mikedopp.com

Web Browser Tool Bars are only for Idiots

Something that really bothers me a ton is the use of web browser toolbars. Before internet explorer(exploder)7 and Firefox I could somewhat understand the reasoning for such applications to help you search without going to said search engine.

These little applications are simply evil. Even the windows live, Yahoo and the greatest offender Google. Making general users think these toolbars are great having the search features at your beckon call.

Truth is all toolbars including the famous stumbleupon toolbar are evil (of course for multiple reasons) but what makes these evil is:

-Privacy concerns. (yes bryan google already knows where you live)

-Network slow downs. Toolbars are constantly calling home (pinging home servers to include all types of info about you(see privacy concerns)). If you don’t believe me download WireShark, Network monitor or Fiddler and watch the amount of traffic your Toolbar (BHO(Browser Helper Object)(Fancy name for software)) is sending and receiving.

-Search providers are built in to your address bar area.

I get told constantly(of course this is when I bring up my pet peeve) well I like how I can type in the search info in the search area and it takes me to the (insert search engine) page.

Silly people look at your browser (Chrome, Safari(had to get the other OS’s browsers out of the way first), IE(eww), Firefox and Opera. (There are more and I don’t care)) address bar and on the very right had side there is what your browser would call a search provider area.

You can add Google, Yahoo, Windows Live, even made up ones from your favorite search engines(such as Ebay, Monster and Amazon to name a few) to which you can search anything your heart desires.

Does all that one would expect a search box to do and you don’t have to install anything. Also you don’t have as much network slow downs.

So for the love of my sanity do not install these crappy applications on top of your browser.