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Google is finally killing off Chrome apps, which nobody really used

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Re: Google is finally killing off Chrome apps, which nobody really used

#41

Post by tyingq »

dtech wrote: post #36
Eikon wrote: post #3

I feel like chrome apps were actually ahead of their time and very much better than embedding a full browser per app with electron. Of course, they were not perfect but IHMO made much more sense than what we have today, at least on a technical standpoint and could have evolved into something truly great.

I.i.r.c. Chrome Apps are compiled binaries specific for Chrome (NaCL), they're more like Flash, Java or Webassembly applications.

Not NACL. JavaScript/HTML/CSS. But with access to local filesystems, sockets, etc.

Because of that, Google's suggested replacement of Android Apps (won't work everywhere Chrome does) or PWAs/Extensions (both heavily sandboxed) doesn't work.

Re: Google is finally killing off Chrome apps, which nobody really used

#42

Post by kgersen75 »

wazoox wrote: post #13

Typical Google move. I have a Chromebook. It was listed on the models that would support Android app, this support never came (it's still "planned", 2 years later...). Support for Linux apps didn't come, either. So now I suppose my Chromebook will be soon a useless brick. Thanks, Google. Got the message, I'll never use any product with your badge again.

why do you suppose your Chromebook will be a useless brick ?

which Chrome App(s) do you use that will cease to work in 2021 ?

Re: Google is finally killing off Chrome apps, which nobody really used

#43

Post by nova22033 »

When Google first announced all the way back in 2016 that it would end support for Chrome apps on Windows, macOS, and Linux, it said approximately one percent of users on those platforms were actively using packaged Chrome apps.

The move was announced in 2016. Apps are used by 1% of users.

Re: Google is finally killing off Chrome apps, which nobody really used

#44

Post by mattlondon »

wazoox wrote: post #13

Typical Google move. I have a Chromebook. It was listed on the models that would support Android app, this support never came (it's still "planned", 2 years later...). Support for Linux apps didn't come, either. So now I suppose my Chromebook will be soon a useless brick. Thanks, Google. Got the message, I'll never use any product with your badge again.

For what it is worth, my current chrome book that was about £150 12 months ago has both linux and app support.

From what I understand about it, it is a linux kernel + driver issue. I do not know if this means it is the manufacturer of the chromebook's "fault", or google's "fault" for not supporting these things. E.g. does the manufacturer need to do a new build for their hardware? I don't know.

Re: Google is finally killing off Chrome apps, which nobody really used

#46

Post by ancarda »

guggle wrote: post #28
slovenlyrobot wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Speaking just for one, I haven't adopted a new Google consumer product in 7 years. I don't even click the links. Pretty sure Reader had that effect on a large chunk of the technical base they previously relied heavily on.

Indeed... I don't even consider using their development tools now.

Just the other day I met a guy who told me he wouldn't consider learning and using Go because Google will cancel it eventually

What a reputation issue they're developing. Even if their tech is pretty good, there's a growing number of people who won't even consider it (myself included)

Re: Google is finally killing off Chrome apps, which nobody really used

#47

Post by mcny »

mattlondon wrote: post #44
wazoox wrote: post #13

Typical Google move. I have a Chromebook. It was listed on the models that would support Android app, this support never came (it's still "planned", 2 years later...). Support for Linux apps didn't come, either. So now I suppose my Chromebook will be soon a useless brick. Thanks, Google. Got the message, I'll never use any product with your badge again.

For what it is worth, my current chrome book that was about £150 12 months ago has both linux and app support. From what I understand about it, it is a linux kernel + driver issue. I do not know if this means it is the manufacturer of the chromebook's "fault", or google's "fault" for not supporting these things. E.g. does the manufacturer need to do a new build for their hardware? I don't know.

Why is the manufacturer even involved in this? I thought all updates come straight from google? I have zero sympathy for Google at this point. It is one thing that the drivers are not all free and open source but Google should at least require that Google has access to the drivers or software it needs to keep devices up to date. If a vendor doesn’t do that, don’t do business with that vendor.

Re: Google is finally killing off Chrome apps, which nobody really used

#48

Post by discordance »

kgersen75 wrote: post #42
wazoox wrote: post #13

Typical Google move. I have a Chromebook. It was listed on the models that would support Android app, this support never came (it's still "planned", 2 years later...). Support for Linux apps didn't come, either. So now I suppose my Chromebook will be soon a useless brick. Thanks, Google. Got the message, I'll never use any product with your badge again.

why do you suppose your Chromebook will be a useless brick ? which Chrome App(s) do you use that will cease to work in 2021 ?

I have a Chromebook Pixel (2013) and they stopped issuing updates a couple of years ago (os or security).

That’s essentially bricking for me because I don’t want to log into anything secure on a potentially vulnerable device.

Re: Google is finally killing off Chrome apps, which nobody really used

#49

Post by wazoox »

Kaiyou wrote: post #14
wazoox wrote: post #13

Typical Google move. I have a Chromebook. It was listed on the models that would support Android app, this support never came (it's still "planned", 2 years later...). Support for Linux apps didn't come, either. So now I suppose my Chromebook will be soon a useless brick. Thanks, Google. Got the message, I'll never use any product with your badge again.

You say that, but you got a Chromebook despite everything Google did in the past. If people had gotten any message they'd have abandoned Google back in 2008.

There used to be cheap linux notebooks, that what I used to buy, then Chromebooks appeared and replaced entirely cheap linux laptops. I stupidly hoped that it would be good enough, or easily convertible to straight Linux; it isn't. In fact the main problem is that Google Docs doesn't properly support OpenDocument format, making it crippled for me even as a basic desktop (it's only useful as a browser and nothing else).

Re: Google is finally killing off Chrome apps, which nobody really used

#50

Post by Already__Taken »

mcny wrote: post #47
mattlondon wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For what it is worth, my current chrome book that was about £150 12 months ago has both linux and app support. From what I understand about it, it is a linux kernel + driver issue. I do not know if this means it is the manufacturer of the chromebook's "fault", or google's "fault" for not supporting these things. E.g. does the manufacturer need to do a new build for their hardware? I don't know.

Why is the manufacturer even involved in this? I thought all updates come straight from google? I have zero sympathy for Google at this point. It is one thing that the drivers are not all free and open source but Google should at least require that Google has access to the drivers or software it needs to keep devices up to date. If a vendor doesn’t do that, don’t do business with that vendor.

I guess it depends if they've done something funny when producing it? I've had the odd PC motherboard and laptop that won't work right with drivers from the manufacturer (intel/amd/nvidia), they need the specific gigabyte or asus provided driver package. Usually a sound problem. This might explain the wide range of bluetooth complaints.

My dell xps 13" touchpad drivers didn't work from synaptics, it had to be from dell. Something else needed realtek driver direct from their website, windows updates version were broken.

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