Iron - Google Chrome without the "spyware"!

Ratbag

Ratbag

Ratbag

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Okay, so my aversion to Chrome has been well documented in certain threads but when I read about the latest version of Iron [basically chrome without the spyware], I had to try it. I'm quite impressed - fast to startup and fast page loading. It seems to outperform my browser of choice [Opera] on those fronts. And for those lamenting the lack of adblocking in chrome - Iron has it!

Check it out here. Frankly, nobody should bother with the original Chrome anymore.

;)
 
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Dogoid said:
chrome has spyware? really?


proof tbh.
Click to expand...

......When a user conducts a search using Google's search engine, the company stores three main types of information in a log file: the user's IP address (which is a unique network address given to her computer by her Internet service provider), the words that she searched for, and her cookie identifier (a unique value given to every Web-browser that visits a Google Web-property).

.......If you use Google Chrome, Google will know every URL you type into the location bar. More than that, they will know every partial URL you type into the location bar. More than that, they will know every word or phrase you type into the location bar, even if you type it and then delete it before pressing enter. More than that, all this information can be linked with your main Google account, because Google sends your cookie along with every automatic search it performs from the location bar. Chrome will use the cookie of whatever Google account you are currently logged into.

Yes folks, this is why Google developed a browser in the 1st place!

;)

BTW info above garnered from a quick Google search, and is readily available from various reliable sources.
 
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Ratbag said:
......When a user conducts a search using Google's search engine, the company stores three main types of information in a log file: the user's IP address (which is a unique network address given to her computer by her Internet service provider), the words that she searched for, and her cookie identifier (a unique value given to every Web-browser that visits a Google Web-property).

.......If you use Google Chrome, Google will know every URL you type into the location bar. More than that, they will know every partial URL you type into the location bar. More than that, they will know every word or phrase you type into the location bar, even if you type it and then delete it before pressing enter. More than that, all this information can be linked with your main Google account, because Google sends your cookie along with every automatic search it performs from the location bar. Chrome will use the cookie of whatever Google account you are currently logged into.

Yes folks, this is why Google developed a browser in the 1st place!

;)

BTW info above garnered from a quick Google search, and is readily available from various reliable sources.
Click to expand...

And? So Google know that an IP searched for dog hats once. It's not like they're tracking your every move.
 
And? So Google know that an IP searched for dog hats once. It's not like they're tracking your every move.
Click to expand...

It's not like ad cookies track your every move but enough people seem to soil their pants when SuperAntimalwareUltraEdition2008 finds one.

Personally, I don't want programs transmitting potentially identifiable and personal information back Google or anyone else. It's the principle of the thing.

If you have an antispyware app installed what exactly do you want it to prevent?

I thought Iron was interesting enough to post about. Like I said, I can see little reason to use Chrome now. But if you want to carry on using it, knock yourself out.

;)
 
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To be fair, using Iron now for testing, and I'm really liking it, extremely fast, brilliant that I can import my bookmarks from Firefox. Nice layout.

So thanks for the post :)
 
Bear in mind that if Google get the cookie from your Gmail/Google Analytics etc login, they can tie all that data directly to you rather than to a (semi-anonymous) IP address.

There's no sign that they've culled the spy/malware protection though - the Google-provided implementation of that in Firefox also sends your normal Google cookie (though in that case they know you looked at one of a large number of sites).
 
Ratbag said:
If you use Google Chrome, Google will know every URL you type into the location bar.
Click to expand...



prove it.


and don't go linking me to a site who states this, as this is only hear say just like the basis of your post, i would claim your just repeating what you have heard on some website.

what would convince me is proper investigation, since the source code is open that YOU yourself had gone in deep and found suspicious code which revealed all what your claiming about google, and not just linking me to a vague website with vague accusations.
 
There is no spyware in Chrome, you are just being paranoid. It is no different to searching on any website, they get no extra information than if you searched the Google website or Live search etc. Plus what exactly do you have to hide? They don't use the data they gather for anything but adds and they don't hold any identifying information about you, ie they will never link your IP to your Google account etc.

And they can't see what you type in the address bar so long as you turn off the suggestion feature. The simple way of testing this is to fire up Chrome, disable the feature and go to, for example, www.overclockers.co.uk and monitor what connections it makes. You will see it never once speaks to Google, or anyone but the OcUK website!
 
To be fair, if this was pointed out to the masses, they would probably want to use Iron instead of Chrome anyway.

Even if you aren't being identified with Chrome, just knowing you are browsing without the chance that it may happen gives you a sense of security I guess.

Privacy is a big deal to a lot of people
 
I dont fully understand the issue with them having my searches. Everything you search through Google is recoreded regardless of what browser you use. And the results are used by Google only, shown by the US Governments repeated failed attempts to get Google to release their searches. Google already know everything anyone searches for, and where you go once you have searched, its not like a little more information is the end of the world.
 
For me, it's the principle of it. Its why I use Comodo firewall instead of windows own - I want outbound filtering so I can stop seemingly innocuous programs from 'phoning home' at random, like so many do.

Why should I care if some corporation knows my PC configuration, IP address or what times I go on the net etc? Paranoia? Nope, I just like being in control. If more people were in control there'd be a lot less malware infestations out there.
 
it's hardly spyware, i couldn't care less if google know my browsing patterns

msfn
ocuk
wikipedia
steam
porn

who cares?
 
Dogoid said:
nice one, i guess that's proof enough.


proof though that its a feature and not hidden code.


its just like saying goggle knows what websites you look for from the search terms you enter into it.




chrome is open source, its all transparent. nothing is hidden.

to the OP. relax
Click to expand...

I don't think you're quite getting it.

When you do this in say... a well known Jersey website or an online auction site it suggests based on that it doesn't actually store the information (well when I last looked at the T&C's it didn't so if it has changed now then apologies).

Google are openly saying they'll store and use this information which is, surely, a very bad thing. From that data they can, in the future, aim adverts at you based on your history (i.e. phorm like crap), give you a blow-by-blow account of your browsing history, etc. remember even if you don't go to a website it's still being recorded.

I personally will not touch Chrome with a big stick.



M.
 
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