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As much as I like Chrome, the increase in Chrome's share also means more people will be using Google by default.. and their search dominance scares me. Consumer

As much as I like Chrome, the increase in Chrome's share also means more people will be using Google by default.. and their search dominance scares me. Consumer web startups can literally die overnight if Google penalizes them(google "TeachStreet"), or if their Adwords account got banned for some unknown reason.

deleted 15y ago
[deleted]
sad_panda 15y ago
No it doesn't. This is screen that greets new users of Chrome: http://www.google.com/help/hc/images/chrome/chrome_95346_search_engine_en.png http://www.google.com/help/hc/images/chrome/chrome_95346_sea...
strawbucks 15y ago
Isn't Google's dominance in the search engine business pretty well established at this point? Is there a sizable group of people that, upon using Chrome, will be using Google search more often?
TheCoreh 15y ago
When you first install Google Chrome, you're presented with the choice of search engine. I'm pretty sure 99% choose Google not because they are already using Chrome, but because they probably trust or know Google more than Bing or Yahoo. From my experience, IE users will usually either ignore the Bing search field, type "google.com" in and search manually, or change the search provider to Google anyway. I would also speculate that a very large portion of Chrome users has no idea that the address bar is also a search field. They probably type in "google.com" manually every time. If Bing, Yahoo or anyone else provides a more compelling search experience, these users will switch.
- guynamedloren 15y ago
  Random story: I've used Chrome since the day it was publicly released and am fully aware that the address bar does more than just accept urls - in fact, it's called the omnibox for a great reason. But I still type in "google.com" for 99% of my searches (probably 100+ times a day). The reason is that I like the Google homepage. The white space allows me to clear my thoughts without being distracted by whatever would be on my screen otherwise, and the search box is perfectly positioned in the center of my screen. Weird, I know, but I like it.
  - Donito 15y ago
    Interesting, I actually use Bing (or at least go there once a day) mainly to see a new picture every day. It's often high quality nice shots from random places, so I feel like I'm learning about a new place every time... makes me dream :/
    - freehunter 15y ago
      This is one reason I don't mind that the only built-in option for search on Windows Phone is Bing. While I believe I get better results from Google (though that may be bias on my part), when I hit the search button it pops up a nice picture. Many times the picture is relevant to a holiday or special event that occurred on that day, and there are call-outs you can press to see quick facts (today's is about Yamuna River pollution and the Taj Mahal). It's a good example of TheCoreh's point that it's all about providing a more compelling experience. If I was given the option when I first turned on my phone, I likely would have put in Google just out of habit. Today, I probably would not. Probably.
jonknee 15y ago
Perhaps, but that's mostly because people prefer Google. When you install Chrome it pops up asking what search engine you would like to use. What should Google do differently? Microsoft hides the default search provider in the initial setup behind a "choose custom settings" button. http://nyacomputing.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/chrome-setup-page-1.jpg http://nyacomputing.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/chrome-se... vs http://static.arstechnica.com/ie8_search.png http://static.arstechnica.com/ie8_search.png
- cgs1019 15y ago
  Wow. The difference in the two images speak volumes. I may be mistaken but, having happened to install Chrome several times recently, I'm pretty sur that they even randomize the order of the entries so as not to favor any one position. Can anyone confirm/disconfirm?
  - duskwuff 15y ago
    The Google-Yahoo-Bing order appears to be fixed. That being said, the MSIE search provider install process is much more complex.
    - nextparadigms 15y ago
      Some would say the middle choice would be the most obvious to people, if they were to choose without knowing too much about each one of them.
- vibrunazo 15y ago
  Also, I have the impression that a few microsoft products (MSN, live etc) will automatically change other browser's search engine to Bing. My girlfriend told me her "google changed" after installing MSN. But maybe it was something else, as she's doesn't exactly knows what she's doing. Can anyone confirm that?
  - jxi 15y ago
    I believe there is often a check box asking if you want to change you default search engine to Bing, and its checked by default, so yes she might be right.
nextparadigms 15y ago
As if Google search wasn't already used by most people? Google has like 90% market share globally. That was the case even when IE had 70% market share, and maybe even earlier.
ootachi 15y ago
Google can't realistically push more people to use Google by default. Google search is a monopoly. I believe it is fair to state, however, that one of the reasons that Chrome exists is that Google wants Google to be synonymous with the Web in the minds of consumers. When your browser is Google and your search engine is Google, the web to you is Google. This will dovetail quite nicely with all the other places they're trying to expand to once they manage to establish a dominant browser market share.
ttt_ 15y ago
This will only get worse as Google progressively decides to plussify Chrome. Out of all of Google's products, Chrome is the one that worries me the most. Using Chrome means that you just upped Google's reach on you by many fold, they now are running code directly tied to your machine and not within the constraints of a web page or app. Are they invading your device privacy through Chrome? I dunno, probably not yet, but they can, and how long until they decide to? Given their history, specially their recent history, I don't plan on giving them the chance to do so.
- Produce 15y ago
  It's funny how just a few years ago Google could seemingly do no wrong. The more I see of life, the more I agree with Stallman's fundamentalist perspective that all software should be free and open. It would prevent these abuses as anyone could just setup a search engine or web based document editor if they didn't like the way their provider was conducting business.
- onemoreact 15y ago
  The fact that Chrome added incognito window is a good sign, the fact that there is still no flash block is a bad one IMO. Honestly, I think gmail and search are probably more dangerous when it comes to privacy. People can track the information Chrome sends back to Google, but you have no idea what happens once your data is on their servers.
  - Sindisil 15y ago
    You can set Chrome to block all plugins. There's a context menu item to selectively run the plugin, and a white-list, as well. Nice. Still, I've recently switched back to FF as my primary, for other reasons.
    - onemoreact 15y ago
      Cool, thanks!
  - thewordis 15y ago

deleted 15y ago

[deleted]

sad_panda 15y ago

No it doesn't. This is screen that greets new users of Chrome: http://www.google.com/help/hc/images/chrome/chrome_95346_search_engine_en.png http://www.google.com/help/hc/images/chrome/chrome_95346_sea...

strawbucks 15y ago

Isn't Google's dominance in the search engine business pretty well established at this point? Is there a sizable group of people that, upon using Chrome, will be using Google search more often?

TheCoreh 15y ago

When you first install Google Chrome, you're presented with the choice of search engine. I'm pretty sure 99% choose Google not because they are already using Chrome, but because they probably trust or know Google more than Bing or Yahoo. From my experience, IE users will usually either ignore the Bing search field, type "google.com" in and search manually, or change the search provider to Google anyway. I would also speculate that a very large portion of Chrome users has no idea that the address bar is also a search field. They probably type in "google.com" manually every time. If Bing, Yahoo or anyone else provides a more compelling search experience, these users will switch.

guynamedloren 15y ago
Random story: I've used Chrome since the day it was publicly released and am fully aware that the address bar does more than just accept urls - in fact, it's called the omnibox for a great reason. But I still type in "google.com" for 99% of my searches (probably 100+ times a day). The reason is that I like the Google homepage. The white space allows me to clear my thoughts without being distracted by whatever would be on my screen otherwise, and the search box is perfectly positioned in the center of my screen. Weird, I know, but I like it.
- Donito 15y ago
  Interesting, I actually use Bing (or at least go there once a day) mainly to see a new picture every day. It's often high quality nice shots from random places, so I feel like I'm learning about a new place every time... makes me dream :/
  - freehunter 15y ago
    This is one reason I don't mind that the only built-in option for search on Windows Phone is Bing. While I believe I get better results from Google (though that may be bias on my part), when I hit the search button it pops up a nice picture. Many times the picture is relevant to a holiday or special event that occurred on that day, and there are call-outs you can press to see quick facts (today's is about Yamuna River pollution and the Taj Mahal). It's a good example of TheCoreh's point that it's all about providing a more compelling experience. If I was given the option when I first turned on my phone, I likely would have put in Google just out of habit. Today, I probably would not. Probably.

jonknee 15y ago

Perhaps, but that's mostly because people prefer Google. When you install Chrome it pops up asking what search engine you would like to use. What should Google do differently? Microsoft hides the default search provider in the initial setup behind a "choose custom settings" button. http://nyacomputing.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/chrome-setup-page-1.jpg http://nyacomputing.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/chrome-se... vs http://static.arstechnica.com/ie8_search.png http://static.arstechnica.com/ie8_search.png

cgs1019 15y ago
Wow. The difference in the two images speak volumes. I may be mistaken but, having happened to install Chrome several times recently, I'm pretty sur that they even randomize the order of the entries so as not to favor any one position. Can anyone confirm/disconfirm?
- duskwuff 15y ago
  The Google-Yahoo-Bing order appears to be fixed. That being said, the MSIE search provider install process is much more complex.
  - nextparadigms 15y ago
    Some would say the middle choice would be the most obvious to people, if they were to choose without knowing too much about each one of them.
vibrunazo 15y ago
Also, I have the impression that a few microsoft products (MSN, live etc) will automatically change other browser's search engine to Bing. My girlfriend told me her "google changed" after installing MSN. But maybe it was something else, as she's doesn't exactly knows what she's doing. Can anyone confirm that?
- jxi 15y ago
  I believe there is often a check box asking if you want to change you default search engine to Bing, and its checked by default, so yes she might be right.

nextparadigms 15y ago

As if Google search wasn't already used by most people? Google has like 90% market share globally. That was the case even when IE had 70% market share, and maybe even earlier.

ootachi 15y ago

Google can't realistically push more people to use Google by default. Google search is a monopoly. I believe it is fair to state, however, that one of the reasons that Chrome exists is that Google wants Google to be synonymous with the Web in the minds of consumers. When your browser is Google and your search engine is Google, the web to you is Google. This will dovetail quite nicely with all the other places they're trying to expand to once they manage to establish a dominant browser market share.

ttt_ 15y ago

This will only get worse as Google progressively decides to plussify Chrome. Out of all of Google's products, Chrome is the one that worries me the most. Using Chrome means that you just upped Google's reach on you by many fold, they now are running code directly tied to your machine and not within the constraints of a web page or app. Are they invading your device privacy through Chrome? I dunno, probably not yet, but they can, and how long until they decide to? Given their history, specially their recent history, I don't plan on giving them the chance to do so.

Produce 15y ago
It's funny how just a few years ago Google could seemingly do no wrong. The more I see of life, the more I agree with Stallman's fundamentalist perspective that all software should be free and open. It would prevent these abuses as anyone could just setup a search engine or web based document editor if they didn't like the way their provider was conducting business.
onemoreact 15y ago
The fact that Chrome added incognito window is a good sign, the fact that there is still no flash block is a bad one IMO. Honestly, I think gmail and search are probably more dangerous when it comes to privacy. People can track the information Chrome sends back to Google, but you have no idea what happens once your data is on their servers.
- Sindisil 15y ago
  You can set Chrome to block all plugins. There's a context menu item to selectively run the plugin, and a white-list, as well. Nice. Still, I've recently switched back to FF as my primary, for other reasons.
  - onemoreact 15y ago
    Cool, thanks!
- thewordis 15y ago