So like a good geek, I downloaded Google's new browser, "Chrome" this morning. After installing it and making sure there were no surprises included, like a Google Desktop, which I don't want, I started it up.
First impression. It's simple looking, so much so that there isn't even a home page button. That d confused me, but hey, I'm over 50! Next I finally figured out how to set my home page, which is an i-Google page anyway. It loaded fast, not so fast that I was overwhelmed, I use Firefox now and it was not so much faster that I saw a plus.
Next I tried going to the NOAA Hurricane Center. I was checking on the progress of Gustav, which just brought rain to our area of Texas this afternoon. I tried to load the satellite image loop and got a blank screen with a puzzle piece. The caption said, no plug-in available. Well I know that site uses Java, and if Google won't run Java, hey it's not getting my vote.
Next I looked for the familliar Ad-Blocker that is the feature I love on Firefox. Not there! Now there may have been those feature somewhere hidden in the overly simplified controls, but I sure couldn't find it. OK that was strike two for me. Unlike baseball, I only give players two strikes. So I uninstalled Chrome and will await the relase version to reevaluate it at that time.
My opinion. Nice try, needs work. Sticking with Firefox.
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2 comments:
Hello,
I downloaded Chrome today, and discovered, much to my chagrin, it doesn't work with anything less than Windows XP!! My system is Dual Windows 98 and Windows XP Pro, so I'm forced once again to use a program exclusively with XP. I like Firefox, Opera, Netscape, and even Flock which all run on even the most ancient Windows systems, Linux, and I think Sun Op Systems. But if it's just yet another exclusively XP or higher environment, how is this going to make me want to go Google? In a little bit I'll take the dive and install it on my XP half and report back on my experience. Until then,
Richard H.
Fort Worth, Texas, USA
My Chrome Experience, part 2
Pros:
Very simple web page front end.
Loading pages is much faster
Uses tabs (step up from IE6). I've been using tabs with Netscape browsers long before anyone else ever bothered with this concept.
Better security feeling - I attempted to go places where no man should go, and was protected. IE6 lets me go anywhere without warnings.
Incognito Window (Stealth mode, but some call it porn mode) for privacy surfing.
Cons:
Very simple web page front end. Too simple. The look and feel is like browsers of 5 or 8 years ago, but cleaner and less clumsy
Very few options beyond surfing the Internet.
Very large program - 80 mb fully installed, after Chrome Cache files have been deleted. Opera 9 and Firefox 3 are tiny at less than 20 mb each, and Netscape 7.2 is about 30 mb. No idea how much IE6 is as it is integrated with Windows XP.
No ability to save web pages.
No ability to load updates, except by loading a new version from Google.
No ability to load plug-ins.
No ability to integrate it with my email client.
No ability to edit html - My favorite feature of Netscape 7.2 which has been abandoned by everyone :(
And worst of all: When I tried to download the Adobe Flash player, instead of installing the software correctly into "C:\Documents and Settings\%username%\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\Application\Plugins", it put the files into the wrong directory (Opera's browser plugins!). Something that has never happened to my system before with Adobe! So, no flash videos for now.
Likely there are many more cons vs pros, but no time to list them. Obviously, Google is just playing around with an oversized gadget, and isn't as serious as most people think about this application. Some people are calling this browser the "Windows Killer..." oh, really!
I won't uninstall it as I do like the Incognito Window, and will take advantage of that. But because I have to boot up the Windows XP side of my computer, it won't be used too often. I usually still run my system as Windows 98, and it works perfectly with my Netscape 7.2 browser, email client, html editor system. I have been using various Netscape browsers since 1996, and have never found a more stable, anti-virus browser system than that. Too bad the rest of the world disagrees with me. It's beginning to fade into the past with too many major web sites warning me that they don't support Netscape anymore. So sad.
richard h.
fort worth, texas, usa
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