[seqfan] Re: google analytics?

[Joerg Arndt]

See   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Analytics

>From that page:
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Slowing down the website

There have been several online discussions about the impact on Google
Analytics on site performance,[11][12][13] with one site[which?]
arguing that using Google Analytics may increase the web site loading
time. Indeed, with various websites it is possible to see the message
"Waiting for google-analytics.com" when the page is not fully
loaded.[citation needed]
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This is what I just experienced (several times, also complete stalls).


But what REALLY bothers me is the privacy issue.
Again citing form wiki link above (caps are mine):
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Technology

Google Analytics is implemented by including what is known as a "page
tag". This is referred to as the Google Analytics Tracking Code (GATC)
and is a hidden snippet of JavaScript code that the user adds onto
every page of his or her website. This code acts as a beacon,
COLLECTING PRIVATE VISITOR DATA AND SENDING IT BACK TO GOOGLE DATA
COLLECTION SERVERS FOR PROCESSING. This is accomplished by making a
request for a specific image on Google's servers encoded with the page
and user data. [...]

To function, the GATC loads a larger file from the Google webserver
and THEN SETS VARIABLES WITH THE USER'S ACCOUNT NUMBER.  ...
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This is absolutely positively NOT acceptable!


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