I am sure most of you have already heard of Google’s Web Accelerator (GWA). If you have not, GWA is one of Google’s creations bordering on being a spawn, depending on how you feel about having your Internet controlled! If you do not care, than you will like this little application, but if you like flexibility with your browser, you might see the current version (Firefox extension version 1.0.62.80) as a spawn.

It has been few months since I last used GWA, so last night I decided to see if there have been any improvements or new features added to the application. Well there were. Google had added a Firefox extension. As a direct result of the FF extension, I now see GWA as a spawn at the moment. This is what happened. From time to time I like to specify a rout for my Internet traffic, other times I like it to directly connect to the wild. To use GWA the user’s browser has to be configured to use the local proxy created by the GWA application. My FF browser was configured to do so, but for security reasons I also wanted to see if I do not direct my browser traffic through the GWA proxy will it still be activated. To do that I edited my FF connection settings so I directly connect to the Internet and did not pass through the GWA proxy. Guess what happened folks? My browser was not able to reach the wild and load any website, even after it was set to directly connect to the Internet.

I decided to disable the extension which Google had so kindly and unannounced installed on my system. The result after disabling the GWA, very much UNNECESSARY extension, was the return to the wild and the pleasure of seeing my web site again.

In few months I will give the application another try. Maybe Google might have rewriten the FF extension so it is more flexible and does not interfere with the user’s browsing experience.

P.S. Oh, and by the way, Google had disabled the “uninstall” feature of the extension. How nice is that. This and the above lost Google another hand full of brawny points in my list of Like it – Love it – Hate it companies and web sites. From my current and past experience with Google I am not too happy at the moment with the company. Although I would still us its services and products first before I try any other.