SuperSite Blog

"Save all tabs in a tab group" is a feature that makes Chrome a no-go for me.  Hopefully that's coming....

OK. Am I missing something? From this feature list I'd could see this as Chrome 1.1 but I don't see what's dramatic enough to justify a full version number change.

Mike...ever had anything good to say about a product from a competitor of MS?

"Mike...ever had anything good to say about a product from a competitor of MS?"

Yes

It is strange seeing a 2.0 prerelease only four months after the original beta was released. i have no malice for chrome, but some of these features really should've been in 1.0 to begin with, and the others don't particularly seem to justify a major version bump. I suppose I shouldn't really complain though; microsoft can be just as bad sometimes.

Something that was never addressed:

Google must be feeling the hurt.  Dell - the 2nd largest computer maker in the world, 2nd only to HP - has now switched to providing Live Search as the default search engine.  HP is also (still) partnered with Yahoo AFAIK.  

Google is losing traction with partnerships.

Waethorn

If Google's losing the big deals for default search provider, I wonder what that says about their attempts to get Chrome preinstalled as the default browser.

Wae...that doesn't matter.

My 10 year old nephew was telling me that everyone he knows uses Google search and that to them, Live and Yahoo! search, just aren't cool. I don't think Google has any worries for the moment. Most people will just switch their browsers back to Google search anyway.

Just wait till Google actively push Chrome. A big ad on www.google.com is all they'll need to get an almost instant chunk of browser share.

"If Google's losing the big deals for default search provider, I wonder what that says about their attempts to get Chrome preinstalled as the default browser."

The question I have is, where does this leave Firefox? Firefox may be a big loser if Google's browser gains traction.  Also, how long before Google stops supporting it monetarily? Interesting times.

I think Google will happily shove money in Firefox's direction for sometime to come. Two alternatives to IE are better than one.

"Most people will just switch their browsers back to Google search anyway."

Most people don't know how to do that anyway.  Some may navigate to Google directly, but Joe Average doesn't know how to change their default home page.

Many people that have had Google set as their homepage or default search only got it that way because of bundling of Google Toolbar, and Adobe is shying away from it now.  Sun has also stopped bundling it with Java.

@boyreinvented - "Most people will just switch their browsers back to Google search anyway."

Most people that I know that are not tech savvy do not use the search bars...they just go to google.com to do their searches. In fact...I usually tell them to remove any of those search bars...they are at the root of 90% of the problems that I run accross in my part time "friendly family/neighborhood tech support" job. Its amazing how when I show up and they have the Google bar, Yahoo bar, and about 5 others running and thye wonder why IE is running so slow...I remove all of them - not just turn them off, but uninstall them - and they are back to full speed. I hate those things!!!

--tayme

True, but it won't matter. Once they go for it, Chrome will be everywhere and Google will be the default.

I may end up trying Chrome -- and I'm a loyal Firefox user. These days, Firefox seems to have trouble with Flash video playback and in some cases, just operating in a stable manner.

IE is actually better than it used to be. But their form of tabbed browsing is still annoying. So I may end up doing something I didn't think I would have done a year ago.

boyreinvented: Try to be a little circumspect. There is definitely no guarantee that Chrome will be the default rolling metallic gizmo, much less the web browser of choice. There are still plenty of people like my fiancee who aren't even interested in switching from IE; it works fine for them. Hell, even my mother the techie uses IE and thinks highly of it.

Firefox doesn't play nice with my machine, so when the last bug to hit IE, my default browser hit, I downloaded Chrome, and liked it -- a lot, but it's still way behind when it comes to features.

From the feature list here (on the SS Blog), I don't see much that I can use. I'll keep an eye on the browser though.

Sevenmack wrote: "But their form of tabbed browsing is still annoying."

How so? I mean, I actually like how IE handles tabs, specially group tabs.

@mike and planetarian

"OK. Am I missing something? From this feature list I'd could see this as Chrome 1.1 but I don't see what's dramatic enough to justify a full version number change."

The release notes describe seven more features in addition to those included in Paul's excerpt:

dev.chromium.org/.../releasenotes201561

I see two standout features: Greasemonkey-like user scripting support and cross-platform networking code. I would argue that the first version of Chrome to run on Mac and Linux merits a major version change.

It's less about handling for me, techfan, as much as it is aesthetic; that proto-tab that awaits you to click on it is rather ugly. Again, it's more aesthetic than function. The lack of ability to add plug-ins like Downloadhelper also makes IE less appealing for an FLV-downloading junkie like me.

But overall, IE is much-improved, almost to the point of being ready to displace Firefox. It definitely has no problems with Flash video. Chrome is interesting, but as you mentioned, Techfan, not yet ready for prime-time because of the lack of features. But I haven't made up my mind yet -- although if Firefox craps out on me one more time today, I most definitely will be uninstalling this crap.

Mike I want you to say something good about a MS competitior just once.  

callayheeko

I'd agree about the scripting support justifying a version bump. That's a difference that's programatically important and bumping the version makes life a lot easier for people doing scripts.

I'd disagree with just adding platforms. If they did that then every new platform would give a bump.

adamb1000

I have in the past, feel free to read back postings.

Glad I could help you achieve the things you want. As a trade-off, I want a Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder, can you help with that?

Pingback from  links for 2009-01-09 | hxf148

Internet Explorer being attacked on multiple fronts is a wonderful. People will be better off the more market share IE loses to the much better competitors.

@mikegalos: "If Google's losing the big deals for default search provider, I wonder what that says about their attempts to get Chrome preinstalled as the default browser."

The only loser in the deal (in the long run) is Verizon for choosing a second-rate search product.

@mikegalos: "OK. Am I missing something? From this feature list I'd could see this as Chrome 1.1 but I don't see what's dramatic enough to justify a full version number change."

That is exactly what's happened with Vista 2 (Windows 7). Even though they are giving it a full version point, it's actually Windows 6.1. 6.1 is an accurate reflection.

Can someone please post a screenshot of Windows 7. Apparently this is an accurate description and depiction of it. http://xkcd.com/528/

robertsjoe

Go away.

Thank you Ocean. Just what I was about to say about the nit.

@ocean and @sevenmack: You guys take things too seriously. Lighten up.

@Sevenmack: I'm also addicted to downloading FLV files! I actually use two programs, one paid and one free, but first the "New Tab" icon in IE.

Yeah. I can see what you mean. I don't mind it. I mean, it could be a bit smaller but after all I think it's a good idea, though I think maybe having it fixed to one location might be good, so as to not having it move father right as new tabs are opened. You know, so muscle memory can take hold of.

Paid: Replay Media Catcher. What's great about this program is that it works on a lot of sites that not only use FLV files but also other formats such as .wmv, .mov and so on. Highly recommended but it's $40

Free: Free Download Manager is the best download manager/YouTube video downloader. It works great in both IE and Firefox. What's great about downloading YouTube FLV files with FMD is that you can automatically convert the FLV file to a number of formats (I have mine set to .wmv). Highly recommended.

IE has gotten better. I've been using the brower since 5.6 and with v8, it's a lot better. Even when I was using Chrome, I missed some of the features of IE (with IE7Pro installed). I don't know what's happening with Firefox and my computer. Out of nowhere, the machine completely freezes and the only way to have access to it again is by going a hard reboot. No other program does this on my machine.

@tayme "Most people that I know that are not tech savvy do not use the search bars...they just go to google.com to do their searches."

Are these the same Joe Users that find and install free AV??:)

You know you have a Joe User when they ask you to look at their PC because they thing they have "a virus" and its got at least 3 tool bars running:)

Same people that never set the native resolution on their monitors so with the low res and 3+ tool bars you dont get a lot of web page to veiw.

@Lindy - "Are these the same Joe Users that find and install free AV??:)"

Yup!!! Same ones. Most of them hear about the free AV stuff from somebody at work. Then they install 3 or 4 of them thinking more is better...same with the tool bars!

--tayme

For downloading FLV files for many, many sites, the free DownloadHelper add-on for Firefox works wonders.

"OK. Am I missing something? From this feature list I'd could see this as Chrome 1.1 but I don't see what's dramatic enough to justify a full version number change."

And yet you're fine with calling Vista 2.5 "Windows 7".

Go figure.