Google Web Accelerator
Google has just launched their web accelerator product, which installed locally on your desktop, opens port localhost:9100 to listen to proxy requests, modify your web browser’s configuration to use a Proxy Auto-Config file downloaded from there, and then start optionally serving web pages from Google’s gigantic cache farm.
It also gives you extra toolbar buttons on your web browser (Firefox or IE) that tells you that how much time you have saved by using its web accelerator. I have been playing with it for the last half hour, and so far here’s how much time Google has saved me:.
Not only it has not yet saved me time, yet it has already wasted my valuable time downloading it, installing it, configuring it, figuring out how it works, and then writing a blog entry about it.
On a side note, here is the Slashdot discussion on Google Web Accelerator. Many people were worried that what Google is going to do with our browsing history. A big company with a lot of private information, has just gone public with shareholders eagerly waiting for dividends – I am not sure what kind of evil is about to be revealed. There are also concerns that Google might insert AdSense through their proxy server, or having Blogger NavBar on all pages you have visited! Then there’s privacy concerns…
Then this interesting comment has caught my eyes. This guy protested that how can people believe in an all knowing God, when they cannot cope with fact that there is a big company that might know a lot of you.
But my take on this issue it – why fear when there is nothing to fear about? No need to fear God when you are right with him. No need to fear Google (or other Big brothers) when there is nothing ugly we need to hide…
Comments
I read that interesting comment you linked to, and noticed something else he said that made my jaw drop open after I thought about it for a second. Did you see where he said, “I prefer to believe in the provable…”? Gosh, there are so many logical loopholes there, some big enough to drive a truck through…
Giggling Madly Here – PT Barnum Would Have Been So Proud!
This is a great program for those users who don’t know anything at all regarding how computers and/or the internet actually works, and who just want to experience the “feel good illusion” of (not really) increased speed by having this entirely useless acceleration program on their hard drive.
I always laugh out loud whenever anyone proudly exclaims: “The program ‘says’ I saved 6.9 hours, so I’m very satisfied!” Big deal; the program could also say: “You’re now twice as good-looking” or perhaps even “Congratulations you’re a millionaire!” Without being able to verify any programs’ “claims” (or better put: assertions) it is just that: A totally unverifiable assertion!
Still you’ve got to admire Google’s chutzpa here! I’m guessing that it has to be the most hilarious bit of shell-game spyware ever invented by any company in the entire history of computer or Internet use and development.
Very clever really, when you consider that the trade off is that users “think” they’re getting “increased” internet speed; in exchange for revealing exact the name of every single webpage that you ever visit from the moment that you install Google Web Accelerator until (hopefully) the moment you wise up and remove it.
After Google Web Accelerator is installed it does absolutely nothing to improve browsing. Also Google Web Accelerator collects copies of web pages, (including prefetched pages that you did not even visit), in the Google Web Accelerator cache on your computer.
All this does in effect; is collect and store a gazillion MB of temp files every time you use it for a session of surfing. Try using something like CCleaner after running Google Web Accelerator and browsing the internet for a few hours and see the results for yourself!
And Google gets to know the exact the name of every single webpage that you ever visit for products, news, banking, whatever! This is very valuable information to have; not only does Google know everything you click on, but you get absolutely nothing in return for this info.
Finally, Google admits on their own support page that any and all passwords, e-mail addresses etc. you enter in a web form (e. g. when purchasing an item online) will be funneled via their systems. If you enter personally identifiable information (such as an email address) onto a form on an unencrypted web page, the sites will send this information through Google.
Had he lived long enough to see this, P.T. Barnum; the person who coined the phrase: “A Sucker is Born Every Minute” would most certainly consider those who download, install and leave this program on their computers to be suckers indeed!
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Playground is the personal weblog of Scott Yang, a Chinese-Australian Christian who works as a software developer in Sydney Australia.
After 3 pages, I’ve saved 0.2 seconds (wow… I even feel younger!).