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by fullwedgewhale 4078 days ago
I'm sorry, but the switch over cost to setting Bing as your home page instead of Google, or using Firefox which defaults to Yahoo, just isn't that much. It's one thing to have a lock on the desktop market where switching over your desktop software (or 10,000 company desktops) is a significant cost.

For users with IE or Firefox they have specifically set the search engine to Google. That means users are actively seeking out Google. Maybe require all French citizens to switch search engines once a year? Make browser vendors randomize the choice of search engine?

I would imagine that people would still use Google, regardless, even if links to Bing, Duck Duck Go and Yahoo were on the page. I like Duck Duck Go, but every once and awhile I go back to Google because they do a better job.

Things I'm more worried about than Google's search hegemony:

1) The fact that new computers may soon be unable to load unsigned kernels

2) You buy a device, like a console, it is illegal for you to root it.

3) Content is locked out region by region, and VPN users are considered pirates.

4) Governments want to incorporate back doors to encryption - leaving all less secure

3 comments

> 1) The fact that new computers may soon be unable to load unsigned kernels

I am confident in the human race's ability to find an arbitrary code execution vulnerability in all major kernels.

I'm rather more worried by the fact that I'm not confident in the human race's ability to write a major kernel without arbitrary code execution vulnerabilities.

1) Microsoft mandates that PC vendors allow users to disable Secure Boot. In the last rev it's up to the hardware manufacture. Do research before you buy. 2)root is not allowed to be illegal. 3)I've never had this issue but I don't play by the rules. 4)This is two issues a)it will not be less secure it would be the same as having a second key for your front door, or creating a second private key. Just because you have two keys does not mean it's less secure the proof is in the proof (it's math problem). b)government spying/big brother/what have you... I don't know anyone who would like this.
> it would be the same as having a second key

This is a bad analogy (unless you mean to say that this second key would be identical for every door, in which case.. sort of).

A better analogy would be that everyone was forced to install a second entry method to their house that only the government knew how to operate.

The inherent problem with this is that as soon as someone else figures out how to operate it, everything with this entry method installed would be accessible to them until it changes or is fixed.

> 1) Microsoft mandates that PC vendors allow

Not in Windows 10 anymore. And while we're talking, Microsoft has always mandated that Arm vendors disallow it - in other words, mandated a lockdown.

http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/03/window...

4a is demonstrably less secure because you don't control the seconds key
Under the DMCA it's illegal to root your devices: http://www.wired.com/2015/04/dmca-ownership-john-deere/?mbid...
Totally false. The cost isn't in the action of switching the setting. The cost is in overcoming the effects of Google's marketing, and evaluating re-learning the alternative products.
The cost isn't in the action of switching the setting. The cost is in overcoming the effects of _____ marketing, and evaluating re-learning the alternative products.

So any piece of software ever is a monopoly and should be broken up? First, we are talking about a page with a single text box in the middle and a list of blue links which are displayed after you click Submit. Are you serious? My 6 year old can used a search engine.

Also, exactly what marketing are you speaking of? And how does one "overcome the effects of marketing" anyway? Next we should outlaw the use of google as a verb meaning, 'to search'. Oh, wait, I'm sure the French have already done that.

The funniest thing is this isn't even about Advertisers and AdWords but actually organic search. Boggles the mind...