Naked Online
Skip | 26 January, 2005 09:55
Yes, today I feel naked here being online.....
Last night, I uninstalled the Google Toolbar in my Internet Explorer and removed the Toolbar extension in Firefox, which is my preferred browser now.
I feel naked.
I'm used to peeking at the PR of just about every page I ever visit. It's odd how that habit started several years ago when Google introduced it's toolbar. But the addiction and habit was just as strong and prominent as an alcoholic may have. Well, not quite, but for those of us who spend time optimizing our websites to get higher rankings, the toolbar, or rather, the PageRank indicator was a very useful tool - once upon a time.
However, I got hooked. Like many, I became dependent on it for evaluating everything from link partners to keeping track of how my sites and pages were doing "in Google's eyes".
I've had it. I'm sick and tired of it.
So I uninstalled it.
Moreover, I personally have a sneaking belief that somehow G ties in activity from the toolbar into the URL's you visit, the websites you administer, the backlinks you check and much much more. If you ever read the TOS for the toolbar, and had the advanced functions turned on, you would see that you gave G the right and specific permission to collect all that data on you.
As with their Adsense program, they get everything and you get squat.
So you're giving up all types of fabulous data by using the TB. No longer for this fella.
I don't need it. They need me more than I need them.
If more webmasters and users of the TB took the same position, we could take back some of that "power", and perhaps make companies like G buy the privilege to use our personal data. After all, if my surfing habits are so valuable, they should pay for them in today's market. This isn't October 2001 any longer. G went public and has money now.
So why else did I take this bold step?
Because I've found several free websites where I can check PR without having my personal information disclosed or my website traveling habits recorded and matched up against sites I may manage, update, revise etc.
In the days to come, I'll highlight a few of these free tools that give you the almighty PR if and when you need it.
For now, it feels rather unusual to be flying naked!
Skip
Last night, I uninstalled the Google Toolbar in my Internet Explorer and removed the Toolbar extension in Firefox, which is my preferred browser now.
I feel naked.
I'm used to peeking at the PR of just about every page I ever visit. It's odd how that habit started several years ago when Google introduced it's toolbar. But the addiction and habit was just as strong and prominent as an alcoholic may have. Well, not quite, but for those of us who spend time optimizing our websites to get higher rankings, the toolbar, or rather, the PageRank indicator was a very useful tool - once upon a time.
However, I got hooked. Like many, I became dependent on it for evaluating everything from link partners to keeping track of how my sites and pages were doing "in Google's eyes".
I've had it. I'm sick and tired of it.
So I uninstalled it.
Moreover, I personally have a sneaking belief that somehow G ties in activity from the toolbar into the URL's you visit, the websites you administer, the backlinks you check and much much more. If you ever read the TOS for the toolbar, and had the advanced functions turned on, you would see that you gave G the right and specific permission to collect all that data on you.
As with their Adsense program, they get everything and you get squat.
So you're giving up all types of fabulous data by using the TB. No longer for this fella.
I don't need it. They need me more than I need them.
If more webmasters and users of the TB took the same position, we could take back some of that "power", and perhaps make companies like G buy the privilege to use our personal data. After all, if my surfing habits are so valuable, they should pay for them in today's market. This isn't October 2001 any longer. G went public and has money now.
So why else did I take this bold step?
Because I've found several free websites where I can check PR without having my personal information disclosed or my website traveling habits recorded and matched up against sites I may manage, update, revise etc.
In the days to come, I'll highlight a few of these free tools that give you the almighty PR if and when you need it.
For now, it feels rather unusual to be flying naked!
Skip
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