The latest Windows updates pushed Bing Toolbar to every Windows user as an “important” update that adds to the “stability and reliability” of Internet Explorer.
Really? Since when do toolbars add reliability and stability to anything? In Microsoft’s long (and losing) battle with Google, and given Bing’s inability to compete effectively with Google’s search, Microsoft decided to give you the Bing experience whether you want it or not.
Listing Bing as an “Important” update likely made Windows users feel it was necessary. It was not. It should have been an optional update but making it optional would have defeated Microsoft’s purpose of ensuring Bing was on every Windows computer.
We think that’s just plain wrong. Windows users should not be used as pawns, or soldiers, to help Microsoft wage war on a competitor. We don’t think the Bing toolbar enhances anything except for maybe Microsoft’s bottom line.
Battles between competing companies are good for customers — when those battles are waged fairly customers benefit from the competition. But installing Bing as an important Windows update is just plain cheating and using all Windows users as soldiers in Microsoft’s losing battle with Google, is just plain wrong.
That’s what we think. Tell us what you think.
I just went to check for any updates and 3 came up. One of them was bing desktop. I just checked the one for the microsoft essentials and downloaded it.
What happened to my comment?
OH!! There it is!!! LOL
Agreed 100%. Updates labeled important or critical are supposed to be just that…important or critical for the safe and proper functioning of the OS and other system protections we’ve chosen….not something totally unnecessary for that purpose.
Microsoft “gets”it. They just don’t care.
They think we’re dumb and won’t notice. I’ve
dumped that toolbar before, and I’ll dump it again. If Microsoft wants us to trust the labels on their updates, which is something we must be able to do without a doubt, then this is simply a sample of blatant betrayal.
I AGREE!! Muriel said it all for me!
I realised this and I went to Programs & Features and deleted it. Is Microsoft becoming like so many others, “pushing” their toolbar in a hidden way? Pity! I call on all to delete it from their computer/laptop and inform their friends about it.
I choose what updates to install & when, so I didn’t end up with the Bing Toolbar. I wouldn’t want it anyway! Pretty bad Microsoft has to resort to such sneaky tactics. Just one more reason why I dont have my updates installed & downloaded, automatically.
GONE! That’s what it is. And thank you for the heads-up.
I quit using IE because it slowed everything down.I use google chrome now.it’s a lot better.firefox is good too.
Well, that is weird. I just went to check my updates too. There was no Bing updates in mine.
I looked and looked. Nothing!
Never have used Bing. Have been using Firefox from the get go. IE was always causing issues.
I have been using consumer preview of Windows 8, entirely to my satisfaction. This update did not occur, but I have included Bing within my favorites together with Google, which provides me with a choice.
Bing toolbar is listed as an “Optional” update on my list of updates. Maybe they got the message?
I too am tired of every tom, dick and harry trying to foist their tool bars off on me. If I downloaded every one I wouldn’t have much screen left for anything else. As long as there’s a way to keep getting rid of them I’ll be doing just that. This bundling business is really trying my patience. What can we do to discourage it?
I TOTALLY agree with you Jo!!! A person has to be VERY careful if you do decided to download something because there is invariably a toolbar or whatnot included unless you uncheck the box……..irritates me, no end!!
I’m gonna go check on this and if it’s there I’ll get rid of it somehow. A friend has been trying to get me to try Chrome……..maybe it’s time??
Microsoft has really gone downhill since Bill handed his company over to the mindless jug-heads he trusted to continue his good work – shame on you, its one of the main reasons I use as few of MS products I can.
And on the subject of “Bing,” that’s the noise it makes when it hits the side of the recycle bin
AMEN! I get so tired of deleting and removing unwanted tool bars. Thankfully I have revo uninstsller which makes it easier than my old way, and I know it is completely gone too.
Well, I guess I got out of that one. It didn’t download it on me as far as I know. Anyway I haven’t seen the toolbar on my computer. And the Windows Update automatically downloads everything on my computer. I already Have Microsoft Security Essentials, in fact have had that program before it was ever called that. But if I want to search for anything I go to Google. I tried Bing a couple of times, but I always got infuriated with it.
I did not receive it as an update on my XP omputer, but I did receive it for my Windows7. I checked to hide the Bing Toolbar.
It is pretty bad when Microsoft lowers themselves to this kind of behavior. I would not allow it to install, but I shared this through FB so all my friends also have a choice, and I guess I promoted your site as well 😀
Pushy is what I think of MS trying to make everyone believe that yet another toolbar is going to help your computer. I’ve learned over the years that toolbars aren’t that big a deal–they slow your browser down. Seems like everyone has one now–Google, Yahoo, Bing, YouTube, just to mention a few. Disable them. You can still use your favorite search engine–name a default and for most modern browsers, just search from the address bar(where you type a web address in, for Newbies). You don’t really need another toobar of any kind. And, as always, some toolbars will actually carry some sort of malware. So beware of the toolbar mania.
I just read in my Newsletter about Bing
So I went looking for it and found it was an Optional Update.
Strange how for some it’s lumped in there with the important ones.
If there’s a Windows’ update that you don’t want downloaded to your computer, you can hide it. Just right click and select ‘hide update’. Just make sure you do this as soon as you know that you have new updates and before the updates are installed automatically (which Microsoft recommends in the settings).
Bing Toolbar? I think it coujld be the last straw to encourage me to finally switch to some version of Linux. But to disguise the “Bing” forced download, does it not become like the boy who cried ‘wolf’? Enough of these shananigans and nobody believes Microsoft when they have a genuinely legitimate “essential” update.
Almostg sounds like half a bell: Bing without the Bong.
I often go to windows updates and seeing two essential one I thought wow”common boy update like you always do”.
But when I saw Bing as a essential update I thought “noway, that’s just a search engine, and I always use Google.
So didn’t bother with Bing but did download the other regarding Essentials.
Thanks for the opportunity to say what I think.
Regards
Ray Adelaide Australia.
i want to get rid of it but cant find it to uninstall. Not in my “programs and features” Can anyone help me here? The thing is a nuisance and i will probably start using google chrome.
I’ve used Bing since it came from Microsoft and find it is working better than Google ever did. In a time when little is given away I wonder at how many seem upset by receiving something gratis.
It’s not as lovely as all that. The whole Bing experience is invasive. If you don’t believe this, just check your hard drive for all the extra files and extensions on it that are related to Bing. Bing will implant many items on your computer designed to “assist” when all it really does is try to second guess your preferences. This is fine for people who use their computer for basic or generalized purposes, but for those of us who go all over the place, Bing can never handle the second-guessing nature of performance. Google has never been this invasive and I’m appalled at how much room it takes up – even after I “uninstalled” it. Uninstalling does not remove it from your hard drive. Let me repeat this: Uninstalling Bing does NOT remove it from your hard drive.
Be very careful about uninvited guests who refuse to leave when you tell them to….
I recently reinstalled IE8 for XP and it came “enhanced” with Bing. More search engines, I don’t need or want, as the Google engine suffices my needs. I absolutely hate any software supplier that makes hard decisions about what I optionally need. It took some work, but I was able to delete Bing and while I should be grateful to MS for supplying IE free, I feel distrustful and will not optionally use any of their software if I can avoid doing so.
This is the very reason that I choose to NOT have updates automatically download and install. I prefer to KNOW what is being installed and I prefer to choose when! Not in the middle of something I’m doing.
I DO NOT appreciate Microsoft’s underhanded tactics, nor anyone else’s. I prefer to be dealt with as a thinking human being. I don’t like it when my intelligence is being insulted!!!
Just my humble opinion…..
I think you people are too hard on Microsoft. You had a choice to download or not. I chose to download and I like it very much. It hides until you want to use it at the top of the screen which doesn’t bother a thing. I’ve checked both Google search and bing on the same search and they were almost identicle in what they found but will admit Google was a little faster. That’s all. Not faster enough to mean anything to me.
If your machine is running fine you don’t have to take any update. You have your virus protection installed and update it regularly or better yet have it update itself automatically, and most important you don’t open unsolicited mail or any non expected attachment you’ll be just fine. It is just logic. Microsoft makes you do nothing that you don’t ask it to do.
This is really bad information. You’re entitled to your opinion but saying “if your compute is running fine you don’t have to take any update” is not true and is bad advise. Security updates patch vulnerabilities in Windows and it’s very important that these be installed. Your computer will run just great with vulnerabilities until it doesn’t run at all or until it’s being use as a spambot by some overseas group of criminals.
Your opinion is fine to express – but not invalid information.
Agreed. ‘Important’ update means the thing installed itself on a huge number of PCs owned by users who believe they are keeping their PC secure and safe. It’s not logic to some people (MOST people.) If it happened that way, MS’s little ‘plan’ wouldn’t have worked. This is why I turn off auto-updates.
The problem is much greater than you understand. Bing might be fine for some people, but for many of us, Bing is just plain unwanted.
My personal experience with Bing has been extremely negative.
I would love to assume all sorts of things about people who say they like Bing… but I refuse to do that.
I just want Bing to not exist at all in any way, shape or form, on my computer.
My problem is that I can’t get rid of the entire thing.
Unfortunately, this discussion hasn’t given me the information I’m looking for, but at least it allows me to vent.
I have my computer set to automatically update Windows on a regular basis and so far I don’t seem to have a Bing Toolbar, and believe me I don’t want it………..so I presume for some strange reason I too got off lucky……….sure hope it remains this way.
They did the same with my Windows XP!! I was wondering where it came from & WILL delete it promptly. I like Bing for maps, not DO NOT want it forced on me by trickery through Windows Updates!!
I see I’ve got it. Now, how can I quickly reclaim the space on my hard disk? No way can replacing Google with Bing be considered an update. If I said much more, I might blow out your screen.
I totally agree…it’s plain wrong. I don’t use IE if I can help it. I don’t like the software and there are many add-ons that I use which are not compatible with it….I like Google and will continue to use it on Firefox 🙂
Yes, when ever I would check Windows for updates Bing be there as an update. I accidently did take it one time, but since have uninstalled/Deleted go rid of. I agree. it is not needed and it should not have been included as an update.
Funny, Bing Desktop came in as an Optional update for my Windows 7 and still sits there unchecked and will do so forever, as I can’t stand Bing. I wonder why this Toolbar has come in as Important for some but not for others?
That is the question of the day.
Why was it forced on me? I’m fully aware of how to use settings that allow me to select what updates to accept. I also know how to hide updates… but somehow this darn thing came through.
Maybe it was randomized in some way?
All I know is that for me – receiving this particular update was NOT an option as many have indicated.
I feel violated.
I also challenge those who say they don’t have Bing to see if it exists on their hard drive without their knowledge?
I hate BING… and am fully irritated that I have to stop what I am doing at “The Hill” to get rid of Bing again, from both IE & Firefox… GGGrrrrrrrrrrrrr…
What really boils my blood is the new cars have BING in their internet access on the driver control panels… They shouldn’t have “driver distraction internet access” in the cars to start with… but BING is prominent on the top line. I would have “driver distraction internet access” removed before buying… but a lame search engine like BING is also a deal breaker for me… They will switch to Google or I will go to another dealer who will replace with Google. GGGrrrrrrrrrrrrr…
If you remove the Program Feature Microsoft Live (Search Bar I think is the component) the Bing Toolbar will no longer be Important.
If you do not use Microsoft Live services, you can remove all the Microsoft Live components.
Once done, you should be able to use Auto Updates again and Bing Toolbar should no longer be either an optional or Important Update.
I don’t think your comment has anything to do with the article.