

Google asks Times Square, "What is a browser?" [video] - heed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4MwTvtyrUQ

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pedalpete
I'm wondering why Google would make and post this video. Doesn't it just prove
that they are entering a market that not only is completely misunderstood, but
also shouldn't matter to the average person?

I use and like Chrome, but understand that the average person doesn't and
shouldn't have to care about what browser they use.

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TallGuyShort
I agree with you about Google having to realize they're entering a market that
is completely misunderstood, but I don't think the issue "shouldn't" matter to
the average person - and perhaps that is their point. The Internet has become
a part of daily life for millions of people who don't have a clue how any of
it works. Now, that is a testament to how useful it has become, and how well
designed some of the interfaces are: they can send and receive data from the
other side of the world virtually instantly - in a way that is entirely
transparent to the average user.

The danger in that is that you have hundreds of people using that system to
send sensitive data without really understanding how it works. It's like
putting someone in a car without basic safety training - sure, if they've seen
someone use the controls, they can pick it up pretty quickly. But there's a
lot of really important things they don't realize. If people don't know what a
browser is, they probably don't know how important it is to keep it updated.
They probably don't know about phishing scams, or why giving your email
password away is dangerous.

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pedalpete
I see and appreciate your point, but i disagree that this is the reason for
Google to enter the market and educate the people. People shouldn't have to
worry about phishing scams, etc. That should all be managed for them. When you
go to put gas in your car, you don't worry about what is in the mixture, or
what station you buy it from, where they sourced it, etc.etc. it is just as
complicated if not more so, and yet the system just works. We need to find a
way to manage these challenges for the user, and I don't believe a new browser
is the way to do it. I don't have the answer to how this should be handled,
but I think the idea that we can 'train' non-technical people to understand
and then care about this is naive.

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keltecp11
Not surprised given 40% of people surveyed were NOT able to identify the
location of their heart.

