I've been using computers since the DOS days and such I've gotten fairly set in my ways. Back then, integration was unheard of so I've gotten used to having a separate application for the things I use, ie. email, instant messaging, calendar, etc. Obviously that attitude is beyond old-fogey-ism in this day and age, so I've been watching Google's efforts toward integration everything with interest. Chrome apps, multiple inboxes in Gmail, all that.

My question is, how does Google WANT Chrome to be used by the average Windows-running home user? For example, Gmail has a notification function that tells you when you have new emails, but Gmail has to be open for it. You can have Google Talk (or Chat, which one is it now?) open alongside Gmail, along with Tasks and so on. Are we intended to have Chrome open on Windows startup, and never close it? Can you set Chrome not to close when you click the X?

I'm a big fan of Chrome, Gmail and all things Google, and I'd like to see some examples of a complete Google setup for a home user running Chrome on Windows. My understanding is that Google Desktop has been discontinued in favour of integration with Chrome, so I'd like to see what kind of integration they have in mind.

Comments, suggestions, links to articles on other sites, all welcome. I did some searching for this idea but I guess my Google-Fu isn't quite up to snuff.

Are we intended to have Chrome open on Windows startup, and never close it? Can you set Chrome not to close when you click the X?

Well actualy.....Yes
Chrome has recently introduced something in the extension/webapp api that allows for background tasks that keep running even when the browser "closes". When an extension uses this feature then chrome will start in the background when windows boots and stay around after you close the browser. To quote the extensions docs (http://code.google.com/chrome/extens...ml#permissions).......

Makes Chrome start up early and and shut down late, so that apps and extensions can have a longer life.

When any installed hosted app, packaged app, or extension has "background" permission, Chrome runs (invisibly) as soon as the user logs into their computer—before the user launches Chrome. The "background" permission also makes Chrome continue running (even after its last window is closed) until the user explicitly quits Chrome.
Note: Disabled apps and extensions are treated as if they aren't installed.
You typically use the "background" permission with a background page or (for hosted apps) a background window.

....I dont know how many extension/apps are using it yet tho.

As to how you should use it all.....I dunno....Im very disorganised

The background tasks function looks promising, but it's not getting much use yet.

The more I explore the use of integration in Chrome and Gmail, the more... half-assed it seems. Gmail, Google Calendar and Tasks seem to be missing some of the most useful functions. Gmail's "multiple inboxes" is misleading, it's pretty much an auto-labeler. The one thing people seem to want most is to have two or three ACTUAL Gmail inboxes on the same page. I have two accounts, one for family and personal mails, the other for pages I sign up on (forums, websites, etc). I have Thunderbird running in the background, and it gives me a little popup when I get an email for either account. I can look at the inboxes for each account with a single click. So why is it so hard to get something like that in Gmail?

Of course I'm no programmer, and it's quite possible that there are legitimate reasons something like that isn't incorporated into Gmail yet. But I see webapps out there with increasing complexity and ease-of-use, and I wonder why one of Google's top utilities isn't like that yet.

Gmail, Google Calendar and Tasks seem to be missing some of the most useful functions.

Theres nothing I can do about it (I dont work for Google or anything), but Im interested in your opinion.....what do you think its missing?

Gmail's "multiple inboxes" is misleading, it's pretty much an auto-labeler.

Ive never used it as I gave up multi accounts a long time ago, but looking at it it does seem your right....you can get most functionality your want by following something like.....http://gmailblog.blogspot.com/2009/0...ith.html...but your right, at the end of the day they are separate accounts and if you where to do this method and then delete an email it would only delete the copy, not the original in the original account...does seem rather half arsed aye?

One of these two extensions might help you as they both claim to be able to handle more than one account.....
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/d...cbigiljiaaimo#
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/d...khgelaghfnaonp
...I havent tried either of these as I dont do multi accounts, so if one of them works out well for you please tell us so I know what to reccomend to people in the future (your not the first to mention these problems).