Google Autolinks

[Mike]

The newest version of the Google Toolbar for Internet Exploder has a very special function on it that flat out sucks. It's called autolinks, and it takes a word on your web page (say banana), modifies YOUR code, and inserts THEIR link into it (say to a banana seller that pays them $1 a click).

I don't want Google, Microsoft, or ANY company changing the code that I spent hours writing. I currently run a webhosting company, say somebody goes to my site using the google toolbar, and that toolbar decides to take every instance of the word hosting and redirect them to googles new snazzy hosting business. A sale has just been flat out stolen from me by Google.

Google has changed greatly from that of a few years before. Now they have gone public, and have investors that won't silence until they start seeing the numbers rising. Google will do what it takes to keep their shareholders happy, even if it means flirting with the line of the law.

EDIT: Some links on the topic.
http://dangillmor.typepad.com/dan_gi..._emulates.html
http://news.com.com/Google+landgrab+...3-5582792.html

[Billfred]

That really is a problem.

I'd feel a heck of a lot better about it if Google had something similar to a robots.txt file for such a feature. At least they respect them.

[Mike]

It should be off by default, if I wanted to sell my customers bananas, i'd set up a banana store.