Google Chrome First thoughts

[tiato]

I like it. It's an innovative architecture for a web browser and has ALOT of potential. Unlike all the irritants that crawl out of their holes to trash anything new I have a mindset to actually sit with the source and see what I can come up with. I suggest those of you that aren't a complete waste of mind space do the same.

For those of you knocking an open source browser and are on Linux. Shame. Really I was surprised to see Ubuntu tags with flamed responses. Why would you, knowing damn well where linux came, knock an open source browser in its beta stages? True it's not IE8 or FF3 or Safari or Opera. I still remember when IE was the only one in town and Netscape was trying not to be a forgotten memory.

If you don't like something, make a fix and upload the source or provide helpful feedback to the dev team, i'm sure they don't want their browser tagged as "crap". The rest of you that have no intentions of bettering anything other than your ego stick with your favorite browser, i'm sure they haven't shut down. But don't knock someone trying something new. Especially when you can't offer anything outside hot air. I respect opinions but was honestly surprised at how rapidly Chrome was dismissed because of a lack of "third-party" extensions (Adblock+). Which also happens to be open source.

Wow, imagine taking two sources and providing your own innovation? Add your two cents. I'm sure the guys at adblockplus.org wouldn't mind...

Maybe Google Chrome won't last and other developers will simply perfect and build on the Chrome engine for their own browsers, I believe by making the code open source Google not only expects this but is also looking for it.

The engine is good, damn good. Look at the possibilities, hell just look at the code, when you consider extensions both IE and FF support? Now imagine those extensions you love on a newer browsing engine. Maybe its the developer's way of thinking and maybe i'm the only one... But for those of you who aren't useless meatbags here's some links I haven't seen yet:

Official Google Chrome Project Site: http://code.google.com/p/chromium/

Source and dependencies for Dev Environment: http://dev.chromium.org/developers/how-tos/getting-started

I'm personally going to work at trying to wrap some FF Extensions to Chrome. I'll post my useful and useless findings at http://pensake.spaces.live.com

Note: Yes, I just started blogging. What's your point?

[Kralik]

One thing I'd say is.. i've tried the betas of both IE 8 and Chrome.. Sure IE8 is LOADED!! but the simplicity and to-the-pointness of Chrome beats IE by miles.. Google has done it again.. I uninstalled IE8 beta 2 after some minutes coz it had problems with my McAfee 2008 and Roxio 10.

Chrome is simple and fast and beautiful!! and loads pages faster!! Everything a browser is supposed to do.. Brilliant!! :woot:

EDIT: ANNNNND its open source.. so expect many wonders!!

[wellofsouls]

Something I just noticed, seems Chrome only tracks the three most recently closed tabs? that's a bit too few...

[joker999]

i was in there looking for it and didnt see it :p

i just pooped a brick again.

when your in a form there is a small arrow/dots in the bottom right corner, click and drag it.... :|

Doh, didnt read your message about "Click and drag" i was too happy thought i was first to say, lol!

[wellofsouls]

oh, and it seems it flushes the recently closed tabs list periodically. really strange...

[iron2000]

Just installed it.

I find it pretty fast, minimal and elegant.

The way it handles downloads is pretty slick to me.

[Krpano]

It looks good.

They just need to give us more customization options.

Need a password manager like Opera.

And the ability to customize the home tab.

Then im sold.

[cork1958]

First thought?

YUCK!! :x

Installed and almost immediately, uninstalled!!

[tiato]

It looks good.

They just need to give us more customization options.

Need a password manager like Opera.

And the ability to customize the home tab.

Then im sold.

Click on the wrench to the top right. Click on Options, Under the Basic tab you can change your homepage.

Though the password manager isn't as sophisticated as some others you can access it from the Options>Minor Tweaks section.

[C++]

I like it. When I heard it used the same rendering engine as Safari I was skeptical, because that piece of **** browser makes pages look like you're viewing them through 10 sets of beer goggles with default settings. But Google did it right. Should have known better than to doubt them. I'm not switching to this quite yet but I am very impressed overall.

A web browser's emphasis should be on web browsing and Chrome did that for me better than any browser I've seen so far. I may even install it for the next few non-savvy clients I visit. To everyone complaining it's too basic -- Are you like that bunch who clutters up their desktops with "Free space on drive C" widgets and downloads MP3 player controls into Firefox? Reminds me of that Pimp My Ride joke... "Yo, dude, we heard you like to drive so we put a car in your car!"

[Calculator]

I'm in love with the design of Chrome! :D The way the tabs are placed on top of the glass title bar... the soft icons on the buttons... awesome!

They really re-invented the browser with this, where other browsers try to implement better security and performance and the like in new versions, Google builds those pillars in the core from the very beginning of the development process, with tabs in separate processes, management of security levels for tabs and plug-ins,... It's something every popular browser should have done before, but never did! Google approached the browser concept very differently and they have now proven that it was really worth it. :)

Considering it's only a Beta version, this is a very very good release. We'll have to wait for a more final release to start mass-developing plug-ins and the like, and we definitely need more customization options. But I'd be very surprised that they won't be bringing that to Chrome, they just know they have to. :p Until that day, I stick with my Firefox and the dozen of extensions I installed on it. :p

[Thaumbody]

So you despise a program because its first beta release has bugs?

I don't like bad bugs like that, but I don't despise a program just because its first beta release has bad bugs.

No, I don't despise a program because of a file association bug, I despise all programs that do it, mostly because it can really muck up settings on computers. I've invoked System Restore more than a few times to undo such sloppiness over the years, yet programmers continue to do it.

Though to be fair, after the final release I may try Chrome again, if the pokeball for all url and html file types changes into something less toylike and capable of better distinguishing between the different types of files on XP and Vista.

[markwolfe Veteran]

...

Though to be fair, after the final release I may try Chrome again, if the pokeball for all url and html file types changes into something less toylike...

Well, I guess people have to pick some criteria for whether they use a product or not. And the icon it uses is an excellent indicator for product usefulness. ;)

As for me, I guess I will have to wait until they release a Linux version. I have heard that the Windows version doesn't work in wine.

[reactionary007]

can you update it to the latest webkit?

[wellofsouls]

No, I don't despise a program because of a file association bug, I despise all programs that do it, mostly because it can really muck up settings on computers. I've invoked System Restore more than a few times to undo such sloppiness over the years, yet programmers continue to do it.

whether it's a program or all programs, programmers continue to do it because they have millions of lines of code to right and sometimes that could be a bit... overwhelming to say the least... thus all those alpha, beta, whatever tests... and all those testers help the programmers to get to the bugs to make the final release a better product... instead of despising the programs in their beta stages.

Since you have chosen to be a beta tester, you should really know better. ;)

can you update it to the latest webkit?

Nope. Unless you know how to separate JavaScriptCore and WebCore, add JavaScript V8 into it, make all the changes to add those new features like sandbox and process separation, etc. etc.

Edited September 3, 2008 by wellofsouls

[Scorbing]

I was wondering what everyones 1st thoughts are with Google Chrome?

http://www.google.com/chrome

I have found it to render pages very slow (especially when viewing a page for the 1st time), and to just be sluggish overall. Of coarse its a beta so perfection is not expected, but performance wise I really was hoping for more.

The layout is really slick and simple which is pretty nice, but on the flip side there are no extensions, and the customization options are far and few between as of yet.

What are your thoughts?

Renders pages slow? Dude what kind of connection do you have? This browser opens pages in a flash. If this browser gets any better its Bye Bye Firefox.

[ObiWanToby]

Yeah, Chrome > Opera > Firefox > IE for speed, that is for sure. It also wins in simplicity, I see more of the page.

[anonymous_user]

^ Opera the slowest? :huh:

[ObiWanToby]

^ Opera the slowest? :huh:

I didn't order it in that way, but I can see how that is confusing.

[mocax]

Chrome is for the geekomaniacs.

Does not apply to all ye commoners who just post in forums and blogs

It's now my default web browser. IE8 handles the RSS.

Firefox may be saved by the add-on community, but it's now secondary on me comp. I'll only use it in emergencies.

[?AK]

After a day of use I'm really satisfied with it. I really like the UI. The browser itself is fast and has nice features. Well it has some bugs too but it's still in Beta.

[Lee G. Veteran]

I'm not really a fan of the UI. I'd prefer if it used the native Windows UI rather than creating a UI of its own (including Vista too).

[GreenMartian]

Well, my thoughts are as follows...

Pros:

• Webkit. Yeah.
  
• Process isolation.
  
• Blazing fast JS.
  
• Smooth UI.
  
• The stats page.
  
• Fully open source.
  
• Edit: Forgot the "Live" html editor (a'la firebug)
  

I won't use it as my main browser yet because it lacks:

• Password protection for "saved passwords".
  
• A good adblocker.
  
• Mouse gestures. Can't live without it.
  
• Middle-click scroll. How the hell did they leave that one out?!
  
• Customizable keyboard shortcuts.
  

I currently use Opera as my main for those reasons. If Google gets them into Chrome (or someone forks it and either built those features, or makes extensions to emulate the functionalities), then count me as a convert.

Edited September 3, 2008 by GreenMartian

[Guest]

I'm really likely it, nice and simple! :).

Can't wait to see what else Google has in store for it in later betas!

[Minimoose]

http://www.michaelaulia.com/blogs/google-c...impression.html the blog post benchmarks seem to be wrong.

Opera 9.52 gets a score of 9.52 (it just seems the version of opera was copied as the score :s)? For me it got 200, my other scores were about the same except chrome got 1200.

Its a very nice browser, I will use it for general browsing then Opera for buying online etc...