuff with no additives), I store it upside-down (lid down) at room temperature for at least a few days. Then when I open it, the stuff's been shifted around and softened a bit. At this point, I give it a really good stirring to mix things up again. Then I stick it in the refrigerator. Once it's properly mixed, this keeps it from separating-- period-- since the natural peanut oils are solid at 'fridge temps. This also keeps it from going rancid.

I laughed so loud that a few folks came over to see what had me hooting so loud! I told them it was a citrus thing, and they wouldn't understand.

I couldn't help but remember the Haribo logo I saw on their gummies-- something like "Everybody Loves Them So".

Apparently they're loving pretty hard all by themselves-- an veritable bacchanal in every bag!

Oh...I thought you were being like that prof I had once who once quipped (to a full class while talking about computer variable-size limitations) that he could count as high as 21 if he's naked.

[I wanted to boom out that "waa-waa-waaaaaa" sound over the PA system, it fell so flat.]

You have three thumbs?!

:^p

*&#$ Microsoft keeps insisting upon bundling IE "updates" (that have NOTHING to do with security) under the same aegis of critical security updates on auto-update. It cheeses me off when I select NOT to take an 8.0 IE update (especially since I don't even run it) and NOT to ask me again, then next update it tries to install a 7.0 IE update, and then when I choose NOT to take that one, next time it tries 8.0 AGAIN, repeat ad nauseum.

I'm counting the days until they start selling the auto-update pop-up as ad space.

Ooops. I did NOT say/write that out loud.

NOTHING TO SEE HERE, MICROSOFT...MOVE ALONG...

The random spaces are to discourage just cutting and pasting the displayed URL, and the embedded URL is to fool folks. And it fools a lot of 'em, especially since most folks don't know even the basics of HTML. Even those folks who do know-- both about HTML AND phishing-- can easily forget for the split-second it takes to click a link (since that's what most of the internet encompasses-- click, click, click).

It's one of the reasons I really dislike the push for "one-click" ANYTHING. Lots of things really shouldn't be that easy, especially where one's finances are concerned. I mean, banks benefit from making you wait in line to do anything involving a person at a brick-and-mortar...so why don't they realize that the internet back door hurts them just as much as us?

Kudos to you for solving the mystery yourself-- I remember figuring it out ('cause c'mon, we KNOW phishing when we see it, no? Those inserted spaces are TELLING!)-- it was pretty kewl.

And yeah, plain text is the only way to go. The other pet peeve is the push for HTML-based email readers (ESPECIALLY when they come as default settings in some of the free ones-- don't they realize this hurts them?).