How to Suppress Those Awful Ask.com Options When Installing Java

Let's start off with some categorical truths: everyone hates Java, and everyone hates Ask.com. Here's another one: everyone uses Java, and no one uses Ask.com. No one, that is, except for the unlucky souls who inadvertently install the Ask.com browser add-ons and set it to their default search engine during the Java installer. Poor bastards.

I only deal with Java these days because my kids play Minecraft. A lot. Not as much as this dude, but still. And since Java receives security patches on a frequent basis (we'll call it weekly, and we won't be far off), I spend time updating Java more often than I'd like. I grew tired of the gratuitous attempts by Oracle to install Ask.com software for you in an opt-out manner. And I'm not alone: many of us have banded together to petition Larry Ellison to stop bundling Ask Toolbar with the Java installer. Sadly, only ~20,000 people of the Internet have signed up. So.... yeah.

Until then, here's what you can do to prevent seeing that damned Ask.com screen during the installer.

1. Open your Java Control Panel.
2. Click the Advanced tab.
3. Scroll down to the bottom, and find the Miscellaneous section.
4. Click the "Suppress sponsor offers when installing or updating Java" box.
5. Click OK.

Now you won't be bothered with that crap Oracle tries to force on you when you install or update future versions of Java.

You're welcome.