Google’s trojan horse

Updater, Google says, “helps you discover new programs and keep your current software up to date.” In other words, it gives the Googleplex a direct channel into your PC, bypassing Microsoft’s operating system and updater.

It’s worth remembering that one of Google’s top advisers is Hal Varian, the Berkeley economist, who has studied what he calls “the power of the default”: the tendency of ordinary people to stick with what they’re given, rather than spend time actively seeking alternatives. Defaults have a big influence over how people operate their computers and thus over which browser and search engine they use – and defaults are often set when you install or update a program.

Updater gives Google an opportunity to counter, to some degree, at least, the advantage that Microsoft holds through its control of the operating system.