Google Chrome, is it that bad?

[brikhead]

Having had a bit of a mooch around this site it seems that using Chrome as my internet browser is a bad thing?

I find it acceptable for my needs so was wondering why has it got such a bad reputation? Is it unsafe, regarding security?

 

Also I have Vista 64 bit OS, again this seems to be a bad thing? Any one know why?

 

Cheers,

Rich.

[Starbuck]

Hi brikhead

 

I think that Google Chromes bad publicity was gained in it's early years.

It seems a lot better now and Google do seem to try and keep on top of any security holes.

I know a few people that swear by it.

I personally don't use it as it doesn't have the extensions and addons that i have with Firefox.

Internet Explorer always seems to get bad press, but thousands of people still use it.

At the end of the day it's what suits you, that matters.

 

Also I have Vista 64 bit OS, again this seems to be a bad thing? Any one know why?

Again i think was more in the early years.

Vista got a bad name for programs not being able to run on it.

Then the 64bit version came along and was even worse as hardly any programs at the time were designed to run on a 64bit OS.

This has all changed with Win7 as Microsoft have really pushed the 64bit version.

Just about any program now has a 64bit version available.

In theory a 64bit OS is supposed to be more secure as programs running on it have to have signed drivers.

But the malware guys are finding ways around this now.

[Plastic Nev]

To try to expand a little on what Starbuck has already said, Google has always had a bad press regarding privacy issues, long before they built and released Chrome, so people assumed that personal details might become less secure while using it.

That so far seems to be not true as far as I am aware. Again I also tried it out, but having got so used to Firefox and like it, why change? it doesn't have some features as Starbuck says too.

 

Vista, either 32bit or 64bit, was regarded by some as being rushed in its release, also there were quite a few bugs in it in the early days. Rather than fully sort it out, Microsoft in their wisdom decided to start again with another brand new operating system and called it Windows 7.

In that instance they obviously took heed of customer and user complaints, took their time building it, and is regarded as being a superior system.

Having not used Vista, and went straight to Windows 7 from Windows XP, I cannot comment from a personal viewpoint, except to say I regard Windows 7 to be way in front of XP.

 

Nev.

[Guest FaustoLowdermilk]

Google Chrome isn't that strong like Mozilla and IE because of plug-ins and add-on offered. But in terms of interface Chrome is easier and faster to load. I only use my chrome for browsing. But I strongly use Mozilla for other internet activities.

[Airborne]

Well folks, I can only thank the OP for raising this popular question. When I have criticised Chrome in the past on Forums, all I get is a barrage of personal abuse from Admins, Mods and posters alike. They treat me like some virus that needs exterminating. Do I care ? Not a toss, I am entitled to my opinion as they are to theirs and ignore their invitations to get banned for reacting to this kind of booby-trap.

 

I am a devoted Firefox user covering many years of trouble-free activity. It provides me with just about every convenience that a browser possibly can and enables me to work freely with a multipicity of accessories to hand which make life so easy.

 

I have tried Chrome three times and each time have been so disgusted that I have dumped it with pleasure.

 

Taking this golden opportunity to give my latest views of the past few days, here they are :-

 

=======

 

I recently updated CCleaner and found to my horror that it had installed Google Chrome on my PC. I am the proud long user of Firefox and have been for many years with nothing but admiration for this wonderful system.

 

Well, having heard many comments about this "marvellous" innovation from the Google Kindergarten, I thought it worth giving a try. So I had a go at it.

 

Up it came, looking as bare as an empty box. OK, I did manage to import my Bookmarks from Firefox and also my beautiful Google Home Page background, but it all stopped there.

 

I found I was missing :- Keyscrambler, NoScript, Spellcheck, Autofill, Highlight, Password savers, so I had to re-invent the wheel on every site by entering from scratch my user name and password, none of which I could remember (Firefox entered these automatically and also records them on Options), plus many other facilities that were not available. plus no drop down tab to show recent browser history.

 

GOD ! Google do not even allow me to install their own toolbar on Chrome !

 

Quite honestly, the entire experience of Chrome took me back to the Stone Age. Whereas Firefox is akin to being kitted out in the complete, luxurious and handsome attire of a man-about-town, Chrome was like walking naked wearing only a Jock-strap and a Bowler hat.

It was like being on the toilet and then finding that the toilet paper roll was empty.

 

Well, to all you people who reckon that the Sun shines out of Chrome`s Googlistic backside, my answer is - KEEP IT and enjoy the sheer austerity of it.

 

Me ? I will have the greatest pleasure in uninstalling Chrome using Revo Uninstaller to get rid of every piece of Chrome contamination on my PC and continue to wallow in the absolute luxury of Firefox.

 

How Google could possibly come up with such a bag of bones as Chrome is beyond my imagination.

Edited December 10, 2011 by Airborne

[Airborne]

Having had a bit of a mooch around this site it seems that using Chrome as my internet browser is a bad thing?

I find it acceptable for my needs so was wondering why has it got such a bad reputation? Is it unsafe, regarding security?

 

Also I have Vista 64 bit OS, again this seems to be a bad thing? Any one know why?

 

Cheers,

Rich.

 

Hello Rich,

 

You should have by now read my diatribe on Chrome, but having had the awful experience of playing with this mediochre browser through sheer curiosity, I would suggest that a better bet is :-

http://www.dogpile.com/

or

http://duckduckgo.com/

 

But the real aristocrat of all browsers is of course the "I am the greatest" Firefox.

 

Security with Chrome ? Who knows, Google don`t, but if you use Sandboxie it will not matter a toss.

Edited December 11, 2011 by Airborne

[wellies]

'Chromium' is the base browser for Google Chrome, SRWare Iron, Comodo Dragon and ChromePlus. I've tried them all and have to say that I like Chromium-based browsers. The look of the simple uncluttered interface suits me and I have even made Firefox 8 look like Chrome. I've been using Firefox since version 0.3 when it was called 'Phoenix', so feel almost a traitor using anything else. Despite that, I find I'm using Google Chrome more and more these days. Some aspects I like about Chromium in general are:

 

* The speed at which it opens.

* Its use of sandboxing.

* The way that each tab runs as a separate process.

* A good number of extensions are available.

 

What I find with Google's version of Chromium is that it goes a few steps further than SRWare Iron, Comodo Dragon or ChromePlus. Google Chrome includes FlashPlayer, so it runs sandboxed along with the rest of the browser. It includes a PDF reader which also runs sandboxed. Google are fast at releasing updates (some browser updates are released only because Flash has been updated). I make it a practice to run all browsers inside Sandboxie, so Chrome runs doubly sandboxed. Google Chrome also includes a Print Preview that the others don't.

 

There is always the privacy concern raised regarding Google Chrome. I'm not sure if this should be a worry. I run Chrome via ChromePrivacyGuard, don't use Google for a search engine and block web-bug tracking. Maybe this all mitigates any privacy issues.

 

Like Firefox, Chrome benefits from a few extensions. These are the ones I use:

 

* AdBlock+ Element Hiding Helper.

* AutoZoom - Allows zooming of text only

* Image Properties Context Menu.

* LastPass - Password manager and form filler.

* Lock Tab - Disables closing a tab and the backwards/forwards buttons for that tab.

* ScriptNo - A 'NoScript-like' extension.

* Tab Cookies - Deletes cookies when a tab is closed unless the cookie is protected.

* Tabs to the front! - Brings newly created tabs to the foreground.

* WOT.

Edited December 12, 2011 by wellies