I authored the following text in review of yet another webkit-based web browser, ChromePlus, as featured by the software repository, freewarefiles.com. Featured there amongst the hot or latest updates software releases, it quickly caught my eye, as it is rather a Google Chrome clone, apparently distributed with a pre-installed set of features otherwise available as options, or unavailable in Google’s archetype. With an overall high rating at freewarefiles.com (i.e. 4.5 of 5 stars, maybe), and apparent popularity there too, I decided to get a closer look at ChromePlus. What follows, however; this article is not composed as an in-depth analysis of ChromePlus, but rather a copy of the text I wrote there, in contributing to the existing User commentary.
Having a high-average rating, the few low-rating reviews of ChromePlus were easy to find amongst a majority of otherwise high marks. I decided I might most expeditiously decide whether to proceed by first reading the bad reviews, then I’d go back and consume the texts from the other side of the debate, from the text of the 5-star crew.
I was only two or three deep, perusing the low-rated reviews, when I became disheartened by the report of one particular User who owns a low opinion of the software, based on his apparent belief that it is flawed for being distributed without his preferred mechanism for keeping with the herd for, without his preferred agent of censorship, a service known as “WOT”, as he stated, “with out wot no browser is worth having” [sic]. Urged by some inherent sense of civil duty, I proceeded in authoring somewhat of a manifesto, meaning to encourage Users that they should diminish– if not eliminate– reliance upon 3rd-party content-filtering services. To be clear, I’m nothing like an anarchist. I am, however, a staunch believer that “…that government governs best which governs least…” †
I admit, I am inspired to author review, only after reading a previous respondent’s defaming commentary which alludes to his or her intent to devalue the software, for having no /built-in/ (assumed) ‘WOT’ facility. I write for urging readers to think for themselves: entities such as ‘WOT’ exist because they propagate fear. Users who buy-into such propaganda may be likened to the hordes of fans who burned their Beatles records when John Lennon allegedly associated the group’s popularity with religious worship. In more archaic times, similar organizations attracted media attention when their misdirected followers held public book-burnings to alleviate the fear they propagated. In contrast, the ubiquity of the Internet as a platform for the Peoples’ voice; the unprecedented growth in viable Learning Resources; the so-called /Information Superhighway/, in being open for those capable of traversing it, makes for another easy-target for groups (or individuals) whose existence is dependent upon the amount of fear they are able to propagate.
The reader must adopt an objective point-of-view, and consider the absurdity so evident in retrospect of events like “book-burnings”, and the historical parallels common to the examples I’ve cited. Congruent with the Goal of Mankind are His strive for a better Civilization, His faith in– and hope for– advancements in Medical Science, and His comprehension of the inherent value of Education, yet he is nonetheless subject to forces designed to dampen His Achievement. The forefathers of the United States were wise enough to protect Freedom of Speech from its nemesis, Censorship.
I realize my verbose text will not be well received in this context, however, the notion in Review of /this/ software, that ChromePlus is flawed as packaged without a proper instrument of censorship (i.e. We Oppress Text) is such that I am struck by a great urgency to undo the damage of so much misdirection. Remember the words of Leary, “Think for yourself. Question authority.”. Freedom and Independence are destined to fall, otherwise.
— j.s., author of NoviceNotes™
“not much”, by allan clark, 2010-October-2
(an informal review of ChromePlus)
