After Google removed some VERY scary terms from it's draconian user agreement giving it rights to all content published through it, I installed Google Chrome a few days ago because, as a web developer, I wanted to see how this new browser with enormous popularity potential rendered. It did a good job as far as I could see. I had no complaints and committed to adding it among the other web browsers for testing. It did not remain there long.
A few days after installing it (again, with no problems) my firewall started to alert me to Chrome trying to gain access to shit clandestinely when I wasn't running it. I denied it of course seeing as a web browser has no business getting all up in my machine like this and, so far as I can figure, it threw a temper tantrum.
I go to boot up my computer and after the Windows logo on the load screen vanished so too did all else into a black screen of limbo for 6 to 7 minutes. All in all, my usually peppy hunk of hardware was taking nearly 10 minutes to boot! WTF??? So I perform a backup, virus scan, spyware sweep, check disk for corrupted data or sectors and everything indicates a clean bill of health. A little research on the symptoms turns up a possible cause in some OneKey software conflicting with a recent service pack. Fine. I don't have this software, myself, but I install the update for it anyway. No effect. WTF!!!
So, I'm going back over all the shit I recently installed. Google Chrome. That was it. Nothing else. When I removed the program it asked me, Was it something that we said?
, which they no doubt thought was cute to add but what struck me as more of a creepy admission of guilt like it had violated my computer and then had the gall to ask what the problem was after committing the sordid act and sent me to a survey to fill out. Fuck if I'm giving Google any more info voluntarily! Lord knows what they've taken without my being aware. And I reboot and everything works precisely as expected again. Hallelujah!
Discussing this with my friend, it turns out he too uninstalled Google Chrome for wantonly molesting his video drivers for some ungodly reason.
This misadventure brings up another danger that I see in Google's unmitigated conquest and domination of not just all things Internet but all things information. Sure, I've complained about Microsoft in a similar manner but Microsoft is the devil I know and it's clear what motivates it: your, mine and our money and lots of it. And I'm not so adverse to the company that I don't run it's OS obviously. Though I remain guarded and wary, the terms of our relationship with one another is clear. With Google, not so much. It's not MY money Google wants, it's money from people that they sell my information to and that, in and of itself, is more frightening than a thug roughing me up for my lunch money once in awhile.
There is uncontested convenience in having one resource, like Google, take care of all your needs from email to e-commerce to blogs to maps (and new shit is being added to this menu all the time) but should that convenience ever turn to dependence then that resource has been given too much power, too much authority and, rather than being the asset it once may have been, it is simply a harsh reality to deal with. Anything that endeavors to be all things to all people makes me suspicious and with good reason I believe.
When the devil lavishes ye with free gifts keep thine eyes open for the strings attached for a terrible contract thine foolish consent has entered thee.
