Toolbars – some users love them – others hate them. Some offer useful tools and nifty functionality while others are simply malicious. Supporters believe they make internet navigation easier and more intuitive. Opponents note the extensive resources these ‘add-ons’ require to run – resources that could be better utilized for overall system performance. Like the age old chocolate or vanilla ice cream debate, the toolbar trauma drama is unlikely to be settled soon.
Broken down, a toolbar is nothing more than a simple add-on attached to an internet browser. Currently all of the popular browsers, with the exception of Google’s offering, Chrome, have strong relationships with a variety of toolbars with a strong emphasis on those from Yahoo!, Bing (formally MSN) and Google.
The drama begins with installation. While some toolbars are downloaded and installed manually by a user, many come tied to other pieces of software. A user who wants to download a new game or application may not realize that they are also installing a toolbar. The ‘hate’ starts there for many opponents who don’t like additional software appearing on their machines.
The argument continues when users stop to consider the number of legitimate toolbars versus those that are malicious. Inherent to toolbars is the ability to track a users online actions. The data supplied by this tracking can be used for innocent marketing initiatives or for more nefarious purposes.
Companies want users to utilize toolbars. They want the ‘free’ advertising that a toolbar provides – after all, it’s right there, just waiting for a search term. The truth is that toolbars, at least the legitimate ones, provide a valuable service and there are users that like having easy access to the tools and functions they provide. Perhaps, like the great ice cream debate, we should all just mind our own ‘flavor!’