Sneaky Google. That's just sneaky!

[greg0205]

Backstory... I use Safari. As a Mac user, always have, always will.
Never seen the point of another browser until I created an account with Mega and tried an upload. Seems Mega doesn't play well with Safari, so given the option of Firefox or Chrome, I went with Chrome.
Upload done, I clicked on Launchpad and, lo and behold, there's a Google Search app icon among my apps. I know I wasn't asked to install the app when I installed Chrome so wtf? I didn't want it and so I tried to delete it... Not so easy.
First off, you can click on the icon but there is no little x option to delete the app. You can't drag it to Trash either and, as if that weren't enough, it's not in your Applications folder to delete from there!
Ironically, I had to Google how to get rid of it... Seems you have to open your Home folder (/Users/) in Finder, then open the Applications folder there, and that's where Google have decided to hide an app you never wanted in the first place. I presume they hope the effort of finding it means some folk won't delete the app but, you know what Google, my machine and I'll decide what to install on it. Mmkay?
Google Search binned, Chrome too for good measure and I'm also giving up on Mega 'till they figure out some folk actually use Safari on a Mac.

/rant over.

 

[Ho3n3r]

Backstory... I use Safari. As a Mac user, always have, always will.
Never seen the point of another browser until I created an account with Mega and tried an upload. Seems Mega doesn't play well with Safari, so given the option of Firefox or Chrome, I went with Chrome.
Upload done, I clicked on Launchpad and, lo and behold, there's a Google Search app icon among my apps. I know I wasn't asked to install the app when I installed Chrome so wtf? I didn't want it and so I tried to delete it... Not so easy.
First off, you can click on the icon but there is no little x option to delete the app. You can't drag it to Trash either and, as if that weren't enough, it's not in your Applications folder to delete from there!
Ironically, I had to Google how to get rid of it... Seems you have to open your Home folder (/Users/) in Finder, then open the Applications folder there, and that's where Google have decided to hide an app you never wanted in the first place. I presume they hope the effort of finding it means some folk won't delete the app but, you know what Google, my machine and I'll decide what to install on it. Mmkay?
Google Search binned, Chrome too for good measure and I'm also giving up on Mega 'till they figure out some folk actually use Safari on a Mac.

/rant over.

I'm confused. You're pissed because there is an app which is an inherent part of Chrome by default, on Chrome? You do know that Google develops Chrome, right?

I don't know Mac, so clearly I'm missing something. Only reason I can think of.

 

[Hamster]

Backstory... I use Safari. As a Mac user, always have, always will.
Never seen the point of another browser until I created an account with Mega and tried an upload. Seems Mega doesn't play well with Safari, so given the option of Firefox or Chrome, I went with Chrome.
Upload done, I clicked on Launchpad and, lo and behold, there's a Google Search app icon among my apps. I know I wasn't asked to install the app when I installed Chrome so wtf? I didn't want it and so I tried to delete it... Not so easy.
First off, you can click on the icon but there is no little x option to delete the app. You can't drag it to Trash either and, as if that weren't enough, it's not in your Applications folder to delete from there!
Ironically, I had to Google how to get rid of it... Seems you have to open your Home folder (/Users/) in Finder, then open the Applications folder there, and that's where Google have decided to hide an app you never wanted in the first place. I presume they hope the effort of finding it means some folk won't delete the app but, you know what Google, my machine and I'll decide what to install on it. Mmkay?
Google Search binned, Chrome too for good measure and I'm also giving up on Mega 'till they figure out some folk actually use Safari on a Mac.

/rant over.

k

 

[Sherbang]

I think if you remove apps from the google chrome apps tab then the dashboard icons will vanish as well.

 

[greg0205]

I'm confused. You're pissed because there is an app which is an inherent part of Chrome by default, on Chrome? You do know that Google develops Chrome, right?

I don't know Mac, so clearly I'm missing something. Only reason I can think of.

Completely aware that Google develops Chrome.

So, spent some time checking this out... Turns out Google include shortcuts, kinda like a launcher, for Google Search (as well as GMail and YouTube) in the Chrome download. 'Cos they're launchers, not actual apps, the path is different and that's why they're tucked away in your Home Applications folder.
For the benefit of folk who don't use a Mac, it's like using Windows Explorer. There's an index column down the left which includes l list of frequently used destinations... Documents, Movies, Music, Downloads, your Home folder and an Applications folder. You use that App folder quite a bit. It's where you drag app icons to when you install or where you drag them from when you delete an app. Bottom of screen there's the dock (like the app shortcuts Windows have running down the left side of their desktop). Space in the dock is limited, so there is a specific Launcher app which allows you quick access to all of your apps.
To be clear, there is an Applications folder in your Home directory but that folder is, as a rule, empty. And, 'cos everything is already in that index down the left in Finder, you rarely, if ever, use you Home folder. You simply use the regular Applications folder and Launcher on a day to day basis.
Anyway, Google creates a folder for these shortcuts in your Home Application folder and the link/launcher appears in Launchpad, looking like an app icon...
Last time I checked, that was still installing lines of code on a machine without permission. If it was some small third party developer, it'd be regarded as a virus or malware, but in this case its Google. Yeah, it's not malicious but it's still unauthorised. Also, it's difficult to delete so it kinda feels like a virus as well.
I know, I know, it's been pointed out you can disable them in Chrome, 'cept I don't usually use Chrome and how is disabling (not deleting mind you, only disabling) shortcuts on my machine from another companies browser legit anyway? Shouldn't there be a notification for any of this during installation at the very least?

The whole thing just feels wrong to me.

 

[roligov]

Lol mac users.

 

[greg0205]

Lol mac users.

Yeah, LOL Mac users in a Mac thread

Thought about it some more... For the benefit of you PC folk... The TLR version is that if you install Chrome, Google automatically creates a " desktop icon" shortcut without so much as a do you mind terribly if..? Maybe it's me but I suspect there are some of you who'd be annoyed with random icons popping up on your desktop without your permission.

 

[Enigma_]

Yeah, LOL Mac users in a Mac thread

Thought about it some more... For the benefit of you PC folk... The TLR version is that if you install Chrome, Google automatically creates a " desktop icon" shortcut without so much as a do you mind terribly if..? Maybe it's me but I suspect there are some of you who'd be annoyed with random icons popping up on your desktop without your permission.

AFAIK Google Chrome installer creates a desktop icon on Windows as well. Can't say it's every bothered me. On the Mac, I just went to applications and deleted the .app file from there, it's a few clicks, no big deal. A lot of other software publishers/developers do the same thing.

 

[Nerfherder]

Completely aware that Google develops Chrome.

So, spent some time checking this out... Turns out Google include shortcuts, kinda like a launcher, for Google Search (as well as GMail and YouTube) in the Chrome download. 'Cos they're launchers, not actual apps, the path is different and that's why they're tucked away in your Home Applications folder.
For the benefit of folk who don't use a Mac, it's like using Windows Explorer. There's an index column down the left which includes l list of frequently used destinations... Documents, Movies, Music, Downloads, your Home folder and an Applications folder. You use that App folder quite a bit. It's where you drag app icons to when you install or where you drag them from when you delete an app. Bottom of screen there's the dock (like the app shortcuts Windows have running down the left side of their desktop). Space in the dock is limited, so there is a specific Launcher app which allows you quick access to all of your apps.
To be clear, there is an Applications folder in your Home directory but that folder is, as a rule, empty. And, 'cos everything is already in that index down the left in Finder, you rarely, if ever, use you Home folder. You simply use the regular Applications folder and Launcher on a day to day basis.
Anyway, Google creates a folder for these shortcuts in your Home Application folder and the link/launcher appears in Launchpad, looking like an app icon...
Last time I checked, that was still installing lines of code on a machine without permission. If it was some small third party developer, it'd be regarded as a virus or malware, but in this case its Google. Yeah, it's not malicious but it's still unauthorised. Also, it's difficult to delete so it kinda feels like a virus as well.
I know, I know, it's been pointed out you can disable them in Chrome, 'cept I don't usually use Chrome and how is disabling (not deleting mind you, only disabling) shortcuts on my machine from another companies browser legit anyway? Shouldn't there be a notification for any of this during installation at the very least?

The whole thing just feels wrong to me.

Welcome to 2015

Was the hole nice ?

 

[Ho3n3r]

Welcome to 2015

Was the hole nice ?

This.

Such a fuss about bugger all.

 

[LazyLion]

I hate it when I go to Pick n Pay and there are signs up for specials at Pick n Pay all over the place!

 

[Ho3n3r]

I hate it when I go to Pick n Pay and there are signs up for specials at Pick n Pay all over the place!

 

[Enigma_]

I hate it when people just respond with smilies.

 

[Ho3n3r]

I hate it when people just respond with smilies.

 

[Hemps]

Backstory... I use Safari. As a Mac user, always have, always will.
Never seen the point of another browser until I created an account with Mega and tried an upload. Seems Mega doesn't play well with Safari, so given the option of Firefox or Chrome, I went with Chrome.
Upload done, I clicked on Launchpad and, lo and behold, there's a Google Search app icon among my apps. I know I wasn't asked to install the app when I installed Chrome so wtf? I didn't want it and so I tried to delete it... Not so easy.
First off, you can click on the icon but there is no little x option to delete the app. You can't drag it to Trash either and, as if that weren't enough, it's not in your Applications folder to delete from there!
Ironically, I had to Google how to get rid of it... Seems you have to open your Home folder (/Users/) in Finder, then open the Applications folder there, and that's where Google have decided to hide an app you never wanted in the first place. I presume they hope the effort of finding it means some folk won't delete the app but, you know what Google, my machine and I'll decide what to install on it. Mmkay?
Google Search binned, Chrome too for good measure and I'm also giving up on Mega 'till they figure out some folk actually use Safari on a Mac.

/rant over.

Yeah, I also noticed that along with chrome came photos upload, calendar, picasa, gmail etc.

 

[greg0205]

Thanks guys... Having a laugh imagining what all y'all's desktops look like.

 

[Ho3n3r]

Thanks guys... Having a laugh imagining what all y'all's desktops look like.

Clean as a whistle. Everything I need most and nothing more. I don't have Google Search on my desktop either - only Chrome itself.

 

[icyrus]

Seems you have to open your Home folder (/Users/) in Finder, then open the Applications folder there, and that's where Google have decided to hide an app you never wanted in the first place. I presume they hope the effort of finding it means some folk won't delete the app but, you know what Google, my machine and I'll decide what to install on it. Mmkay?

Anyone installing additional junk is annoying. Sadly Google is not above that.

Installing into an Applications folder in the user's home directly is a standard Mac feature though. Nothing malicious there.

 

[greg0205]

Anyone installing additional junk is annoying. Sadly Google is not above that.

Installing into an Applications folder in the user's home directly is a standard Mac feature though. Nothing malicious there.

Been on a Mac since 2008, can't ever remember seeing apps installed in Home/Applications. Really no reason to go to your Home folder unless you need to get into your Library folder anyway.

 

[Gezza]

How dare they make something more accessible for you! Are they even helping with the infrastructure? I mean...How much has google invested in Apple? Someone needs to pay.