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Full disclosure — I just read today about Iron for the very first time, so please excuse my ignorance on some of these matters. I could use some advice from experienced users. I use a 2013 MacBook Air (Yosemite 10.10 Beta 4) with the standard 64-Bit Chrome Browser. I also have 2 iOS devices with the mobile version of Chrome. I am the only user of the MBA. I authenticate with Chrome, sync everything possible with my Google Account, and encrypt the data on Google’s servers with my account credentials. On the web side of things, I have Google Web History turned on, interest based ads enabled, etc. About the only thing I stay away from is anything "location related.” I love Chroma as a browser (and since I have not installed Flash on this MBA, I sometime must use Chrome). As to my frequent use of Safari, in the past I have used Google as the default search engine, but that recently changed. I am not a user of Google Apps (personal or business). I have had a Gmail account for as long as I can remember.

As someone with a personal interest in privacy policy and related issues, I know this setup is untenable. I am not saying Google is “evil” or anything like that. I just long for the "good old days" when I had a Gmail account — and that was it. I do not want to share everything I search for, read, download, etc. with Google, Google’s advertising customers, and their other data buying customers. It’s not because I think anyone is interested in *my* specific data and usage details. The reason is Google’s precise business model - making money selling user data (even if anonymized) to advertisers and other parties who can make use of that data.

Can someone please tell me: is Iron a potential solution? A way that I can use Chrome (in effect) - as I love the browser - but avoid many of the privacy concerns that come with doing everything on my MBA while logged into my Google Account on the web and/or logged into Chrome locally? I do know I could take “10-steps” (or so) to minimize privacy related concerns, without ditching Chrome. But I would prefer a comprehensive ALL-IN method of separating my browsing data and my hardware from Google. SO…if I cleared all search and related history from Google Web Settings, “unlinked” my Chrome browser account from my Google online account, changed default search engines, deleted all cookies and history, performed a complete *reset* of Chrome, and THEN uninstalled Chrome and any stand alone apps like Google Drive…….could I install Iron and achieve a greater level of privacy? I would still need to use Gmail, but I would not remain logged into a Google Account perpetually - on the web or through any local browser account. I can also use avoid the pitfalls of default search settings.

If I am totally off base - my apologies. Thank you in advance for any advice or pointers that might help me get a grasp of Iron and what I can accomplish with Iron.

— F

Yes, I would say that Iron is more private than Google Chrome. Here are some of the differences that you can find between Chrome and Iron: http://www.srware.net/en/software_srwar ... s_iron.php

Of course, using a Chromium-based browser such as Iron is still one step closer to Google than, say, Firefox or Safari. (Iron uses Google’s Javascript and rendering engines.) With that said, I trust Iron enough to use it as my main browser even though I avoid Chrome.

Iron should be very similar to Chrome with some differences. In Iron, you need to manually install Adobe Flash just as you need to in other browsers. Also, Iron doesn’t auto update, so you need to manually check for updates on the website for the latest version. If you are concerned with privacy but like Chrome, then Iron may be what you’re looking for. Feel free to give it a try to see if you like it.

Thank you for the reply. Very informative. I plan to install Iron (64-Bit) — after installing the official release of 10.10 Yosemite.

— F