Be sure to read Chrome's fine print
Moments ago, Google went live with its Chrome Web Browser. I immediately clicked download, but not before I saved a copy of its terms of service. I like to know what I am agreeing to.
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Here are a few things that stood out to me.
1. Google reserves the right to automatically update and install Chrome.
This is becoming standard fare with much software these days, but worth noting.
"The software which you use may automatically download and install updates from time to time from Google. These updates are designed to improve, enhance and further develop the services and may take the form of bug fixes, enhanced functions, new software modules and completely new versions. You agree to receive such updates (and permit Google to deliver these to you) as part of your use of the services."
2. Although you retain any copyrights to content you own and use in the browser, Google says it has a right to display some of your content, in conjunction with promoting its services. Here's their exact wording.
"By submitting, posting or displaying the content you give Google a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive license to reproduce, adapt, modify, translate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute any content which you submit, post or display on or through, the services. This license is for the sole purpose of enabling Google to display, distribute and promote the services and may be revoked for certain services as defined in the additional terms of those services."
3. Don't be surprised to see more ads.
Traditionally, it is Web pages and not the browser itself that serves ads. Google isn't saying it will change this paradigm, but its terms of service don't rule that out either.
"Some of the services are supported by advertising revenue and may display advertisements and promotions. These advertisements may be targeted to the content of information stored on the services, queries made through the services or other information.The manner, mode and extent of advertising by Google on the services are subject to change without specific notice to you."
Also worth paying attention to are the settings when you install it. By default, Chrome will add all manner of shortcuts, so if you don't want it to do that, be sure to click "customize these settings." Of note, it does not make itself the default browser without a user agreeing to do so.
During her years at CNET News, Ina Fried has changed beats several times, changed genders once, and covered both of the Pirates of Silicon Valley. These days, most of her attention is focused on Microsoft. E-mail Ina.
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1) I was running incredibly slowly and that was a surprise given what I'd read and seen in the press conference. I turned off Google Web Accelerator and that solved the problem. Ironic, isn't it?
2) It's "wicked fast" to use the line from the Citibank credit card commercial. Clean interface, too - I'm very impressed. Now if Roboform can adapt to it, I'd have everything I need in a browser
Another way is to split the site between free limited content (some generic forums, image gallery with low-resolution images) and premium pay content (tech support and tutorial forums, full-resolution galleries, etc).
Anyone who thinks that ads alone are the only way a site can survive is still stuck in the dot-com era.
Like it.
A lot!
Uh, no, "THEIR" exact wording. Please at least get your English right.
-Ina
Are you kidding? What other purpose could be more important to Gogle than to be able to advertise on ALL webpages, instead of just its own search results!!?
Lets find some real reasons to clog up cyberspace besides pointless blogs on EULAs that people do not read.
I get this with IE8 Beta 2 and Firefox 3 on XP SP3.
I also get this with IE7, IE8 Beta 2 and Firefox 3 on Vista x64 SP1.
I also get this with Server 2003 and IE7.
:(
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by dfsmith
September 2, 2008 1:19 PM PDT
- Does anyone see a conflict of interest between section 2 and, say, doing my banking online? Google would have the rights to reproduce and distribute a display of my banking information. What!?
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