03 September 2008

New browser: should we care?

The big buzz for the more geeky at the moment is Google's launch of a new browser. Sadly the Linux version is not yet with us, but this is not only 'a new kid on the block' thing; if I read it aright it's a new block. Here's why:
When Microsoft's Internet Explorer and the codebase at the heart of Firefox were originally conceived, browsing was less complex. Now, however, functions that previously could be performed only on the desktop — email, spreadsheets, database management — are increasingly handled online. In the coming era of cloud computing, the Web will be much more than just a means of delivering content — it will be a platform in its own right. The problem with revamping existing browsers to accommodate this concept is that they have developed an ecology of add-on extensions (toolbars, RSS readers, etc.) that would be hopelessly disrupted by a radical upgrade. "As a Firefox developer, you love to innovate, but you're always worried that it means in the next version all the extensions will be broken," Fisher says. "And indeed, that's what happens." The conclusion was obvious: Only by building its own software could Google bring the browser into the cloud age and potentially trigger a spiral of innovation not seen since Microsoft and Netscape one-upped each other almost monthly.

So I will be giving a try on the windows partition of my machine. Let you know if I'm very impressed or disappointed.

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"Spend and tax" not "tax and spend"

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