Thank you for the welcome, Mitchell_A.
Unfortunately, vendors such as Ask, pay very well for each toolbar install -- more depending on the country, which is often why we have seen software vendors including a toolbar in the version for the U.S. but not other countries.
The pay-per-install is the reason for the pre-checked/opt-out scenario we usually see. Vendors are counting on consumers to blindly click next > next > next, without paying attention to what is on the installation window. That is why it is unusual for a vendor to include the toolbar as an opt-in.