I don´t attach much importance to simple tools like browsers and don´t care what people use but I am quite surprised how many people glorify the Chrome browser. This thing is basically created for one reason - to spy on you in order to target advertisements to you. Or who knows what they are doing with all this data or what they will do in the future.
This is not any different then any other web site / service. Read their EULA's and privacy agreements.....some make Google's pale in comparison. As for glorifying GC, perhaps you read too far into Martin's comments....I certainly did not and can recognize a good product when I see and use it.
Maybe something has been already "fixed" now but here are some examples what Chrome was like when it came out (maybe something is still included today):
- If I remember correctly the EULA of the software stated something like this: whatever you upload via Chrome browser belongs to the Google. Basically "All your base are belong to us" attitude. I believe the EULA was changed with later versions. But the first EULA says something about Google´s intention.
Have you ever read Microsoft's EULA?...thats if you have the money to spend on a high priced lawyer to interpret it for you.
- Your Chrome installation is associated with unique ID. In order to anonymize your installation you have to use third party application UnChrome. (This behavior is present in Chrome today.)
Unique ID's are also present in Microsoft and any other software products that "phone home."
- Google update service which installs along with Chrome is always running on your computer even if Chrome is not running and cannot be terminated or uninstalled the normal way. (This was somebody´s complaint - I don´t know if it´s 100% true.)
Patently false...unproven hyperbole. It is easy to disable.
- This is from this thread -
http://forum.securitycadets.com/index.php?showtopic=8161&hlThe auto-suggest feature of Google's new Chrome browser does more than just help users get where they are going. It will also give Google a wealth of information on what people are doing on the Internet besides searching.
Provided that users leave Chrome's auto-suggest feature on and have Google as their default search provider, Google will have access to any keystrokes that are typed into the browser's Omnibox, even before a user hits enter.
FUD, (Fear,Uncertainly, Doubt) Do you use Google, Yahoo, MSN etc with any web browser? Similar or the same info is collected. As for the auto suggest keystroke. You can download numerous code that allows any website to collect the search term info in a database. My work website has this functionality and the last I heard, we nor Google had used keyword auto-completion for any malicious reasons. If you are so worried about privacy, maybe it is time to give up the computer and internet...and while you are at, all your ID, phone numbers, job, friends, your house, bank accounts etc. These people who have and own this information know far more about you then an internet company..
Please....This was fixed sometime ago, next time try to be up to date with a security concern.
There are more issues than these, just search "Google Chrome Privacy".
Insert any other words you wish and search, there is always someone with crusade against some product or service and has wrote about it....even Opera's
... No, thanks, I will stick with Opera.
Thats what freedom of choice is all about.