Stop installing extra stuff I don’t want

Dear software companies (you know who you are),

While I appreciate that you are willing to provide me extremely useful utilities at no direct cost to me and that you regularly update those utilities to ensure the continue to work reliably, I absolutely detest your insistence that I install your partner companies’ software when I install yours.

I especially detest the recent trend toward hiding the options for installing that extra software in places where it is easily missed by someone in a hurry or who is not quite paying enough attention. It is the worst when these options are hidden in the context of what seems to be like an ad, yet really turned out to be a configuration screen.

Now, I understand that it is my responsibility to make sure I have configured my computer properly, yet I cannot help but believe you are taking advantage of your users by your tactics, which I believe are unethical at the least.

Trust me that I am a very savvy computer user, and if you continue your bad behavior, I may be force to discontinue using your product and find another way to do what your product does.

For reference, consider asking Apple about that. I haven’t had Apple software installed on my computer since it started trying to sneak iTunes and Safari onto my machine.

Sincerely,

DLH