Cloudeight InfoAve Computer tips and tricks- Yahoo Toolbar

Joe wants the scoop on Yahoo Toolbar
Several freeware programs I've installed recently have wanted me to install the Yahoo Toolbar. I didn't install it but I thought about it. I thought I'd ask you your opinion before I got myself (and my computer) in trouble. I trust you guys to give me good advice. Thanks so much, Joe.

Our Answer
While Yahoo has a generally good reputation, the Yahoo toolbar is a homepage hijacker and a browser hijacker. This means that when you install the Yahoo toolbar your home page will be changed from whatever it is to Yahoo's home page and your default search engine will be changed from whatever it is to Yahoo's search engines.

It installs a lot of other things too - that you may not want and may not need like its Anti-spy feature which is one of the worst and most useless anti-spyware products we've ever tried.

We heard from readers who have opted out of installing Yahoo! toolbar who ended up having it installed anyway. We can't blame Yahoo! for this entirely. It may have been bundled with a software application whose installer wasn't working correctly so unchecking the "install Yahoo! toolbar" had no affect - and the Yahoo! toolbar was installed even though the box to install it was unchecked by the user. If this ever happens to any of you (and assuming you don't want the Yahoo! toolbar) the first thing you should do is a system restore or use Revo Uninstaller to remove all traces of Yahoo! toolbar....

Our site is supported by you. When you buy one of our own products, make a donation, or purchase a product we recommend, like the one below, you're helping support one the Web's largest sources of free software and free information. Thanks!

Save 20% Instantly on Spyware Doctor
Spyware Doctor - Our #1 choice for spyware protection. Things aren't getting any better out there on the web. Choosing the right antispyware is as important as choosing the right antivirus. Our choice is Spyware Doctor. When you buy Spyware Doctor using our coupon code, you save 20%! Get your coupon code and save 20% here.

Do you like computer games?
Save 25% off some of the best computer games ever with our special Cloudeight discount!
Save 25% OFF All Games! Enter Code: iplaysale25

If Yahoo! toolbar was bundled with a freeware program that you wanted and unchecking the box to install Yahoo! toolbar didn't work, you should write the developer of the application and express your dissatisfaction with his or her program. Maybe if enough people contact the developer he or she will fix the installer or abandon the Yahoo! toolbar altogether. The installer may not be working correctly and in this case the developer would want to know so he or she could fix it. Or it may be intentionally not working so that the developer gets paid by Yahoo! for the installation - even if unwanted. Expressing your unhappiness about having software foisted upon your machine by a malfunctioning software bundler might cause the developer to rethink his ruse - if enough people catch him or her at it.

Yahoo pays developers money every time its toolbar is installed through the developer's efforts. It's a good way to get your toolbar installed, unfortunately it's not a very good toolbar and it has some very nasty habits.

We don't like Yahoo Toolbar's privacy policy much either. Read it for yourself and you'll see why.

As far as search toolbars go, we recommend Google's search toolbar. It doesn't hijack your home page, it gives you options as to which search engine you want to use and includes several features - like site popularity ratings we find useful. It does not contain a lot of junk programs you don't need and probably don't want. Plus, its privacy policy is much more benign than Yahoo's.

Compare Google's Toolbar privacy policy with Yahoo's.

Spyware Doctor - Our #1 choice for spyware protection. Things aren't getting any better out there on the web. Choosing the right antispyware is as important as choosing the right antivirus. Our choice is Spyware Doctor. When you buy Spyware Doctor using our coupon code, you save 20%! Get your coupon code and save 20% here.

InfoAve Premium E-Book Volume 6 is Available Now! Includes Windows 7 Tips!
Our brand new Cloudeight InfoAve Premium Volume 6 E-Book contains all the content of all 52 issues of InfoAve Premium from our sixth year of publication - from October 2008 to October 2009! InfoAve Premium Volume 6 E-Book is available as a download, on CD-ROM, or on USB Flash Drive! Have it your way...get more information here - or get your copy of our biggest and best E-book ever -- here!

Get an InfoAve Premium Subscription! - Follow us on Twitter.