Google brings Chrome to IE
The new Chrome Frame plugin allows Internet Explorer to use Google Chrome's rendering and JavaScript engines - but Microsoft is concerned about security.
The Internet Explorer plugin - dubbed Chrome Frame - allows IE to use Chrome's rendering engine, bringing HTML 5 support and the ultra-fast V8 JavaScript engine to Microsoft's web browser.
Microsoft, of course, isn't exactly thrilled at the idea of Google subverting its browser technology - and has made its opinions more than clear. According to an article over on CNet, the software giant has warned users about the "security issues with plugins in general and Google Chrome in particular," claiming that using the plugin "doubles the attach area for malware and malicious scripts" and renders the browser vulnerable to attack.
The company's statement even goes so far as to say that "this [installing Google Chrome Frame] is not a risk we would recommend our friends and families take."
For anyone willing to take the risk and fly in the face of Microsoft's advice, there are benefits to be had: InfoWorld reports that Chrome running within IE via Chrome Frame performance runs through the popular SunSpider JavaScript benchmark suite ten times faster than in plain old Internet Explorer 8.
Interestingly, the Chrome Frame plugin does offer slightly more flexibility than just installing the standard Chrome browser: sites are rendered using Internet Explorer's own engine unless an HTML tag on the site requests Chrome or the URL is prefixed with the characters "CF:"
Do you think that Chrome Frame is a neat idea, or does Microsoft have a point when it talks about doubling the browser's attack surface? Share your thoughts over in the forums.
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26 Comments
Discuss in the forums Reply. if you work in web dev/design then you should have whatever you want/need.
I am in complete agreement with Microsoft here as I am sick to death of going to third party downloads and being forever asked to download and install the "Come and make us some money and we will give you nothing!" Google Toolbar.
Download at your peril!
Well exactly. I suspect that the crossover of people who know they should get something better than IE and have the privileges to do so, yet for some reason don't just want to use some other browser, is microscopically small.
Bah just wanted to try it @ work since IE is whats i'm stuck with.
I guess the question marks relate to how tight the integration is - does it interact with IE's history (so visited links show up as visited etc.)? Does it interact with saved form information, bookmarks etc. properly? Is its security behaviour governed by Chrome's settings or IE's? Will it pick up and play nice with IE cookies? And so on.
@crazyceo
News stories involving Google wouldn't be the same without you <3
lol wut
TBH this is the whole point I think - showing people how much faster/better the Chrome browser is. A PR gag.
Talk about the pot and the EFFFin kettle!
Thanks Babe! I'm here to ruin the Google love'in some try to make. Especially the "Google is a really good company!" comments when some don't even know how Google make their money.
This topic highlights exactly what Google is trying to do and some are too stupid to realise it. If I'm wrong, please correct me.
So educate me on how Google makes their money. The only way I know of is through ads
Also, I'd be interested to learn how those views affect me when I use Chromium instead of Chrome.
For those that want to try out Google's Chrome Frame on their version of IE, the download link is Here.
Now don't you think they owe you something for that? As it's only Microsofts Bing offering cash back at present. Yes, that's right. The almighty Microsoft.
It's symbiotic. I use googles services at no charge, and the more useful I find them, the more money they make. Nobody loses out in the process, you just want to win out more?