[PLUG] The Value of Software Diversity / Beware of Google

[Casey Bralla <MailList@nerdworld.org>]

A while ago, after I gave up on Firefox due to their lack of tolerance to 
opposing views, I tested over a dozen browsers before I eventually settled on 
Google Chrome.

Recently, my daughter sent me a link to a youtube video that I wanted to 
download and save on my computer.   I tried to use the download extension that 
I have used many times before to save videos.   However, when I tried to 
download from youtube (which is not normally a source of my videos) I got a 
very interesting pop-up message that said

"Note: Chrome Web Store does not allow extensions that download videos 
directly from YouTube."

I tried another downloading extension and got a similar error message.


Downloading from within Firefox worked fine, however.


So Google is fine about you downloading, but just don't even think about 
downloading from them.  (Kind of like the burglary gang that gets mad when you 
steal from one of their members.)


I learned 2 important lessons from this:
1.  Software diversity is truly a good thing because it greatly expands our 
options and limits any one organization's power over us.
2.  Google is just as bad as any other organization with as much influence as 
they have.


-- 

Casey Bralla

Chief Nerd in Residence
The NerdWorld Organisation
www.NerdWorld.org
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