So, Google Chrome has arrived, thus giving bloggers around the world (including this one) something new to write about.  By now, the topic has surely been hashed and re-hashed on the net, with bloggers linking to each other’s posts which in turn link to someone else’s posts.  Occassionally, you might some original content in there, somewhere.

I wouldn’t know. I haven’t read any of it…yet.  Instead, I just offer my first, untainted-by-the-blogosphere thoughts on Google Chrome, after using it for all of 4 hours.  My first impression is that the browser is fast.  Very fast.  Chrome has got some fantastic engine under that hood.  Beyond the speed, the other thing which Chrome seems to do well is display websites as they were intended to be seen.  This is good news for web designers, who rightfully have been wondering what yet another browser would do to their carefully crafted stylesheets and layouts.  Of course, the devil is in the details when it comes to user experience and my brief test drive of Chrome is by no means scientifically conclusive.   

As with all new interfaces, there will be grumbling from some about the way Chrome does this or that, compared to interfaces we already have adapted into our lives (e.g. Firefox, IE, Opera, and co.).  However, I found the learning curve to be uncomplicated and quick.  In fact, after just a few minutes of obligatory exploration and playing around with the settings, I barely even noticed the browser.  Put another way, Chrome stepped out of the spotlight and left me to just surf the net.  When an interface no longer insists on being the focus of our attentions, we are free to focus on what we really want to accomplish, which is use the web.  Now that is an accomplishment.

I don’t know what will happen to the browser market, which product will gain or lose market share, or what will become of Mozilla and their still running contract with Google.  Those predictions are for the analysts who live and breath this kind of stuff to make.  I do think the entry of Google into the browser market has the potential to spark a new renaissance in browser development, with fierce competition and rapid innovation once again in the forefront.  Web consumers will rejoice at the things to come.  Now, if only we could see the same level of competition in the search engine space.

Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008 @ 4:57 am pearls of wisdom
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