Google Web Accelerator
Encyclopedia
Google Web Accelerator was a web accelerator
produced by Google
. It used client software
installed on the user's computer, as well as data caching
on Google's servers, to speed up page load times by means of data compression
, prefetching
of content, and sharing cached data between users. The beta, released on May 4, 2005, works with Mozilla Firefox
1.0+ and Internet Explorer
5.5+ on Windows 2000
SP3+, Windows XP
, Windows Server 2003
, Windows Vista
and Windows 7 machines. Google no longer provides downloads or support for Google Web Accelerator.
videos from playing, with the message in the YouTube video player, "We're sorry, this video is no longer available." By turning off Google Web Accelerator, the user was able to play YouTube videos again without a problem.
Google Web Accelerator sends requests for web pages, except for secure web pages (HTTPS), to Google, which logs these requests. Some web pages may embed personal information in these page requests.
Google receives and temporarily caches cookie data that your computer sends with webpage requests in order to improve performance.
In order to speed up delivery of content, Google Web Accelerator may retrieve webpage content that the user did not request, and store it in the Google Web Accelerator cache.
Google Web Accelerator is no longer available or supported from Google . the Google Web Accelerator is not compatible with Firefox 3.0. Google Web Accelerator is still available for download from other websites.
Web accelerator
A web accelerator is a proxy server that reduces web site access times. They can be a self-contained hardware appliance or installable software....
produced by Google
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
. It used client software
Client (computing)
A client is an application or system that accesses a service made available by a server. The server is often on another computer system, in which case the client accesses the service by way of a network....
installed on the user's computer, as well as data caching
Web cache
A web cache is a mechanism for the temporary storage of web documents, such as HTML pages and images, to reduce bandwidth usage, server load, and perceived lag...
on Google's servers, to speed up page load times by means of data compression
Data compression
In computer science and information theory, data compression, source coding or bit-rate reduction is the process of encoding information using fewer bits than the original representation would use....
, prefetching
Link prefetching
Link prefetching is a proprietary syntax to give web browsers a hint about documents that it should pre-fetch because the user might visit them in the near future. It is proposed as a draft internet standard by Mozilla...
of content, and sharing cached data between users. The beta, released on May 4, 2005, works with Mozilla Firefox
Mozilla Firefox
Mozilla Firefox is a free and open source web browser descended from the Mozilla Application Suite and managed by Mozilla Corporation. , Firefox is the second most widely used browser, with approximately 25% of worldwide usage share of web browsers...
1.0+ and Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer
Windows Internet Explorer is a series of graphical web browsers developed by Microsoft and included as part of the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems, starting in 1995. It was first released as part of the add-on package Plus! for Windows 95 that year...
5.5+ on Windows 2000
Windows 2000
Windows 2000 is a line of operating systems produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, business desktops, laptops, and servers. Windows 2000 was released to manufacturing on 15 December 1999 and launched to retail on 17 February 2000. It is the successor to Windows NT 4.0, and is the...
SP3+, Windows XP
Windows XP
Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base...
, Windows Server 2003
Windows Server 2003
Windows Server 2003 is a server operating system produced by Microsoft, introduced on 24 April 2003. An updated version, Windows Server 2003 R2, was released to manufacturing on 6 December 2005...
, Windows Vista
Windows Vista
Windows Vista is an operating system released in several variations developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablet PCs, and media center PCs...
and Windows 7 machines. Google no longer provides downloads or support for Google Web Accelerator.
Bugs and privacy issues
It was discovered that Google Web Accelerator had a tendency to prevent YouTubeYouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
videos from playing, with the message in the YouTube video player, "We're sorry, this video is no longer available." By turning off Google Web Accelerator, the user was able to play YouTube videos again without a problem.
Google Web Accelerator sends requests for web pages, except for secure web pages (HTTPS), to Google, which logs these requests. Some web pages may embed personal information in these page requests.
Google receives and temporarily caches cookie data that your computer sends with webpage requests in order to improve performance.
In order to speed up delivery of content, Google Web Accelerator may retrieve webpage content that the user did not request, and store it in the Google Web Accelerator cache.
Google Web Accelerator is no longer available or supported from Google . the Google Web Accelerator is not compatible with Firefox 3.0. Google Web Accelerator is still available for download from other websites.