Google Chrome

Den · Sep 19, 2009, 21:49:34

I thought I would download Chrome tonight as I am not happy with Firefox as my 2nd choice after IE8. I must admit so far I am very impressed.

Simon · Sep 19, 2009, 21:54:23

I know of at least one other person who also likes it, Den, but privacy concerns me, just because it's Google. Let us know how you get on over the next few days.

Sebby · Sep 20, 2009, 00:50:09

I'd probably use it on my Mac, Den, if they'd released the Mac version. It's definitely the best browser technically.

Den · Sep 20, 2009, 11:45:54

What's wrong with Safari 4 Seb, I would have thought that would be ideal. Apple keep asking me to download it but as I was happy with what I have I resisted.

Danni · Sep 20, 2009, 12:00:43

I use it on Linux now (still alpha and prone to breaking, but very fast).

If you're worried about the Google part of it, there's Chromium, the open-source code that Google uses. Should be no Google branding in there.You may have to compile it yourself, though

Sebby · Sep 20, 2009, 12:26:03

Quote from: Den on Sep 20, 2009, 11:45:54
What's wrong with Safari 4 Seb, I would have thought that would be ideal. Apple keep asking me to download it but as I was happy with what I have I resisted.

On the Mac, it's great - it's what I'm using now. I prefer it to Firefox. On Windows, it's not that good. But there's no denying that Chrome's faster.

On Windows, I'd probably use Chrome or Firefox. Definitely not IE!

Den · Sep 20, 2009, 12:45:51

I'm going to stick with chrome for a few days and see how it goes. I prefer IE8 to Firefox by far but some days it comes up with IE8 has stopped working and must restart. So far Chrome runs very well and has not crashed once, certainly very fast, everything I have asked it to do it does.

Sebby · Sep 20, 2009, 16:26:06

We can't ask for more than that.

Gary · Sep 20, 2009, 19:55:36

Quote from: Sebby on Sep 20, 2009, 16:26:06
We can't ask for more than that.

Its what Google is asking Chrome to do that worries me

Supanova · Sep 20, 2009, 20:08:36

I'v used Chrome for yonks and I wouldn't use anything else. It's quick, nimble, simple and neat browser that is easily moddable with code snippets if that floats your boat.

As for google gathering anything about my browsing habits, it doesn't bother me if they do and I have no reason to think they would. There is an option to turn off 'allow chrome to collect data on your usage' which I have ticked.

Gary · Sep 20, 2009, 20:17:20

Quote from: Supanova on Sep 20, 2009, 20:08:36
I'v used Chrome for yonks and I wouldn't use anything else. It's quick, nimble, simple and neat browser that is easily moddable with code snippets if that floats your boat.

As for google gathering anything about my browsing habits, it doesn't bother me if they do and I have no reason to think they would. There is an option to turn off 'allow chrome to collect data on your usage' which I have ticked.

Google collects data on browsing habits constantly, but we all use it, I just dont want google as a browser on my pc, I'm happy with FF for now, after all what the hell is ram for if not to be used

Den · Sep 21, 2009, 20:25:19

Day 2: I must admit Chrome is far better than I expected and in a different class to Firefox. I did not think I could be won over from IE8 but maybe

Sebby · Sep 21, 2009, 23:35:01

IE8? Seriously?

Den · Sep 22, 2009, 07:35:45

Only for the fact that every now and again it comes up with IE8 has stopped working and will have to restart I would not even consider changing from it. I just love the layout and the way it works.

Ann · Sep 22, 2009, 12:05:16

I like IE8 too. I use Chrome for one site that IE8 won't keep me logged into for some reason. But I don't like the layout of Chrome and can't find anything. Where is print preview and page set up? And why are my bookmarks so far away hidden over on the right? Maybe it's me not finding stuff but it's not intuitive.

Rik · Sep 22, 2009, 12:29:53

That's the key word, isn't it, Ann. We need things to be intuitive, we don't want to be working out how to do everyday tasks.

Supanova · Sep 22, 2009, 15:34:49

Quote from: Ann on Sep 22, 2009, 12:05:16
And why are my bookmarks so far away hidden over on the right? Maybe it's me not finding stuff but it's not intuitive.

If you are on a website you want as a favourite, just drag the star icon next to the address bar onto the strip of blue directly under the address bar. You can store you most common bookmarks on there.

Gary · Sep 22, 2009, 15:48:00

I am amazed we have got to how fast a browser opens, or loads a page a few milliseconds with its V8 fuel injected, nuclear powered, Dilithium crystal based engine, which is gonna blow captain, she can't take much more.....oops sorry, anyway it does not matter to me, and as for memory, most machines now have a minimum of 3GB thats loads, so FF eats a bit, ram is there to be used. Im not saying FF is the best browser by any means, we all have our favourites but we dont mind ofther programs using memory, we expect it within reason. Considering the browser is now so much more than a front end to the web, the fact that some eat more memory is going to happen. What I do care about is a company like google tracking my seach results, let alone websites I visit and if there is the slightest chance they are, the Chrome can rust right now.

Ray · Sep 22, 2009, 15:50:28

I've been testing Chrome out for a couple of days and I must admit that it is fast, but I miss the useful FF add-ons I've got installed and additionally Robform Password manager won't work with it at the moment, which is a big minus point to me. I would say that Chrome has potential but still needs some work before it becomes a serious threat to FF or IE8. $:-\$

Gary · Sep 22, 2009, 15:56:51

Quote from: Ray on Sep 22, 2009, 15:50:28
I've been testing Chrome out for a couple of days and I must admit that it is fast, but I miss the useful FF add-ons I've got installed and additionally Robform Password manager won't work with it at the moment, which is a big minus point to me. I would say that Chrome has potential but still needs some work before it becomes a serious threat to FF or IE8. $:-\$

I am sure it will get there, but if its to work with plugins like real time alternative it will get "bloated" each browser suits a different style of browsing, for now I like FF, dont use IE8 and long ago gave up on Opera, I never could fathom what I did not like about Opera really, it just left me cold. On a side note Sony are going to be including Chrome on their new machines with Windows 7, that's bound to help Chrome advance.

Rik · Sep 22, 2009, 16:01:08

I couldn't get on with Opera either, Gary. There was nothing really wrong with it, but it just didn't 'feel' right for me.

Ray · Sep 22, 2009, 16:03:37

Quote from: Gary on Sep 22, 2009, 15:56:51
I am sure it will get there, but if its to work with plugins like real time alternative it will get "bloated" each browser suits a different style of browsing, for now I like FF, dont use IE8 and long ago gave up on Opera, I never could fathom what I did not like about Opera really, it just left me cold. On a side note Sony are going to be including Chrome on their new machines with Windows 7, that's bound to help Chrome advance.

I agree, Gary, I still prefer FF and am unlikely to move away from it any time soon, like you I couldn't get on with Opera at all. As for IE8 I rarely use that as it seems to runs very slowly on my machine for some reason when loading a page it gets to about 90% then freezes for about 15-20 secs before the page finishes loading.

Rik · Sep 22, 2009, 16:05:34

It has to take a statutory break, Ray.

Ray · Sep 22, 2009, 16:08:35

Quote from: Rik on Sep 22, 2009, 16:05:34
It has to take a statutory break, Ray.

Could be, Rik,

I though it might be protesting because it wasn't the default browser.

Rik · Sep 22, 2009, 16:09:09

Was it holding a placard?

Gary · Sep 22, 2009, 16:15:49

I dont have any isues with IE8 but its just not something I like to use often, different styles. and FF for me does things in a better way, but we all have our favourites

Ray · Sep 22, 2009, 16:19:45

Quote from: Rik on Sep 22, 2009, 16:09:09
Was it holding a placard?

Not that I noticed, Rik,

but I came close to doing this

Rik · Sep 22, 2009, 16:20:27

Quote from: Gary on Sep 22, 2009, 16:15:49
I dont have any isues with IE8 but its just not something I like to use often, different styles. and FF for me does things in a better way, but we all have our favourites

I think it's a bit like word processors, they all do the job, but some feel more comfortable to us than others.

Rik · Sep 22, 2009, 16:20:46

Quote from: Ray on Sep 22, 2009, 16:19:45
Not that I noticed, Rik, but I came close to doing this

Can we all watch?

Ray · Sep 22, 2009, 16:21:31

By all means, Rik,

Rik · Sep 22, 2009, 16:23:22

I'll go for CCTV then.

Ray · Sep 22, 2009, 16:25:53

Ann · Sep 22, 2009, 17:15:09

Quote from: Supanova on Sep 22, 2009, 15:34:49
If you are on a website you want as a favourite, just drag the star icon next to the address bar onto the strip of blue directly under the address bar. You can store you most common bookmarks on there.

I've got hundreds... they won't all fit

I turned that bar off in IE and I don't want it in Chrome either.

Sebby · Sep 22, 2009, 19:48:54

Interesting point about IE being intuitive. But it makes me wonder whether it's intuitive or it's just what we know.

Lance · Sep 22, 2009, 22:34:08

Picking up your point about ram, Gary... whilst agree it's there to be used, surely if FF is using lots more ram than something else performing the same job, it must be doing something inefficiently?

Rik · Sep 23, 2009, 09:32:42

Quote from: Sebby on Sep 22, 2009, 19:48:54
Interesting point about IE being intuitive. But it makes me wonder whether it's intuitive or it's just what we know.

It comes down to the latter, Seb. When Windows first came out, we had to make the transformation from CLU to GUI, and everything seemed harder to do. Now, we can open any Windows program and find our way around the basics. The differences come with the subtle variations between apps, and it's this range of differences that we think of as intuitive or not. The more closely the app follows Windows standards, the more we will think it intuitive.

Ann · Sep 23, 2009, 11:15:28

It is not only what we know and how we've come to expect things to be, we should also be able to guess where things might be. But I have found out that there is no page preview or page set up in Chrome so it's not a matter of me not knowing where the functions are, they simply are not there. It makes it unusable for me.

Also the layout of a page should be useful. To have the bookmark list way over to the right where it would normally be hidden by my TV window is not at all useful for me.

Gary · Sep 23, 2009, 11:44:08

Quote from: Lance on Sep 22, 2009, 22:34:08
Picking up your point about ram, Gary... whilst agree it's there to be used, surely if FF is using lots more ram than something else performing the same job, it must be doing something inefficiently?

I see your point Lance but FF is doing a lot in the background these days with phishing and malware protection, and you have the virus can on download, thats more than browsers used to do, pop up blo cking, checking for updated lists of dogy sites etc. Also if you have the default 90 days history kept that slows it down and uses more ram, because it has this huge library to plow through and store, we expect a lot of protection and help from our browsers but complain when they use ram, yes maybe FF coding is not perfect, but IE8 uses a fair amount of ram as does Opera, they all have so many features, they have become more than a front end to the internet and thats I think where the issue lays possibly $:-\$

esh · Sep 23, 2009, 15:27:24

Some time in 2005 Firefox updated from version 1.5 to 2.0 on my laptop. Suddenly it started taking 30 seconds to start, which is when I stopped using it. Strangely enough, I've been using Opera since then. I don't have any illusions it's that much better than Firefox, and the startup issue is probably fixed now. But I have no real reason to *not* use Opera now either. I think so many browsers do a good job these days. Hell, I don't even mind IE7/8 that much (5/6 were terrible however).

Gary · Sep 26, 2009, 08:51:05

SRWare Iron is compiled from chrome and seems to be well liked, it does not have some of the privacy issues that Chrome has as well, see attached url http://www.srware.net/en/software_srware_iron_chrome_vs_iron.php

Ann · Sep 26, 2009, 14:03:56

Quote from: Sebby on Sep 22, 2009, 19:48:54
Interesting point about IE being intuitive. But it makes me wonder whether it's intuitive or it's just what we know.

I've been thinking about this while I've been surfing the web... I know a bit sad

but still.. I suddenly thought that the things I use that differ and can be compared are forums. I've been on several forums with different layouts and yet when I want to find something it's usually pretty easy to find because it's fairly intuitive. It's certainly not familiarity because the layouts can be very different but still with a brief look around they are mostly all easy to use. Drupal is fairly awful but the rest I've used are fine.

So no, intuitiveness and familiarity cannot be confused.

Sebby · Sep 26, 2009, 14:36:45

In that respect, I'd say you're right, but when comparing browsers, I don't think there's anything particularly intuitive about IE. I really do believe it's just because IE is what most people know.