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Gizmo's Freeware 2009 Product of the Year: Our Editor's Choice
2009 and has been a great year for freeware with many outstanding new programs and lots of important updates to well-established products. The evidence is clear: despite the wishes of commercial software vendors, freeware is showing no signs of going away, rather it is going from strength to strength.
In fact the freeware market is so strong we’ve had a hard time selecting a single product for our Editor's Choice Best of 2009 award. Let's look some of the top contenders:
Everything Search
Everything finds files on your hard drive faster than any product we’ve tested. Even on a terabyte sized drives containing hundreds of thousands of files your search results appear near instantaneously. That’s impressive in itself but there's more. Everything indexes your disks in seconds rather than hours. That means no more laborious background indexing that slows your computer to a crawl.
Everything only searches filenames not the contents of files. However in this role it is a product without peer.
Microsoft Security Essentials
Who would have thought that Microsoft would produce a first-class anti-malware program and make it available for free? Here at Gizmo's Freeware we're still shaking our heads in disbelief.
Disbelief or not, Microsoft Security Essentials has certainly shaken up the computer security market. It has a broad spectrum scanning engine and an effective real-time monitor with signature files that are updated automatically on a regular basis. Best of all it is extremely modest in the computer resources it consumes making it ideal for older slow PCs.
No, it doesn't have the detection rates of the very best anti-malware scanners such as AntiVir but for low risk users it offers an outstanding free solution. Furthermore it’s a product that's guaranteed to improve further in the coming months.
Fences for Windows
If you are one of those people who likes lots of icons on your Windows desktop then Fences is the product for you. It allows you to overcome desktop clutter by corralling your icons into functional groups. Each group can be hidden from view with a single click of the mouse button and can be moved around the screen to wherever you like.
It's a highly effective system that allows you to realize the convenience benefits of having many icons on your desktop without the confusion that a large number of icons can create.
Yes there are other ways of achieving this but Fences provides an elegant solution ideally suited to the needs of many users.
Gizmos’ Freeware 2009 Product of the Year: Editor's Choice
Winner: Google Chrome Browser
The three contenders listed above are all great products but the freeware program that most impressed our editors in 2009 was the Google Chrome Browser.
Gizmo’s Freeware has been a staunch supporter of Mozilla Firefox since its inception. Indeed we were among its earliest advocates. So why are we now selecting Google Chrome as product of the year?
The answer is simple: Chrome is a major leap forward in the development of browsers. Furthermore its release has implications for computing that go well beyond the narrow confines of browser features and performance.
The first time you use Chrome two things strike you are immediately. First it is its blinding speed. Second is the utter simplicity of the user interface. Not so obvious but equally important, is its class leading security.
Its browsing speed is quite amazing. You don't need any fancy measurements to tell you how fast Chrome is. Just use it for five minutes and you will be convinced. And it's not only the browsing speed that impresses; it is the speed with which the program loads.
Firefox is a pretty fast browser itself but it can't compete with Chrome. That's why a significant proportion of the users of Gizmo’s Freeware website have in the last six month shifted from Firefox to Chrome. In the last week nearly 9% of all Gizmo’s Freeware visitors were using Chrome which is pretty impressive when you consider that figure was near zero at the start of the year. Almost all the growth has been at the expense of Firefox.
Some Firefox users who have been impressed by Chrome’s speed have been reluctant to switch because of the lack of Chrome extensions. In the last week this problem has been overcome. The latest version from Chrome Beta includes full support for extensions and there are already dozens of extensions available. The latest release also supports bookmark syncing as well.
Chrome is a great browser but its true significance lies in its role as the centerpiece of Google’s Chrome operating system. Chrome OS is only at an early stage of development but once it is fully developed with fully integrated online and offline versions of Google Apps, Google Gmail and other utilities yet to be revealed, users will at last have a viable alternative to Windows. Not only viable but free.
Chrome is not without its critics. Some are wary of Google gathering information about their browsing habits. Others feel Google is emerging as another market dominating and inward looking monolith just like Microsoft.
These concerns cannot be lightly dismissed. However at this point of time Chrome browser is such a superb product in its own right that we will for the moment set these objections aside. Our editors were unanimous in agreeing that Chrome is a fit and deserving winner of Gizmo’s Freeware 2009 product of the year.
Addendum Judging by some of the comments below it apears that some readers feel that because we have awarded Chrome "Product of the Year" we are no longer recommending Firefox as our top browser selection.
This is not the case. Firefox remains our top selection. That's because the selection of the top browser is based on a different set of criteria to selecting the Product of the Year.
The Product of the Year is chosen on the basis of innovation, achievement and impact on the Internet. Judged by these measures Chrome is an easy winner.
- Article type:
Comments
I would add SRWare Iron as a contender.
Who would've thought that TSA would describe an MS product as 'first class...', and an 'outstanding free solution.'
We call things as we see them and credit where credit is due. I'm still no personal fan of most things Microsoft but you can't close your eyes to what they've achieved with this one.
Glad to read that. for a while there it seemed that most of TSA, and its members, and the anon 'commentators' were (are) anti MS no matter! (for whatever reason). Its ironic though that, undoubtedly, most anti MS'ers use MS software/OS to some extent, including yourself. Either be anti MS, and therefore dont use their software full stop (there are plenty of alternatives around, as reviewed on TSA), or be quiet. no half measures.
Are you suggesting that if you use something you shouldn't be critical of it? I disagree, I feel that if a particular product needs improvement, the more people that voice that opinion, the more likely it will happen. However, if you find an article/review that is being used merely to bash a supplier, not just MS, then please let us know.
Rik Mayell - Category Editor, Best Free Windows 7 / Vista 64 bit Software
No, not at all. there is a significant difference between constructive criticism and prejudice/'bashing'. the reference was made to those that are 'anti' MS, or MS 'bashers' if you like, and that they should not use MS OS/software if it bothers them so much. If they do use MS (which most of them probably do), then they should keep quiet about MS, unless of course it is a constructive voice rather than a typical unreasoned 'bashing'.
It wasn't stated that there are any actual tsa articles/reviews that bash MS. TSA software list is an excellent resource.
Thank you for the clarification.
I hope you continue to enjoy the site as much as all of us involved enjoy producing/supporting it :)
Rik Mayell - Category Editor, Best Free Windows 7 / Vista 64 bit Software
True but LOL I did migrate briefly to Linux (Ubuntu) to escape the demands of playing security watch all the time. I ended back with Windows because I chose to upgrade my 9.04 x64 Ubuntu to version 9.10 online and encountered issues in doing so which are quite well documented in their forum. In the meantime it transpired that the new Linux kernel also has some network manager bugs affecting USB broadband modems which unfortunately I'm obliged to use here because the nearest cable set is about 2k from the house! While all of this was going on my tech has got his hands on a copy of Ubuntu Ultimate and wants me to wait until he figures a reliable connection for me with that, although it uses the same kernel so I'm not sure about his logic. It seems it has everything but with a DL size of 3.2G it ought to. I found nothing I couldn't do equally well or better with Linux although I guess I still need to keep a Windows partition otherwise I can't very well comment here about stuff I can't run.
As you've stated many times, the issue of pc security is much to do with user actions rather than the OS itself, where windows is currently more susceptible to nasties once the user 'aids', for want of a better term, the miscreant. and windows on its own can be vulnerable, but bear in mind that alot of the nasties stem from third party software. but windows doesn't, imo, need 'security watching all the time' if used 'properly'. A decent AV + firewall should then be ok. but, of course, the converse can be seen.
however, the claim that linux is 'more secure' than windows is a misnomer imo, as you know LOL! If linux (which is just as hackable/exploitable to those in the trade) was the most popular OS, would it then suffer the same fate? As you agreed before, linux would then experience more exploits. however, the overall effect is unknown, as you also said before. Hence the misnomer. (as stated before, linux/unix has in fact recently been the subject of increased successful exploits).
Indeed, a 'techie' wouldn't be able to analyse etc windows and provide constructive issues (rather than bashing) without using it. but, if that techie is 'anti' MS regardless, then he/she should not use MS for personal use imo. moreover, their so called professional opinion on MS would then be questionable due to their bias.
I will only use Google Chrome while wearing my favorite hat that is lined with tin foil. Try and hack that NSA
Directly from a connection of mine who is high up in the Government and almost the same comment from a high school friend who helped develop chrome. The development was backed by Homeland security and Google was guaranteed to be an extremely profitable company if all information to pass through Google, chrome, and any google site or app, first filters through Homeland and Military Intelligene(Yes, a great oxymoron). Use anything Google and the government knows before google can store the info. as for me...They can track me for writing this, but it won't lead to me! Take heed, google phones might just as well be called big brother phones. This is not theory! I risk treason by writing this! Please tell everyone to stay away from google.
Sorry but this is an urban legend. I was told the same story over Christmas by my brother who "got it from high up in the FBI"
Had this actually happened it would have been the NSA, not the Department of Homeland Security, that would have been involved. It's generally accepted that the NSA doesn't attract the best people due to pay restrictions and onerous application procedures. It seems unlikely therefore that they would have been able to pull off a stunt like this.
However, assuming that they have somehow succeeded in this, how would it impact me? Well, nothing goes in or out from Chrome unless it is on port 80. I suppose a link to 'secret server' on that port is possible but it is (a) likely to be discovered very quickly and (b) be open to simple exploit.
Let's face it. If you're really considered a threat the powers that be will know that from other means. Once satisfied they'll break down your door and arrest you, if you're lucky :)
Rik Mayell - Category Editor, Best Free Windows 7 / Vista 64 bit Software
I should add that, like others, I have concerns about both privacy and Google itself. This is especially true when it comes to "cloud computing." I do whatever I can to use both Google and Microsoft only when I absolutely have to. And like someone previously posted, using https://ssl.scroogle.org to thwart Google's cookies but still use Google's search results is one way to thumb my cyber-nose at those two behemoths. Thanks, Scroogle!
When I want a "down 'n dirty" browser I use K-Meleon, especially when I'm going to sites I trust. It's a very basic and easy-to-use browser that starts up quickly and just works.
On those occasions when I'm less sure about the site, I use Firefox. In fact, I use Ff the vast majority of the time and since I've loaded it up with extensions it takes quite a bit longer to load; no big deal.
Thanks, Gizmo, to you and your Editors for your work throughout this year and past years.
(Belated) "Merry Christmas" to all and "Happy New Year!"
chrome is horible. it installed tones of viruses,spyware and mawlware on my latop.
i like the AOL browser and IE8. on chrome i got a realy bad mawlware called antivir sistem pro. it is downloaded dy a virus called zlob i coun't uninstall it of programes and feachers. i got rid of it with mawlwareabyts anti mawlware i deleted chrome.
Yes, spell-check would be highly advised. Plus, Don't blame the browser, blame the user. I guarantee that Chrome did not install anything on your computer, YOU installed crap that gave your computer viruses and you PROBABLY don't even have anti-virus installed to protect it. Get your facts straight, and stop downloading stuff that has viruses.
use a spell checker
Unfortunately the person posting below is correct. 95% of what arrives on your computer will do so because you allowed it to by one means or another. You might find the information here useful as it will help you to better understand how to protect yourself online.
http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/safe-computing-under-hour.htm
Please understand that there is no such thing as any program which will "protect" you from malware, firewall, AV or otherwise. What there are though is a selection of good freeware which will help you to achieve this by your own actions.
LOL I'm no fan of Chrome myself, but your claims are just ridiculous - as is your spelling (no English isn't my native language either). If you downloaded it from its homepage, there is no way it "installed tones of viruses,spyware and mawlware". The fact that you don't know how to protect yourself from malware in the first place can't be blamed on Chrome so stop the bs, OK?
Chrome is your choice for the year??? My confidence in you has been shaken.
Jer
On the contrary I think it is the perfect choice. Not only is it a great browser its the start of the cloud computing revolution. Google Chrome OS is going to going to really shake up things in 2010 - the biggest revolution since Windows replaced DOS.
KC
Wwindows DIDN'T replace DOS it still runs on top of it. Look in c:\windows\command Yup it's DOS
Dare I ask what version of Windows you are running? As of the kernel merge in Windows XP, all PCs have run Windows. For sure, you can still get to a command prompt, but it's just another process, so there's no more 'chicken and egg' so to speak.
Rik Mayell - Category Editor, Best Free Windows 7 / Vista 64 bit Software
Like most things in life,Everything has a downside. It is now so widely used that hackers target the database it generates !! So beef up your security
Dink
Merry Christmas Gizmo and the crew, love your news letter I have been receiving them since you started. Love to experiment with all your new products, some I like, others-oh well. I guess I'm a Google nut, use lighting fast Chrome, have G-mail, igoogle home page and of course Picasa, yes of course I've tried tons of others through your newsletter but have settled on these. Keep up your great work and have a wonderful new year.
Chrome communication info: http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/google-chrome-communication/
and how many use the google toolbar and bash chrome?...lol
iron is good but not update too often,,lacks on some services...
opera is geting bloated,,,and has memory leaks
All of that being said, and with the privacy objection in mind, there is another browser built using the open source Chromium code that is EXACTLY like Chrome, except it does not report back to anyone re. your surfing habits.
The SR Ware Iron browser. I strongly suggest you check it out!
http://www.srware.net/en/software_srware_iron.php
I've recently started using Iron, and I can't see why anyone would use Chrome when there is a more private alternative like Iron. Yes, it sacrifices some of Chrome's goodies, but I'll gladly do that for more speed and privacy. IMO Iron would have been the better choice.
I might have added that Chrome is much more a sneaky and intrusive marketing machine than it is a browser. Browsing itself is entirely secondary to its main reason for existence: gathering marketing intelligence for advertisers at the expense of consumers and their privacy.
I looked at the Fences demo on their website and I had an amusing thought. The first thing that came to mind at seeing Fences was Windows 3.11. Really, do you remember what the desktop looked like? It looks a lot like fences to me!
That's what I thought seeing it! Argh, Program Manager again!
While I like & use Chrome and Fences, Everything is the one that blows me away. Fast and not constantly indexing. Well worth the minutes wait every couple of days when it updates its indexes for the subsequent search speed and free form searching.
Did you try Google Desktop? How do they compare?
Thanks
Well Google Desktop is a complete "Indexing" solution as it indexes ALL of a file not just it's file name. So I use both and find that it makes little or no difference in the CPU load or resources doing so. If I know part or all of a file name I use Everything to find it and if I don't know the file name or the data looked for is found in the document not in it's title I use Google Desktop.
I tried Fences a few months ago ==> my desktop icons "danced" every now and then, sometimes my explorer opened twice instead of only once.
Had a lot of problems removing it as wel. After removal the problems dissapeared.
Anyone else encountered these problems?
Have been using Fences since beta on a number of machines and have not seen this behaviour. Have inadvertantly cleared the desktop by double clicking on occasion but easily fixed by double clicking again.8-) I'm wondering if there is not something else running that might not like Fences? Since I use Object Desktop, I download using Impulse. Wonder if you tried a download from another source, it might install/uninstall better.
When I installed Fences for some reason when my machine restarted I had to reauthenticate my Windows with Microsoft. Then for first hour the machine rebooted twice without any reason and that was it.
After that I have been using fences without any problem and really happy.
chrome?...what about privacy risks...google love to watch more than your own wife...
..firefox yeah firefox.DRM....what one of the top guys said "you gotta live with it"....no choice.
I dont agree with you. Mozilla Firefox is the best bowser and chrome is nowhere near it. I dont know why u chose it as winner.
I agree Firefox is currently the best browser but this is not an award for best browser; it's for the freeware product of the year - see the addendum at the end of the article above - Gizmo
Sorry Giz but you don't get it. These days surfers post first and then read the article later. Heck why weigh down your posts with a little reality. This is the Twitter age bud - drivel wrapped in vanity with an added dash of irrelevance.
I started using Chrome a while ago but I was annoyed with lack of extensions. Now it has extensions but they don't work on all pages, for example New tab page. So, for start, no valid Mouse gesture feature. In another order of thoughts, Chrome doesn't have Content policy. This means that ads cannot be blocked before page load (just as Adblock plus does for Firefox). There is one major thing that made me gave up of Firefox: the start-up time with a few extensions... horrible. Chrome starts instant and fells way snappier.
For me, the best compromise between these two was a custom build of Chromium (Google Chrome open source code) names ChromePlus. You can find it at www.chromeplus.org It is updated regularly to latest Chromium builds and besides the base Chrome features also contains a few major ones:
1. Double click tab to close page.
2. Mouse Gestures
3. Super drag
4. IE tab
5. Download tools supported in context menu.
6. Advanced startup options
7. Advanced privacy options
8. AdBlock feature with Firefox's Adblock Plus Subscriptions
For me as a Software engineer ChromePlus exceeds all my expectations, and I must say I am very critic.
Have a Merry Christmas all. Great website.
LOL, great comment - you made my day
for me is the firefox the number one !
I am using Fences.
I have not tried Chrome.
I never heard of the other two.
I am very disappointed that Chrome is the Product of the Year, due to its lack of privacy and tracking of browsing habits. I believe we have enough time left in this year to change the product of the year. I hope this is not the final decision for "Product of the Year".
Personally I'm not very much concerned about usage statistics. In any way, Chrome by default turns off the sending of usage statistics and crash reports to Google. If it's really a concern, other web services related to privacy can be turned off by users from Tools >Options >"Under the Hood" tab.
See also:
- Chrome privacy concerns - Does Chrome browser send all your information to Google?
- Preventing paranoia: when does Google Chrome talk to Google.com?
- Google Chrome Privacy Notice
There is a users' choice product tomorrow, so more to come. And you can always start a forum thread crowning your own product of the year; no doubt there would be many individual differences.
I think it should also be mentioned that Google Chrome has influenced a more privacy concerned browser SRWare Iron. I'm not sure if extensions work for it yet, though.
But the light sandboxing in Chrome/Iron makes it one of the most secure browsers out-of-box. I don't know about recent testing, but from memory it has gone unattacked at hacker conferences just because it's so difficult to exploit bugs in it, especially on windows. And it uses the same security API as Firefox to detect malware/phishing threats.
Fast and secure makes it sound like an excellent browser for the future. If Iron ever gets its act together with some major adblocking and other key extensions (WOT, LastPass, KeyScrambler), then I might switch over to it. And it would be because of Chrome that we would have Iron! Now if only we had a Gold that did everything ... and made coffee for me!
"tracking of browsing habits" Thank you!
Now I remember why I never tried it! Google spyware!
Try Scroogle SSL.
I just can't believe some of these comments about privacy. To pay my way through college I work 25 hours a week in a call center that does credit checks for a credit card company.
Now if you could see all the personal data about you that our call center has online well then you would have a privacy concern. It's scary really. Maybe terrifying.
And some of you are worried that Google may track the web sites you visit? Get real.
put in everything. took out google desktop as in unchecked all options.
tried to open office writer. could not. tried to send comment to you. would not post.
bug?
thought to use everything. unticked my google desktop options instead of uninstalling them.
now can't get my office writer shortcut to run.
bah!
Give it any award you care too, they're your awards to give but how do you see Chrome as 'ground breaking'? That part I don't get and I tried it and find IE much much better. And I only use IE when I do my updates. I've preferred Opera for years so I guess that makes me an oddball but I find much of Firefox, which I've also given months of use, so this is no offhand observation, to be slower and buggier than Opera and the new Opera fixes the few problems it had and most of the vaunted plugins, at least the ones I'd use are already part of Opera or are available as Widgets. But I'm not going to try to convince anyone that Opera is the answer for all, just that Chrome is no great leap or advance in technology to award it as such. It's just a stripped down IE in my short experience. And how fast is fast? .25 seconds to return a million hits? All browsers give the same incredible numbers for finding an ocean of data. Is .025 noticable and does it save you time? I sorta doubt it and Chrome is boring if you're looking for anything other than a stripped browser. And I have a blackjack game and a crossword waiting to get finished in my Widgets. But award for Chrome? Naaa
I agree with you. I use Opera and Firefox, and IE where necessary. I tried Chrome when it came out, but found nothing special about it, and it lacked a lot. It opened much faster, but no difference in accessing pages. There wasn't much purpose for using it. I tried upgrading it when newer versions came out, but for some reason they didn't install properly. I felt there was no purpose to use Chrome anyway, so I just uninstalled it.
I like Opera and Firefox. I finally decided to make Firefox my default, but since I use Opera's e-mail, any link I use from e-mail opens in Opera. While a number of sites didn't work properly in Opera and did in Firefox, I started finding a number that didn't work in Firefox, and did in Opera. Thus I need both. Another problem is that printing from many sites is incomplete in Opera, but is fine in Firefox. Strangely, Google Video did not work right in Firefox, but worked fine in Opera. Opera also opens much faster than Firefox, which is very slow in opening.
I too have some pages that won't work in Opera. Hotmail is one and is why I have IE in use. And from the few times I've used it to get something Opera wouldn't display properly IE worked fine. With CallingID installed IE is safe, organized like I like and pretty fast (or at least seems so to me). I have high end processor and 8gigs of RAM but I don't think that makes a browser faster, maybe I'm wrong on that but I have nothing to compare it to. And by North American standards my internet connection maybe isn't as fast (I don't know one way or another) but the main thing I hear raving about Chrome is the speed. That seems like a straw man argument for being the 'best'. Or even the most whatever it's getting awarded for here. Opera opens pages instantly usually and that's fast enough for the human brain I think. Googles going to own the internet if people keep jumping on their bandwagon without objective reviews. I love Google and have lots of their software that is five star fantastic. But this sort of thrown together looking browser ain't one of them. This one for example, sort of "It's hot hot hot! well not really but it's different and looks sleek" kind of backhanded award.
thought to use everything. unticked my google desktop options instead of uninstalling them.
now can't get my office writer shortcut to run.
bah!
We're a spoilt lot with so many excellent browsers to choose from,.. not every one agrees on which is the best. It comes down to different strokes for different folks. I use Firefox, Google Chrome but my favourite is Opera. If it works for you,.. use it and stop complaining !
Everything has a price, and as the product's value increases, so, often, does the price. One day this age will be remembered not just as the first connected days, but also the ones when privacy totally disappeared. Chrome is just part of the process right now.
I'm a big GG fan but Chrome sucks.
Besides the privacy matters which can be tweaked. Did you check your task manager when running chrome? One procees per open tab.
There is no efficient way to keep control over an application that opens process continuously.
And there is no way to run the whole thing on a single process. That's why just sucks.
In the case of my pc, I rode the wave of editors fave, installed Chrome and it slowed my vista laptop down the speed of month old constipation, so I had to face the facts and uninstall. Just my luck.
Clive
I have been a Firefox user for longer than I care to remember, however I now use Google Chrome on my non mission critical PC, a Windows & test bed, and it really is the fastest browser I have ever experienced for general use. It will be very interesting to see just how it stacks up 12 months down the track.
Tas G Andy
Two reason why Chrome is fast might be:
1.There is almost no GUI with nice features which need power.
My own experience from useing it..I did'nt feel comfortable with it.
2.It is made of Google which have the greatest influence on all Internet traffic all over the world. Useing this browser is the same as "rideing on the Google wave" If you wana be watched when surfing, ok then Chrome might be a good choise.
My recommendation goes to the browser Flock instead.
I never tried Chrome until just now as I've been happy with FireFox.
Holly mackerel Chrome is really fast and just blows Firefox out of the water.
Whats' the story on the privacy think Gizmo. I need your advice.
There is no doubt that Chrome logs information about your browsing activities. This I dislike.
When I use Firefox with the Google Toolbar extension with PageRank enabled then Goggle collects the same information. I dislike that too.
When I send email I'm aware that many people can read it en-route and suspect some do. I don't like that one bit.
I know my ISP collects vast amounts of data about my surfing habits and would certainly make it available to any government agency or court and maybe others as well. This I find worrying.
When I go shopping my movements are traced by security cameras from the moment I leave my car until the time I return. This I truly hate.
When I pay at the supermarket by check I have to write my drivers' license number, phone and home address on the back of the check. This I detest.
When I travel internationally I get scanned, sniffed, photographed, fingerprinted, iris scanned and worse. This I loathe.
I'm a big believer in privacy but I'm also a realist and know that my privacy is already invaded big time.
In this context I don't worry too much about the information that Google collects on me as it's small beer. Sure I don't like it but in the overall scheme of things it's not a big deal. I'd rather put my energy into stopping the guys at the airport fingerprinting me. It's all a question of perspective.
However I'm fully aware that there others who feel much more strongly about this than I do. I respect their views. In the last analysis all we citizens are on the same side in this matter.
Gizmo
Gizmo's comment should be given more prominence. At times, I get the feeling that some people who are only aware of Google's activities (and not of the others) may suffer from the delusion/illusion (MC, help!) that avoidance of anything Google is sufficient.
The other point I'd like to make is that in an effort to obtain privacy on the internet, one may compromise one's security. For example, a surfer may choose to use a Chromium derivative that *claims* to have all the plus points of Chrome and none of the negatives. The clone may also have a multiplicity of added features. This implies that the surfer is willing to use another browser purely on claims without knowing how else it has been modified (with a theoretical chance that both security and privacy maybe reduced relative to Chrome).
In short, can there be a downside on taking the "privacy" route? This will not apply to knowledgeable people, but a whole bunch of average users may get swept up in the anti-privacy mood of the time and end up worse off than if they stuck to a mainstream browser.
The world feeds on paranoia though, and mostly it's politicians are experts at manipulating it :)
I guarantee that 90% of everyone posting about security concerns has never read a privacy policy statement or program help file in their lives and yet they are "worried". The two don't add up. The fact is that most commercially driven enterprises will use at least some unsavory practices if only we knew what they were. I was an ardent MS hater for years until I reached a point when I`d seen so much other stuff going on around the world that what they were up to suddenly seemed pretty inconsequential. I guess Google are the same, or at least no different :D
I still try to point out issues which I believe may be of concern in general terms, then it's up to those reading them as to how much relevance they attach. I guess in real terms what a browser might do itself is potentially far less damaging than where you might choose to go with it.
But the great difference, Google earns money.
I would add to your list:
- the military sattelites from other countries;
- "Carnivore" and "Echelon" surveillance systems;
- the local spies (foreign residents);
- your neighbours;
- the Police, FBI, NSA and other agencies' "informers";
- your mother-in-law (if you have one, alive);
- and, why not?, the aliens.
Oooh, how I despise them, too. The "funniest" part is that
we, as tax payers, we are paying most of the mentioned guys,
only to spy us...
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