Hi all,
I'm just wondering what people think of Google Chrome. I have no real problem with the privacy aspect of it, I use Gmail for all my email and also, I have nothing to hide. If Google wants to know what I'm doing online, go ahead, it's a bit of email, random web browsing and Dave's Computer Tips Forum and I really don't care who knows that! I have been using it since it came out and I enjoy it, I like the minimalistic interface and I find it to be just as stable as anything else out there, and that most pages work just fine in it.
I'm always curious what people think though...
Matt
Well, Chrome uses the same rendering engine that Safari uses, and it does a good job of rendering pages as they should be. I like the idea of running each tab in a separate process (Chrome) so that one site doesn't bring the browser to its knees. The interface is cool. Very Googlish.
What I don't like is lack of customization. I think that's one of Firefox's biggest strengths! There are just too many extensions I use in Firefox on a daily basis that I can't do without. My solution? I'm currently using the Chomifox theme for firefox, and the LocationBar2 extension to give the domain highlights in the address bar.
Until Chrome offers a way to add features, and there are extensions I can use, I'll stick with Firefox. I have Chrome installed (along with IE8, Firefox, and Opera), but it will just be used for testing.
Chrome has the potential to be a game changer. But first it needs to become a complete product. Like Dave said, the lack of customization is hurting it.
However, it needs to make sure it doesn''t become Firefox. There's a balance there that Google is going to have to walk.
I've used it, and it was nice, but overall I prefer Firefox. I use chrome when I've closed my browser for the day and I need to look something up quickly. Chrome does launch faster, at least at work.
;D
Yes, Chrome does indeed load fast, probably faster than any other browser out there, at least from my experience. I don't mind the lack of customization as I don't really use any extensions or themes or anything in any of the other browsers that I've used. I'm just looking for something that's fast and will let me use the web.
And yes, I agree that it has to watch that it doesn't become Firefox... people were criticizing it when it came out that Google, since they have such close ties to Mozilla, should have simply worked on the development of Firefox instead of releasing yet another player into a crowded market. However, Chrome can come out as a major player, it has a great start and has potential but it has to remain unique.
Matt
Hi Matt - Excellent points....unique is good but Chrome has to offer something over and above the other browsers and not just be different to achieve that. As you rightly point out, there are already many browsers enjoying a solid market niche, getting people to change can be a difficult exercise (the 'devil you know' syndrome) and generally requires some significant motivation. If Google can maintain the speed while offering some useful add-ons, that would definitely be a step in the right direction.
I know you don't care too much about add-ons but the reality is that many do, it's not so much that the Firefox browser itself is creating a reluctance to change over, more the 'favourite' add-ons which users do not wish to be without.......myself included!
cheers mate.....JIM
For what it's worth, Chrome already has more market share than Opera.
I knew that Chrome grabbed a lot of the market share but I didn't know it was that much! It's a nice little browser and it's the one I use for my main stuff, that's what I'm in now. I wonder though, how soon they'll get extensions and clutter up the interface (sorry, the word clutter is just showing my bias, I don't have use for anything like that). They tote Chrome as a clutter free browser, a basic browser that does just the basics but does them really well. I wonder how they're going to do this all, if someone wants extensions, they use Firefox. Google can't just copy Firefox and so I wonder how they're going to get more features for the vast majority of users, but not simply be a copy-cat browser.
Matt
I imagine that they'll come up with something. Although the whole igoogle thing really defeats the simplicity of Google, so give them time and they'll succumb to feature creep just like everyone else.
--zig
[quote="Ziggie":q4eiil0l]For what it's worth, Chrome already has more market share than Opera.
[/quote:q4eiil0l]
Hey Ziggie - That's interesting what you said about Chrome's market share. What are the figures based on mate? I find it difficult to believe there has already been time for some sort of definitive survey...if the figures are based purely on download numbers then that would, in my opinion, create a false impression...it would include all those who downloaded, tried and discarded Chrome, or demoted it to second or third preference.
JIM
Here's a list of which browsers visitors to DCT are using, as of 9/27 @ 0000:
[attachment=0:osbo7zlv]browsers.png[/attachment:osbo7zlv]
That's pretty interesting, I agree with Jim in that when Chrome was first released, everyone talked in the first 2 or 3 days about how much people were using it and that's not correct information. People would download it all over the place and use it for a little while just to see what it's like and then the vast majority would uninstall it and continue using Firefox or whatever else they used before. Something like this though is better information, it shows actual usage rather than simply downloading and trying it out. Chrome is a good browser, it deserves to be up there but I'm really surprised that it's that high, I didn't think it would catch on so quickly due to the interface.
Matt
It was something I heard on this week's webisode of Cranky Geeks. As far as hard stats, a quick google search gave me this address: http://valleywag.com/5049007/google-chr ... ta-version
~shrug~
Opera didn't have much market share to start with, so it's not surprising that Chrome got past that, but I don't see it getting much further than that. Too many people are set in their ways. Look at how long it took people to get off of IE and onto Firefox...
Hey Zig - Thanks for the link...and thanks to Dave too for that great chart...brilliant! I am a little surprised Chrome has even got that far considering it is still in Beta and reviews have been mixed....perhaps the early novelty factor. The point you make about the length of time Firefox struggled to gain ground on IE is very valid Zig.....like I have said, people are generally reluctant to change and, more often than not, carrots need to be dangled.
Anyway, inspired by this discussion I'm going to install Chrome and have a little bo peep for myself.
thanks guys,
JIM.
Well, it's a Google product, so it will probably be in Beta for several years. Look at Gmail, it's very popular but still in Beta.
~shrug~
I've used it, but I'm not much impressed. It also doesn't run on Linux, so that's a minus.
Most people won't be impressed, that's why I'm so surprised that it has caught on so much... most people are going to miss the extensions and other features of Firefox and even IE. Even Opera has some things similar to that, Chrome has nothing. I'm very surprised it has so much market share already... I love it but that's because I don't use any extra features, I like a minimalistic interface.
Matt
1 Guest(s)
