Someone reviewed v on Jul 5, 2022

Pros: 555

Cons: 555

Bottom Line: 555

aruprc reviewed v0.2.93.115 on Sep 16, 2007

Works but sometimes the icon stops showing download activity, the web pages certainly load faster and thats with Opera and FF with Fasterfox as well as NetEagle optimized connection. Google has clearly implied privacy concerns in their privacy page so those who have privacy issues shouldn't use it.

geeknik reviewed v0.2.93.115 on Jun 17, 2007

I think it has it's uses. And if you're worried about Google tracking your movements on the Internet, it's nothing compared to what you're ISP is doing. And if you're that scared, go hide in a closet and put on your tinfoil hat.

Umapathy reviewed v0.2.93.115 on Jun 17, 2007

I am in Sri Lanka and I have adsl connection in Colombo but I haven't seen any real web acceleration here. I am skeptical about this product. It is pointless to install any software which doesn't do the work which it claims as capable.
I like Google Earth very much and I have very much impressed. Product like this certainly reduce the reputation of Google.

AnthonyB reviewed v0.2.93.115 on Jun 16, 2007

If you want to help the largest 'polluter' of the internet then install away..

Very poor form trying to fob off usage tracking software in the form of somethingt o help speed up your web browsing.

tuneslover reviewed v0.2.93.115 on Jun 16, 2007

increases web speed? :| , how? :(

Ryusennin reviewed v0.2.93.115 on Jun 15, 2007

Beware, spyware. Get Fasterfox instead (and it's more configurable).

Prospero424 reviewed v0.2.70.88 on May 31, 2007

Even knowing that Google has put this out for their own data mining purposes, there is something to be said for prefetching and caching to improve speed as long as your connection and your habits warrant it. For example: those with a broadband connection of 1.5Mb or less could see a substantial benefit, and that's a lot of people.

For those concerned about privacy, this is the bottom line:

This service basically has the capability to track the same type of usage metrics that your ISP can/does, except it is completely disabled when viewing encrypted pages.

I think most people would be shocked if they knew just how many of their regular pages use a Google Analytics Java script. So unless you're using something like NoScript or just turn Java scripts off in your browser, Google is going to have data on this sort of activity even without GWA.

If you're honestly and reasonably concerned about privacy, you should be using some combination of SSL/HTTPS, VPN, dynamic routing (Anonymizer, Tor), a Java blocker for your browser, a cookie manager, and several other encryption and/or obfuscation options, anyway. If you're not, you're going to be the "victim" of the sort of data mining GWA is capable of regardless of whether or not you use it.

uberfly reviewed v0.2.70.88 on Feb 14, 2007

Why anyone would willingly install software that looks, smells and acts exactly like spyware is a mystery. Google's business model involves keeping tract of your every movement and squeezing a few schillings out of it along the way. This is just spyware with a fancy name. Stay away, it does nothing worthwhile for your browsing experience.

IanT3cs reviewed v0.2.70.88 on Feb 14, 2007

I shouldn't condemn something I haven't tried, and I won't try GWA. Simply because "compuable" puts such a complelling case for NOT using it.
Thanks for speaking out compuable. And passionatly! Remind us all sometimes. Google is just another multinational.

Ian W

[deXter] reviewed v0.2.69.87 on Jan 3, 2007

Pros:

- Compression of text based data (like html) reduces bandwidth usage and may increase speed
- GWA's local (on pc) cache works across browsers so you can have a same cache for different browsers
- Prefetching is helpful in preloading pages especially in forums, search results etc.

Cons:

- Server based cache is a privacy risk
- Sometimes displays outdated webpages from the local cache
- Doesn't support compression of other formats such as images, flash etc
- Not explicitly meant for Dialup (GWA was designed for broadband)

Notreallyhere reviewed v0.2.69.87 on Jan 2, 2007

Not exactly sure how this is working for me. You aren't able to notice any difference in load times, you just have to go by what they say. according to the program it has saved me 16.3 hours in the last few months. It hasn't seemed to hurt, though so I'm not going to uninstall it. Another note though, wikipedia locks you out of editing pages if you have this program installed.

buzzyboop reviewed v0.2.67.85 on Nov 6, 2006

Yes, I am giggling madly here, but at all the scare-mongering that's going on. I use GWA simply because it works and it works well. Note that GWA will not work on secure sites. Also, you can disable GWA for any site you choose.

I do notice improved page load, so it's more a matter of taste and preferences than anything else. For me, I will continue to use GWA. It works great for me.

compuable reviewed v0.2.65.83 on Sep 24, 2006

Giggling Madly Here - PT Barnum Would Have Been Proud!

This is a great program for those users who don't know anything at all regarding how computers and/or the internet actually works, and who just want to experience the "feel good illusion" of (not really) increased speed by having this entirely useless acceleration program on their hard drive.

I always laugh out loud whenever anyone proudly exclaims: "The program 'says' I saved 6.9 hours, so I'm very satisfied!" Big deal; the program could also say: "You're now twice as good-looking" or perhaps even "Congratulations you’re a millionaire!" Without being able to verify any programs' "claims" (or better put 'assertions'); it is just that: A totally unverifiable assertion!

Still you've got to admire Google's chutzpa here! I'm guessing that it has to be the most hilarious bit of shell-game spyware ever invented by any company in the entire history of computer or Internet use and development.

Very clever really, when you consider that the trade off is that users "think" they're getting "increased" internet speed; in exchange for revealing exact the name of every single webpage that you ever visit from the moment that you install Google Web Accelerator until (hopefully) the moment you wise up and remove it.

After Google Web Accelerator is installed it does absolutely nothing to improve browsing. Also Google Web Accelerator collects copies of web pages, (including prefetched pages that you did not even visit), in the Google Web Accelerator cache on your computer.

All this does in effect; is collect and store a gazillion MB of temp files every time you use it for a session of surfing. Try using something like CCleaner after running Google Web Accelerator and browsing the internet for a few hours and see the results for yourself!

And Google gets to know the exact the name of every single webpage that you ever visit for products, news, banking, whatever! This is very valuable information to have; not only does Google know everything you click on, but you get absolutely nothing in return for this info.

Finally, Google admits on their own support page that any and all passwords, e-mail addresses etc. you enter in a web form (e. g. when purchasing an item online) will be funneled via their systems. If you enter personally identifiable information (such as an email address) onto a form on an unencrypted web page, the sites will send this information through Google.

Had he lived long enough to see this, P.T. Barnum; the person who coined the phrase: "A Sucker is Born Every Minute" would most certainly consider those who download, install and leave this program on their computers to be suckers indeed!