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Retiring Chrome Frame

blog.chromium.org

41–50 of 102 posts

Re: Retiring Chrome Frame

#41

If Chrome Frame is necessary for you, why not continue it as a separate open source project? Google has already helped you massively, it's not their job to manage your backwards compatibility issues for you...

Because they made it nearly impossible by only releasing half the code, not releasing any installer build, and only releasing parts of the build system.

Re: Retiring Chrome Frame

#43

If Chrome Frame is necessary for you, why not continue it as a separate open source project? Google has already helped you massively, it's not their job to manage your backwards compatibility issues for you...

Because they made it nearly impossible by only releasing half the code, not releasing any installer build, and only releasing parts of the build system.

All of the code necessary to build a working Chrome Frame and an installer binary is present in the open source repository. The code for the MSI isn't there, but that's just a very thin wrapper around the Chrome Frame and Google Update exe installers.

Re: Retiring Chrome Frame

#44
Currently all those XP users can easily run Firefox or Chrome and are therefore not stuck to IE7, but I really wonder how long that will be possible. Will it be 1 or 2 years until Chrome won't run anymore on Windows XP? (Firefox has problems with the linker of older visual studio compilers already and any software compiled with a newer microsoft compiler will need the msvcrt update, unless you use http://kobyk.wordpress.com/2007/07/20/dynamically-linking-wi... )

Those XP machines will never be upgraded and many won't be replaced until there are no spare parts anymore.

One really can't trust Google to keep anything around for more than 6 months

Re: Retiring Chrome Frame

#45
post #21

Google may be continuing with the 'Don't Be Evil' motto but they sure ain't standing by a 'Don't Be Dicks' motto. What major software company announces a deprecation with 6 months of support. I have something going out relying on chrome frame plugin going out next week, now I have to go with my tail between my legs. Well lesson learned, can't rely on Google in the enterprise.

What were you paying for Chrome Frame? Sometimes, it makes sense to retire products. And if you're not making money on the product, then it can be expensive to keep supporting it. I think six months is still a reasonable amount of advanced notice. No matter what, a small minority will be unhappy. I think the real lesson here is: don't build something serious on top of a product you don't pay for and you don't have an…

He is saying he just learned that lesson. Free Google software isn't a reliable foundation for a business decision. Compare to Microsoft, who have a track record keeping their technologies alive and supported for many years.

Re: Retiring Chrome Frame

#46
post #21

Google may be continuing with the 'Don't Be Evil' motto but they sure ain't standing by a 'Don't Be Dicks' motto. What major software company announces a deprecation with 6 months of support. I have something going out relying on chrome frame plugin going out next week, now I have to go with my tail between my legs. Well lesson learned, can't rely on Google in the enterprise.

What were you paying for Chrome Frame? Sometimes, it makes sense to retire products. And if you're not making money on the product, then it can be expensive to keep supporting it. I think six months is still a reasonable amount of advanced notice. No matter what, a small minority will be unhappy. I think the real lesson here is: don't build something serious on top of a product you don't pay for and you don't have an…

One wasn't "paying" with money. But Google wants to move all of IT in a certain direction (where cloud and web based technology is acceptable). Therefore Google provided the illusion that it's possible to mix ancient IE6-IT with modern Chrome web apps. Developers could feel save that it's okay to use modern technology and still be able to reach old shops. And old shops might have started to adopt modern web apps, also from google. Now they are forced to think again how to keep the old IE6-intranet running next to some Google Docs stuff they bought...

So Chrome Frame helped Google a bit to extend a certain market for them by a little bit. Google still doesn't get paid, but they certainly didn't do Google Frame out of altruism.

Re: Retiring Chrome Frame

#47
post #33

I don't understand the problem; Chrome can be installed on XP without administrator privileges, isn't that enough for Entreprise users?

Some organizations don't allow it by company policy, regardless of whether it can be installed.

I've still yet to wrap my mind around the Chrome frame from an IT perspective. Even with thin clients, you could install FireFox or Chrome on your XP VM, and it'd result in less CPU overhead. I'll admit, IT is not my specialty nor is mega corporate politics, but I'd would venture to guess the cost of IE6-8 in IT overhead would negate any cost of deployment of Chrome or FireFox ESR.

Anyone care to enlighten me as to why?

Re: Retiring Chrome Frame

#48
post #21

Google may be continuing with the 'Don't Be Evil' motto but they sure ain't standing by a 'Don't Be Dicks' motto. What major software company announces a deprecation with 6 months of support. I have something going out relying on chrome frame plugin going out next week, now I have to go with my tail between my legs. Well lesson learned, can't rely on Google in the enterprise.

Chrome Frame will still work after January, just it won't be updated anymore. I assume that means you can still rely on it for your product, no?

No IT manager would permit an unsupported browser plugin to remain deployed. Who's going to fix newly discovered exploits?

Re: Retiring Chrome Frame

#49
post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What were you paying for Chrome Frame? Sometimes, it makes sense to retire products. And if you're not making money on the product, then it can be expensive to keep supporting it. I think six months is still a reasonable amount of advanced notice. No matter what, a small minority will be unhappy. I think the real lesson here is: don't build something serious on top of a product you don't pay for and you don't have an…

One wasn't "paying" with money. But Google wants to move all of IT in a certain direction (where cloud and web based technology is acceptable). Therefore Google provided the illusion that it's possible to mix ancient IE6-IT with modern Chrome web apps. Developers could feel save that it's okay to use modern technology and still be able to reach old shops. And old shops might have started to adopt modern web apps, als…

> Now they are forced to think again how to keep the old IE6-intranet running next to some Google Docs stuff they bought...

Since they already switched from supporting IE6 to using modern technology as if IE6 didn't exist, then maybe they just won't bother switching back. Maybe it will be more cost-effective, at least for some of them, to finally ditch IE6. And that would be a win. The cancellation of Google Frame may be what is needed to break the feedback loop that keeps IE6 afloat.

Re: Retiring Chrome Frame

#50
post #44

Currently all those XP users can easily run Firefox or Chrome and are therefore not stuck to IE7, but I really wonder how long that will be possible. Will it be 1 or 2 years until Chrome won't run anymore on Windows XP? (Firefox has problems with the linker of older visual studio compilers already and any software compiled with a newer microsoft compiler will need the msvcrt update, unless you use http://kobyk.wordpr…

Those XP machines can download an older version of Chrome if it ever comes to that. And if Google Chrome no longer provides support I'm sure Chromium will. XP is 10 years old. It's remarkable that Google does still support it (unlike Microsoft supporting their own software) so let's praise them on that.
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