Google Chrome – Open Source Browser Debuts

Google Chrome – Open Source Browser Debuts

Posted on Sep 2, 2008 in For your information by PMC 2 Comments

Talk about being blindsided. There has been rumor about Google entering the browser market and now rumor is reality! Google Chrome, Googles open source entry takes it’s place alongside Firefox, Safari, Opera, and of course, Microsoft’s rusty and crusty Internet Explorer.

Check it out and DOWNLOAD IT HERE

I’m using it and it’s great. Light, fast, installs seamlessly and imports from existing browsers without issues.

THE CORE OF GOOGLE CHROME

Google Chrome is a complex product that is needed in an age when the Web has also become more complex.

Google pushes simple use and a sophisticated core. Just look at how clean and simple the Google search page. Google Chrome is built on the same idea – clean and simple to use. The browser, Google says, is just another application and the company wants people to “forget” that they’re using a browser.

At it’s core is Webkit, an open-source rendering engine – the same used by Safari. The browser in Android also uses Webkit. The browser also uses a multi-process architecture. Each tab within the browser runs independently, making the browser faster and more responsive. If one tab slows down or crashes, it doesn’t affect the others. The company says it also enhances security features by operating in a “sandbox,” and not allowing corrupt the whole system.

The company also announced today Chromium, the open source project.

THE OMNIBOX FEATURE

In Chrome, the “omnibox” is both the search and address box. It incorporates a feature that fills in the blank, remembering sites where you go regularly. One cool feature: incorporating search fields from other sites – such as Mexico Trucker – into the search box of Chrome. Example: If you go into Chrome and type Mexico Trucker and then search for pictures of real Mexican Trucks, the next time you go to Mexico Trucker on Chrome, it incorporates a search field to search within Mexico Trucker – before you get to that site. How cool is that?

TABS

In Google Chrome, when you create a new tab, instead of bringing up a blank page or home page, it creates a “new tab” page that shows links and images to most visited pages, recently closed tabs and search engine boxes for favorite sites such as Mexico Trucker, Life on the Road and other sites. In Google Chrome, there is also an “incognito window” feature – which is much like the private browsing feature found in IE8 (often called porn mode.) The history from this browsing experience does not appear on the computer.

DOWNLOADS MAKE EASY AND LOGICAL

Google has reinvented the download process, as well, placing shortcuts to the downloaded files to the bottom of the page – not forcing users to search for them in folders. From there, the files can be dragged to other locations. There is also a feature that treats some Web applications as computer applications. For example, Gmail, which is an always-on application for some people, can be launched from a desktop shortcut – just like a real app – and open in its own window, without the address bar and other tools it doesn’t need.

ADDED SECURITY THE OTHER GUYS DON’T HAVE

Security benefits from the architecture takes away the privileges of accessing files on the computer that it doesn’t need – such as registry files. In other browsers, bad guys looking to install malware only have to find the files to corrupt in the system. But in Chrome, there’s an added layer of security by not allowing access outside of the browser, keeping bad guys get trapped in the sandbox – the closed, independent browser that’s running.

CONCLUSIONS

It will be interesting to see what Google Chrome does to serve adwords and other annoyances that interfere with the browsing experience.

They dodged the question at a recent news conference so time will only tell.

Google Chrome developers worked closely with Mozilla developers on this project over the past two years and brought rumor to reality.

They appear to have launched an excellent product. Let’s hope it remains that way

Tags: Browsers, features, Internet, Open Source, Technology