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Impact of Google’s mistake with Chrome
September 11th, 2008You guys are all aware of the mistake Google made with their license agreement for Chrome. Everybody blogged about it and I’m no exception, I also wrote an article last week about it. So, it was a big mistake and kind of a stupid one for a big company such as Google. Some might argue it was done on purpose just for the thing to go viral, but I’m not sure Google would do such a thing. We all agree that from the legal team, just doing a plain copy paste from the traditional license agreement template was really dumb, but everybody still downloaded Chrome without asking too much questions, so I guess it didn’t turn out to be a big mistake for end users in the end. The real problem is with corporations and It’s a mistake that will take time to fix.
Google Chrome banned
I work for a quite big consulting/software company (7,000+ employees) and we are strictly forbidden to download and install Google Chrome on our computers to protect the company’s intellectual property. I know, Google isn’t claiming rights to what you do with Chrome, they fixed the EULA, so why ban the browser? Well, the day Chrome was released, you can imagine that in a software consulting company everybody went totally mad and downloaded the new browser from Google just to test it. Somebody noticed the quite disturbing EULA mentioning Google was getting the rights to almost anything done with the browser and forwarded this to the legal department. Of course, it’s a big problem for a company when you transfer confidential and copyrighted material over a browser that automatically gets the copyrights. The legal department answered within a couple of minutes and of course they advised not to install the browser to protect the company’s intellectual property. We then received a confirmation from higher management not to install Google Chrome.
Businesses are important
You see how easy companies are on the trigger. Even if Google changed the license agreement, we didn’t receive anything mentioning it was OK to install Google Chrome from now on. The company simply don’t care: the browser was a threat, that threat is eliminated, now let’s move on. It will take some time before things get fixed and we are allowed to download the browser. Now, why is it such a big mistake? Where Microsoft succeeded and where Firefox failed is in the business market. Almost every business use Internet Explorer as the standard and every intranet/company portal/web application within these businesses has to be compatible with Internet Explorer for that reason. Firefox is extremely popular with end users/computer geeks, but failed to establish itself as a business browser and this is a problem. For a browser to completely dominate the market, it has to be popular with end users and also with companies. A lot of users use Internet Explorer at home because that’s what they use at work, it’s as simple as that. This is one thing I noticed, I like to test new software and download new stuff, but for most users it’s a pain!
So that’s it, I’m pretty sure Google Chrome is forbidden in a lot of businesses because of that first day license agreement. This is kind of bad and will take some time to fix. Google Chrome had an OK start with techies, but already has a bad reputation within businesses and that might turn out to be a problem in the future.
15 Responses to “Impact of Google’s mistake with Chrome”
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Legal or not… It’s insane to install at work network application that is version 0.2.
That’s what I hate about Google and Beta versions. Google made people think that beta is ok. They are keeping gmail in beta for years. Same with other products (and companies). People started ignoring that. Some software portals hungry for attention even highlight beta versions of software as releases.
Beta means – don’t touch unless looking for trouble.
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is that greed? a hunger for power over the internet? so how about the rights and privacy of the little entrepreneurs of internet marketing.
sigh*. I just can’t understand the monopoly issue over here.
just like me i downloaded it without reading any license agreement of google just like everybody else. too bad.
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maybe it was another attempt to conquer the world by Google and it failed… LOL!
Good post Ben! Looks like I’ve been missing out a bit over here, sorry bout that, I’ve been slacking on my blog reading! Anyway, I think you have a good point, I didn’t check the EULA I just downloaded it at home to mess around with but I heard the big stink.
I’m sure it will get rectified but until a browser comes bundled with windows, I just don’t see it taking over IE in the business realm. Same with firefox, most companies just go with the status quo, IE comes with windows…so…IE it is. Most programs are compatible with IE by default.
I just don’t see Microsoft allowing any other browser to be packaged with windows. What I can see, is MS using some of the features of firefox/chrome to improve IE and continue to dominate.
And you are correct, I never used IE until at work, and even then, I downloaded firefox. But I’m in IT so I can do that!
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I think the only reason most people use IE is because windows comes with it and people are not aware there are options and the pros and cons.
This is the only reason why IE is so popular IMO. I guess the fact that it has limited modding ability is good for businesses though!
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I am so glad I read this. I was wondering how useful the Chrome would be. I am however still amateur at all this EULA! Thank you for making things more clear!
I have to say that I was so sick of seeing Chrome posts since there were so many the first week, but this one was so different and refreshing that I actually was interested, thanks!
JR
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Yeah this is the same reason windows is more popular than Mac… most of the business world uses the PC format.
Hey Ben , you ve been doing nice posts on the new Google Chorme browser. As long as windows is used as an OS on majority of computers IE will rule.
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@Rarst: Yeah Beta is key to Google. They can release OK software without getting bashed. About installing a beta software in the company…You know, I work in IT so we’re all enthusiast about technology
@jigs: At least they corrected the EULA to be a little less power hungry!
@Shaxx: Yeah maybe! hehe
@Pete: No problems!
@JK: Good to see you back here JK. I too dropped on my blog reading routine, but I’m trying to get back to it! You’re right, as long as IE will come bundled in Windows, IE will dominate. Thanks for commenting JK, I will drop a comment on your blog soon!
@Olly: You’re probably right with the fact that it’s good for business because it’s not really possible to have thousands of costomization for it…Never thought about it but it’s true!
@ZK: Thanks, I appreciate it!
I just wanted to ask the other user of this domain a question, although its not related to post. Have you liked Chrome as a broswer. I don know why but i hated it performance wise, as it gets stuck fr too often for my liking.
I did like Chrome and thought the performance was good for a beta browser.
I had no knowledge about the eula but one thing i must share here that it is not that techi and faster tho it has got some amazing featrs. I have shunned using that as it is no different from the failed ie ff3. Thanks
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I've always said that Chrome is not intended to take away users from Firefox's share. It is more of a rival to Internet Explorer rather than Ff. Hardcored Firefox users are the ones who need plugins and gadgets for their browser in comparison with the IE users who are more of a newbies and people that don't want more from a browser than doing it's prime purpose.
With it's simplicty, Chrome is aiming the latter kind. So it is understandable that many Firefox fans are dissapointed by Chrome. Since IE is integrated in Windows, it will be interesting to see how Google will promote their Chrome for casual users.
I was just notified by a manager that we disallow google chrome. I have to write a specified piece of code to disallow chrom user logging in. Chrom suck!