Does Google Know Too Much About You?

[lotuseclat79]

Does Google Know Too Much About You? (http://www.pcworld.com/article/168224/does_google_know_too_much_about_you.html).

-{ Quote: "With its apps, e-mail, voice service and mapping, Google's gathering a lot of personal data; more, perhaps, than most users are aware." }-
-- Tom

[m00nbl00d]

Good article. I wasn't even aware of this -{ Quote: "http://www.pcworld.com/article/150872/google_rethinks_privacy_scales_back_data_collection.html?tk=rel_news" }-

Indeed, Google wants to be the Big Brother. Otherwise, let's see:

- Operating System
- Web browser
- E-mail (Gmail)
- Productivity software
- Services like My Location, etc

Sure, everyone is free not to use them, but why the heck wanting to achieve so much?

Google will control the world. Google's building will be the future "White House", I tell you. ;)

[lotuseclat79]

Hi ssj100,

You are probably right about Google, but the question is really where to draw the line, eh? Would you rather Google draw it for you - and the rest of us, or be involved in the process, i.e. at least have an opt-in be default rather than an opt-out. Same goes for M$.

-- Tom

[m00nbl00d]

-{ Quote: "

[...]

The hilarious/ironic thing is that Microsoft probably have a much better reputation than Google now. There was a recent thread (http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=246974) on how a Microsoft Windows update silently installed a vulnerability into the Firefox browser. And yet Wilders people still continue to use Microsoft Windows and the Microsoft market continues to stay strong.

[...]

" }-

Truth is (in my way of seeing it), most people get Windows pre-installed, when they buy their computers, from manufacturers.

So, they're paying for Windows, even if they choose to reformat the hard drive. Who's going to refund them? Microsoft? I don't think so. The manufacturers? Hell, no!

You either use an Operating System you paid for, even not knowing or not wanting, or you don't. If the second option, then people will be giving away money.

People are pretty much stuck. And, considering that the higher percentage of computer buyers have no minimal hardware knowledge, they'll just buy a computer already assembled by one of those manufacturers. Of course, talking about desktops. Laptops, well, if they want them, they have to buy them right away.

I just wish that everyone would be able to pick which Operating System they want in their computers, when they buy them.

Why should we pay for Windows, when we buy our computers, if we want to use Linux, Free BSD, etc, right?

Only if people were educated to reclaim their right to choose, and not pay for something they do not want to be forced to use, maybe things could change. Until then...

[SteveTX]

Google is striving to give you everything you want for free, you just have to give up your privacy and information control. Many people want to be taken care of like pets, and will happily give up their integrity and self-determination in exchange. "Free" with an invisible caveat is much more appealing that "Costs Money".

[lotuseclat79]

Hi m00nbl00d,

When I bought my first computer, a buddy of mine at work at the time circa 1995 steered me to pcsforeveryone.com then in Cambridge, MA where we worked (now in Norwood, MA).

I got it configured with Windows for Work Groups 3.1.1 and had them leave the 800MB disk unconfigured from about 425 MB up. At the time I planned to install Slackware Linux in the unconfigured (375MB) space.

Since I have bought two more systems (Win98SE, RH 7.2 Pro) and (WinXP, RH Fedora 3) at the same place. Since 3 years ago when WinXP stb'd on me, I have used an Ubuntu Live CD from Dapper, and now Jaunty. I roll my own private Linux Live CD environment from a FiOS account - takes about a minute to install the tarballed evironment from hard disk of all the packages I have downloaded into a base set and several other sets depending on what I want to configure.

The bottom line is that if the user takes control of finding out about local vendors that are OEM authorized dealers, you can buy your base hardware and if you communicate your needs to the dealer properly, they can usually give you good guidance on what hardware will satisfy your needs. I remember buying my last system (4 disks), and explained my requirements up front to the vendor (took about 2 hrs of back-and-forth discussion) to get what I wanted.

I pay nothing for security, yet have a hardened, locked down system that gets no malware on it. I pay nothing for the OS - Linux kernel is free. In some cases, I custom build from source what I need (e.g Tork for KDE environment). I have also stealthed my router.

Am I totally secure - no, no one is, and I use common sense. Nothing gets onto my disks unless I put it there as they are unmounted when I am connected to the Internet. If perchance something gets into my system, it is only in memory, and when I power down it has no way of surviving in RAM.

People only get stuck because they don't want to bother to learn anything - so, they pay their money, and get screwed coming and going.

It helps if you've been a principal system software engineer for a number of years. But, that should not be a hurdle for anyone without that experience who has the desire and motivation to learn.

The choice is open to eveyone at any time. They just have to make the decision that commits them to a different path, and then take the actions that pursues that path.

People have to free themselves from their current buying assumptions - its a whole new world out there in technology with breakthroughs happening every day - literally!

-- Tom

[m00nbl00d]

Hello lotuseclat79,

I do agree with you. People need to have the will to know what's on their disposal. But, unless they have that will, it won't be a local computer shop, that happens to have a deal with a national manufacturer, and this manufacturer happens to have deals with Microsoft (it happens here, in pretty much every computer shop), buyers will fall into the "Buy this. It is a great asset." conversation.

I know of a case, that happened exactly with one of my family members. This family member bought a laptop, without myself knowing (without asking my opinion), and went into the conversation of a friend that works on a computer shop and that advised the national manufacturer, that happens to have deals with the computer shop and Microsoft. Of course, well... you may guess the rest of story.

Another case... yesterday, I changed the IE search engine to Bing.com. I was called to be asked the following: "What is this? I don't know what this is, what is it? I want Google."

Things are too deep into people's brain. Brainwashing... perhaps?

You just need to change things a little bit, and most people will freak out. The same would have happened if I installed, say, Linux. It has everything a casual user needs to work with, still, they would freak out, because it isn't Windows.


Regards