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Google Chrome - What Will It Take

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Ehtyar:
It seems that most anti-chrome sentiment gets gobbled up inside the pro-chrome threads on this forum, so as my final stand against Chrome I will create a thread where people can read about the negative impacts of using Chrome. I will keep it updated with any information I find. Any posts welcome.

Google issues silent updates for Chrome. It seems Google is once again using (read abusing) the BETA moniker to its fullest.




Without a manual check, Chrome will update itself automatically, Google said. "Google Chrome will automatically checks for updates approximately every five hours. If an update is available, it will be downloaded and applied at the next browser restart," Google said.

Google believes it's best if Chrome applies security updates not only without a description of what's changing, but also without an opportunity for users to decide whether to accept the patch.

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Blog Post



Security agencies unite against Chrome.




Government computer security agencies in Germany and The Netherlands are warning consumers against using Google's Chrome browser.

"This concerns a beta version of Chrome. Govcert.nl recommends that test versions are installed only in a test environment. For the duration of the beta test period, we recommend against computer owners using Chrome at home," a representative for the Dutch Computer Emergency Response Team cautioned in an email message on Monday that was sent to Webwereld, an IDG affiliate.

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Ehtyar.

Eóin:
Maybe it's just me but I can't help but feel that if you install an application which you acknowledge will have internet access then the extra step of it updating itself is trivial. I mean unless you have studied it's code in detail there is little new that could happen as result of an update that couldn't have been in the original install.

cmpm:
Well if that's the way they want to play.
They should have sent invitations and explained all this first.
To qualified beta testers, or those willing to risk this agreement.

And personally I take it as a slap in the face.
Having used their products and services with full disclosure.

With it being marketed by many reliable sources, without disclosing this that Ehtyar has informed us of, is not right.

And puts those who put Chrome on their sites to download in a bad position and I would suggest class action until they release the control of the end user's computer. And disclose their intent fully.

I have it on one computer and the 'googleupdate' process can be killed while the browser is running but not 'chrome.exe' without killinng the browser.

And when the browser is not running, 'googleupdate' continues to run, but can be killed via taskmanager or processexplorer.

Regardless, this is disclosing what they will not tell you after the release of this product.

My main question is WHY!

Ehtyar:
I'm tired of explaining this sort of thing to the Chrome nuts. If this does not bother you, even on principal, then my rhetoric won't either. I am, however, curious as to why you expect the changes in the update to be so restricted. People continue to forget also that the updater is not open source.

cmpm: Very well said.


Ehtyar.

zridling:
Actually, this a great topic idea, Ehtyar. The only reason I'm not scared of Chrome is because of Google's past track record with regard to privacy.

I've been a Gmail user since the beginning and haven't had any problems. And for me, if they really want to market to me, they'll know that I spend most of my computer time simply reading -- about software, chess, science, Linux, some politics, and a little sports. The rest is porn. That's my computing life laid bare. I'm still porn-spammed, even in Gmail. But I'm not alone there.

Point is, don't trust a corporation. Even if you've always trusted them, hold them accountable and keep watching. The history of business is that if you allow corporations an inch, they'll take 100 miles. I remember turning off Automatic Updates in Windows only later to read that Microsoft forced [some] updates on its users whether it was turned off or not. I was seriously pissed to the point that I started planning my exit strategy toward the platform.

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