Google Chrome - I’m not a fan
- 2
- Add a Comment
Here’s a little list which will probably grow - and yes I have to precede this list with the warning that the software is still only in beta - of things that bug me about Chrome. However, knowing how much Firefox has taken off surely Google would have at least thought to come close to matching what it offers before releasing it.
Or was their aim purely to detract from the release of the latest beta of IE8? Anyway, that list is:
- No plugins
- No profile roaming
- No full screen ability (unless I’m missing it)
- A separate search box (call me a Luddite if you want)
- No status bar
- No RoboForm integration
- It breaks my Gmail customisations
- And I’m sure there are more I’ve forgotten….
Also I’m very much not alone in my feelings - though equally there are those whom have gone OTT about the product. I’ll not link to it because I disagree with the language used, but do a search for Googasm on The Register and you’ll see what I mean. Alternatively have a read of this article over at CNet where you’ll notice Josh’s ideas mirror some of mine (or mine his).
Furthermore it still has security issues that have been fixed by other users of the webkit platform - read all about that over at ZDNet.
Another thought… my once, almost favourite web app was greenborder, a sandbox app that allowed me to wall off the internet and all its badness was purchased by google and appears to have disappeared never to resurface. Or has it? I wonder if this is what they are using to power their separate ‘walled off’ processes for each tab? Hmmm.
One last thought and then I’ll stop my bashing and leave it alone for a month or two… one of Chrome’s much discussed good things is its speed, especially with its own mail, apps, etc. Well I’d be very surprised if it wasn’t. However, Firefox latest build(s) has a new java rendering engine at its heart called TraceMonkey which is faster than the Chrome offering. As a default TraceMonkey is not turned on but can be - Mozilla are looking to release the new version by year end….

2 Comments
Jerry Tobias
September 10th, 2008
at 8:06am
You think Chrome is still too immature? Try uninstalling it and checking what it leaves throughout your hard drive. I’m sure I never came close to getting rid of all the files it attached to god-knows-where.
shausha
September 10th, 2008
at 1:00pm
That thought hadn’t even crossed my mind! Now you got me thinking.