Google Chrome Plugins and Themes

We have a lot of people that post to this Forum when Chrome releases a new update ...

From a simple note - Dev updated to 4.0.223.9 ...

To a complete copy of the Blog page !!

However what I think is needed is someone to interpret some of the more important items ...

For instance, from this release what does ....

r29284] *Breaking Change* Only one browser action or one page actions is now allowed per-extension. We are experimenting with the idea of a direct correspondence between extensions and visible UI features. We think this may improve managability. (Issue: 24473)

In plain terms, does this mean my extensions will work or not and if they do will they function differently ?

What does it mean in plain English ?

A lot of people still use the 'auto' update (why?) and it's only when things start to go wrong that they realise they might have been better off delaying the update (or not even applying it) ...

Google seem intent on a policy of 'my way or no way' at the moment ...

You can no longer, for instance, use the 'old-new-tab-page' because someone at Google obviously thinks it is not the right way to go !!

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"Strive for excellence, not perfection."

Just noticed this post StevePaul, and I too feel there's a lot to be desired in the way releases are made and the (lack of) information provided. I mean, fine if you want to involve the whole world in your software project instead of only releasing stable versions from time to time, but even so there should be more information about what's changed and why.

Perhaps the seeming 'my way or no way' policy comes from there being no overall project control? Guys I know working on Aerospace projects have very clearly defined goals, and a change control structure which includes financial penalties and bonuses for milestones reached or lost. Open Source projects seem a complete dog's breakfast by comparison.

The pace of change these days far outstrips the pace of sensible development plans and project management, so 'stable' projects are actually in a constant state of ongoing repair. There was an advert made about it by one company, featuring an airliner being built as customers were flying in it - quite funny, and very apt!

I doubt saying anything would change a thing though, as the push in the past decade has just been speed, speed, speed. Get it out of the door whatever state it's in, because if we don't then someone else will. I wonder what Google would do if something like 60% or more of Chrome users all uninstalled it and filled in the question form to say that they're going back to another more stable browser, permanently..?

http://googlechromereleases.blogspot.com/

Cheers Benni, that's a help. Better bookmark it I guess, because they don't seem to advertise it anywhere I've seen.

Come to that, why not one singe Chrome site with developer documentation, release information, and general bloggy stuff all in one place? Makes too much sense..?

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Veesteronnalaptop, and Chrome extension mods at http://gochrome.letsdoo.org

I think the problem with the development of Chrome is that there wasn't really a need for another browser in the first place ...

In Google's 'eyes' there was however a need for a 'Cloud' OS and that needed to be front ended with 'something' and hence we have Chrome ...

I think the relative success of the Dev channel, in particular extensions, has taken the developers by surprise and a lot more use of it has been made before the API development was complete and hence the issues arising every time we have an update ...

What they now have to be careful of, is not losing the support they have built up, by seemingly ignoring what people actually want (eg the NewTab) ...

For instance I was recently researching Portable Application Suites and one of them offered Opera10 (along with FF) as the browser and I was pleasantly surprised to see that Opera had a customisable Speed Dial (up to 5x5), not a lot in itself, but enough to make me want to go and see what else Opera had to offer ...

Bit off topic now, but if people have to make a change they will always prefer to do it on their own terms ...

Bill (and his Merry Men) recently released their latest offering, Windows 7; in the Linux world we had Ubuntu 9.10 released today, so the 'war' is hotting up ...

It is already being 'touted' in some circles that the combibantion of Ubuntu and Chrome (a marriage made in heaven or at least the clouds) will form the basis of Google's own OS ...

Only time will tell ..

In the meantime I'm going to take a look at Ubuntu, at least lt'll keep Bill on his toes ;-)

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"Strive for excellence, not perfection."

Funnily enough, I've been playing with Opera 10 a lot lately, mainly to see what its speed dial and custom menus/buttons are like. It's superb. Anything and everything is easily modifiable via .ini files, and it's very fast indeed. The speed dials are just amazing, and can not only be set to any URL, but set to refresh any time you like (or never), and dragged to anywhere you like, regardless of empty ones.

I don't want to sound like I'm spamming for Opera, but it beats Firefox for what I need, and Chrome in many respects, yet... there's something about Chrome's all over 'nature' that I find very attractive and easy in use, so I don't want to ditch it.

Now I have some more release information I can follow what they're doing, but I hope they get their act together. The API needs sorting out and properly documenting, and options need adding so the silly things they seem to think are very cool - but most users don't - can be toggled on/off.

I guess, release info or not, and constant updates or not, if the basic issues people keep talking about all over the web are ignored then some months down the line Google may find that the enthusiastic Chrome user base has dropped. People don't like to be ignored after being asked for their opinions on how it should be improved. Please take note Google team lurkers.

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Veesteronnalaptop, and Chrome extension mods at http://gochrome.letsdoo.org

I disagree with StavePaul, there was, and is, a need for a new browser.. I agree that the future is to leave the OS as a thin client and have the applications online (MS just offered office online too, so they seem to agree somewhat). All Google's services is online, so they depend on quick and efficient browsers.. Today Chrome is the fastest, thought FF, Opera and IE has speeded up their performance too, but I don't think they would have (as fast) if Chrome hadn't arrived.

For me the big problem for Google is that they are to busy with other projects (far to many).. Mozilla more or less focus on Firefox, Opera on Opera but Google insist to begin on Chrome OS and many other projects -before the browser is anywhere near completed.. They need to focus. And like Michal says, they need to listen to their users, stupid to make it possible to star an issue to let developers know that you want this feature, when ALL the most requested still havn't been implemented..

Unfortunately it's always been the same in the 'development' world ...

Do the 'sexy' stuff first and leave the rest ...

If you want a 'model' for development then Ubuntu (imo) has it right ...

Structured releases every 6 months ...

That way you know what to expect and know that it's been fully (as far as is possible) tested ...

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"Strive for excellence, not perfection."