What's so wonderful about Google Chrome?

[Mike Lewis]

I've read so many good things about Google Chrome (the browser, not the OS),I thought I'd give it a try.

What a disapointment.

Does anyone else here use it? If so, I'd be glad to hear your opinions.

Here's what I found:

1. Virtually no customisation abillity. In Firefox, I can go to About:Congif and customise just about any aspect of the browser. For example, I have turned off most of the hand-holding messages, disabled all those pesky animations, banners and other irritants that adorn so many web pages, and so on. In Chrome, you can't do any of that. Just a few minor choices in the Options dialogue.

2. No ability to rearrange the menus or toolbars to my personal taste. (It's particularly annoying to have the bookmarks toolbar over to the left, but the shortcut to the full bookmarks menu way over to the right. In FF, I can change that, but not in Chrome.)

3. Can't access Google.Com. That's right. Even though this is Google's own browser, when I type a seach term in the address bar, it takes me to Google UK. Changing the default search engine to Google.Com doesn't make any difference. Even if I type the full Google URL in the address bar (with the .com),it still goes to Google UK.

4. Crappy Help. I called up the Help screen to try to sort out the above issues. It told me that Help is not available in my language (which, by the way, is English),and that the solution was to install the Google toolbar. I followed the link to install the toolbar, and it told me that the toolbar is only available for IE and FF. (It's not that I even wanted to install the toolbar, I just wanted to consult the Help.)

5. The only really strong point in its favour is that it is very fast. Much faster than IE or FF.

Am I missing something? Is this really meant to be a finished product, or is it an early beta? Either way, it doesn't bode well for the Chrome OS.

Mike

 

[Harry Leanord]

thats quite a shock how Chrome is not that good, from the sounds of it they need to have a massive revamp

 

[stugster]

I use it. And I hear what you're saying about a lot of the features (or lack of features).

This is actually intended, believe it or not. They developed it to be all about the web-page, rather than the browser. So addons, customisation and features are extremely limited.

 

[Mike Lewis]

Yes, I see what you mean, Stuart. You're saying that, the whole point is that it's a lightweight tool, and not laden down with features that are not its main focus.

That's true, and it's presumably why it's so fast.

I might persevere with it a while longer, but I hate not being able to switch off animations, as you can in FF. Also, I really think it's stupid that Google's own browser doesn't let me get to Google's search engine.

Mike

 

[stugster]

It really is much faster and nicer than FF. You only notice the difference when you stop using FF for a while and then open it.

In terms of the redirect, is it definitely Chrome that's doing it and not Google site itself?

 

[Mike Lewis]

In terms of the redirect, is it definitely Chrome that's doing it and not Google site itself?

I'm pretty sure that's the case - mainly because I don't see that behaviour in any other browser.

Mike

 

[stugster]

When you go to Google.com and it 301s to .co.uk, the bottom right hand part of the page has a "Go to Google.com"

 

[Harry Leanord]

thats ture but why do you want to use google.com as most of the time you search for local info

 

[Mike Lewis]

Stuart: No, I don't see "Go to Google.Com". Apart from the URL in the address bar, I know it's Google UK because the left-hand sidebar includes "Pages from the UK". You don't see that in Google.Com.

Mike

 

[Mike Lewis]

thats ture but why do you want to use google.com as most of the time you search for local info

But most of the time I don't search for local info.

Mike

 

[stugster]

That's what I see when I go to google.co.uk.


If you're having difficulties with .com, try Google.com/ncr

 

[Mike Lewis]

Stuart,

I think what you're describing is the opposite of what I am seeing.

In your screen shot, the address bar shows Google UK, and it is (correctly) taking you to Google UK.

In my case, I type Google.Com into the address bar, but I still get to Google UK. That's also true if I actually run a search (by entering a search term in the address bar),or if I click on a link to Google.Com.

I agree that it looks like a 301. But if that was the case, surely it wouldn't be browser-specific (neither FF nor IE have this behaviour)?

Mike

 

[Mike Lewis]

Stuart,

Just noticed your point about going to google.com/ncr.

That does what I want. It takes me to Google.Com. So, I guess I should make that my default search engine. But that doesn't seem to be possible. If I enter that URL in the Search Engines dialogue, it lists it under "Other search engines". I can't see any way of making it the default search engine.

 

[IainKay]

I'd just like to add that the main reason Google Chrome runs so fast is that it's powered by the WebKit engine.

This is the engine that Apple developed for Safari.

User Interface wise the reduction of functionality will certainly make it more snappy, but the actual dirty work going on behind the scenes to render those pages is all Apple

 

[Mike Lewis]

Thanks for that, Iain. What you say makes sense.

Mike