Google introduces web browser
Submitted by tlarkin on Tue, 09/02/2008 - 22:55
Google has released it's own very first open source web browser called, Chrome. However, there is no love for Linux, Unix, or OS X users. This beta is for Windows only. I guess from a developer standpoint Windows may be the hardest platform to conquer. You have too much to worry about when it comes to security since Windows is targeted the most out of any platform.
Some cool features that this browser has are kind of unique. For one, you can see exactly how much system resources each individual tab is taking up in your browser. So, if you experience some sort of performance hit while browsing the web you can see what tab is eating what resources. This will warn you of sites that may have faulty code that cause memory leaks or such. It also allows to make web app short cuts on to your desktop. While this is not a feature I would like because I like to keep my desktop clean, I could see it becoming really cool when you can turn them into a widget or something of the like. Then launch them from a widget menu, keeping everything nice and clean.
The one feature I am really curious how it works, is their safe browsing feature. It is suppose to warn you of any site that may be malicious and contain content that could possibly infect your computer. I haven't read how it works, but I am tempted to guess it will querey a search against the google serach engine for key words that are related to spyware and the like. Most of the time when you get these infections and narrow down what process it is, google will tell you how to remove it. Well, not google itself, but the site you found on google. So, it will be interesting to see how this counter-balances certain things. A lot of time you aren't aware of any said exploit, and then of course you find out all about it after google searching it once it happens to you. So, now that you have the whole internet's input on something will it make a preventitive impact on safe guarding users from such things.
I have yet to install it, but I do have it downloaded and plan on playing around with it on my Windows box at home when I get a chance. I will post an update after I get a feel for the browser.
Upon reading into this further last night and this morning I started to thumb through their EULA, and there are some very iffy things that they state in there. I kind of wonder what is Google's higher goal when they put things like this into their EULA:
11. Content license from you
11.1 You retain copyright and any other rights you already hold in Content which you submit, post or display on or through, the Services. 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.
11.2 You agree that this license includes a right for Google to make such Content available to other companies, organizations or individuals with whom Google has relationships for the provision of syndicated services, and to use such Content in connection with the provision of those services.
11.3 You understand that Google, in performing the required technical steps to provide the Services to our users, may (a) transmit or distribute your Content over various public networks and in various media; and (b) make such changes to your Content as are necessary to conform and adapt that Content to the technical requirements of connecting networks, devices, services or media. You agree that this license shall permit Google to take these actions.
11.4 You confirm and warrant to Google that you have all the rights, power and authority necessary to grant the above license.
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