Re: [OT]: Google browser (Chrome) (win32)

If it was the installer only. They are trying to get from you what they can.

When you type URLs or queries in the address bar, the letters you type are sent to Google so the Suggest feature can automatically recommend terms or URLs you may be looking for. If you choose to share usage statistics with Google and you accept a suggested query or URL, Google Chrome will send that information to Google as well. You can disable this feature as explained here.
If you navigate to a URL that does not exist, Google Chrome may send the URL to Google so we can help you find the URL you were looking for. You can disable this feature as explained here.

Yeah, you can disable it. Who does? And even so, the installer might have gathered enough information from you to feed google's database a good initial profile (this is speculation, I don't know if it does; don't have Windows).

All pretty nasty, and reminds me of Microsoft's "default policy". The default for those settings should be off for a browser which isn't as well spyware out of the box. I.e. opt-in instead of opt-out.

See also Nicolas Carr's take on the Google Chrome Browser on his blog.

Comment on Re: [OT]: Google browser (Chrome) (win32)

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Re^2: [OT]: Google browser (Chrome) (win32)
by Gavin (Archbishop) on Sep 03, 2008 at 18:54 UTC

Thanks shmen for the interesting links.

I read the comic

The latest EULA and the copywrite implications also mentioned by FunkyMonk are very worrying.

I have never opted in to the any of Google's usage stats in the past and I won't be installing the new Browser with that end user agreement

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Re^3: [OT]: Google browser (Chrome) (win32)

by amarquis (Curate) on Sep 03, 2008 at 20:19 UTC

The EULA really bothers me. On one hand, I like the product. Better memory management for the browser and better garbage collection and performance for Javascript? That's great. On the other, there is no way in heck I can stomach that EULA.

Edit: The register is reporting they changed the EULA. Still, what I'm really hoping for from this is it makes the other browser creators step it up in terms of offering excellent JavaScript support.

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Re^2: [OT]: Google browser (Chrome) (win32)
by Jenda (Abbot) on Sep 03, 2008 at 15:53 UTC

The browser's not preinstalled, you are not forced to use it. Installing something is the opt-in. Especially since at least the first is one of the main selling points of the browser.

Jenda
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Defend the free world!

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Re^2: [OT]: Google browser (Chrome) (win32)
by Burak (Chaplain) on Sep 03, 2008 at 14:33 UTC

If you navigate to a URL that does not exist, Google Chrome may send the URL to Google so we can help you find the URL you were looking for. You can disable this feature as explained here.

Well... if you are that paranoid, then you're not using services like OpenDNS as well I guess since it also has this feature (actually it is 2 times dangerous on your POV since OpenDNS response page uses Google search I believe). Perhaps we need to edit all sites by hand in the hosts file instead of dns servers or just pull the plug :p

And I wonder; are you using google.com at all? since it has all these features in it

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Re^3: [OT]: Google browser (Chrome) (win32)

by moritz (Cardinal) on Sep 03, 2008 at 14:39 UTC

Some sites use identity tokens in the URLs, so this feature turns all broken on-site links on these pages into security breaches.

(One could argue that identity tokens in URLs are a very bad idea anyway, but this "feature" makes it even worse).

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Re^3: [OT]: Google browser (Chrome) (win32)

by shmem (Chancellor) on Sep 03, 2008 at 14:47 UTC

And I wonder; are you using google.com at all?

Yes, I'm using it; but I'm not accessing it with a browser of their own make which has a unique ID, nor does Google gather my full browsing history on their servers (all that only for better servicing me with search results, of course).

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