I need my attention diverted like I need massive dental surgery. It MIGHT be a good idea, but I kind of doubt it. So, it was with some annoyance this week that I got a notice when opening gmail.com that I was now the proud possessor of a new-fangled Buzz account.
[moments of crude language and rude noises follow]
I spent some minutes trying to extricate myself from this gift. Turned anything and everything private I could find and then went on about my business. Although I did take another minute or two to explore my vocabulary list of words my mother would wash my mouth with soap for uttering.
Today, I read in several places of the solution to my 'problem.' Appearing now at the bottom of your gmail page, you should see a link to TURN OFF BUZZ, conveniently located just above the link to the privacy policy that somehow allowed Google to trample ALL over my privacy this week. Click on that and your immediate concerns with Buzz are gone.
Obviously, Buzz has gone over like a lead balloon. It's been scorned and scorched by just about the whole internet community. The first words out of Google HQ is that there will be a separate spin-off of Buzz, it's Facebook/Twitter conglomerated anti-venom. But most people want the spin-off to be complete, allowing interested folk to link BACK to gmail, but not to use gmail as the linchpin of the new service. This is so very Microsoft of Google, don't you think? Just announcing the product and shoving it down my throat doesn't make me a very happy Googler.
Eventually, the 'do no evil' mantra will lead to Buzz, buzzing off. After all, shouldn't Google be spending more time fending off Chinese government hackers rather than OPENING UP my privacy to any random hacker, regardless of national affiliation?
Bah, humbug.
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