They will also warn you a few browser restarts later that the extension may be malicious and disable it for you. I know this, because I used to make my own extensions, distribute them as .crx files, and people would use them. Now they keep getting disabled. The only way around it is to list them on the chrome store. You can have an unlisted entry on the chrome store which is free, but they will remain in control of your private keys and update process. And of course they will know that the extension exists and who uses it.
The only way around this, apparently, is to install the developer edition of Chrome, which means being plagued with bugs and possible security risks. Splendid.
It's still pretty tied to Google; the routine reminders to "sign in with your Google account!" are one aspect of that.
That said, it's still pretty open as well, and being FOSS, it's certainly doable for there to be a fork (if there isn't one already) that strips out everything Google-related.
No, I'm thinking of Chromium. I use Chromium rather regularly. Last I checked, the various prompts for me to log in with my Google account when starting up a fresh install of Chromium aren't my hallucinations.
The only way around this, apparently, is to install the developer edition of Chrome, which means being plagued with bugs and possible security risks. Splendid.
https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/2811969