January 2, 2009

Google Offers Browser Security Handbook

Google recently published a Browser Security Handbook and given that they are now in the browser space it is worth a read.

It gives a good overview of how a browser works and then details security issues to be aware of, as well as some good advanced security issues. Perhaps if we were a little more aware of securing our browser we could avoid attracting those malware and other ghosts in the machine that reduce computer speed.

The section on CSS and javascript are worth a read if you have some tech background as it gives insights into how hacks are possible, as well as how Google sees things.

Posted by Frank Watson at 8:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

September 5, 2008

SEW Experts: All That Glitters Is Not Chrome

With the launch of Google's Chrome browser Tuesday, the Google machine moves into another territory. In today's SEM Crossfire column, "All That Glitters Is Not Chrome," Frank Watson and Kevin Newcomb ask if Chrome will grab a decent amount of market share and reignite the browser wars? Does Google even want it to?

» Full story

Posted by Kevin Newcomb at 12:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

September 1, 2008

Google Chrome: Google Open Source Browser

Philipp Lenssen over at Blogscoped has a detailed article about Google's browser project including a link to a great cartoon. Apparently the rumors were true and the former Mozilla employees have been busy.

Posted by Frank Watson at 4:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

July 16, 2007

Google Sets Expiration on Cookies

Google announced today on its blog that it will expire cookies for visitors who have been more than 2 years from their last search. Instead of the permanent expiration date of 2038, they will now auto expire after 2 years of non-usage.

Posted by Frank Watson at 4:14 PM | Permalink

November 3, 2006

Google Loading Cookie When Using Firefox RSS Display

Nathan Weinberg covers a report from LegRoom.net that shows Google is loading a cookie on your browser that won't expire until 2038 when you access RSS feeds via the Firefox 2.0 RSS display. The real issue here, as I understand it and as LegRoom suggests, is that Google's favorite icon is loading a cookie on your browser. Since Firefox 2.0 is using the favorite icon in the RSS display, the cookie is automatically being added to your computer. Firefox is also calling the other RSS readers for their favorite icon, but I believe those favorite icons do not set a cookie on the computer. So why is Google setting a cookie for their favorite icon?

Posted by Barry Schwartz at 9:08 AM | Permalink

June 8, 2006

Google Browser Sync For Firefox

Google announced a new Firefox plugin named Google Browser Sync. The Firefox extension allows you to "synchronizes your browser settings – including bookmarks, history, persistent cookies, and saved passwords – across your computers. It also allows you to restore open tabs and windows across different machines and browser sessions." I have a more detailed write up and walk through of the extension at the Search Engine Roundtable.

Posted by Barry Schwartz at 8:52 AM | Permalink

May 31, 2006

Google Anti-Phishing Will Be Part Of Firefox 2.0

As rumored, Google is to power the anti-phishing capabilities in Firefox 2.0. Firefox 2.0 Bakes in Anti-Phish Antidote from InternetNews.com has more details.

While Microsoft makes the dominant Internet Explorer 7 which will be bundled with Vista, Google has strong ties to the upstart Firefox browser, employing key developers and supporting Firefox with a search affiliate deal worth millions of dollars. Both browsers will have state of the art anti-phishing capability, protecting users from online scams that steal identities among other crimes.

Firefox has approximately 20% of the browser market share and appears to consistently gain ground against Internet Explorer. This may be because influential technically-minded people favor Firefox and promote its use.

By employing key developers and supplying technology support, since Mozilla Corporation is snug tight with Google, perhaps Google should simply purchase Mozilla with its war chest if and when a tipping point were to occur, and abandon any plans to ever produce their own browser client.

Posted by Detlev Johnson at 7:53 AM | Permalink

May 12, 2006

Microsoft Fires Back at Google Over IE7 Complaint

News.com reports that Steve Ballmer, Microsoft's CEO, feels Google is asking for special treatment with the whole controversy on IE7 defaulting the search to MSN Search. Ballmer explains that if you configured IE to use Yahoo search, then when you upgrade to IE7, Yahoo will remain as the default. Only when you get a new computer, will the default search be MSN Search. Also, if you want to change that, the first option in the list is Ask.com, since the search engines are sorted alphabetically. More food for thought off Danny's last comment on this.

Posted by Barry Schwartz at 9:34 AM | Permalink

May 2, 2006

Google Worried About Microsoft's Browser Advantage? What Advantage?

I was off yesterday (it was a holiday in England), so I merrily missed the fireworks over Google's objections to Microsoft's plans for search in Internet Explorer 7. Nevertheless, a few calls from reporters penetrated my holiday bubble, and I added a brief note with my thoughts below Barry's post about the news. But today, I wanted to more formally revisit the issue. In short, I find Google's concerns pretty overblown, somewhat hypocritical and most important, worry over something that's not likely going to hurt them.

I am nauseatingly exhausted by idea that Microsoft will conjure up some magical method of yanking people into its MSN Windows Live Whatever You Want To Call It search service via the Windows operating system or the Internet Explorer browser. Microsoft has failed for years to be successful in this, which is why it's amazing anyone would still believe it.

In the longer version of this post for Search Engine Watch members, I revisit the tired facts in more depth:

• How search has been integrated into Windows and Internet Explorer since 1996 but failed to help Microsoft.  
• How even when MSN Search was made the default choice by 2001, Google still rose in traffic share.  
• How putting the search box into the "chrome" of the browser doesn't necessarily mean Microsoft will have a major win this time.  
• How search via toolbars still remain the minority of the way searches happen.

Meanwhile, skip past the business aspects. What about the consumer issue of choice? The New York Times writes of Google's preferred solution:

The best way to handle the search box, Google asserts, would be to give users a choice when they first start up Internet Explorer 7. It says that could be done by asking the user to either type in the name of their favorite search engine or choose from a handful of the most popular services, using a simple drop-down menu next to the search box. The Firefox and Opera browsers come with Google set as the default, but Ms. Mayer said Google would support unfettered choice on those as well.

Sure, I can get behind the "give people a choice from the beginning" idea. But if Google wants Microsoft to do that, then Google should make it happen right now in Firefox, which pretty much is Google's surrogate browser. If this is the best way for a browser to behave, then Google should be putting its weight on Firefox to make it happen. And Google should also ensure it does the same with Dell, where it has a partnership that I believe makes it the default search engine on new Dell computers.

It would be much easier to back Google's suggestions for IE7 if it was already doing this with its own partnerships. That's especially so given this latest article comes two months after the Wall Street Journal gave big play to Google's concerns with IE7. Back in February, the Journal wrote:

In December, for these and other reasons, Google refused to sign an agreement with Microsoft relating to the new browser's search capabilities. Microsoft left Google off the list of alternative search services. A month later, Microsoft notified Google it would be included on the list with or without a signed agreement, according to people familiar with the matter. Microsoft says after a review of its legal position, it realized it could include Google without a formal pact.

So Google's been concerned about choice for months. Nevertheless, it has failed to make any changes in Firefox, as I wrote after reviewing the Wall Street Journal article:

It's an odd argument, given that Google has not demanded that Firefox make consumers do similar choices in that browser. A partnership deal makes Google the default in Firefox, except for Asian-language versions where Yahoo cut its own deals.

In the end, I find it almost amazing that Google feels it needs to drop hints to the US Justice Department and the EU that it perhaps needs protection. In the search space, it's Google that remains the major player that many people feel may need to have a counter to. A list of the most popular search engines? Since those are largely US-dominated companies, I suspect the EU would want to change the playing field not to stop Microsoft but to hinder both Google and Microsoft. Is that a box Google really wants to open?

Finally, some second-day stories, that I've reviewed after writing the article above:

• Google supports choice...except on FireFox and Opera from Microsoft's Don Dodge raising the same issue I covered above, that Google has hardly demonstrated a support of choice in the way it demands of Microsoft.  
• Google's Double Standard from Yahoo's Jeremy Zawodny, again looking at Google's failure to support choice.  
• Google cries foul, but for what? from Ed Bott provides nice screenshots on how changing providers in IE7 is about the same as changing in Firefox with one exception - MSN Search is NOT an option in Firefox while Google IS an option in IE7. How about Google putting some pressure on Firefox to let Microsoft in the door. It is one of the web's major search engines. It ought to be on that list.  
• Google and choice from Nick Carr has the interesting suggestion that if Google's for choice, shouldn't the Google home page -- which gets far more users than any browser toolbar -- let users make a search choice? The idea gave me a chuckle, but I wouldn't agree. If you go to Google, you wanted Google. I don't buy into the idea you went there because you thought Google was just a synonym for search.  
• Microsoft and Google Set to Wage Arms Race from the New York Times follows on yesterday's article to look at the idea that in the war between Google and Microsoft (and Yahoo, but they don't get a mention), Google's hardly a scrappy underdog. In fact, it has people worried about it perhaps being a monopoly or too powerful. That's something that's been going on since 2002, as my Google: Can The Marcia Brady Of Search Stay Sweet? article from back then covers in more depth.

Want to comment or discuss? Visit our Search Engine Watch Forums thread, Google Objects To Microsoft's IE7 Search Default Plans.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 9:09 AM | Permalink

May 1, 2006

Microsoft's IE 7 Serve Unfair Advantage Over Google & Yahoo?

Everyone is pointing to a NY Times article that claims Google is complaining to the Justice Department and the European Commission about Microsoft's new Internet Explorer 7. IE7 has set the default browser search engine to MSN Search, Google feels this puts Microsoft at an unfair advantage. Marissa Mayer is quoted as saying; "The market favors open choice for search, and companies should compete for users based on the quality of their search services." She adds, "We don't think it's right for Microsoft to just set the default to MSN. We believe users should choose." Microsoft replied to this saying that Google is correct, IE7 sets MSN Search as the default, but changing that setting is incredibly easy and can be done at any time.

The article also says "Microsoft insists it has no intention of deploying its browser as a weapon in the search wars." I have always thought Microsoft would use its browser as an asset in wining the search war. I even claimed that relevancy wouldn't play a part in which search engine gains the most market share in the future. Let me be clear, Danny Sullivan disagrees with me on this point. And this weekend, recent information showed that Danny may be right and I may be wrong. But if Google is that worried about IE7 and Microsoft, than maybe I will be right? Time will tell and I hope Danny follows up on this entry with his own thoughts.

Postscript From Danny: Just briefly, I've written before (and here and here) that despite having a browser tie-in for years, Microsoft has failed to maintain search marketshare. IE7 and Vista, in my view, will hardly be the killer tool in beating Google and Yahoo for Microsoft.

In some related articles, see Google Testing Software Distribution With Dell, Plus Details On IE7 Search Battle, which summarizes a Wall Street Journal article earlier this year on the ongoing fight/issues with search and Internet Explorer. The article itself is here: Pressuring Microsoft, PC Makers Team Up With Its Software Rivals. Also see Google-MSN Fight In Internet Explorer 7; Yahoo Pokes At Google In Firefox.

Postscript 2 From Danny: I've now posted some extended comments here: Google Worried About Microsoft's Browser Advantage? What Advantage?

Want to comment or discuss? Visit our Search Engine Watch Forums thread, Google Objects To Microsoft's IE7 Search Default Plans.

Posted by Barry Schwartz at 9:29 AM | Permalink

February 8, 2006

Google Testing Software Distribution With Dell, Plus Details On IE7 Search Battle

We covered last month that Google was providing personal home pages for Dell. Dell testing preinstalled Google software package from Reuters now looks at how Google is working with Dell to put Google's desktop search and toolbar on Dell computers. It's said to be a test distribution, at the moment. Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal looks at that and more about the search battle shaping up within IE7.

John Battelle points to Pressuring Microsoft, PC Makers Team Up With Its Software Rivals (paid sub. required) from the Wall Street Journal, which sparked the Reuters story about Google and Dell. The WSJ article covers how Google might pay Dell fees approaching $1 billion over three years for distribution.

The story goes deeper into concerns by Yahoo and Google that the new search toolbar in Internet Explorer 7 might hurt them, since MSN would be the default. Sure, it might. Then again, MSN Search has been the default in IE since at least IE3, if I recall. Despite this, non-Microsoft search engines haven't just survived, they've thrived. Yes, IE7 sports an actual search box this time, but I still think we'll see users change this off the default setting in various ways.

There's lots of detail on Google wanting Microsoft to ask consumers to make a conscious choice about search providers, rather than IE7 automatically using their choice in IE6 (which is probably MSN Search, for most people). It's an odd argument, given that Google has not demanded that Firefox make consumers do similar choices in that browser. A partnership deal makes Google the default in Firefox, except for Asian-language versions where Yahoo cut its own deals.

Chris Sherman is planning our own look at some of these issues in the near future. I'd love to see some universal agreement about how ALL browsers should handle choices of search providers, in terms of how defaults are set and can be changed. What I fear is another round of stealth default changes, where each of the players constantly try to switch you around.

Google and Yahoo encourage you to choose them as a default search provider through their software apps. I don't mind, because I can see they are clearly asking me when this happens. Both also try to encourage you to change in other ways, as you can see here and here. Again, I don't mind, because you can understand what's going on. But a few years ago, other players would just make the changes, leaving users puzzled about why all their searches mysteriously started going through some new search engine. We don't need that again.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 8:39 AM | Permalink

January 24, 2006

Google Not Installing Third Party Cookies -- It's Firefox Prefetching

John Battelle spotted a post from Chris Marino at Tumbling Duke that has the worrisome suggestion that Google is allowing third parties to set cookies based on searches people do. But I dropped an IM to Dave Naylor, who immediately spotted this being due to Firefox prefetching.

If you use Firefox, Google will automatically preload the pages showing in the top search results. They made this change back in March. As they warned back then:

With prefetching enabled, you may end up with cookies and web pages in your web browser's cache from web sites that you did not click on since prefetching happens automatically when you view Google search results pages. You can delete these files by clearing your browser's cache and cookies.

So in Chris's case, he writes about how he searched for cars, Amazon and Walmart and got cookies from Cars.com, Amazon.com and Walmart. He assumed this is all related to AdWords in some way.

AdWords isn't the issue. It's because for a search on cars, Cars.com was the first site listed and so that page was preloaded -- and that meant a cookie from Cars.com came with it. It's the same situation was true for Amazon and Walmart. in searches on their names.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 12:40 PM | Permalink

January 13, 2006

Google-MSN Fight In Internet Explorer 7; Yahoo Pokes At Google In Firefox

Nacho points out in What? No Google on Vista? Google Strikes Back on IE 7! at Search Engine Roundtable a screenshot showing how Google is not among the recommended search engines on a guide for those wanting to customize IE7. OK, the page is under construction, but it's hard to believe it's an oversight. Below this, he's got a screenshot showing how Google is prompting in IE7 for users to make it the default search engine. I seem to recall seeing something similar like this from Yahoo, but I can't track that down. It's all kind of an aside to me. I'm not leaving Firefox!

Postscript: Just remembered the Yahoo thing. It's how they try to promote you searching from Yahoo rather than Google in Firefox's built-in toolbar:

Click To Enlarge Screenshot

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 9:22 AM | Permalink

December 29, 2005

Google Will Be Default Search Engine on Opera's Mobile Browsers

Dirson reports that Opera (the browser company) Google will be the default search tool on all of Opera's mobile browsers including the new Opera Mini set for release next month. The TechWeb article: Google To Supply Search For Opera's Mobile Browsers, has more.

From the article:

[Opera CEO Christian] Jebsen said users of Opera Mini can still use the more established way of accessing a search engine, simply by calling up book-marked search engines. He noted that Opera is comfortable with Google as a partner because it has had a good working relationship with the search colossus for several years.

I can't say this comes as a surprise. As Jebsen notes Google and Opera have worked together for several years. Until earlier this year when the Opera browser became available at no charge (sans ads), Google paid listings were visible on the free version of the Opera. Also, Google is included as a search option with the desktop version of Opera.

In fact...

As Om points out in this interesting post, it was Google that helped Opera become a free tool. He writes:

...I found out that the decision to give away the browser came after the company struck ?compensation deals? with some of the search engines. Apparently, the premier tenant for browser?s built-in search window, is Google. ?The current most important deal now is with Google,? company spokesperson Eskil Siversten wrote in an email. The company indicated that it has similar referral-for-dollars agreements with the likes of eBay and Amazon.

In recent weeks, speculation about a possible acquisition by either Google or Microsoft have been making the rounds. Opera has said that all rumors about an acquisition by any company are not true.

Posted by Gary Price at 4:51 PM | Permalink

December 14, 2005

Rumor Mill: Acquisition Time? Is Google Going To The Opera (Browser)?

I'm not one for spreading rumors but sometimes...? Feel like a hot one? OK, we've got one or should I say Dirson has one. What is it? Google is going to acquire Opera. That's right, the wonderful and powerful Opera browser from Norway (Opera Software ASA to be precise) might become Google's latest acquisition.

In addition to offering a traditional web browser, Opera also plays very hard in the mobile browser space. Might the acquisition be Google's holiday present to itself? I haven't heard anything other than what Dirson reports.

Ok, now to the source of what's going to be getting lots of blogosphere buzz in the coming hours. Dirson's New Google Blog links to a French language blog by Pierre Chappaz (former president of Yahoo! Europe), says that the acquisition is going down but to use the terms given in Google's mechanical translation of the post, this info needs to be "taken with precaution." That's one of the things that make it a rumor. If you don't read French and want it translated (CAVEAT EMPTOR) here's a mechanical translation from Google and from other sources.

I've asked Google for a comment and will post if/when one is received.

The Opera browser, once fee-based, if you wanted banner ads powered by Google removed, became totally free with no banner ads in September. You can still purchase premium support.

Talk about Google and a Google browser (aka GBrowser) goes back a long time. In recent months Google has not only recruited several key people from the Mozilla Foundation (the Firefox people) but is still looking for more Firefox engineeers. Also, Danny's post: Googlebar For Firefox, Plus The Google & Firefox Deal, reports on a "business relationship alongside Firefox."

Though she [Google's Marissa Mayer] didn't reveal specific terms, she said it encompassed a variety of things, such as hosting the Firefox start up page (which will increasingly grow in traffic and bandwidth demands) plus distribution gains for Google by being a favorite in the browser.

So, needless to say Google and Firfox/Mozilla Foundation are very close.

Speculation: As I mentioned earlier, Opera is a key browser in the mobile space so that might be an excellent reason for an acquisition plus it takes it off the market and keeps it from another company (take your pick, nane your reason) from acquiring what in my opinion is a wonderful and constantly improving tool. You've got to wonder if Opera's removal of Google ads, making the product free, and an acquisition by Google are all related? According to Om Malik, it was Google that helped to make Opera free. Huh?

Om writes in a September post: I found out that the decision to give away the browser came after the company struck ?compensation deals? with some of the search engines. Apparently, the premier tenant for browser?s built-in search window, is Google. ?The current most important deal now is with Google,? company spokesperson Eskil Siversten wrote in an email. The company indicated that it has similar referral-for-dollars agreements with the likes of eBay and Amazon.

Last February, Google Maps became usable on the Opera browser.

I use Opera all the time (I even paid for it) and will admit to being a bit sentimental about it. Why? The first article I ever had published was a review of Opera in Online Magazine back in 1998. It was titled, The Little Browser that Can."

Stay tuned.

Postscript: Google said it had no comment on the "rumors and speculation" about Opera.

Postscript 2 (Thursday, December 15th): Reuters is reporting that the CFO of Opera says his company is NOT in talks with Google (or any other company) about an acquisition.

Christian Jebsen, Opera's Chief Financial Officer told Reuters, "We have heard the rumours but know nothing more about this."

Posted by Gary Price at 4:01 PM | Permalink

September 8, 2005

Mac Mozilla Chief Mike Pinkerton Joins Google Firefox Team

Via Dirson, news that Mike Pinkerton of the Mozilla Mac browser project is jumping over to Google's "Firefox" team. Pinkerton suggests it may mean more Mac love for Google users.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 10:42 AM | Permalink

March 31, 2005

Google Prefetch Will Autoload Some Results

Google released a new feature today for Firefox and Mozilla users that allows them to "prefetch" the first result from a serp into their browser even before clicking the result link. If you're interested in trying this out, it's an easy tweak. You'll find the instructions here.

The Google FAQ also includes this important piece of info:

With prefetching enabled, you may end up with cookies and web pages in your web browser's cache from web sites that you did not click on since prefetching happens automatically when you view Google search results pages. You can delete these files by clearing your browser's cache and cookies.

Webmasters will want to take a look at this info about how prefetch pages will be noted in user logs since a prefetched page doesn't necessarily mean the page is actually viewed.

The News.com article: Google enhances search for Firefox users, has more including comments from a few people about problems that prefetching pages might cause.

Prefetching content is not a new idea. In fact, a couple of months ago Browster, a plug-in that prefectches pages, received lots of buzz and press attention.

Most things that can save the user time are good ideas in my book. The only issue I have with prefetching only the first result is that many times the first result isn't the best result. However, due to the "principal of least effort" users take what they can get quickly (prefetching makes it even faster) without looking at other and possibly better results.

Btw, while we're talking about Google and a new service for Firefox, Philipp reports that yet another Firefox developer is now on the Google payroll.

Want to discuss? Join our forum thread, Google Prefetching for Mozilla Browsers.

Postscript: See also some further discussion with Google comments in this WebmasterWorld thread: Google Enables FireFox Prefetching.

Posted by Gary Price at 6:00 PM | Permalink

March 1, 2005

The Google/Firefox Relationship

Ingrid Marson's ZDNet article: Google keeping the wolf from Firefox' door, offers several details about the Google's relationship with the Mozilla Foundation.

Gervase Markham, a Mozilla staff member, said on Sunday that over the past year the Foundation has hired around 10 people, which would not have been possible without the money that Firefox makes by linking to Google.

"The Google deal has provided a significant stream of income for the Foundation," said Markham, speaking at the FOSSDEM conference in Brussels. "Without that deal the Foundation would not have been in a position to have hired some of the people that it has."

Following an agreement reached last year, Firefox includes Google as the default option for users wanting to search the Web directly, and also has its default start page hosted by Google. Markham didn't reveal full details of the Foundation's deal with Google. The main disadvantage of the deal with Google is that native language versions of Firefox are not permitted to change the default search engine to one that is more useful for searching Web pages in a particular language. "That [the Google deal] is why official localised builds are not allowed to change the search engine," said Markham. "In one way this is a restriction, but the deal has allowed things to happen."

Posted by Gary Price at 3:45 PM | Permalink

January 31, 2005

More Gbrowser Talk

If you want some more discussion of a possible Google web broswer, Eric Hellweg's new Technology Review article, Project Googlefox, offers some analysis of last week's news about two Firefox developers who recently joined Google.

Neither Goodger nor Fisher [the two Firefox engineers] is commenting on their new roles, and Steve Langdon, a spokesperson for the company, has also maintained a relative silence on the specifics.

"I'm not able to share any information on what Ben's going to work on," Langdon says. "Many of Google's products aim to enhance browser products, and we're interested in exploring interaction between browsers and Google's services."

Posted by Gary Price at 8:30 AM | Permalink

January 26, 2005

Another Mozilla Developer Joins Google

If it wasn't there already, Google browser has now been kicked into overdrive.

The other day we blogged (as did may others) that Mozilla's lead engineer, Ben Goodger, was now on the Google payroll. In the last few hours, BetaNews is reporting that another Mozilla engineer is now part of the Google team. New Google employee, Darin Fisher, is is "in charge of cookies and permissions, as well as Mozilla's networking library." Fisher writes on his blog, "Like Ben, I will still be very much involved with the Mozilla project and community."

Posted by Gary Price at 9:19 PM | Permalink

Dvorak: gbrowser by the End of the Year

Let the Google Browser talk begin, again.

In a commentary just posted on Marketwatch.com, John Dvorak talks about Google's plans for the future. He touches on the recent hiring of Mozilla lead engineer, Ben Goodger and goes on to say that Google may have a "more secret project" to build an OS.

Think of the potential advertising revenue you can generate when you own the entire desktop environment...And what's to stop them at the operating system level? What about a Googlebox? An actual machine.

Dvorak concludes the commentary by letting us know that he expects to see a Google web browser gbrowser by the end of 2005.

Posted by Gary Price at 3:51 PM | Permalink

January 24, 2005

Mozilla's Lead Engineer Now Being Paid By Google

Some very interesting news for those of you who like to talk about what Google is up to on the web browser front.

Ben Goodger, the lead engineer for Mozilla Firefox, posts on his blog that his new "source of income" is coming from Google. So, has Google hired Goodger to lead a browser development program? The answer is no. Goodger goes on to say that his work with "Firefox and the Mozilla project will remain largely unchanged" and that he "remain[s] devoted full-time to the advancement of Firefox, the Mozilla platform and web browsing in general." In other words, Google now has what you might call an "inside" interest in Mozilla since it's paying the salary of Mozilla's lead engineer.

Thanks to Google Blogoscoped for the tip.

Posted by Gary Price at 5:04 PM | Permalink

November 10, 2004

Mozilla Not Working With Google

More on the Google Browser story (or lack thereof). Matt Hicks writes in Mozilla: No Google Browser in the Works,

In an interview with eWEEK.com ahead of Tuesday's Firefox launch, Mozilla President Mitchell Baker denied rumors that the Mountain View, Calif., foundation was working with Google on a browser based on Firefox or its Gecko rendering engine.

"The code base is open for companies to do what they wish to do, but we're not working with Google on a special browser," Baker said. "We are not working on a Google browser."

Posted by Gary Price at 12:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

October 26, 2004

Don't Call it a Browser, Call It a Navigator (& Other Google News)

Another day and more Google news. Here's a roundup of three items that came to our attention this morning.

1) Searchblog has an excellent review of the latest Google Browser (GBrowser) talk from Slashdot and Mozillanews.org. On Sunday, we posted a quote from Google CEO Eric Schmidt saying that his company is NOT developing a browser. I believe Dr. Schmidt.

However, I wouldn't bet against Google developing what WE would look at and call a browser but when it's released they'll market and brand it as something other than a browser. Don't just browse the web but navigate the Internet with Google! How about the Google Internet Navigator? (GIN) or just GNavigator. You get the idea.

2) Netcraft reports that Salvatore Aranzulla, an Italian journalist, has found another flaw with the Google Desktop. "The flaw allows attackers to target users of the Google Desktop application and modify the contents of search pages by injecting scripts located on external servers. Such cross site scripting attacks provide attackers with a means of obtaining information under the guise of a reputable domain."

3) A ZDNet UK article: Hackers use Google to defeat anti-spam measures let's us know that a phishing scam that utilizes Google redirects.

Antivirus experts have discovered a phishing email that redirects users three times through Google to a fraudulent registration Web site in order to beat antispam technology.

The email purports to be from Yahoo administrators and attempts to dupe users into signing up for new email accounts with the company. But using a clever combination of Yahoo and their own home-made Web sites, the hackers are claiming the accounts as their own.

Posted by Gary Price at 10:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

October 24, 2004

Google CEO: "We are not building a browser"

In the notes I posted after the Google conference call last week, I mentioned that the company doesn't plan to go the portal route. Of course, the 2004 definition of what a portal is might be different than it was a few years ago, but we can talk about that another time.

In a new Financial Times article: Google rules out becoming net portal, CEO Eric Schmidt again says no portal is in the making and offers up a comment on Google Browser rumors.

>From the article:

In an interview with the Financial Times, Mr Schmidt said Google would not seek to turn its website into a broader internet portal, a move that would take it into more direct competition with Microsoft and Yahoo.

On Google's strategy going forward. Schmidt tells the FT, "It's very possible that Google and Microsoft and Yahoo and others can all do well,” he said. "At this stage, the focus has to be on your customers and your own strategy."

On the many Google or GBrowser rumors: "We are not building a browser," Mr Schmidt said.

Posted by Gary Price at 7:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

October 13, 2004

Google Wants to Enhance Your Browsing Experience

Sergey Brin makes a couple of comments about Google and web browsers.

"There has been much speculation. But our work is focussed on improving the browsing experience," Google co-Founder and President (Technology) Sergey Brin told reporters here...Today's browsers are doing a pretty good job, but they can be improved. What we are looking to do is to enhance the quality of the browsing experience," he said.

Brin's comments appear on the DeepikaGlobal web site in the article: Google working on improving browser tech: Co-founder.

Posted by Gary Price at 8:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

October 6, 2004

Google Board Member Says Browser Not Going to Happen

At the Web 2.0 Conference Google board member John Doerr said that Google is not going to enter the browser space.

"Browsers are going to come back...We'll see a lot of innovation," said Doerr, speaking to a roomful of attendees at the Web 2.0 conference here. He added that as new browsers come onto the market, Google's application protocol interfaces and advertising network will be there to plug into and support them.

Doerr later joked, however, that just because he was on the board of Google didn't necessarily mean he knew what they were doing.

Though reluctant to talk in depth about Google's future or IPO, Doerr gave guidance as to where the company will likely go, including making more information searchable, growing internationally and becoming "the Google who knows you."

More about what Doerr has to say along with continuing Web 2.0 coverage in the News.com article: Investor doesn't see browser in Google's future.

Posted by Gary Price at 8:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

September 21, 2004

Gbrowser.com Sign Of Google Browser To Come?

Does Gbrowser.com, registered by Google back in April, show further signs of a browser from Google to come? Jason Kottke has details: More evidence of a Google browser. Thanks to Google Blogoscope for spotting the post.

This follows on news yesterday about Google hiring several people with browser building experience: Google On Hiring Spree For Nooglers?

Want to comment? We have forum discussion here: How About a Google Web Browser?.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 9:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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