Chrome after a couple of hours
This post is a quick overview of what I think about Chrome, Googles browser after using it for a few hours.
First impression, this baby browser is fast! I don’t think I’ve ever been this excited about a browser before, the Chrome comic certainly done a good job at selling it to me. Chrome loads fasts, renders fast and is a breeze to use.
I love the interface, the browser is almost invisible, it just doesn’t get in your way and you wont see it. It’s minimalistic, just like many of Googles products. The placement of the tabs saves a good bit of space compared to other browser layouts.
When I read the Chrome comic one of the features that really captured my eye was single process per tab. This is a fantastic feature and I wanted to test just how well it could cope. Basically I wrote a quick JavaScript script that wasted lots of time. Here is a screenshot of the result (showing the Chrome task manager and my third tab). Basically the third tab was working very smoothly and without a problem. Although as you can see between the two tabs both my CPU cores and a large chunk of my memory was being used. I then tried this same experiment in Firefox and Internet explorer. They both froze up completely and I had to end their tasks to stop them (after waiting for a few minutes). Also, since tabs are their own process you can drag tabs between windows or out onto their own without the page needing to reload, the state remains. I find this VERY useful.
If a website does actually manage to crash a tab then you will get this nicely handled page.
I use Firefox for lots of development and its stuffed full of plugins for this purpose. I know this contributes to it being sluggish, however, perhaps Chrome will become my browsing browser for when I’m not doing work. If that ever happens. However on that note, Chrome has a ‘mini-Firebug’ (they don’t give it a name but its got some firebug type features), just right click on the page and click inspect element. It’s not got everything but its pretty damn nice, looking around further there is JavaScript debugging built-in too.
Now that I’ve done enough Chrome loving. What don’t I like? Where is my home button? I’m just so used to using it, Google, give me it back!.
There is no bookmark manager that I can find so managing bookmarks is a pain. Particularly the huge collection you import from other browsers. In Firefox I can middle click back-buttons and basically anything to open the result in a new tab, Chrome doesn’t let me do that yet.
I also miss being able to view a list of previous/next pages. It’s handy to be able to skip back a couple, particularly if the previous page just forwards you to the page your on! Turns out you can view a list of previous pages by click-and-hold on the back button. It’s a bit slow for me but at least its there!
I don’t really like this part of the EULA
11.1 You retain copyright and any other rights that you already hold in Content that you submit, post or display on or through the Services. By submitting, posting or displaying the content, you give Google a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free and non-exclusive licence to reproduce, adapt, modify, translate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute any Content that you submit, post or display on or through the Services. This licence is for the sole purpose of enabling Google to display, distribute and promote the Services and may be revoked for certain Services as defined in the Additional Terms of those Services.
Google have updated 11.1 in the EULA. It’s not as bad now!
I’ve got to say, I can’t wait to see how this browser is on android enabled phones!
If you’ve not tried Chrome, Try it now, you will probably love it (Unless you’re not on windows then you can just be jealous). If you have tried Chrome, would you consider switching to this browser despite it only being a beta? (remembering this is a Google beta - GMail is still in “beta”).
* edit 1*
I just tried the search feature (ctrl + f) and its quite nice. I like how it automatically highlights everything and shows you how many results were found!
* edit 2*
I found the home button can be added in the options.
* edit 3*
Added a bit of the EULA that looks a bit suspect as pointed out on phpbuilder.com by NogDog