Google --- At it Again

[bob3160]

Google Web Accelerator is...
 
• Designed for Broadband – Web pages load even more quickly on DSL and cable connections
• Easy to use – Simply install and enjoy faster web browsing in seconds
 
   

 

Enjoy 

[DavidR]

3. Can I use Google Web Accelerator with a dial-up connection?

Dial-up users may not see much improvement, as Google Web Accelerator is currently optimized to speed up web page loading for broadband connections.

Rats, as if broadband users needed more help a good dose of dial-up connection speeds will remind them how lucky they are

[polonus]

Hi Bob & David,

Well it is interesting what they try to feed with the one hand: webacceleration is taken by the other (limiting bandwidth for services that are considered not welcome: torrents, p2p-ing, usenet exchange or will become heavily moderated). This is showing the two-sidedness of the internet, endorse consuming on the one hand, and qualifying every content as consumer-item.
Everything from that point of view becomes a consumable item, you have listened to a song or seen a video and your item needs again being consumed (registered, payd for), well not at this point, but I think that they aim to bring that scheme  in  eventually and gradualy just like the stamp on mails, that people so fervently oppose now.

polonus

[bob3160]

My only question is:
What does the following setting do to avast's ability to monitor websites? (WebShield)

[Lisandro]

Limiting bandwidth for services that are considered not welcome

Into network settings > IP settings > can we disable the QoS packets service? Will it help or, on contrary, make it worse?

Polonus (or Bob), do you know what is the principle of Google Web Accelaration? How it works? Local cache? Cache on google servers?

Does it really work? 

[Staind]

Does it have as many errors as before Bob? (i.e. the whole privacy issue).

[bob3160]

For those of you with questions, the following site offers answers:
http://webaccelerator.google.com/support.html


Unfortunately it doesn't answer the question I raised about Webshield. :'(

[polonus]

Hi Tech,

It has nothing to do with your existing broadband bandwidth experience, nothing alters there.
With normal P2P-ring when accessibility is the main target, the network will be slow, faster networks haven't got that many files accessible, and you have to wait.
With providers all fix an upward limit, speeds could go up to 8 Mbit down, but mostly you can get only 1,5 Mbit, now slightly more. Some limit bandwidth on P2P-ring, some moderate strictly (Usenet).
With Google Accel. you download a client. That only sees what is on the Google servers.
Google alters this, only if you fully trust Google with all your data, acceleration works through prefetching material (reacting on mouseclicks), caching of pages only on Google's own servers, parallel downloading (what Akamai does for MS), differential fetching (only the part of the page that is new is changed), compression. This can save you a couple of hours,
but your surfing is owned by Google now (and who else later?).
The benefit is you know now who is tracking you well into 2010.
These are the main considerings. For an adware free Google experience, go here: http://www.scroogle.org/

polonus

[bob3160]

The benefit is you know now who is tracking you well into 2010.
These are the main considerings.

If it's not Google, then it's some one else.
Your own ISP is already tracking you so what's one more partner??? ( or is that one more Snooper???) 

[mike6688]

Hi,

I found that webshield didn't scan anything with Google web accelerator installed - so I uninstalled it as this was one of my main reasons to switch to Avast for its excellent resident protection.

Furthermore, a Google search soon reveals that there maybe a number of other problems such as when loading a page you are logged in as someone else.

I wouldn't personally use Google WebAccelerator, but it depends on your preferences.

Mike

[bob3160]

I found that webshield didn't scan anything with Google web accelerator installed - so I uninstalled it as this was one of my main reasons to switch to Avast for its excellent resident protection.

Avast! webshield work perfectly while using Google Web accelerator.

Furthermore, a Google search soon reveals that there maybe a number of other problems such as when loading a page you are logged in as someone else.

I think this is me, not someone else posting this entry.

Privacy issues are of course a personal preference and decision.

[bob3160]

Writely
An online word processor application recently acquired by Google

http://www2.writely.com/info/WritelyOverflowWelcome.htm

[Staind]

How does using Google Web Accelerator affect my privacy?

Google Web Accelerator receives much of the same kind of information you currently send to your ISP when you surf the Web:

Google will receive your requests for unencrypted pages (those with "HTTP:", not "HTTPS:", at the beginning of the URL), along with information such as the date and time of the request, your IP address, and computer and connection information
If you enter personally identifiable information (such as an email address) onto a form on an unencrypted web page, some sites may send this information through Google. Whenever your computer sends cookies with browsing or prefetching page requests for unencrypted sites, we temporarily cache these cookies in order to improve performance
In order to speed up the display of pages generally, Google Web Accelerator may store copies of web pages, including prefetched pages that you did not visit, in the Google Web Accelerator cache on your machine. This is separate from your browser's cache, which only identifies pages that you actually visited. You can empty your Google Web Accelerator cache at any time by following these instructions.
The policies for the Google Web Accelerator, like those for Google.com, uphold the highest level of integrity and respect for our users' information. Google will never rent or sell a user's personal information to third parties without a user's explicit permission. To learn more about our privacy practices, please see the Google Web Accelerator Privacy Policy.


So, basically whatever information your ISP would receieve, Google now receieves as well.

[bob3160]

I've found a use for Googles Calendar

Since Alice's timly taking of her medications are now critical and a continued part
of our life, I've set up a reminder.
DR. Google at work.

[bob3160]

Google Web Albums
==================

I just received the following announcement by email:

Dear Picasa user,

Today, we're excited to announce that we've begun testing a new
feature for Picasa called "Picasa Web Albums."

Picasa Web Albums is designed to help Picasa users quickly and easily
upload their photos to the web and share those photos with family and
friends. Picasa Web Albums is intended for use with a new version of
Picasa that has a "Web Album" button and includes web uploading and
downloading capabilities.

As part of our test, we are offering Picasa Web Albums and the latest
version of the Picasa software by invitation only. If you'd like to
give Picasa Web Albums a try, please add your Gmail username to our
first come, first serve invitation list at:
http://picasaweb.google.com

Once you receive your invitation, you can create a Picasa Web Albums
account, and then download the new version of Picasa. This version of
Picasa is not currently available for download from the Picasa site.

For more information on Picasa Web Albums, please visit:
http://picasa.google.com/web/help.html

This is another by invitation only service at this time. (They do the inviting)