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Google Bundles Toolbar With Adobe Apps
grammar fascist writes "Sci-Tech Today reports that Google is paying a 'significant amount' to bundle Google Toolbar with certain Adobe downloads. From the article: 'The initial venue for the Google mini-app will be downloads of the popular and free Shockwave multimedia player. The move is seen by some observers as an effort to outflank Microsoft, especially as Internet Explorer 7 nears its formal launch this summer [...] Interestingly, Google's search toolbar will be available only when Shockwave is downloaded for use with Internet Explorer on Windows.'"
Next step will be start advertising in pdf files !
As long as it works on Linux, with Firefox and will give me flash 8.
If the alternative is bundling the MSN search bar, I'm completely in favor of this.
$x='S24;r)>63/* h@<5+oZ)32"5cz';$me='phroggy'x$];
$x=~y+ -xz+\0-Tx+;print$_^chop$me for split'',$x;
Of course it targets only IE. If somebody is smart enough to not use IE, then surely he is smart enough to not use msn search or any other crap. He might even conciously choose to not use google, but others!
as an example my search toolbar includes:
http://www.google.com/search?s
http://groups.google.com/groups?q=s&meta=site3Dgr
http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=s
http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&lr=&c2
http://packages.debian.org/
http://ask.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search?searc
http://mathworld.wolfram.com/search/index.cgi?q=s
http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?va=s
http://freshmeat.net/search?q=s
#
#\ @ ? Colonize Mars
#
We install Shockwave and Adobe Reader on all of the computer at work. Right now, Shockwave wants to install Yahoo toolbar and Adobe wants to install Google toolbar and desktop. I guess Yahoo's about to be out of luck?
-jls
Techno-pagan
This reminds me of the Yahoo-Toolbar in Acrobat7, this brings nothing for Adobe - but a slight decline in reputation as a manufacturer of high-end software tools.
I hate bundled software - I find it annoying, and everynow and then I forget to unclick the box when I am quickly installing something. I know a lot of freeware and toolbar companies do it, but I always thought (hoped?) Google was above that.
The WWW was initially all about information: it is a way so people can publish data, people can get the data and they can follow the right hyperlinks that lead to other related data. It is a distributed, cooperative, data sharing thing.
.NET, perl and python scripts, etc. The difference is that everybody has one of those two browsers, so the user does not have to download anything and that there is no need to install the application since it is downloaded and executed by visiting the URL. Some programmers have convinced some stupid venture capitalists, that this is the next big thing, and the news about AJAX circulates to attract more venture capitalists to spend more money to buy AJAX. Not a bad idea.
Now we have a new kind of WWW applications. It's applications that use the web browser as their GUI platform and run in the web browser. Such applications are, advanced word processors, spreadsheets, e-mail readers and eventually the Browser In The Browser secret project google's been working on. These applications have NOTHING to do with the concept of the WEB.
It is "scripts" for the IE/Mozilla program, like java programs for the JVM, C# programs for
But for the users, the IE/Mozilla platform is the most insecure way to run their applications. Their application is constantly connected to the internet. Both browsers have numerous vunerabilities and new ones are discovered every day. The application downloads and "runs" new data, very often without the user knowing about it (through hidden javascript links and the flash player). The user cannot trace, debug or even study the AJAX code that runs on their IE/Mozilla platform. Through asynchronous javascript and flash, binary proprietary code runs on their PC with full priviledges. And to all these add that javascript is a terrible programming language and that the GUI in the browser was designed for forms and was never good for things like an interactive text shell. \paragraph
The result is that you get poor applications, that are slow, very insecure, do things without the user's control and it's a Mozilla/IE lockin.
That is Web -1.0
They could sell ads that take the place of redacted text. But then the original text still is there though, and what would you advertise on an NSA memo?
Twitter supports and protects racists - by smearing their critics with the "Hate Speech" label.
Although it's nice of them to helpfully include carefully selected sotware from premier partners (where the careful selection process is making sure it's the highest bidder), even if they promise to be really, really, good and not create a bloated installer, perhaps they could get the message that if I'd wanted to install X, I would have. If I'm installing a player so you can make massive profits selling people the encoder, I shouldn't have to look at ads as well. The fact that they've had to create a FAQ telling people why they shouldn't be annoyed suggests they know this.
I'm scared of numbers that can't be written as a fraction. It's an irrational fear.
... until Google helps Mozilla further develop the SVG implementation for Firefox 3, and switches Google Maps over to SVG, as well. Imagine being able to show and hide selected layers -- roads, highways, burger joints, bicycle paths, etc. dynamically, while zooming smoothly? The satellite imagery could just be another layer onto which the others could be placed. GMap-powered bike rides, anyone?
With all the cheating going on (scrappers, link farms, google bombing, etc...), maybe they push the bar so much because Google needs some extra information apart from links to build their pagerank results, and they get it from statistics gathered from googlebar users.
When his defense asked, "Which computer has Jon Johansen trespassed upon?" the answer was: "His own."
Is it time for an Open Source Search Engine?
:)
We already have a *pretty* good free OS in the form of Linux, we already have *pretty* good apps for it. Why settle for Google or MSN Search or Yahoo search or whatever? I should think that a massively distributed OS search engine should do pretty well.
Forgive the semantics, focus on the idea.
Use a bit torrent style method of sharing bandwidth. Say one lonely PC can store 100mb of data, 15mb of which can be shared on the internet per day to save end-user costs x the number of Linux installs, prolly not a bad use for distributed computing and bandwidth sharing if I have ever heard of one.
Open Source Search Engine.
The time is now.
Its one more program you have to keep an eye out for when installing otherwise "free" software from adobe and etc. I put it in the adware/spyware category because if you dont actively pay attention to your next/next/next clicking during install you will get a shitty google toolbar slapped onto your browser which is really annoying...
No company adds stupid toolbars I'll never use to my machine.
firefox bundles google search and defaults to google (..and makes millions) and no one on ./ says anything
Scene: Adobe Acrobat comes home after a hard day of making side-deals with other companies and binging on smaller applications. Once, Acrobat would have leapt up the stairs to reach his 2nd-floor apartment. Once upon a time this valued member of the community helped countless others read and share documents. But now, after years of bloat, Acrobat reaches his second floor apartment sweating and turning purple in the face. He wipes the sweat from his eyes and unlocks the door to his apartment to find all his friends there...
...and here's some reading material on how to curb your bloat [drops large pile of documents in Acrobat's lap]
Acrobat: Wha... what are all you guyes doing here?
Photoshop: Acrobat, first we'd like to say the-- WE LOVE YOU... Everybody in this room loves you... And we're worried... about YOU.
Acrobat: What's going on?
Photshop: Acrobat, you have to stop this.
Acrobat: Stop what? What do you mean "stop"? Stop what?
Photoshop: Here, read this...
Acrobat: Humm... RrrRRrrrrRrr... Humm... Would you mind if I just call the office and make sure there's no updates before I read you this document? No? Ok, but there' could be a security issue.... Hummm... RrRrrRRrr... Hummm...
Foxit: Give me that! [Snatches document from Acrobat's hands] You know what this says, Adobe? It says you've put on weight... AGAIN. No one can remember the last time you were under 10Mb! And at this rate, you'll be pushing 30Mb by the end of the year!
Acrobat: Hey! Today's document rendering world is COMPLEX, I've just be putting on a little extra CODE to get the job done!
Foxit: Oh that is such bullshit Acrobat! I do nearly everything you do, and I'm still under 3Mb!
Photoshop: Acrobat, it's time you admitted you have a problem. For starters, you're going to have to stop haning around with those Google and Yahoo kids, they're TROUBLE.
Foxit:
Photoshop: Foxit, oh god no! Acrobat hasn't been able to manage documents of that size for years, he's so out-of-shape! What have you done? Call 9-1-1!
End scene
Height: 38U, Weight: 0 Newtons, Eyes: #0000FF, OS: Gray Matter 1.0 (Alpha)
with all the damn tool bars trying to install themselves we're going to have to change our pages to be best viewed at 600 pixels in height.
google, msn, yahoo, viewport?, and others. Whats left for the webpage itself?
* Winners compare their achievements to their goals, losers compare theirs to that of others.
Google doesn't need to bundle the Google Toolbar for other browsers as well, because users of alternative browsers already know that Google is better than Yahoo or MSN, so they use Google. The computer illiterate, who use Internet Explorer because they don't even know that other browsers exist, are the target audience.
Reduce, reuse, cycle
And here's the relevant Google blog post: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2006/06/adobe-and-g oogle-team-up-for-toolbar.html
Related, from ITWire:
http://www.itwire.com.au/content/view/4721/53/
(troll my hole.)
....we DO NOT WANT bundled shit with the applications we intend to download. This is like someone giving you a side order of sh1t sandwich with your order at dinner. Complete asshattery that drives me nuts. I don't care how 'useful' it may be...let me decide if I want to install another app.
Hmmmm, This is either simply Google bidding the most for their tool bar to be bundled with some very widely used software, or the battle lines within the IT sector are getting a little more defined.
Personally I would prefer to be able to download and install an application that does whatever the job is I want doing; without installing any other "useful" application's - regardless of which "well selected" partner it comes from. However from a non technical perspective this may well become interesting.
Now to me it is starting to look as though Microsoft are feeling less in control of their ability to "lock" users to their software. This appears to be the reason for the plethora of new proprietary file formats that they can force into the main stream with Vista. It will be interesting to see if there is any fight against the formats or if the rest of the software industry will carry out its own embrace and extend exercise... After all this time round they are not providing "new" functionality but rather revamping existing standards and encroaching on other companies areas of expertise.
Google should add a decent dedicated document search feature that is purely an index of ODF, PDF, Rich/Plain Text etc.. and exclude XPS until it sees mainstream use at least, and offer links to - the original document - html version - adobe acrobat / open office. Im not certain if Adobe will or even should, but I would also like to see adobe and open office support the XPS standard for reading, if not necessarily for export.
It only says it will come bundles with Shockwave, not flash. Yet as I look at their site now, the Flash download page includes an option for the Yahoo toolbar, while the Shockwave download does not. I'm not sure if it asks you to download it later along, though. Please, news writers, do some reasearch about what you're talking about. The Flash and Shockwave players are two different things. The later, last time I checked, not available on Linux, and likely never will be.
If you dont want the crapware in Adobe reader and shock wave, there is usually a "dial;up users" button on the download page, click that, and Reader is suddenly ~5MB...
You can go here: http://www.dslreports.com/ and do a quick search for setting up ATT/Yahoo without using the installation CD and all the crap it installs. This works on all platforms and with whatever software you use now.
I don't know why, but I get the standalone installer by default
7 x/7.0.8/enu/AdbeRdr708_en_US.exe
as opposed to the download manager one.
*does a little test*
Aha! Javascript is the culprit.
If you enter adobe's site with javascript disabled enabled,
they give you access to the standalone installer.
I used NoScript in Firefox 1.5.
current link in case you cannot replicate this:
http://ardownload.adobe.com/pub/adobe/reader/win/
Since I already had this version installed I had to
uninstall acrobat reader to test whether or not it
is really standalone (without toolbar/extras).
After re-installing using this file (no dialog boxes
existed for toolbars/extras) I did not notice any
extras installed without permission.
In regards to the JavaScript issue in acrobat reader
itself: I renamed the directory as a test, and the
directory came back next run (empty).
Then I tried explicitly denying 'execute file/traverse folder'
permissions on the JavaScripts folder under the reader directory.
It can no longer access anything in there and it doesn't seem
to complain. I might simply be using the wrong pdf files, but
perhaps this will work for you.
I ran into a video the other day that was some obscure divx format, so I decided to install the "official" divx software. I didn't read the installer super-closely, but on the 'select components' step, I unchecked everything I didn't want.
But wait! Lo and behold, Google Toolbar for Firefox was installed. And Google Desktop Search. Yeah, just start indexing my entire drive without asking, thanks! I should've known something was up with a download size of 14 megs.
And yes, I know about ffdshow and all those super-mega-happy "codec packs". I can never get them set up to just play the damn videos.
What (else) does Google Toolbar actually do? What might it do?
I'm serious. I've been an avid user of Google since early 1999 or so, and Gmail since a few months after it came out. Like many technologists, I am somewhat of a Google evangelist.
What worries me is that Google records one's clickstream as one searchs and I can only presume that Google Toolbar could easily be modified to "phone home" about anything of interest to Google (or the NSA), particularly about what it finds on your local hard drives if you use Google Desktop.
From the Google Toolbar Features Page:
[....]
Auto Update
There's no need to check for new versions of Google Toolbar; updates are installed automatically, so you'll always have the latest and greatest version.
Your Privacy Google respects and protects our users' privacy. Periodically, the Google Toolbar's auto-update feature will contact our servers to see if you're running the most current version. In addition, Google may collect information about web pages that you view when you use advanced features such as PageRank, SpellCheck, AutoLink, and WordTranslator. However, these advanced features can be easily disabled or re-enabled at any time by selecting "Privacy Information" under "Help" in the Toolbar's "Google" menu. To learn more, please read the Toolbar privacy policy
From the Google Toolbar Privacy Statement:
Your copy of Google Toolbar includes a unique application number. When you install Google Toolbar, this number and a message indicating whether the installation succeeded are sent back to Google. Also, when Google Toolbar automatically checks to see if a new version is available, the current version number and the unique application number are sent to Google. The unique application number is required for Google Toolbar to work and cannot be disabled.
(emphasis added)
How likely is it that some "new version" that users casually allow to be installed might become increasingly snoopy?
Given that I already trust Google to handle my email, I might just be being paranoid. If that is the case, then my thought is, "It's a tough, thankless job, but somebody's gotta do it!"
I worry that the vast majority of people will cheerfully ignore invasions of their privacy and monitoring of their activities if you offer them something helpful, convenient, and very shiny.
"You're young, you're drunk, you're in bed, you have knives; shit happens." -- Angelina Jolie
I broke down and put the acroread application on my computer because the xpdf and stuff never seem to work right and it was great and all.. Well... I was over at a friends, an XP guy that didn't have the viewer on his XP box kind of in the fasion that I refuse to run the flash plugin. I was showing his kid (12 yrs old) a pdf, but I needed to install their reader and I says, "OK, check this out..." while it's installing. The goddamned thing installs and then starts hijacking the media/image viewing defaults on his maching and to impress me or something the installer opens these windows with all of his porn - thumbnail style. I don't even have a virtual desktop or console to flee to, & hafta frantically make her get the hell out while trying to close all this stuff with installer status indicators and porn everywhere. What in the....? That was totally lame.