Ubuntu staring to become money hungry?
It seams that Ubuntu is starting to become a real company: grab money where you can!
Version of Firefox 3.0 (3.0.12+build1+nobinonly-0ubuntu2 by Alexander Sack ) in Ubuntu introduces some new money grabbing features, all part of the "installed by default" Multisearch plugin:
- Searching with the top-right Google plugin is hijacked and sent to the Ubuntu start-page search
- Using search terms in the location bar is hijacked and sent to the Ubuntu start-page search
- Opening a new tab will show the Ubuntu start-page search box instead of whatever you set in the Preferences.
All of these features are installed to create a maximum number of hits on the custom search of Ubuntu, which through the Adsense setup and the partnering keys (partner-pub-2070091971271392:getzo5-xcfi) will push as much traffic (aka money) to Ubuntu.
Aggressive tactics like this have always been a Microsoft thing (push the user to do what is best for you), but now Ubuntu is playing catch-up. Hopefully they are going to drop the Multisearch add-on into a separate package, I don't like to have to disable default stuff that doesn't help me at all. See the bugs for more on this multisearch fuck-up.
Maybe this is even against the Google Adsense policies, which states:
Queries must originate from users inputting data directly into the search box and cannot be modified. This includes pre-populating the search box with terms or hard-coding direct links to search results pages. AdSense for search code may not be integrated into any software application such as a toolbar.
... so I think they may just be fucking with the policies here. But then again, big companies are allowed to if they make enough money with it as Google won't dare to shut off a customer like that so even if they are it won't be a problem.
Another option is that they are using normal Google custom search without making money from it. If so, then this is just the most badly misplaced and useless feature I have ever seen.
External links with more on it:
http://www.asoftsite.org/s9y/archives/162-What-is-this-Multisearch-thing...
http://yro.slashdot.org/story/09/08/07/1521208/Ubuntus-New-Firefox-Is-Wa...
Good news: it is was just an experiment and the new 3.5 does not include the plugin. They may still start with getting the search engine revenue, but that is all in the uncertain future. We will see.