Live data from Hacker News

Google Chrome, Google's Browser Project

blogoscoped.com

1–10 of 112 posts

Re: Google Chrome, Google's Browser Project

#4
post #3

I don't see the need for Google to try and compete in a space where there is already plenty of competition and Open Source innovation. Maybe they are tired of giving Mozilla Corp Ad Words money for Firefox searches.

They just renewed the contract with Mozilla. That's got nothing to do with it. And there's not nearly enough competition in browsers. Sure, there are lots of projects, but few of them are serious contenders for the average Windows user -- maybe Opera and Firefox qualify, but that's about it.

If you've ever tried to write a complex web app you immediately bang your head against the low, low ceiling afforded by the browser. Google knows this as well as anybody and it impedes adoption of Google apps like Gmail or Docs. Making the browser into a better platform is good for their business -- note they are giving away their spiffy new JS engine and the whole thing is open source.

If Firefox adopted their innovations tomorrow or one-upped them, I'm sure the Chrome team would be very happy.

Re: Google Chrome, Google's Browser Project

#8
post #2

So soon we'll have yet another browser to check for compatibility issues in CSS and javascript. Great.

Well, assuming it uses a pristine WebKit backend, you should only have to test in one browser with the same WebKit build. :) I guess that might be idealistic thinking, but hopefully it pans out.

Re: Google Chrome, Google's Browser Project

#9

Anyone got a mirror? It's crawling...

pdf, courtesy Brian Enigma: http://brevity.org/pic/chrome/Google_on_Google_Chrome.pdf

zip of pngs: http://brevity.org/pic/chrome/google-chrome-mccloud-comic.zi...

or, all in individual png files: http://brevity.org/pic/chrome/

Re: Google Chrome, Google's Browser Project

#10
post #4
post #3

I don't see the need for Google to try and compete in a space where there is already plenty of competition and Open Source innovation. Maybe they are tired of giving Mozilla Corp Ad Words money for Firefox searches.

They just renewed the contract with Mozilla. That's got nothing to do with it. And there's not nearly enough competition in browsers. Sure, there are lots of projects, but few of them are serious contenders for the average Windows user -- maybe Opera and Firefox qualify, but that's about it. If you've ever tried to write a complex web app you immediately bang your head against the low, low ceiling afforded by the bro…

Plus, a little less altruistically, it lets Google embed stuff like Google Gears and Google Toolbar directly into the browser, set Google.com as the browser homepage, and add a bunch of buttons linking to various Google services. Companies like Google pay a lot for defaults like that.

Plus, like Apple, they've got a mobile platform now so maybe they'll use some subset of Chrome in Android.

Post reply on HN