You added the Chocolatey Checkbox

[ekerner-com]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.
Youre installer installed Chocolatey which in turn installed a motherload of stuff I dont want on my machine with a nightmare to uninstall it all.
Its 3rd party spoof and it has ruined the credibility of nodejs for me.

Describe the solution you'd like
Completely remove this 3rd party hijack from ur installer.

Describe alternatives you've considered
I am going to format my machne, re-install windows, then re-install node while being very careful to NOT check the option to install Chocolatey

[devsnek]

chocolatey is how we install dependencies needed to build native addons, and i think its also what makes our windows installer in the first place, but i could be wrong about that. In any case, it's not some weird spam software, you can check it out here: https://github.com/chocolatey/choco

[tniessen]

FWIW, I was not a huge fan of this addition to our installer either. The good thing is, the option is disabled by default, and the description clearly states that additional software will be installed:

I have never enabled this feature, so I don't know how much of a hassle it is to get rid of everything.

[Trott]

@nodejs/platform-windows

[ekerner-com]

@tniessen Its a huge hassle it makes many presumptions and installs much.
Ofc I admit I should have read it more closely, however I also propose that the wording "necessary tools" should be changed because none of what Chocolatey installed is "necessary" to build apps with node.
I had just spent hours setting up my new machine and dev env exactly how I like it, and chocolately went ahead and installed a dev env how someone else likes it, including a load of libs and tools which didnt want and will never use.
It makes many unwarranted presumptions.
Even if I did intentionally install Chocolatey it could ask more questions relating to what I may be using node for and how I will deploy it etc, and even what is my preferred IDE etc, rather than presume.

[ekerner-com]

@nodejs/platform-windows

@Trott That link is a 404, and the answer is without context or explanation.

[bzoz]

@ekerner-com it clearly says it will install tools nesecary to build native modules, it is disabled by default, I honestly don't know how this could be made any more clear

[ekerner-com]

@bzoz Scroll up and look at the screenshot by tniessen, it does not say "to build native modules".
Again, I concede I was moving too fast, however the sentence "Automatically install the necessary tools fullstop" is misleading Im sure noone can disagree.
If you want to convince urself that the sentence next to the checkbox is clear and concise and cannot be misconstrued I cant debate with you.

[bzoz]

Just above the checkbox, there is this statement:

Some npm modules need to be compiled from C/C++ when installing. If you want to be able to install such modules, some tools (Python 2 and Visual Studio Build Tools) need to be installed

IMHO the text is clear. If you have an idea on how to improve it - PRs are always welcomed, the text for the checkbox is here. Opening new PRs is easy, we have a guide over here.

Oh, and the @nodejs/platform-windows pings people from the platform-windows group and notifies them about this issue.

[ekerner-com]

Thanks @bzoz
If Im gonna suggest the text Id be using warding words like bloatware and virus :) Maybe best I leave it for someone else.
But seriously Im honestly too busy to become a contributor here Im sorry I cant remove the stumbling block, maybe the next victim.

[gireeshpunathil]

Question answered.
OP's reword suggestion does not fit this repo's objectives.
No further action identified.

[tniessen]

Has anyone from @nodejs/platform-windows used this option? Can someone confirm whether it installs anything other than what the dialog says, that is, anything other than Python 2, Visual Studio Build Tools and Chocolatey? (Or does Chocolatey come with a bunch of extra software?)