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Comment by JohnTHaller | Hacker News Reader

It's also worth noting that the default installer for CCleaner automatically installs Chrome and sets it as the default browser with no notification in the default process. Unless you click "More..." from one of the screens, then it tells you. At least it was like this two weeks ago. Had to uninstall bundleware Chrome again from multiple family members' PCs.

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FYI, BleachBit is a (FLOSS) alternative to ccleaner, that works pretty well.

That's why I package it for our PortableApps.com users! https://portableapps.com/apps/utilities/bleachbit_portable

What would happen if someone got malware on to your machine that specifically targeted PortableApps.com?

The VLC authors also report that Google tried to pay them quite huge amounts to include Chrome as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWx1P93nS0c&t=48s

With Google’s recent actions, this makes Chrome literally into malware that your system’s AV should automatically detect and remove. If a significant amount of users gets the software without intending to, the install was malicious, and should be removed.

> the default installer for CCleaner automatically installs Chrome and sets it as the default browser

Why is that is my question.

Google pays companies to do new installs of Chrome. They're supposed to make it explicit, but Google doesn't really police it. It's usually via 'dark patterns' as it is with most free Windows antivirus apps where it shows a small indication at the bottom of the screen on a window that's about something else. For example, Avast sneaks it in as part of an automatic update on the Continue window: https://i.imgur.com/NIZk9Pd.jpg

Pal, you know you're revealing the selves of both MS and Google!

"Don't be evil"

Even if it is explicit the idea is to have it enabled by default so people accidentally install it and then hopefully start using it.

Which browser dominates should be based on its quality not how much money you spend on it :/

Having chrome installed by whatever [dark] pattern is at least putting it on an even footing with the platform's default browser - for those who would never proactively change their browser, this at least is closer to such a browser meritocracy.

What about putting it on an even footing with Firefox, because currently that's its biggest competitor.

The thing is with Firefox that if it's on your computer is most likely because you installed it yourself.

Every one of my family members I have to uninstall it for is already running a fully-up-to-date copy of Firefox. The question is usually "why does the web look different?" or "why does Firefox have a rainbow ball now?".

So, they fucked it. Thank you!

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