At least it asks. The bundled MS .NET Framework Assistant does not ask permission to install as a Firefox add-in. It cannot be uninstalled, but can be disabled. That's malware.
Note you never know where java will turn up in a binary now:
http://gcc.gnu.org/java/ 
(Though being GPL'd I highly doubt MS has used it in their MSN toolbar, but I have not looked. Oh wait, they could use it I think, as long as they do not modify or redistribute the GCJ code? I think that might come down to the old GPL debate over static vs dynamic linking of GPL'd libraries.)
I just love the concept of GCJ - compiling java to native machine code. No jre required! No longer platform independent! It's effing brilliant! Now we can use some of the code coming out of schools these days and it might actually perform well.
Topic: Irony (Read 1101 times)