Dear Googles: Stop asking • Hacker News Board

Re: Dear Googles: Stop asking

#201

Post by eonil » Sun, Nov 17, 2013, 12:37 AM UTC

davidgerard wrote: post #175

Paul_S wrote: post #173

Dear user, stop using google.

A lot of the problem is reneging on previous privacy/data segregation policies. That is an entirely legitimate complaint. There's also the question of to what extent you can opt out in the modern world. Got a mobile phone, pretty much essential to work or life these days? Your life is now beholden to Google or Apple. So yeah, people damn well do have a right to complain, and "just don't use it" is a fatuous thing to…

Google or Apple?

Funny. Do you really think they're same? A company making money by SELLING PRIVACY, and a company making money by SELLING HARDWARE?

A company exists to make money. And all what they do is decided to make money. Which one would really have interest to take your privacy? Apple? That really doesn't help them to make money. They even tried, but failed. They're really suck at making money from privacy, and it degraded reputation of their product.

If you really think Apple is selling your privacy, tell me what's the REASON. How will they make money from it rather than losing their money.

Google? See what's happening now.

Why do some people always want to tie Google with Apple? Which makes money from completely different sources. The money source defines how the company behave. If you really know that fact, you really can't say that stupid tie up.

Your life is beholden by Google, not Apple. Someday maybe Apple does that - which is very unlikely happen, but not now. And the day will come after whole existing privacy sells - such as Google - are dead, so Apple dominate whole the market.

Re: Dear Googles: Stop asking

#202

Post by thaumasiotes » Sun, Nov 17, 2013, 12:49 AM UTC

StavrosK wrote: post #185

ancarda wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've never considered that. That's actually a really good idea, especially as reliability will be higher. My connection rarely drops and I have a static IPv6 too so DNS may be far easier to configure. Edit: An idea to ease transition would be to setup the vacation responder in gmail to remind your contacts about your new address.

You mean if you're using a Gmail address? If you have your own domain, you can just redirect it. Would anyone be interested in me doing a writeup of this? It sounds like maybe it should be put out there.

> Would anyone be interested in me doing a writeup of this?

Yes.

Re: Dear Googles: Stop asking

#203

Post by SonicSoul » Sun, Nov 17, 2013, 12:52 AM UTC

I am really worried about being forced to log into google to use chrome these days.. there is a "skip for now" button. I hate this we-know-whats-best-for you approach..

Re: Dear Googles: Stop asking

#204

Post by StavrosK » Sun, Nov 17, 2013, 12:54 AM UTC

thaumasiotes wrote: post #202

StavrosK wrote: post #185

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You mean if you're using a Gmail address? If you have your own domain, you can just redirect it. Would anyone be interested in me doing a writeup of this? It sounds like maybe it should be put out there.

> Would anyone be interested in me doing a writeup of this? Yes.

Great, setting this up will be my next post, then (for reference, my site is (http://www.stavros.io/, subscribe to my mailing list to be notified of new posts: http://eepurl.com/BbHo5).

Coincidentally, I wrote about the first half of this setup yesterday:

http://www.stavros.io/posts/no-hassle-emails-from-home/

Re: Dear Googles: Stop asking

#205

Post by ams6110 » Sun, Nov 17, 2013, 1:08 AM UTC

SomeCallMeTim wrote: post #97

inopinatus wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Setting aside your hysterical NSA invocation. Once I give Google my phone number, it is yet another (and wholly unnecessary) place where I have to keep my phone number updated. Moreover, in the event that it changes, I have a Google verification problem. So the fact that I don't trust Google not to leak it somehow is by the by, although that is why I also disabled their "web history" tracking service. No, what really…

I just give them my Google Voice number. Then I don't have an "additional number to track." Not that phone numbers need to change any more anyway. With universal portability, unless you move outside of the country, you can keep your phone # with you.

Sometimes you want to change your phone number.

Re: Dear Googles: Stop asking

#206

Post by leephillips » Sun, Nov 17, 2013, 1:27 AM UTC

StavrosK wrote: post #184

leephillips wrote: post #157

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"New/dynamic addresses tend to not be trusted by other mail servers" Running my own mail server for over a decade, and never had a deliverability problem. Of course, you shouldn't try to send from a dynamic IP, but what is a "new" address?

I mean SMTP servers with no reputation. I've been running my own server for years, but I never looked much into it, I am led to believe that the server must have good reputation to avoid spam lists, is that not so?

An IP gets on spam lists if spam is sent out from that IP, or, sometimes, another "nearby" address. You can't get a good reputation, you're just on one or more spam lists, or you're not. Doesn't matter how long you've been around.

Re: Dear Googles: Stop asking

#207

Post by kijiki » Sun, Nov 17, 2013, 1:49 AM UTC

keyme wrote: post #48

Is there a browser plugin or something that can keep google in check? Like separating youtube, gmail and the search into different "sandboxes"? Maybe blocking some of the annoying popups that constantly demand your info? I'm not familiar with such a thing, but it could be kinda nice to have it.

There used to be Moxie's "googlesharing" Firefox extension, but it is totally busted these days.

Re: Dear Googles: Stop asking

#208

Post by hackaflocka » Sun, Nov 17, 2013, 1:57 AM UTC

My wish for Google is different. I want it to keep interfering how I like to consume its services. I want them to keep needling me. And everyone else. This is the surest path to a competitor with a better value proposition.

Re: Dear Googles: Stop asking

#209

Post by johnpowell » Sun, Nov 17, 2013, 3:08 AM UTC

couchand wrote: post #152

idupree wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I use FastMail. They seem competent. (This is a high compliment.)

The interface is simple and clean, their mobile site is lightweight and they seem committed to continued improvements. I'd highly recommend switching to FastMail.

I just did today. I closed my google account in its entirety. I got my mom a fastmail account too. I'm just not sure she will end up using it. She is 70 and pretty savvy for her age and even she sent me a email from her fastmail account that simply said "fuck google". She has been bitching about the Google+ nagging for a few weeks and seems pretty eager to get off the google teat.

Re: Dear Googles: Stop asking

#210

Post by droidist2 » Sun, Nov 17, 2013, 5:03 AM UTC

adventured wrote: post #196

buro9 wrote: post #34

Does Google believe that if they just push a little harder and finish the job, that somehow the people so alienated will be won over? Or is the pursuit of profit far more important than the perception of the brand overall? Right now, and for the last year, the brand is being severely tarnished in all of the networks I have, tech and real-life. I don't see them winning on any front. A Pyrrhic victory.

I've been loyal to Google's products, across the board, for over a decade. They push another inch forward in terms of trying to force me to cross-link products or use something I don't want to, and I'm going to abandon their entire product suite, permanently. I'm just one consumer, but that's how I'm going to vote, with my feet heading out the door. I don't like being abused in exchange for my decade of loyalty. Fort…

Completely agree. Google needs to pay attention, it isn't just some haters complaining about the top dog anymore. The backlash is coming from even long time fanboys.