Google Pack

Google Pack logo

Google Pack was a collection of software tools offered by Google to download in a single archive.[1] It was announced at the 2006 Consumer Electronics Show, on January 6. Google Pack was only available for Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7.

In September 2011, Google announced it would discontinue a number of its products, including Google Pack.[2] Google Pack is no longer available for download.

Available applications

Users could choose which of the following software applications to install. If the application was already installed, Google Updater checked to see if the user had the latest version and upgraded it, if necessary.[3]

The software applications available varied based on which language and locale is selected, and operating system. The U.S. Windows XP version of Google Pack offered all of the current applications listed below.

Google-branded

Mac Software

Third-party

On March 27, 2007, Google added two new applications to the Google Pack: Spyware Doctor Starter Edition and Norton Security Scan.[4] These programs are free and do not require subscription, unlike Norton AntiVirus. However, Norton Security Scan does not offer continuous protection against viruses. Norton Security Scan scans the computer and identifies if there are existing viruses, worms, spyware, unwanted adware or Trojans residing on it.[5] The program's functionality is similar to Microsoft's Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool.

Google says that they have no monetary agreement with the makers of the above software, and that they offer the applications for the ease of Google's customers, and do not receive payment,[6] although Miguel Helft in his New York Times blog reported that an unidentified source[7] stated that Google may pay Sun for each copy of StarOffice. As of November 2008, StarOffice is no longer part of Google Pack.

Google has included the VoIP application Skype in the pack, even though it is a competitor of Google's own Google Talk.[8]

Some industry observers claimed that the release was little more than a collection of software "that Google's wrapped a rubber band around".[9]

Former third-party

Google Updater

Google Pack comes with Google Updater as a package management system to assist in downloading, installing, removing and automatically updating the Pack's applications. Updater can be uninstalled without removing the applications.[10]

Google Updater may not reflect the most recent versions of all Google Pack programs. For example, as of January 2008, StarOffice 8 Update 9 was not provided through Google Updater, which displays no indication that previous versions are out of date. Sun Microsystems released Update 9, which includes six security related fixes, on December 10, 2007.[11]

Google Updater is no longer supported. Launching it and browsing to the Installed Software tab gives the message "We regret to inform you that Google Updater is no longer a supported Google application. We recommend you to uninstall it from your PC."

References

  1. ↑ What is Google Pack? help page
  2. ↑ Alan Eustace (September 2, 2011). "A fall spring-clean". Google. Retrieved September 2, 2011.
  3. ↑ Google Pack
  4. ↑ Google Pack cures the PC Blues, March 27th, 2007
  5. ↑ "What is Norton Security Scan?". Archived from the original on 2010-05-10.
  6. ↑ "How do you decide which programs are offered through Google Pack?".
  7. ↑ Helft, Miguel (August 14, 2007). "Google goes after Microsoft again". The New York Times. Retrieved May 3, 2010. August 14, 2007
  8. ↑ MercuryNews.com Strong holiday sales bolster ebay earnings. January 25, 2007. (Article commenting on the inclusion of Skype in Google Pack)
  9. ↑ ZDNet.co.uk Google Pack fails to impress. January 9, 2006
  10. ↑ http://www.google.com/support/pack/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=28074. Retrieved June 13, 2009. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  11. ↑ #120187-12: StarOffice 8 (Windows): Update 9

External links

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