New Google Browser: Chrome

Tachyon360 · Le Croissant Joined: 16 Mar 2005 Posts: 740

http://tools.google.com/chrome/?hl=en-US
http://code.google.com/chromium/

Google just released a new beta browser with a minimalist, albeit non-native, interface and brand new HTML and javascript engines. I've been trying it out for about a half hour now, and while there are plenty of bugs (this is a beta version, after all), it's really quick to render websites and run AJAX webapps (I dare say, faster than Opera and Safari).

Windows XP and Vista users can try it right now. Linux and Mac users have to get the source code from the Chromium project and build it themselves, or just wait until Google releases native binaries.

As far as the interface goes, it's brilliant for something like the Asus Eee PC, especially in the hands of someone that's not fond of computers, but it's not particularly feature-rich as of yet.

So that pretty much sums up what I think of it so far.

Edit: I would like to note that this post has been made on Chrome just now. Text boxes are not it's strong point, with pieces of of text disappearing or sticking at random.
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Unknown Neo · Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 1:58 pm Post subject:

Well, once they go through a version or two and add add-ons, Maybe I'll try it. But I don't want to switch right now.

xfyrethespooky · Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 12:48 pm Post subject:

yeah, i like my Firefox. lol Cool

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Unknown Neo · Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 12:43 pm Post subject:

I won't move yet because it takes a lot to move to a new browser. First I have to learn how to use it, then I have to move everything. It's like getting a new email address.

NetOperator Wibby · Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 10:16 am Post subject:

Did anyone read the 30-something page comic explaining what Chrome is, and Google's thought process behind it? Exhasutive, but it was an interesting read none the less. I would have tested the hell out out it, but I'm waiting for a Linux binary.
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Unknown Neo · Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 1:19 pm Post subject:

I uh lost count at around 5. I accidentally closed the tab and didn't want to go back through. Maybe I'll do it again later.

TheWebbuilder · Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 6:26 am Post subject:

Eh, nope. I never saw the comic...

Anyway, I love Chrome's interfacing and style; it puts the bare necessities out there and only concerns itself with the stuff you actually use on a constant basis. For thinks like FanFiction.net, Serenes Forest, and different forums, its amazing (I know Tachyon said that he had trouble, but I haven't experienced any real glitches or problems).

But, for me, Chrome falters when you start adding scripts or embedded content, it starts struggled and slows to a crawl. Chrome is just not cut out for the heavy traffic of everyone's favorite flash-based video site, FireFox still beats it into the ground in that regard.

So... I'm probably going to be bouncing between FireFox and Chrome for my surfing needs. I think they're on to something, and I'm interested in seeing how far it goes.
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Tachyon360 · Le Croissant Joined: 16 Mar 2005 Posts: 740

Having had more time to use Chrome, I can say that I can't really see myself using Chrome as my main browser for a number of little reasons, but four major ones:

First as foremost, it tries to bill the browser as a barely-there tool to use the Web. Its home page is quite the opposite, making the Web into a tool to use the browser. The history thumbnails are unnerving, as I'd prefer an Opera-like speed dial, the bookmarks sitting on a web page is somewhat confusing, and it's just not a very elegant page in general. Sure, I could turn it off, but it is a major feature of Chrome.

Second, the tabs being integrated into the title bar is a big no-no. Sure, they may be trying to conserve screen real estate, but that's not the best way to go about it. Tabs are a metaphor for filing cabinet tabs in the real world. Severing the tabs from the pages makes the tabs intrinsically less intuitive. (Yes, I know Opera does this by default, but it's so configurable that it really makes no difference.) Furthermore, the title bar is for seeing the title at a glance. Having no title and a bunch of tabs, each with its own title is at a very basic level confusing. It takes a second to zero in on what you were looking at, be it by looking for the active tab, glancing at the page, or checking the taskbar. It totally defeats the purpose of a title bar.

Third, I hate how they try to tuck away the features that are less immediately intuitive in nested menus with fairly generic icons. By trying to make the aesthetics minimalistic, they're complicating the UI's function to the point that it's not very pleasant to use. I understand the need to keep the features present in the browser from sprawling and cluttering everything up, but hiding them and pretending they're not there just doesn't work. The reason most browsers have a menu bar is because the menu bar is a tried and true concept, and while quite technical for new users, it's clean and simple enough to work for anyone that gets the hang of it. In my opinion, if Google wants to make their browser more intuitive while eschewing traditional designs, they have to evaluate what real world action is comparable to each browser feature, and accordingly build up a set of UI metaphors.

Forth, the unified location bar / search bar is clunky and it's not very powerful. Google has a pretty simple choice here: either they split it up like everyone else did, or they risk making their location bar fairly arcane by adopting the full functionality of Firefox 3's Smart Bar and Mozilla's experimental Ubiquity browser command line.

In my blunt opinion, Chrome is a browser made by engineers that think they're designers, and it really shows.
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NetOperator Wibby · Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 9:13 am Post subject:

LMAO, well said 360. I had my doubts when they said that they were taking the best parts about different browsers into Chrome ... sounds like a Frankenstein effect to me.
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Unknown Neo · Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 6:30 pm Post subject:

A lot of soft and hard ware can be Frankenstein like that. But once they get it to version something it should be better.

Tachyon360 · Le Croissant Joined: 16 Mar 2005 Posts: 740

A bit of Frankensteinesque browser splicing is a good thing. Actually, it's an excellent thing. Ideas should flow, and everyone nips a feature or two here and there from their competition.

The problem with Chrome is that Google half-assed it so badly. They tried making something intuitive, but I seriously doubt they bothered consulting a proper UI designer and/or and ergonomics engineer, and wound up falling into the same traps Microsoft regularly stumbles into. It's certainly still an early beta, but looking at Google's other projects, they'll likely just tack on vaguely useful features without revising their UI much.
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