Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

> They use their other assets (search, youtube, android, docs..) to make chrome "default" option.

Don't forget their annoying bundling with freeware...



That's merely advertising. Google did not force chrome into any platform except android (which only happened after Chrome's dominance).

Mozilla could've paid for more advertising (e.g, partner up with Yahoo or some other big web property). But even with a push like that, FF won't have won because it didn't the high performance that drove Chrome's retention rate.


Tricking people into trojan-installing it shouldn't count as 'merely advertising'.


Calling it "advertising" is a understatement here. You don't end up with the product just by consuming an ad.

My parents never wanted to install Chrome. They still ended up have it. It came with an update and they didn't uncheck a checkbox. All their friends use Chrome also because of this despicable trick.

When this wave of bundled malware behavior by Google started and I had to uninstall it all over the people and family where I installed Firefox before, I stopped using it as a second browser too.

I whish someone would finally sue them for this. At least to give it the attention it should have.


> It came with an update and they didn't uncheck a checkbox

what update? Windows update? Or did they download some software, and the installer came with chrome as well?


Windows Update would have been the peak of madness...

No it was some other software where it came with the installer. I assume it was Avast as I've seen it in an update already on a different computer.


In the beginning, Chrome was bundled with Flash, and Flash was ubiquitous.

When you installed or upgraded Flash, unless you checked a checkbox, Chrome would be installed.


Funny how all it took was Steve Jobs saying "no Flash on the IPhone, it sucks" and that was the end of Flash. Thank God.


I wouldn't cheer some influential millionaire who decide it's time to kill some technology too loud. It may become a habit.




Consider applying for YC's Summer 2026 batch! Applications are open till May 4

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: