If people don’t pay attention to what they install, then it’s honestly their own fault. You’re free to uncheck the “install Ask Toolbar” option, it’s not in any way forced upon you, unless, of course you don’t pay attention to what you install on your computer. But if that’s the case, then I doubt that the tool bar will compromise your computer more than it already is.
Just what I do ;D
I never said it was. But people should learn to pay attention to what they’re doing and learn to think for themselves. Remove the warning labels from things and let the world sort itself out.
Edit:
Besides, the least a user could do, is read the screens presented to them when they install software.
Licence? No. So I’ve probably given away my soul a few times and everything I own. However, every other install screen and checkbox, yes, including change logs for the apps I use and there’s a good chance I’ll stop using an app if they present no change log over their updates(I’m not looking for super detailed change logs, just something stating the nature of the update. e.g. bug fixes, added something, removed herobrine, etc.). Documentation is for documenting features and special cases, I check it if I need it. However, I’ve yet to try a click-and-install where I needed the documentation to be able to figure out if I should check one box or another.
I’ll agree that it’s not very nice of the Java people to stuff those checkboxes in there and having them checked by default. But isn’t the least a user could do, to check what’s written on those screens? What else is the point of the screens, if not to provide information and choices?
Besides, it’s not like it’s something that’s hidden away somewhere, it’s written in a big bold font, all on it’s own screen.
You’re almost arguing that people have a right to sue others, because they cut themselves on a knife, and no where did it read that the knife was sharp.
No, not in this case. I download a Java installer, I’m expecting to install Java. I don’t read all the crap inbetween double clicking and FINISH. I don’t really have the time or the inclination to keep my wits about me when I’m just trying to get something trivial done. It’s underhand. Hopefully though the whole system JRE thing will be utterly dead within 5 years.
Cas 
Even worse is that every time you download an update(which are automatically thrust upon you under the pretence of ‘security and performance improvements’), that crapware checkbox is there waiting to catch you unawares.
Users wouldn’t tolerate crapware being bundled with every single patch of their OS, .net runtime, adobe flashplayer*, etc etc.
Why does Oracle think it should be tolerated with Java patches?
*(adobe do bundle crapware with flash & acrobat installs, but not with automated updates)
To make matters even worse is if you do accidental tick the ask toolbar check box while installing Java you can’t immediately uninstall the toolbar as it doesn’t install immediately. The Ask toolbar installer hides itself and then waits 10 minutes before silently installing. Probably hoping users will forget about it and not uninstall it. This malware type behaviour just rubs it in even more.
If ever I meet the guy who made those toolbars >:( >:( >:(
Oracle are just in it for the money at the moment. Next we’ll be seeing a $500 charge to download the jdk.
This isn’t anything new, Sun did exactly the same:
At least they improved the scaling of the java logo since then
Mike