Delirium Propaganda

Google Browser - Chrome - Now in Beta!

I always like to support the underdog. When Yahoo! was dominating the search results, I was looking for alternatives. When NetScape was dominating the browser market, I was looking for alternatives. Microsoft is dominating the operating system market, I am STILL looking for alternatives.

We all know how Internet Explorer came along and threw Netscape aside. We all know how Internet Explorer 7 has made a lot of us switch to FireFox. (By the way, I still dislike FF 3, still sticking to FF 2.x) We all know Google came along and Yahoo became No. 2.

Through the years, Google has grown into a mammoth giant. It practically dominates the searches conducted over the Internet, and practically controls the Internet advertising pie.

Now it seems Google wants more. They have released Google Chrome for beta. If all goes well, Google Chrome will be de-facto browser for most Internet users. This would also mean Google Apps can be easily deployed to users of Google Chrome. If Google is smart, they will not overload the users with huge files, slow loading browsers like Microsoft (who apparently forgotten why and how they overtook Netscape and put Netscape to its tomb) did. I tend to feel Google is not that silly. They are known to provide tools that works, and works quickly, minus all the frills that no one uses anyway, hear hear Microoft.

Microsoft has got to be worried. What this means to the average user is the influence of Microsoft over our desktop will diminish, GREATLY.

Will we see an open-source operating system by Google soon? It could be in the pipeline for all we know. If that happens, it would mean serious trouble for Microsoft. Finally they have a competitor who can compete in terms of size and influence. It would be good for all end-users like us.

Or would it? Remember Microsoft did provide us with a slew of software applications (did anyone say MS DOS?) which made our lives easier, until it grew too big for its own good.

Microsoft has been trying to fend off Google with limited or zero success for years. That speaks a lot for Google’s own strength, and also its vision. I see a lot of similarities between the two. Microsoft in the 80’s versus Google of today.

Would Google go down Microsoft path and grow too big for its own good? Let’s cross our fingers and hope not. In the meanwhile, enjoy your Firefox while it lasts. It is a project funded by Google.