Sick to death of Browser Whores (Wars)

Summary:

"I'm Sick & Tired of companies using my internet connection like they own my computer and all its softwares and like I am just an inconvinience getting in the way of them continuing as they wish!"


Let me detail a typical day of bad "free" or "supplied" software.

I launch Internet Explorer, which on the whole isn't a bad little browser but a bit target for viruses and malware. It works well for me and is pretty steady. Though, every now and then, I wonder if I want something better (especially when I try to zoom a JavaScript and get junk).

So, I fire up Opera and the whole whoring begins. First of all, without any permission from me or even notifying me it starts downloading something. Its probably an update, but F**K OFF ITS MY SYSTEM ASK >.<. So basicly, Opera could be the best damn browser ever but I would never use the f**king thing. Except blocked to hell and sandboxed in an emergency situation. This is just a single example, other examples are that it connects to unrelated web addresses when I goto a website on the intranet (in a "triggered" behaviour). I don't know or care what its doing. It might even be in my interest, all I care is theres another internet connection I have not asked for or agreed to (agreeing to allow the product to do what it likes in the licence agreement is NOT gaining permission, its avoiding litigation).

This is the problem these days, browser / internet companies feel its "acceptable" even "profitable" to bypass the customers consent portion of the proceedings and go ahead and do whatever THEY want (I can imagine them saying "oh right.. yes.. erm.. now you mention it erm.. yes.. we did it FOR you.. yes.. we know best. Just be a good consumer and continue to download our crap and support our advertising revenues theres a good customer.").

What they want is money and they don't really seem to care all that much how they get it within the bounds of "not spooking the cow" (eg. cash cow) which is the customer.

I'm sick and tired of this crap. Online bussiness built on "what can we get away with" instead of "what can we provide, and how should we charge for it". 

I do admit though its the actions of consumers that have them: 1) getting away with such alot and 2) needing to "get away with it" in the first place as some people treat the web like a gianormous free meal, 3) Undermine decent business by leaving a perfectly good cost effective solution because someone in a web back ally goes "pssst, I can get you that free mate".

I am not anti-free software. I do like my rights and things being my choice.

Mind you, some companies that have got it right on the above can be irritating in other ways. I really like Comodo, I used their Internet Security Solution free version whilst I was between positions and when I was back in work I wanted to buy their full product and support their activities. They couldn't process my debit card and ended up pretty much rejecting my order (not tried to work it out. Just rejected my order. This was on a card I used a day later to buy something 3 times the price with no problems at all from Amazon).

Oh yes! Whilst I'm here Amazon are fantastic. Amazon have continually impressed and proved to be very considerate. Pity they don't provide a browser.