Google's Chrome Web Browser

First, let's be very clear. Google's new web browser "Chrome," which you can download via the link Google's main search page at www.google.com — is a Beta version — an unfinished version that is being released to the public so they can help find the bugs before the official release.

Tech Tip
A beta version of software is an unfinished version of software that is released to a large group of testers (sometimes the public) for testing, in order to help identify any bugs that still exist.
Chrome is not finished. It is not bug free. It is not free from security problems. The whole purpose of a beta release is to get more people trying to use it in order to find the bugs. Use it at your own risk.

If you are considering trying Chrome, or even starting to regularly use Chrome, I strongly urge you to carefully read the Google Chrome Terms of Service, which you have to accept in order to download the Chrome Beta. First, Google appears to have taken the terms of their services like Gmail and applied them to a software product, with very little modification. They continually refer to Chrome as a "Service" not a software product.

Think about the implications of a paragraph like 4.4:

4.4 You acknowledge and agree that if Google disables access to your account, you may be prevented from accessing the Services, your account details or any files or other content which is contained in your account.
Why do I need an account that could disable my use of the web browser? Does this mean that Google is tracking everything I do in the web browser?

How about these?

6.2 Accordingly, you agree that you will be solely responsible to Google for all activities that occur under your account.

6.3 If you become aware of any unauthorized use of your password or of your account, you agree to notify Google immediately at http://www.google.com/support/accounts/bin/answer.py?answer=48601.
Again, why do I even WANT to have my activities in a web browser considered to be the use of a Service and tied to an account? What is Google planning? The scope of these paragraphs is far, far beyond a simple web browser.

I'm guessing that Google plans to route all requests for web pages through their proxy servers, rather than letting us go directly to web sites for our activities. If so, that means that both the inbound pages to your computer and any outbound data, such as information you fill into forms, will go through Google's servers and may be retained by Google. Perhaps Google's privacy policy prohibits this, perhaps it doesn't. I would rather the information not be in their hands than to count on their privacy policy preventing authorized or unauthorized access to that data.

By the way, Google is being very tacky in their choice of names for their web browser. The generic term for the design, the look, of a web browser is "chrome." Are they taking a lesson from Microsoft and its choice of product names?

The Bottom Line: I'm waiting before I try Chrome in any of its versions. I'm certainly not trying this Beta version. And, I don't like the Google Chrome Terms of Service as applied to their web browser.