Google Chrome Review Part Two, Below | Google Chrome Review Part ONE

Yesterday I wrote an introduction to Google Chrome Browser, making an initial review.  Today I’ll follow up with a few more details about what makes this is a “leap” in technology and why many of will use it.  At first it will be mostly people who do a lot of work on the web.  Later, Chrome will “enter the main stream” as more and more applications are delivered on it.

Chrome is referred to by many as a Browser.  I disagree.  Chrome is the introduction of a new operating system.  If Google called it that from day one, many would laugh –just because not much could be done with it, apart from browsing the web and bookmarking.

But, given that many of us are spending most of our day behind a “browser”, I believe that this is the best way for Google to introduce their “applications running”, new toy that just happens to be the “bridge between” your computer and the “cloud” (online applications).

Google Chrome Help/Support Links:

Get to know Chrome and Learn More Here: Chrome Support.

Download Chrome Here: Chrome, Google Chrome Image below…

So the Good About Chrome, as I continue…
What Good About Google Chrome:

Well, it’s built by Google. Over time we have counted on Google and they keep delivering.

As you read my review, keep in mind that I think Chrome is an operating system –as I read more and more about it, that’s the impression I get.  To add to that, when I write about it, I cannot keep out of my mind how Chrome has been “built from the ground up” to handle *individual applications* –to maximize speed, stability, security and give the user a good computing experience.

Security:
Security is handled well, from the bottom up with each “tab” allowing only protected functions to run.  It’s the same for phishing, which Google combats by keeping a database of such sites and malware spreading efforts.

Privacy with Incognito Mode, aka “Porn Mode”:

When Incognito Made is used, nothing done will remain on your PC.  Google search has always been a “friend of Porn”.  I remember the first widely used search engine, in the late 90’s?  “AltaVista” was the most used.  Remember the pre-google days when you typed “av.com” to search?  Then one day, after an investment company purchased av.com from Compaq, AV.COM pulled most of the porn related listings.  I think that was the event that KILLED THEM in a few months.  Then came Google which ‘indexed’ anything with a web address.  That trend continues with Chrom, with better security and privacy.

Multi-Threaded, especially when executing JAVA commands:

Google actually calls each tab running an application a “process”.  Chrome allows a lot of these application tabs to run at the same time.  That means that you may have one tab working on a mailing list, connected to an online database and list service, while another tab is checking email.  In this fashion, you can have lots of processes running, much like multiple applications running on each Window that’s open in Windows XP.

Mark my word, there will be a day when we can do this:

• Would you like to launch Windows? (pick your version)
• Would you like to launch OSX?
• Would you like to launch Linux?
• Would you like to launch Chrome?

That will lead to the Google Day: When you don’t need to launch an operating system!  Just open your computer and with instant boot, using the Google Chip, it will run Chrome to get your tasks done via browser.  I just hope that this is not EMBEDED into our thought process!

Stability:
If one applications “bombs” then you can simply close that tab and maintain the other tasks.  Sounds easy enough.

The FIRST APPLICATION: Web pages.  Chrom does a decent job of that. However, I believe the challenges are yet to come as more and more sophisticated applications that we haven’t even thought about get developed.  I still think the best applications are coming up in the next few decades, to be built by developers not even born at the time Chrome launched.  The NEXT APPLICATION?  Anything you want, from the Cloud. Just dream it, and someone will build it.

Long-term Application?  Why boot Windows or OSX or Linux?
Sure, there will be a day when whatever appliance that you’re looking at will just boot using Chrome, connect to the Net, IF needed and allow you to get your work done.

URL Window on browser:
Much like FireFox, the browser window is a bit smart, showing quickly where you’ve been. Well, even IE does that.  Chrome goes a step further.  It shows places you’ve been, points to suggestions of places you can go and more. It even has a quick bookmarking feature.

Other Reasons to LOVE Chrome:
Competition.  Finally, the folks at Redmond, home of Microsoft, will get off their butts and update their code to be “learn and mean”.  I want to see Windows able run on a USB stick!  Anyway, all this means competition  — Just a dozen years ago we had Windows 95 to do everything.  Then came XP, which was a lot better. Now Apple’s OSX and many flavors of Linux are getting their turn to shine.  Just give it a year or two  –Chrome will be part of the OS list, and I think it will do a good job at that with special applications running to resolve our problems.

Extended use of Application Programming Interface (API):
This is a feature that I am keen on exploring.  This is the wave of the future.  Through the use of an API, a program running locally on your pc can connect to an online application and database and UPDATE your local content.  By doing that, usually, you can control much of the online display of data.

That enables something like this: You run a local program that connects to an online server and then you make changes to your account, that results in the online application displaying new information based on your changes.  I think the best example of such a program is the E-Bay program for power sellers (Turbo Sellers) that you can download and use to manage all of your auction listings on E-bay from your desktop.

Overall, I think that Chrome is a great start.  Chrome has laid a good foundation for a next-generation browser.  However, there is also a very long way to go and many trials to overcome.  Each time someone opens Chrome to navigate the web, it’s a ‘test run’ for Google.  I think Chrome will over take FireFox one day, as it adds more and more functions, and anables web developers to do more and more.  But, will it overtake Windows Internet Explorer?  I don’t know. Especially because Chrome is open source  –what ever it can “run” so will IE and with an MS OS.  The only way Chrome can “exceed” my expectations is when it can run ALONE and do what I need to do –all that i currently do via my browser.  That day too will be here sooner than most of us expect.

One interesting note — Several years ago Microsoft tried to “tie” more and more Intenet Explorer functions with Windows XP (the main operating system at that time) for a better “user experience”.  At that time, the Department of Justice (US DOJ) didn’t allow it because they said it will let Redmond yield too much power.  Now what I see Google doing is starting from the opposite end –They are releasing a BROWSER that can become a leading OS (operating system).  As i said in PART ONE, a modern day Trogan Horse!  I suppose as users, we just need it to work when we need it.

Rich Sage