[josteink]

So how long until AdBlock Plus and uBlock are "bad" extensions?

Enjoy your walled garden. Soon enough the walls will be so high you wont even remember what a free browser felt like.

[narrowrail]

You can manually install extensions, which is how I install mine (e.g. µMatrix). I'd rather not have to use the Chrome store (and I prefer Chromium , as well).

[amyjess]

> You can manually install extensions

Not on Chrome stable. You have to use beta, dev, or a Chromium build for that.

[tim333]

I think you can on regular Chrome. Just tick the 'Developer Mode' box at the top of the extensions page.

[gergles]

I don't think you can on Windows.

[sleazebreeze]

Developer Mode in Chrome is most definitely available on Windows.

[ocdtrekkie]

Well, AdBlock Plus is a bad extension. People who use it should feel like scum. Because they are scum.

That being said, your walled garden notion is accurate. Chrome used "security" as an excuse to lock down the extensions platform to only their Web Store. But it's not any more secure, since there's plenty of malware in the Web Store. It was just an excuse to wall in their product.