Yahoo and Oracle Partnership for Java Updates Include Yahoo as Default Search

[engine]

Remember those Java updates where there's an additional payload of some other software to download. It's pre-checked as default, and those that don't look get the payload with the Java update.
Well, it looks as if Java update is now going to include switching users' default search to Yahoo. If that happens, Yahoo could end up with, potentially, millions more users at a stroke.

At the company’s annual shareholder meeting on Wednesday, Chief Executive Marissa Mayer announced a partnership with Oracle aimed at getting more users to try Yahoo search. Starting this month, users who install or update Oracle’s Java software will be prompted to make Yahoo their browser’s default search engine and home page. Yahoo and Oracle in Partnership for Java Updates to Include Making Yahoo Default Search [blogs.wsj.com]

[EditorialGuy]

This makes me even happier than I dumped Java from my system. (The constant update notices were aggravating enough without having Yahoo! forced down my throat.)

[superclown2]

Good to see Google on the receiving end of unethical practices for a change. I suspect that most users won't even notice the change.

[bwnbwn]

Well with Adobe forcing chrome and changing the default browser I guess it is all fair if you chose to use the software. EditorialGuy you dump Adobe not trying to be smart just curious.

[keyplyr]

I quit Java about 3 years ago and see no difference (except a headache the first day.)

[Hoople]

Getting forced to use the new incarnation of Ask DOT com (their previous partner) was far worse a situation [for end users] as their search results were....special <G>.

The checkboxes to stop the force then was hidden in the options button then too. Also forced on the user was the Ask tool bar (and it's resource hit).

[Nutterum]

who is using Java on their home computers these days anyway. Yes Yahoo will get millions of machines running Yahoo as default. Machines used for anything but browsing for shoes or concert tickets. Machines that are in a work environment used by no-one, or selected few. This is just smoke and mirrors on steroids, if you ask me.

[engine]

I know many people that have Java on their computer. They certainly didn't want the payload that came with it, but didn't read the screen about the update, ending up with one of the "offers" that was set to default. That mistake was their problem, of course, but, the fact is they hit ok and it's too late to go back.

I would think that the EU will have something to investigate about making that box checked by default.

[IanCP]

One way to guarantee I won't download updates - when YOU set the default and remove choice.

Arrogance personified.

[J_RaD]

yahoo should have gotten with the motherboard makers like google did!
hey I see you have a nice fresh clean computer...would you like to install all drivers with every google software packages known to man?

yes that is now what all motherboards do, driver disks out of the box are now mine fields... THANKS GOOGLE! *GRRR*

[IanCP]

that is now what all motherboards do, driver disks out of the box are now mine fields

That hasn't been my personal AsRock experience in recent times.

[graeme_p]

If the article is correct that 89% of US desktop computers have Java installed, then it is a big deal. I have no idea what people are using it for though - the only Java GUI apps I can see are the OpenJDK Policy Tool and NetX (web start equivalent) - on the other hand I have several Python GUI apps I user regularly (and most seem to be cross platform as well).

You could avoid the obnoxiousness by using OpenJDK, although there are no official binaries for Windows or MacOS there are unofficial ones (might be easier just to tick no!). OpenJDK works fine and it is what most Linux users use (and we throw away driver disks as well!), which probably means a high proportion of servers now use it (Twitter do, anyway).

[keyplyr]

I have no idea what people are using it for though

You can't run Java programs without the Java Virtual Machine(JVM) installed on your computer. Not that many applications actually use Java, but many web pages send some Java through the browser to the JVM, especially chat services, games, video, interactive tools, animations and responsive mobile code, My site uses Java to play music on the user's phone.

Java also shares to Common Files in Windows so other programs may be indirectly dependent on this package residing on the machine.

Html 5 has assumed *some* web aspects where Java once was needed.

[IanCP]

Not that many applications actually use Java, but many web pages send some Java through the browser to the JVM,

I have some recollection in the back of my mind that Wikipedia use it.

[graeme_p]

@keyplyr, yes. I know that, but what Java programs do people use? Personally I use none except for server-side stuff for development. I see very sites pages that use Java these days - the browser plugin is installed, but requires permission to run, so I know when I am on a page that uses Java.

[keyplyr]

@graeme_p, I agree the average user, and even you & I may not use specific Java run programs much anymore, but there are Java applets & other bytecode languages that need the JVM on our machines. Many of these smaller & partial applications will not trigger an alert, they just will not work or will operate in a limited capacity. In other words, the JVM supports languages other than Java.

[Martin Ice Web]

who is using Java on their home computers these days anyway.

if it is also going to come in germany, they will ! get more machines where poeple "browsing for shoes or concert tickets" as in germany JAVA is an must have for business poeple sending their monthly TAX reports to the tax offices.
Big deal for germany though, as i have many business customers updating their java system and their browsers search default is ASK right now.

[J_RaD]

That hasn't been my personal AsRock experience in recent times.

I have 5 AsRock builds here... would you like to see a screen shot of the "install all" in your face pleaseee choose me option. Yes if you understand what its trying to do you can install drivers 1 by 1 from the disk... but to a lesser person they'd press the easy button and get infected straight out of the gate.