Google's browser - Chrome beta release

Remus

Remus

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Even though last year Google repeatedly denied that they were working on a new browser, but now they finally let the cat out of the bag!

Link. Don't have time to check it out yet. What you think of the new browser?. Good? a marketing trick to make you to use other Google services?
 
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Posting from Chrome at the moment. It's an impressive start - fast, with great tab facilities.

But it will take me a bit to switch from Firefox. I have some good Addons and it has looked after me from a security/safety perspective.
 
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I'm content with Opera now, I don't see a reason why I should switch.
 
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The question that springs to mind is... why?

The browser market is kinda crowded, and nobody's paying a cent for any of them. What does Google think it's going to gain by storming that hill?
 
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That's because you haven't been indoctrinated by Google yet. Link

And there must be something greatly benefit them to create their own browser. I believe there were couple articles on why Google entering browser market one or two years back.
 
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Prime Junta said:
What does Google think it's going to gain by storming that hill?
Click to expand...

If you have a Google account (gmail), Google tracks already your searches and web history unless you yourself turn these features off. Imagine all the information gathering possibilities with a piece of software that is actually a frequently used executable, and to which the average user always actually grants the permission to pass data through his/her firewall?
 
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Google's intentions also could be gleaned from Chrome's terms of service as cnet already did some sniffing around ...

2. Although you retain any copyrights to content you own and use in the browser, Google says it has a right to display some of your content, in conjunction with promoting its services. Here's their exact wording.

"By submitting, posting or displaying the content you give Google a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive license to reproduce, adapt, modify, translate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute any content which you submit, post or display on or through, the services. This license is for the sole purpose of enabling Google to display, distribute and promote the services and may be revoked for certain services as defined in the additional terms of those services."

3. Don't be surprised to see more ads.

Traditionally, it is Web pages and not the browser itself that serves ads. Google isn't saying it will change this paradigm, but it's terms of service don't rule that out either.

"Some of the services are supported by advertising revenue and may display advertisements and promotions. These advertisements may be targeted to the content of information stored on the services, queries made through the services or other information.

The manner, mode and extent of advertising by Google on the services are subject to change without specific notice to you."
Click to expand...

Link
 
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MasterLich said:
If you have a Google account (gmail), Google tracks already your searches and web history unless you yourself turn these features off. Imagine all the information gathering possibilities with a piece of software that is actually a frequently used executable, and to which the average user always actually grants the permission to pass data through his/her firewall?
Click to expand...

It's also open-source, so they can't hide bombs like that in it. I'm sure plenty of people will be looking for them. It's a nicely nefarious explanation, though, but I don't think it washes. Quite.
 
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Remus said:
That's because you haven't been indoctrinated by Google yet. Link
Click to expand...

That was incredibly annoying. I would much rather have just read it as text, instead of having to peer at artifacty pseudo-cute comix.

And anyway it doesn't really answer that question. Sure, it's possible to design a better browser, but where's the money in it?

And there must be something greatly benefit them to create their own browser. I believe there were couple articles on why Google entering browser market one or two years back.
Click to expand...

That's it exactly. *What* is that great benefit?
 
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Prime Junta said:
It's also open-source, so they can't hide bombs like that in it.
Click to expand...

This remains to be seen...

And no, I don't think they are necessarily breaking any laws. I'm just a bit sceptic after it is known that they are benefitting from advertising and that they do gather and store surfing data.
 
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I liked the indoctrination, they do have some good ideas and I hope many get adopted into Firefox in the future. In the meantime I think I'll wait for the real release and see what people say, because I don't only like Fx because it's good (very now with v3) but also because it's a real, free project behind it.

That's it exactly. *What* is that great benefit?
Click to expand...
What about an even greater market share and positive publicity? Seems like they're really trying to live up to "don't be evil" with this. And of course it's going to make it easier for people to use Google's services, but still avoiding lock-in. I kinda like it.
 
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MasterLich said:
This remains to be seen...
Click to expand...

No, it doesn't. That's the nature of open-source -- anyone can read the code. Google is an extremely high-profile company, and they're banging their chest big-time about this product, which means that an army of nerds will be crawling all over the code as we type.

That means that anything evil, sloppy, or just plain stupid that's in the code will be all over Slashdot within days. And Google isn't stupid enough to knowingly risk something like this.

And no, I don't think they are necessarily breaking any laws. I'm just a bit sceptic after it is known that they are benefitting from advertising and that they do gather and store surfing data.
Click to expand...

Skepticism is commendable, but if they're up to something, this approach won't work.
 
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All their services are browser based, and their repeatedly stated goal with Chrome is to improve browsers, so that use of their services is improved. They also seem to regard it as a step towards the idea of the "next-generation" web, cloud computing, where Google is already at the forefront.
 
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Toaster said:
What about an even greater market share and positive publicity? Seems like they're really trying to live up to "don't be evil" with this. And of course it's going to make it easier for people to use Google's services, but still avoiding lock-in. I kinda like it.
Click to expand...

Positive publicity, for sure, but a greater market share of what? They can't force Chrome users to use Google Search, GMail, or the rest. And the value of the *browser* market as of this writing is, in round numbers, zero dollars. Nobody's paying for those damn things.

Don't get me wrong, I would absolutely love a better browser (God knows I spend much of my time working around browser bugs); I'm just wondering what the business case is behind this. I like Google (mostly); it's just that they haven't really managed to break out of their search-and-advertise business yet. They provide all kinds of more or less nifty little products, services, and tools, but the only one that generates serious revenue is their ad business, and that's driven by their search service.

At first blush, this looks like more of the same -- exciting new tech that doesn't (a) mesh with what the company is already successfully doing, or (b) create innovative, new market opportunities.
 
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KazikluBey said:
All their services are browser based, and their repeatedly stated goal with Chrome is to improve browsers, so that use of their services is improved. They also seem to regard it as a step towards the idea of the "next-generation" web, cloud computing, where Google is already at the forefront.
Click to expand...

Now, this makes more sense. The Web is developing into a serious application development platform and framework; having a platform that's actually built for the stuff could be a huge advantage. It's one thing to knowingly introduce standard-breaking "innovations" (i.e., bad), but it's another entirely to make an implementation of the standards that's so much faster, more stable, and more scalable that it makes it possible to create a whole new category of applications.
 
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I heard from a colleague a bit of what this new browser does: "Due to the incorrect (use of) code of javascript, jre and flash, sites can be given incorrectly. What this new browser does (or is supposed to be doing), is to correct those errors."
In his opinion this is taking a wrong turn -> Sites should be constructed correctly with more stable versions of javascript, jre and flash.
 
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I don't quite understand what he's saying there. Some of it doesn't even seem to be making much sense. Could you elaborate? What do you mean by "sites can be given incorrectly" or "correcting those errors?"
 
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I heard that it doesn't have a pop-up blocker. That right there would kill it for me.
 
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