Browser Toolbars - NOT

Why does everyone have to jump on the browser toolbar bandwagon?

My computer just came up and notified me that there was a Java update available. That's wonderful. So I told it to go ahead and install it. And if I wasn't paying attention, I would have installed the MSN toolbar into Internet Explorer right along with installing the latest Java update.

And when AIM updates, it tries to install the AOL toolbar (and keeps trying to change my home page also).

And I also have to work to not get the Google toolbar installed. And the Yahoo toolbar. And the eBay toolbar.

I'm not saying that browser toolbars are bad. That would be like saying that software is bad. No, a useful toolbar is a performance enhancer. But I've seen browsers that have six or seven toolbars installed. And most of them had some similar if not identical features.

All I'm asking is this: Go ahead and offer the toolbar if you want. But DON'T install it by default. Remember that everyone else is trying to do the same thing.

Sure, when I'm updating AIM it's reasonable to have a chance to install the AOL toolbar. And to change my home page to aol.com. But give me credit for some intelligence and for wanting to have my browser set up the way I want it to be, not the way you do. Let me make the decision to do these things, instead of making the decision to not change them.

Let the status quo remain.

Please.