# 7 Days with Chrome...



## LarryFlowers (Sep 22, 2006)

OK.. I figured since I was testing Windows 7, It might be a good time to give Google Chrome a fair shake.

I work daily with Internet Explorer 8 and am comfortable with the good and the bad.

I have given Firefox a fair shake already and I don't have anything negative to say about Firefox, but it offered me no compelling reason to switch. 

So I have decided to give Chrome a workout... beginning today and lasting at least 7 days, I will use it exclusively (unless something won't function) and see how I like it.

This post is being prepared in Google Chrome. The version is 2.0.172.28.

I will post the good, the bad and maybe even the ugly, in this thread.

Right off the bat, I will say that it is amazingly fast... More to come.

Larry


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## Greg Alsobrook (Apr 2, 2007)

It is definitely quick... but the lack of bells and whistles keeps pushing me back to Firefox every time... It offers some amazing add-ons that no other browser can offer...


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## dave29 (Feb 18, 2007)

Chrome is very fast. I went from using IE7 to Chrome to IE8 back to Chrome, and now have settled in with FireFox. I like FF due to the wide variety of add-ons. Chrome is my 2nd favorite browser behind FF. 
I still use Chrome on one of my older laptops though, due to the fast speed.


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## LarryFlowers (Sep 22, 2006)

I have found something in Chrome that I am not happy with... 

I use Roboform (paid version) for form filling, etc., and they do not currently support Chrome. Roboform says they plan to do so by the end of the year. I use that alot.

Larry


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

Best browser I've used in almost 16 years of web-surfing. There are still some minor incompatibilites, but overall, most sites work OK. E.g., on this site, if you're editing, you have to select "edit" again to get the "advanced options" links.

This "channel changer" will automatically update your Chrome to the latest betas. There are actually several builds a day, if you search for "Chrome nightly builds", but the changer will update the browser weekly. I find that's often enough.

I also highly recommend the "adsweep" extension, found here. /steve


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## pfp (Apr 28, 2009)

LarryFlowers said:


> I have found something in Chrome that I am not happy with...
> 
> I use Roboform (paid version) for form filling, etc., and they do not currently support Chrome. Roboform says they plan to do so by the end of the year. I use that alot.
> 
> Larry


This exact reason is why I don't use Chrome as my primary browser.

end of the year - sigh! I hope it's MUCH sooner than that.


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## pfp (Apr 28, 2009)

Steve said:


> I also highly recommend the "adsweep" extension, found here. /steve


NICE!


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

pfp said:


> NICE!


Be sure to modify your Chrome start-up shortcut:

"C:\Users\[...]\Application\chrome.exe" *--enable-extensions*


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

LarryFlowers said:


> Right off the bat, I will say that it is amazingly fast... More to come.


BTW, Safari 4, which uses the Webkit engine as well, is actually a little faster, if you can believe it! I like Chrome better, tho, because I can just type plain english key words instead of URL's and Google automatically suggests the sites I want as I'm typing. I love that. /steve


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## LarryFlowers (Sep 22, 2006)

Steve... done and done.. and thanks for the pointers... I am now on version 3.0.182.2

Larry



Steve said:


> Best browser I've used in almost 16 years of web-surfing. There are still some minor incompatibilites, but overall, most sites work OK. E.g., on this site, if you're editing, you have to select "edit" again to get the "advanced options" links.
> 
> This "channel changer" will automatically update your Chrome to the latest betas. There are actually several builds a day, if you search for "Chrome nightly builds", but the changer will update the browser weekly. I find that's often enough.
> 
> I also highly recommend the "adsweep" extension, found here. /steve


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## LarryFlowers (Sep 22, 2006)

New Version.. installed using Channel Changer and selecting Developer...

3.0.182.2

Larry


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## LarryFlowers (Sep 22, 2006)

New Version broke adsweep...

Larry


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

LarryFlowers said:


> New Version broke adsweep...
> 
> Larry


Working fine for me. Make sure you're starting it with the right shortcut. Adsweep used to use *--enable-user-scripts*

Now it uses *--enable-extensions* /steve


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## LarryFlowers (Sep 22, 2006)

Reboot fixed problem... adsweep functional again.

Larry



Steve said:


> Working fine for me. Make sure you're starting it with the right shortcut. Adsweep used to use *--enable-user-scripts*
> 
> Now it uses *--enable-extensions* /steve


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## barryb (Aug 27, 2007)

I started using Chrome when it first came out. It started out sucking because I was use to all those add-ons developed for FF.

I read that there is a must have app for you Larry, but for me: I surf at lighting speeds with Chrome.


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## LarryFlowers (Sep 22, 2006)

Roboform says they will support Chrome by the end of the year... also Safari, so it isn't a deal breaker.

I use Roboform when I shop online, so if I am looking to buy something I can switch to IE8.

The Test continues.. so far... impressive.

Larry



barryb said:


> I started using Chrome when it first came out. It started out sucking because I was use to all those add-ons developed for FF.
> 
> I read that there is a must have app for you Larry, but for me: I surf at lighting speeds with Chrome.


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## Marlin Guy (Apr 8, 2009)

I really don't see the big deal with switching to IE when you need to fill out a form, and using Chrome of Firefox when a better browsing experiences is desired.


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## pfp (Apr 28, 2009)

Marlin Guy said:


> I really don't see the big deal with switching to IE when you need to fill out a form, and using Chrome of Firefox when a better browsing experiences is desired.


This requires one to actively think about what browser they are using when they want to do things. I just want to go where I want to go and not worry what browser I happen to be using.


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## LarryFlowers (Sep 22, 2006)

Yes it will be a little clumsy for a while but worth it for the sake of the test.

Worse yet, some of the sites I shop at will need no info because they already have it.

I have been on Chrome all afternoon and I have to say I am enjoying it. Of course I am comparing it to a beta version of IE8. Roboform has a long exceptional reputation for dealing with updates in a timely fashion as well as doing what they say.

Larry



Marlin Guy said:


> I really don't see the big deal with switching to IE when you need to fill out a form, and using Chrome of Firefox when a better browsing experiences is desired.





pfp said:


> This requires one to actively think about what browser they are using when they want to do things. I just want to go where I want to go and not worry what browser I happen to be using.


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

Steve said:


> BTW, Safari 4, which uses the Webkit engine as well, is actually a little faster, if you can believe it! I like Chrome better, tho, because I can just type plain english key words instead of URL's and Google automatically suggests the sites I want as I'm typing. I love that. /steve


So much for numbers I saw a couple of week's ago! :lol: According to Betanews, Chrome is the speed leader _du jour_, about 6 times faster than IE 8, running their test suite. /steve



Spoiler


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## barryb (Aug 27, 2007)

I am surprised you never gave Chrome this test in the past Larry. I left those other browsers long ago.


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## LarryFlowers (Sep 22, 2006)

I have used Chrome... very very early in its development but I was also early in the IE8 beta program and didn't have time for both.

Windows 7 RC has a beta IE8 in it and it won't change for a couple of months yet so it seemed like a good time to play with Chrome.

Larry



barryb said:


> I am surprised you never gave Chrome this test in the past Larry. I left those other browsers long ago.


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## LarryFlowers (Sep 22, 2006)

Day 2 of the Chrome Experience..

1. Speed is till amazing but I wonder if some of the "speed" is due to the lack of video support... I have found some video that wont play and there doesn't seem to be a built in ability to remedy the problem.. or in other words an offer to install so and so player.

2. Some adjustment required getting used to bookmarks on the right hand side of screen.

3. I miss one of IE8's new features "Suggested Sites"

4. The "typeface" is, I don't know, for lack of a better word "soft" as opposed to a crisper typeface in IE8

Overall... Chrome is thus far riding an "8" on my 10 scale and were I to make a decision today would at the very least rate a quick link on my taskbar.

Larry


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## sideswipe (Dec 4, 2008)

Larry thanks for bringing this topic back to light, on day 1 of RC i downloaded & couldnt get to work, just re-installed last night & working fine missed the speed of Chrome vs. FF & IE


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## LarryFlowers (Sep 22, 2006)

Day 3... Chrome still impresses me with it's speed.

Still have some video issues.

Last night I ran DBSTalk chat and SMOKES chat room simultaneously with no issues.

Overall I am still at 8 on the 10 scale... very good.

Larry


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## LarryFlowers (Sep 22, 2006)

Day 4...

I need some stuff from Microsoft's TechNet site and am having trouble getting it using Chrome.

I tried to open an online manual in pdf format and it wouldn't open. It was a DirecTV manual. This will require further research because I believe that pdf is supposed to function in Chrome 

Everything else seems to be working ok and I still Like Chrome.

Larry


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## bleggett29 (Feb 2, 2008)

LarryFlowers said:


> Day 4...
> 
> I need some stuff from Microsoft's TechNet site and am having trouble getting it using Chrome.
> 
> ...


PDFs should open in Chrome. You may need to reinstall acrobat reader. Regarding video..I can watch videos from most places I visit. The exceptions are ones which check which browser you're using like NBC, ABC, FOX. If Chrome had the ability to change it's User Agent to show it as IE, I bet those videos would work.


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## wilbur_the_goose (Aug 16, 2006)

IE8 is crap, and Chrome is my new browser.

I'm amazed at how many sites fail to load on IE8 and work perfectly in Chrome.


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## barryb (Aug 27, 2007)

I have all my bookmarks set up across the top of my browser, just under where the tabs would be. 

Have you tried dragging a tab out of the browser yet?


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

If you have 10 minutes to kill, interesting read on the Chrome design goals. You can click on a page to turn it. /steve


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## Groundhog45 (Nov 10, 2005)

Ok, a question for the Chrome users. How do I turn off the Google Updater? Zonealarm is telling me every few hours that the updater wants access to the trusted zone. I don't want to grant it unconditionally. It shouldn't ask me more than once a week. I have tried killing the process in the task manager but it comes back within an hour or so. I commented it out in regedit in the "run" folder and it still comes back every few hours. It's about ready to go in the can. I'm trying it on an XP Pro sp3 system.


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## LarryFlowers (Sep 22, 2006)

Instructions:

In the registry editor create the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Update

and add two DWORD values:

AutoUpdateCheckPeriodMinutes - auto-update check interval (for example: 1440 to check for updates once a day)
DisableAutoUpdateChecksCheckboxValue - 1, if you want to disable the auto-updater; 0, if you want to enable it.

Larry



Groundhog45 said:


> Ok, a question for the Chrome users. How do I turn off the Google Updater? Zonealarm is telling me every few hours that the updater wants access to the trusted zone. I don't want to grant it unconditionally. It shouldn't ask me more than once a week. I have tried killing the process in the task manager but it comes back within an hour or so. I commented it out in regedit in the "run" folder and it still comes back every few hours. It's about ready to go in the can. I'm trying it on an XP Pro sp3 system.


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## Groundhog45 (Nov 10, 2005)

Thanks Larry. I'll give that a try.


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## LarryFlowers (Sep 22, 2006)

I thought I would go ahead and wrap my impressions of Google Chrome after my first week with it on Windows 7 RC.

It is an excellent browser. It's very fast, faster than Firefox and IE8 (at least the current version, which in Windows 7 RC is still Beta).

There is no question in my mind that I will install Chrome on my Windows 7 PC's when the final version arrives.

I will still have IE8 on by Windows 7 PC's, though.

For general activity and surfing the internet, Chrome is now my first choice. It lacks however a couple of things that I miss from IE 8.

I use Roboform extensively and it currently does not have a Chrome version. They have stated they will have one by the end of 2009. As I use Roboform primarily when I am shopping on line, I will for now, be using IE8 when shopping.

There are some websites that have video embedded that don't work in Chrome although the normal AVI and WMV files seem fine.

One thing I found that was amusing was that all of Microsoft's sites worked fine in Chrome, something you can not say about FireFox.

I also like the new Accelerators in IE8 and I miss being able to build my own "right click" offerings in Chrome.

Depending on what the final version of IE8 looks like for Windows 7, and Chrome picking up support for things like RoboForm, Chrome could well become my browser of choice.

Larry


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## BubblePuppy (Nov 3, 2006)

I've been testing Chrome, along with IE8, on my Vista laptop and on my W7rc64bit laptop.
With me, the jury is still out.
I do like the auto spell check, like MS Office.
I miss the various tool bars that I have on IE8.
Chrome is alot faster than IE8.
IE8 seems to hang up, especially with several tabs open, while Chrome just cooks along.
More later.

Addendum edit: For me, Chrome's functions don't seem as intuitive, or self explaining, as IE8.


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## turey22 (Jul 30, 2007)

I got a good friend of mine to use chrome one day and ever since she started using it shes liked it. She likes how fast it is and how it doesn't freeze on her. 

I still like FF.


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## pfp (Apr 28, 2009)

LarryFlowers said:


> I have found something in Chrome that I am not happy with...
> 
> I use Roboform (paid version) for form filling, etc., and they do not currently support Chrome. Roboform says they plan to do so by the end of the year. I use that alot.
> 
> Larry


Newest version supports Chromium!


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## Movieman (May 9, 2009)

I love Chrome. I havent used IE8 in many months. Im hoping to get my work PC approved to change over.


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

For the past three weeks, I've been using _Chrome Plus_. Like SRWare's _Iron_, it's another browser based on Google's "open source" _Chromium _code.

It has all the features of _Chrome_, but without Google's "big brother" data collection. It also features an "IE" compatibility mode. You can preconfigure certain URL's to open up with the _IE _engine, but inside a _Chrome Plus_ browser window. I no longer need to fire up _IE_ for the two sites I visit that only work with with IE!

It also sports some options not available in _Chrome _(see attached).

The browser is updated frequently... 3 times so far since I've been using it. The latest version is 1.2.6.0, currently based on _Chrome _build 4.0.222.3.


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

Steve said:


> For the past three weeks, I've been using _Chrome Plus_. Like SRWare's _Iron_, it's another browser based on Google's "open source" _Chromium _code.
> 
> It has all the features of _Chrome_, but without Google's "big brother" data collection. It also features an "IE" compatibility mode. You can preconfigure certain URL's to open up with the _IE _engine, but inside a _Chrome Plus_ browser window. I no longer need to fire up _IE_ for the two sites I visit that only work with with IE!
> 
> ...


Just loaded and I like the speed. Does that AdSweeper extension work for ChromePlus? If so, how do you get it loaded?

BTW, I found that I needed to use the IE compatibility option to load up my Web Outlook e-mail for work. It wouldn't display the page properly in ChromePlus otherwise.

Thanks,
Merg


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## LarryFlowers (Sep 22, 2006)

Steve said:


> For the past three weeks, I've been using _Chrome Plus_. Like SRWare's _Iron_, it's another browser based on Google's "open source" _Chromium _code.
> 
> It has all the features of _Chrome_, but without Google's "big brother" data collection. It also features an "IE" compatibility mode. You can preconfigure certain URL's to open up with the _IE _engine, but inside a _Chrome Plus_ browser window. I no longer need to fire up _IE_ for the two sites I visit that only work with with IE!
> 
> ...


Does the zoom function stay once you set it? I have a large monitor so I run IE8 at 150% and it stays there. In Google Chrome the zoom doesn't hold.. every time I change a page I have to zoom it again.


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

The Merg said:


> Just loaded and I like the speed. Does that AdSweeper extension work for ChromePlus? If so, how do you get it loaded?
> 
> BTW, I found that I needed to use the IE compatibility option to load up my Web Outlook e-mail for work. It wouldn't display the page properly in ChromePlus otherwise.
> 
> ...


The adsweep.org plug-in does work. I just double-clicked on it and it went right into the extensions folder. The original developer stopped working on it, but now I see someone else has picked up the ball.

Was Outlook mail working with regular Chrome? Otherwise, I'm not surprised it requires IE mode.


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

LarryFlowers said:


> Does the zoom function stay once you set it? I have a large monitor so I run IE8 at 150% and it stays there. In Google Chrome the zoom doesn't hold.. every time I change a page I have to zoom it again.


Unfortunately not in Chrome Plus either.

Just checked the Chrome developer forums, and setting a default zoom mode is still not implemented. That's in spite of lots and lots of posts requesting it, dating back to early 2008.

There aren't many Chrome plug-ins available yet, either. Hopefully this will change, especially with the EU Win 7 "ballot box" set to make it's debut.


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

I just noticed that in version 1.2.6, Chrome Plus has added Zoom up and Zoom down to their "mouse gestures". So if, e.g., you configure "up" to zoom up and "down" to zoom normal, you can simply right click and gesture "up" to quickly bump up the page size.


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

Okay... Is there a way to get the scroll wheel functionality back. I am used to using the scroll wheel to quickly scroll up and down a page. It doesn't seem to work in ChromePlus.

BTW, I got AdSweep to work. I was right-clicking and downloading it so it wasn't installing it.

- Merg


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

The Merg said:


> Okay... Is there a way to get the scroll wheel functionality back. I am used to using the scroll wheel to quickly scroll up and down a page. It doesn't seem to work in ChromePlus.


Got me on that one. I never lost the ability to use the scroll wheel. It's working fine here.

Could you be running another app that wants to use the scroll wheel for something else?


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

Steve said:


> I just noticed that in version 1.2.6, Chrome Plus has added Zoom up and Zoom down to their "mouse gestures". So if, e.g., you configure "up" to zoom up and "down" to zoom normal, you can simply right click and gesture "up" to quickly bump up the page size.


If you don't like to "gesture", I also found mouse-wheel scroll-up/down can be configured for zoom up/down. Once configured in options, you press/hold right button, scroll up and then release to zoom.


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

Steve said:


> Got me on that one. I never lost the ability to use the scroll wheel. It's working fine here.
> 
> Could you be running another app that wants to use the scroll wheel for something else?


Not that I know of. I can scroll up/down in IE8. If I open up ChromePlus, the scroll wheel does nothing.

- Merg


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

The Merg said:


> Not that I know of. I can scroll up/down in IE8. If I open up ChromePlus, the scroll wheel does nothing.


Hmmmm. Did it work with Chrome? If so, I know I completely uninstalled all traces of Chrome before I installed Chrome Plus. That included having to manually delete the old Chrome "user" directories, IIRC.

Also, I'm running Win 7 right now. I've never used Plus under Vista or XP.


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## Ken S (Feb 13, 2007)

Chrome is certainly fast, but it lacks the customization options that Firefox offers with its vast extension library.


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

LarryFlowers said:


> Does the zoom function stay once you set it? I have a large monitor so I run IE8 at 150% and it stays there. In Google Chrome the zoom doesn't hold.. every time I change a page I have to zoom it again.


You may already know this and I don't know when it changed, but I just noticed this week-end that my latest version of Chrome (5.0.365.0) now "remembers" custom zoom settings on a site by site basis. Newly-visited sites display at 100%.

CTRL +/- zooms in and out. CTRL 0 restores default size.


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## max1 (Aug 12, 2005)

I will stick I E 8 or AOL browser. I tried firefox didnt like it. Also tried chrome didn't like the setup but may try it again in the future. What other browsers are good to try?Max


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## Grentz (Jan 10, 2007)

max1 said:


> I will stick I E 8 or AOL browser. I tried firefox didnt like it. Also tried chrome didn't like the setup but may try it again in the future. What other browsers are good to try?Max


Please, please, PLEASE not AOL :lol:

IE8 is fine, but AOL is just horrible!

Other browsers you can try are Opera and Safari. Browsers are a personal thing, and I have found you really have to force yourself to use them for awhile to get accustomed to them.


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## RasputinAXP (Jan 23, 2008)

AOL Browser is defunct; I'd definitely switch to something else if only for the fact that it's based on an old Microsoft IE engine. IE8 is perfectly acceptable.


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