I have a voice

Google has recently changed the way they are managing their privacy policies with no option to opt out of the targeted advertising that will result from the change.  Being the anti-social anti-authoritarianist I am, that makes me uncomfortable.  Can you say “big brother”?  Being the reactionary I am, you just know I had to do something about it . . . and I did.  So, Google, thanks and goodbye.

While I could give each of my presences in Google-land a different login so my separate activities remained . . . well, separate, I think that’s a bit pointless when all my identities use the same computer.  Hello?  Connect the dots here.  I wouldn’t put it past Google to tie all those presences together and worsen the problem.  No thanks.  Hmm, I didn’t mention being paranoid, did I?  Well, maybe just a little.  So I chose to take a different route and divest myself of as much of my Google usage as I comfortably can.

Up until last night I used Google four ways; mail, chat, search engine and rss reader.  I have a GMail account which I don’t use as a mail client.  That account allows me access to GTalk which I do a stunning 12 times a year . . . maybe.  This puppy’s not used enough to do any harm.  I’m almost never there and when I do kick GTalk on I make a point to go into my GMail account and clean out the YouTube notices.  (Note to self, cancel those YouTube subscriptions and kill that info source.)  I use Google as my primary search engine because the way Yahoo handles click-throughs on image searches is really frustrating.  I won’t change this because if I’m not signed into a Google account, my search results aren’t tied to me so no harm there.  The one that was going to bite me was the rss reader.  <wince>  I read a fairly prolific number of items each day, so that one I had to change.

Last night I went in search of a new rss reader.  The first one I downloaded wasn’t making me smile but the second one is definitely going to work.  I’m now happily using BlogLines.  And, I have to say, it is impressive.  It makes the Google rss feed reader look like a kindergarten app.  <wince>  Sorry Google, but in comparison, you suck.

So here’s the silver lining thing . . . I never would have considered trying BlogLines if it hadn’t been for Google’s policy change.  Thanks Google!