Google launches its own open source browser, Google Chrome

[Crispy]

(incidentally, I love Safari's ability to link rss feeds in the browser as bookmarks and show if there are updates in the bookmark bar – so much easier than having something stand-alone.)

Opera has a similar way of doing it. I have MANY more RSS feeds in my home browser, and any web-based reader would choke on them.

 

[fractionMan]

I presume that the stuff explained in the comic as to how it works at a fundamental level, how it delivers web pages and runs scripts etc, differentiates Chrome from most other browsers..?

fuck knows. I've only got to page 2 cos it's so slow. Why can't there be a simple page about it.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

The Javascript engine looks pretty interesting - not surprising given that Google use a bucketload of it.

 

[The Groke]

fuck knows. I've only got to page 2 cos it's so slow. Why can't there be a simple page about it.

I didn't understand all of it, but most I found pretty informative/interesting.

Still not entirely clear on how the mechanics stack up against the current browsers though.

 

[fractionMan]

GOOGLE BOOKS VERSION OF THE COMIC

so you don't have to keep clicking

tbh, I wanted to hate the comic idea but I'm warming to it.

 

[editor]

Opera has a similar way of doing it. I have MANY more RSS feeds in my home browser, and any web-based reader would choke on them.

Like how many?

I'm running 70+ on Google Reader and it copes fine.

 

[fractionMan]

I've just finished the comic.

It's an open source version of opera imo. With a (possibly) better javascript engine that will be made open source.

 

[Crispy]

Like how many?

I'm running 70+ on Google Reader and it copes fine.

Hmm, ok. I'd have to see it to believe it though. And I can't believe that search via a web interface is quicker than offline...

 

[editor]

Well, I need a fast RSS reader for my job and used to use the offline FeedDemon reader, but switched to Google Reader.

 

[Dravinian]

Well, I need a fast RSS reader for my job and used to use the offline FeedDemon reader, but switched to Google Reader.

You said the Download link isn't live yet.

Where is that? I had a look for it, all very confusing with pages that wouldn't load properly, and I couldn't find a direct link.

 

[Crispy]

Well, I need a fast RSS reader for my job and used to use the offline FeedDemon reader, but switched to Google Reader.

I'm going to give it a test drive on your reccomendation

--

Ah, well fail at first hurdle - no quick way to subscribe to feeds from the originating site. Have to copy and paste the url (if you can find it on the page!) or do a manual search through google reader itself. Nowhere near as convenient as clicking the orange icon in the address bar, plus I have to keep a browser tab open for it all the time.

This one's not for me

 

[editor]

I'm going to give it a test drive on your reccomendation

Be sure to download the Better GReader plug in too!

 

[Crispy]

You said the Download link isn't live yet.

Where is that? I had a look for it, all very confusing with pages that wouldn't load properly, and I couldn't find a direct link.

Google Reader is a web-based RSS reader - nothing to do with Chrome.

 

[Crispy]

Be sure to download the Better GReader plug in too!

I would if I used firefox!

 

[editor]

Good commentary on Google's plans here:

Gears: Google's Microsoft slayer

If you've used Google's iPhone app, you'll know that it's basically a Gateway to all Google products. This is now being replicated in the cloud-computing-powered Chrome. Google knows that by bringing everything together it can only make itself stronger. Google Gears replicates this strength offline.

Google Gears is an underestimated part of Google's portfolio. The ability to work on documents offline will help Google's online propositions work like standard software - and what's more, everything is integrated and linked up by your single Google Account. Not exactly Google's sexiest download, users will soon have Gears without even realising it as part of Chrome.

When that happens, why would anyone pay for stuff like Microsoft Office? And would you even need Windows with all your apps appearing as shortcuts in Chrome?The OSthat sits behind that window becomes much less significant, making pre-installed Linux an attractive money saver.

And that, more than anything, is probably what's probably raising hackles in the boardrooms at Microsoft's Redmond HQ.

http://www.techradar.com/news/internet/web/google-chrome-scary-overbearing-and-nearly-here-462177

 

[Crispy]

Yep, I'd agree with that - the internet browser as OS. It's what netscape tried way back in the day, but failed. The technology's only really got there recently. And then Gears makes web apps feasible for critical work, as they no longer require the network connection. Basic-spec, network computers, running a cut-down linux with Chrome on top as the user layer could be popular.

Of course, the flipside is that it's not really your computer any more - alll your work sits on google's servers. I'd not be comfortable with that myself.

 

[fen_boy]

I'm going to give it a test drive on your reccomendation

--

Ah, well fail at first hurdle - no quick way to subscribe to feeds from the originating site. Have to copy and paste the url (if you can find it on the page!) or do a manual search through google reader itself. Nowhere near as convenient as clicking the orange icon in the address bar, plus I have to keep a browser tab open for it all the time.

This one's not for me

Clicking on the orange thing works for me in firefox with google reader.
e2a - oh I see you don't use firefox, not sure if it works elsewhere

 

[untethered]

Of course, the flipside is that it's not really your computer any more - alll your work sits on google's servers. I'd not be comfortable with that myself.

You might have a better privacy policy than Google but I doubt you've got a better backup system. That's the tradeoff.

 

[GarfieldLeChat]

cnet have a screen shot but so far nothing on the euro launch of chrome it could well be that they don't release here yet... and do a states japan china only release first off....

 

[gnoriac]

... When that happens, why would anyone pay for stuff like Microsoft Office?...

Same reason anyone does at present despite a perfectly good freebie in OpenOffice.

Moreover, as mentioned on another thread, the stats from 1 of the sites I'm currently working on shows biggest browser share is with IE6, even though the vastly superior 7 has been out for what, a year?

So although Microsoft have been painfully slow in adapting to the internet and google look to be soaring still further beyond them, I doubt they're panicking.

Yet.

 

[editor]

Of course, the flipside is that it's not really your computer any more - alll your work sits on google's servers. I'd not be comfortable with that myself.

I think it's quite interesting that there's a whole generation of people who have grown up with the internet and free online apps always being 'there' but old farts, sorry, pioneers like me who grew up with flaky connections and here-today-gone-tomorrow web ventures retain a cynicism and caution about committing to total internet solutions.

So I'm happy to make use of free online apps, but I sure as hell won't be committing all my work and data purely online.

I wonder how many people might end up losing their photos if something like Flickr went down (or started charging loads as the recession bites and advertisers depart)...

 

[editor]

Here's the download link again: http://www.google.com/chrome

Nothing there yet...

 

[GarfieldLeChat]

Here's the download link again: http://www.google.com/chrome

Nothing there yet...

cnet have it as being launched at 11 am cali time (or around 7 pm real time...) some time to go yet...

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10030025-2.html

 

[UnderOpenSky]

I think it's quite interesting that there's a whole generation of people who have grown up with the internet and free online apps always being 'there' but old farts, sorry, pioneers like me who grew up with flaky connections and here-today-gone-tomorrow web ventures retain a cynicism and caution about committing to total internet solutions.

Quite, the one time you really need it will be when the net goes down. People have been talking about this since I got my first PC.

 

[Crispy]

Well that's what Gears is for - it lets you use the web apps when the net is down.

 

[untethered]

I wonder how many people might end up losing their photos if something like Flickr went down (or started charging loads as the recession bites and advertisers depart)...

The rule is never to put your data into a system where you can't get it back out again.

This includes proprietary desktop applications with closed file formats. Some older versions of MS Word documents aren't even fully compatible with more recent versions of Word, let alone anything else.

As long as a system has got an open file format and/or an open API you'll be fine.

Flickr has got an open API. If you want to get all your data out and convert it to another system, you can. That's more than you can say for a lot of desktop apps.

 

[gnoriac]

A comment on the Register's article:

It uses Webkit (http://webkit.org/) which is fully open source and based on KHTML. The current builds of Webkit of the most standards compliant renderers out there, passing the Acid 3 test 100%.

for those of us worried about standards compliance.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

Of course, the flipside is that it's not really your computer any more - alll your work sits on google's servers. I'd not be comfortable with that myself.

It's be rather good if you could use all the functions and apps, but store your work on your own home server...

 

[DJWrongspeed]

It seems designed for some future world of online applications. At the moment I can't see what the benefit is. I run Firefox at work/home, is fast and doesn't crash. The only slow thing is the download connection sometimes. Chrome won't fix that ?

 

[berniedicters]

Yep, I'd agree with that - the internet browser as OS. It's what netscape tried way back in the day, but failed. The technology's only really got there recently. And then Gears makes web apps feasible for critical work, as they no longer require the network connection. Basic-spec, network computers, running a cut-down linux with Chrome on top as the user layer could be popular.

Of course, the flipside is that it's not really your computer any more - alll your work sits on google's servers. I'd not be comfortable with that myself.

Could this be the point where some decent PKI stuff starts to happen? Encrypted docs stored on the server, decrypted on arrival at the local desktop, re-encrypted back in on the way up?