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Asked: 2015-03-04 11:14:13 +0800 CST

Google wallet mysteriously appeared on Ubuntu 14.10

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As I was using my desktop running Ubuntu 14.10, out of the blue a Cairo-Dock indicator appeared asking if I wanted to use the newly installed "Google Wallet" application. Cairo-dock does this whenever a new application is installed or a new .desktop file is added to /usr/share/applications.

I was not in the process of installing software and no software updates had occurred today to my knowledge.

Upon searching my computer, I could not find "Google Wallet," except via the Cairo-Dock:

Google wallet mysteriously appeared on Ubuntu 14.10

It is not in /usr/share/applications or /opt. It is not located by searching Nautilus.

Does anyone know what this is and how to get rid of it?

14.10

2 Answers

  1. It is a plug-in for Chromium browser. I guess it comes from google itself to introduce their payment system Google Wallet. I deleted this plug-in (the folder) at ~/.config/chromium/Default/Extensions/nmmhkkegccagdldgiimedpiccmgmieda. Is not new published.

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  2. Best Answer

    As locke said - Google Wallet is a plug-in for Googles payment system of Google Chrome(ium).

    What really happened was that the browser "installed" an application starter (a .desktop file) in the users directory:

    ~/.local/share/applications/chrome-nmmhkkegccagdldgiimedpiccmgmieda-Default.desktop

    This starter simply launches Chrome with the wallet app. Cairo-dock keeps an eye on /usr/share/applications as well as ~/.local/share/applications so it noticed the new application and informed us about it.

    #!/usr/bin/env xdg-open
[Desktop Entry]
Version=1.0
Terminal=false
Type=Application
Name=Google Wallet
Exec=/usr/lib/chromium/chromium --profile-directory=Default --app-id=nmmhkkegccagdldgiimedpiccmgmieda
Icon=chrome-nmmhkkegccagdldgiimedpiccmgmieda-Default
NoDisplay=true
StartupWMClass=crx_nmmhkkegccagdldgiimedpiccmgmieda

    Pay attention to the "NoDisplay" entry which hides this application in all menus. Programs like alacarte show all available entries so it's easy to remove the starter with a menu editor.

    If you're brave you can execute the following command in a terminal to get rid of the starter:

    rm ~/.local/share/applications/chrome-nmmhkkegccagdldgiimedpiccmgmieda-Default.desktop

    I have to state that it's the first time that I'm very happy about this (otherwise nagging) feature - I went like "WTF?!!1" o0 when it happened. I think it's an absolute no-go to secretly slip me an unwanted browser app and the corresponding starter. Even if it was done clearly visible and without this clandestine behavior it is an affront.

    Don't touch my home you Google tools!

    Seems it's time to set up a virtual box for this program. If I wouldn't need it for development it would have been purged from my machine now.

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