Google Web Accelerator

Richard M · 05-05-2005, 07:33

Quote:

Google Web Accelerator is an application that uses the power of Google's global computer network to make web pages load faster. Google Web Accelerator is easy to use; all you have to do is download and install it, and from then on many web pages will automatically load faster than before.

http://webaccelerator.google.com/support.html
__________________

Update:

Just installed - this is quick!

dilli-theclaw · 05-05-2005, 07:36

Well I've just put it on, we shall see

Thanks.

05-05-2005, 08:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by dilligaf1701

Well I've just put it on, we shall see

Thanks.

Same here

zoombini · 05-05-2005, 08:37

OMG, Google is taking over the world.
How long before the Google OS?

Has Google been taking over the internet & slowing down the web pages before releasing this, which will put a nice little advert in the corner (or something) ??

philip.j.fry · 05-05-2005, 09:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by zoombini

OMG, Google is taking over the world.

Quite probably, they're looking like being the new Microsoft. Again, although they have excellent products and services, dominination by one company/way of doing things is always going to be a bad thing. Basically, this means that all your page requests are going to be run through Google, I can imagine the field day that all the marketing execs are going to have with all that usage data.

Can anyone suggest another search engine? (or perhaps I should start my own server farm

)

Bifta · 05-05-2005, 09:14

I'm not keen on this, it's used up nearly 60 meg of space for it's cache and I've only been to a couple of site, obviously if I clear it's cache then I won't be saving any time at all. </uninstall>

Millay · 05-05-2005, 09:24

Broadband is fast enough in my eyes, Id prefer to keep my browsing habbits to myself rather than let some company know my surfing habbits...

Tear up your tesco clubcard and do not install google web accelerator, life will be so much nicer..

Derek · 05-05-2005, 09:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Millay

Broadband is fast enough in my eyes, Id prefer to keep my browsing habbits to myself rather than let some company know my surfing habbits...

Like Ntl you mean?

Richard M · 05-05-2005, 09:51

I just noticed from using this in work that it's much faster if you have a faster than 1MB connection.
At home I was getting 1-3 seconds saved and at work I'm seeing 9 seconds.

Stuart · 05-05-2005, 10:18

Ahh, a proxy offering compression...

Where have I seen that idea before? Ahh yes..

Opera's Mobile Accelerator (which has been operating on a subscription model for nearly a year)..

Admittedly, the Google one is free, and probably good, but it's certainly not a new idea.

TheBlueRaja · 05-05-2005, 10:59

Ah the small print --- from google's privacy policy.

Quote:

Google collects limited non-personally identifying information your browser makes available whenever you visit a website. This log information includes your Internet Protocol address, browser type, browser language, the date and time of your query and one or more cookies that may uniquely identify your browser.

The problem is that this information, when correlated with information from web sites you're using such as user names, passwords, etc. (all of which would be routed through their proxy and caches except for https information which goes through the proxy but not the caches), can tell them, or anyone else who has access, exactly who you are, where you surf and what you do.

**Chris** · 05-05-2005, 11:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBlueRaja

Ah the small print --- from google's privacy policy.

The problem is that this information, when correlated with information from web sites you're using such as user names, passwords, etc. (all of which would be routed through their proxy and caches except for https information which goes through the proxy but not the caches), can tell them, or anyone else who has access, exactly who you are, where you surf and what you do.

Seems consistent with the way Google likes to make its money - by helping advertisers to target their messages more effectively. What's the betting this accellerator eventually starts feeding 'relevant commercial messages' into the web pages you view ...

I have no objection to the ads in their search results, heck I don't even mind them stringing ads down the side of my gmail messages, but I don't want them compiling a dossier on me, or potentially altering third-party information I wish to view on line, in pursuit of their profits.

zoombini · 05-05-2005, 12:38

Hmm, would my profle have a tick mark next to "Surfs porn a lot" ???

**Chris** · 05-05-2005, 12:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by zoombini

Hmm, would my profle have a tick mark next to "Surfs porn a lot" ???

Only if you surf p0rn a lot ...

Actually I'd be more worried if you started finding a string of Google ads down the right of your browser window offering you Swedish pen1s enlargers and the like.

Stuart · 05-05-2005, 12:53

The only ads I seem to see from google are ads from eBay offering to sell me dodgy NTL boxes..

Wouldn't it be funny if I looked at the NTL home page, and Web Accelerator had placed these ads within the page?