i don’t even remember how many years ago it was when i moved away from internet explorer, i remember using mozilla’s browser and being really pumped about the new, lighter, firefox browser. I remember it feeling so fast and clean; i’m getting that same feeling now that i’ve completely swapped all of my systems over to chrome. just looking at the numbers it seems like chrome is eating more memory, but the feel and the excess gigage of memory in my system quash that issue flat.
I admit i was pretty unimpressed with chrome when it first came out, i think it must be almost 2 years since my initial dabble into the chrome plated window to the world (wait, it’s not even chrome plated, or even silver for that matter). It still feels the same, but something clicked one day and i’ve been sucked into it ever since.
Features that helped me cross the threshold:
1. keywords for searching – never having to type in youtube, wiki, or clicking on the “i’m feeling lucky” link ever again will make the information come even quicker. by setting up keywords for searches you can go to, and search a site straight from the google address/search bar. few examples from my own browser would be: “yt soccer” immediately brings me to youtube search results for soccer, “g keepass” google searches for keepass, and goes to the very first link (i’m feeling lucky).
2. the singular address/search bar – while there are less overall options for changing the ui compared to firefox (or at least not that i’ve taken the time to find) it provides you a minimalistic ui right from the start, there’s very little need for tweaking whereas i feel like it takes hours of editing config and stylish markup to get firefox just the way i like it.
3. less plug-in dependent – let’s face it, most firefox users are going to have at least 5 extensions, and many will have 10 or more. google may have this advantage from being newer so it has had time to adapt some things from popular browser plugins, but then so has firefox, since it’s constantly being updated. right now the only extension i have in chrome is the gmail checker icon. there’s nothing i’m missing and i haven’t had the need to install any of the 15 or so extensions i was using in firefox. i’m sure as the extension directory grows for chrome i’ll find things i like or may eventually feel i need, but for now i’m quite happy with the way chrome has little things here and there that would’ve required an extension in other browsers.
While google is probably recording every click, keystroke, and data about how much time i spend on each site i visit, i enjoy the browsing experience i divulge very little personal information online these days. i’ll probably write up some thoughts on extensions as more come out and they seep into my life. well here’s to coming back to the internet publishing world after years of dormancy. i need to get some thoughts out, i keep too silent and it’s affecting my communication with people out in the real world. so here’s my plea, help me internet. for those random passers by that may stumble upon this, comment and lend me a few seconds of your time to help me stay committed to posting. in turn i know i have some things to say that will be interesting to someone, i just need to get back into the rhythm of opening up my very tight-lipped opinions and thoughts.
