Google Browser

[mike]

It's looking more and more likely that the oft-speculated possibility of Google creating their own browser may become a reality. According to a report in the NY Post yesterday, Google has been hiring a few former Microsoft employees. They also landed Joshua Block, a lead Java developer from Sun Microsystems.

Two names with Microsoft roots stand out as particularly interesting. Adam Bosworth was a leading developer for both Internet Explorer and Access and Joe Beda was a lead dev for the upcoming Longhorn user interface.

With the names and backgrounds of some of these new faces, it's hard to imagine that Google doesn't have something cooking in the lab. These guys aren't going to be sweeping the floors or anything.

[flood6]

Is hiring the former Microsoft employees that made IE really the way you want to start off building a new browser?

[mike]

Cynicism duely noted.

However, at the end of the day IE still has over 93% of the marketshare...

[bhartzer]

Google wants to appeal to the masses, so the logical next step for them would be to hire former IE employees and develop their own browser to go along with the Google Toobar.

It's rather odd, though, that they would use former IE developers rather than Unix developers--I thought Google used Unix more than they used Windows?

[flood6]

Brett Tabke over at WMW mentioned once that Google was a true-blue Microsoft shop.

I went and found the thread, the one I'm talking about is the fourth one down.

[flood6]

Originally Posted by flood6

Brett Tabke over at WMW mentioned once that Google was a true-blue Microsoft shop.

I went and found the thread, the post I'm talking about is the fourth one down.

[jdyndale]

Originally Posted by bhartzer

Google wants to appeal to the masses, so the logical next step for them would be to hire former IE employees and develop their own browser to go along with the Google Toobar.

It's rather odd, though, that they would use former IE developers rather than Unix developers--I thought Google used Unix more than they used Windows?

Aren't you contradicting yourself here? Yes they want to appeal to the masses, and thus they need people used to developing for Windows as that's what the masses use.

I am one of those people who love IE, from a web-designer/developer point of view (not from a security point of view). IE's DHTML and other scripting features are simply far superior to any of those belonging to the competition. The way the scripting/functions works is easier and more logical in IE, and there's tight integration with certain OS features - things that Microsoft knows a bit more about than the competitors. I'd love to have seen the Microsoft version of HTML/DHTML become the standard instead of the W3C version, but at least we have a sort of standard now (although no browser properly supports every part of this new standard yet).

Actually I don't really care too much about any developments in the browser market, because all I need the browser for is surfing the web, you know? And IE is just as good for that as any other browser out there. And I happen to like the way IE renders web pages more than the way others do it. (Although Mozilla does make dialog boxes more visually appealing than the standard boring Windows boxes that IE uses)

So Google's making a new browser? Good for them, I don't care.

[jomariet]

I wouldn't care except that its one more browser to check a site in. And I still wouldn't care if the cross browser checks on the various tools actually worked as promised. In the mean time its a pain that almost doesn't seem worth it since the stats for my client sites are still at 90% IE. But that 10% tend to have a high concentration of actual BUYERs so I have to care.

What I want to know is who really thinks we NEED another browser. What could it possibly offer that would make switching worthwhile (except maybe a safe and secure version of IE)? If a web designer/developer could design the perfect browser, how would it be different from what we already have?

The upside is that its another reason to hire a professional :-)

JM

http://www.crucibledesigns.com

[flood6]

Can you count how many different ways google can turn this venture into $?

-Built in google toolbar

-Searches Google by default

-AdSense in the header ala' Opera

-"Pro" version without ads, again like Opera

-Users agree to tracking in exchange for "advanced features". This information could be stored on the PC to even further hammer down AdSense displays

You could go on forever.

[janeth]

I just hope they do a better job with it then they have done with gmail

[Blackicicle]

I just hope they do a better job with it then they have done with gmail

LoL!

But guys this is all just speculation. Lets give google some more credit here. I think they have more vision than to just create "another browser"

My 2 cent$

[Conficio]

Hey guys and gals,
aren't you going overboard here?

As the say "One migrant bird does not make it a summer". I mean just one (or four) guy(s) from Microsoft, who are looking for greener pastures (because M$ stock isn't going anywhere and cleaning up the security mess is not so much fun) does not make Google develop a browser of its own.

I think there are more reasons for people to leave companies (and technologies) that appear to mature, such as Microsoft and Sun. Instead some people look for the adventure and challenge to do something new and different. Especially in a company that has the turbo of stock options behind it.

And if you do not want to believe that, there is still enough to do in terms of integration, that the four should be busy.

I don't believe there is any benefit for Google to implement browsers. If they want something, they can at best develop some components to add on to Firebird or IE. I just don't see them migrating from a server centered technology to a client centered technology with all the porting and supporting night mares that come with that.

Just my point of view.

K<o>

[flood6]

Originally Posted by Izzy

I think they have more vision than to just create "another browser"

I definitely agree with that. They have a culture of shaking up whatever facet of this business they touch; their search technology, targeting consumers with AdSense, a solid gig of storage with gmail.

Despite my previously noted cynicism, I think whatever this browser turns out to be, it will be something that in some way redefines browsers.

[Artyom]

As for me guys and girls,
I'm gonna use FireFox extension for changing its name to FireGoogle and that's it:-) I'll be quite happy with that...

[braknews]

Google has registered the domain GBROWSER.COM.

Originally Posted by WHOIS

Registrant:
Google Inc. (DOM-1278108)
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway Mountain View CA 94043 US

Domain Name: gbrowser.com

Administrative Contact:
DNS Admin (NIC-1467103) Google Inc.
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway Mountain View CA 94043 US

Technical Contact, Zone Contact:
DNS Admin (NIC-1467103) Google Inc.
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway Mountain View CA 94043 US

Created on..............: 2004-Apr-26.
Expires on..............: 2006-Apr-26.
Record last updated on..: 2004-Apr-26 16:46:39.

[robinev]

Originally Posted by Conficio

I just don't see them migrating from a server centered technology to a client centered technology with all the porting and supporting night mares that come with that.

Google is already in the client software business, so if it's a mistake to venture beyond their server-based technologies, it's a mistake that has already been made.

They now offer their recent purchase, Picasa -- a local-disk image indexing package -- as a free download. The program is directly competitive with offerings from Adobe (Photoshop Album) and several other companies. Google will have to overcome the "porting and supporting nightmares" that develop with this first venture.

Although I'm not sure they'll do it, offering a browser isn't such a huge stretch for Google since having more privileged access to the kind of information a browser collects could significantly enhance their web search results.

At the very least, they could (and probably would) make their own browser sticky to Google's server offerings. Microsoft must be far more generous, allowing outfits like Google to take over several features of IE. Google wouldn't have to do that.

The Google toolbar can be considered a baby step in this direction. (Amazon's unusably buggy A9 toolbar is a child's step.) Offering a browser that gives user's opt-in options to share data with Google's servers could enhance their web results. They could also use a proprietary browser to offer users local-disk indexing and searching (similar to what Picasa does now for images).

It doesn't mean they'll actually develop something, and doesn't mean they'll succeed if they try, but it does make sense for Google to at least try.

[Peter (IMC)]

What I want to know is who really thinks we NEED another browser. What could it possibly offer that would make switching worthwhile (except maybe a safe and secure version of IE)? If a web designer/developer could design the perfect browser, how would it be different from what we already have?

Who needed another search engine when Google started? :D

I heard some rumors (and that´s all they are) about Google building something new to show their opinion of a page. The rumor is that they will be using a 10 point system. Links will only represent one of these points and one of the key features is the capability to make judgements about the quality of the content on the page.

Does that sound like some kind of browser? I leave it up to you to decide,. :) But I have to say that I was wondering how they would be able to show 10 points of information in a tiny toolbar. A browser does make a lot more sense.

I just hope they do a better job with it then they have done with gmail

????? What´s wrong with Gmail? I recently started using it and I have to say that it is great. Better than any other webmail service.

Google is getting so big, they start to be hated by everybody (like MicroSoft) and be used by everybody (like MicroSoft),. :)

Google has registered the domain GBROWSER.COM.

Looks like PageRank really is about to get some new clothes.... :)

[mrsjordanjr]

I've been a long time user of MyIE2 and I love it. My Internet Explorer browser always seems to have errors in it. I've reinstalled it several times from several different sources and after a few uses, it doesn't work properly anymore. For a long time now it won't even load pages at all, it just hangs. I've tried reinstalling Windows, using virus programs and spybot removers, nothing works.

MyIE2 has worked great for me and I love the tabbing feature so I can do multiple tasks at one time. It seems to load a little faster then IE did too (when it worked). It also comes with skins.

If Google comes out with a browser, I hope it has features of MyIE2 rather then IE. Personally, I'd like to see more 3D features in future web browsers, similiar to Active Worlds.

[Blackicicle]

Google registered that domain (gbrowser.com) back in april! and bought gmail.com in who knows when...

[gene02]

Here is some food for thought.
We know how good a job was done on MS products as a hole if google is hiring the same people to help create there product how much better can it be? We know MS has run into several problems with Longhorn and delayed the release how many times? When a company uses old blood they get the same old tricks that come with the package. I wish them great success I only think if you want new and better with out some of the same old security issues and stability problems maybe one would look to a new set of eyes programming it.

[gene02]

Here is some food for thought.
We know how good a job was done on MS products as a hole if google is hiring the same people to help create there product how much better can it be? We know MS has run into several problems with Longhorn and delayed the release how many times? When a company uses old blood they get the same old tricks that come with the package. I wish them great success I only think if you want new and better with out some of the same old security issues and stability problems maybe one would look to a new set of eyes programming it.

[Peter (IMC)]

Here is some food for thought.
We know how good a job was done on MS products as a hole if google is hiring the same people to help create there product how much better can it be? We know MS has run into several problems with Longhorn and delayed the release how many times? When a company uses old blood they get the same old tricks that come with the package. I wish them great success I only think if you want new and better with out some of the same old security issues and stability problems maybe one would look to a new set of eyes programming it.

hmmm,.... so if Ferrari hires engineers from Mecedes, Ferraris will all change into Mercedes?

Seems like Google can learn a lot from these people, especially how not to do some things... :D

[ronniethedodger]

My feeling is that a Mozilla based Gbrowser is highly likely. A recent ZDnet article added more fuel to the Gbrowser fire by citing a couple of reasons that the new browser will be based on Mozilla technology.

Also, according to an article by Pinder of Blogzilla this is not too far of a stretch. He states that there was a Bug Report #226572 that once existed, but now it is marked Private. The bug was labled for a Google branded Mozilla browser.

I think the wooing of the Microsoft coders goes much deeper than just a browser. Google and the entire Mozilla community can slap one of these puppies together in no time flat. It has to be more than that.

I am leaning to some inner OS stuff that is only known to a select MS few. Googles goal is to be entrenched on the Microsoft desktop before Longhorn rolls out. This may include, in part, the so-called Puffin project.

The browser, when it comes to be, I think will be for the XP platform (initially). Everything Google has done (Googlebar, Deskbar, Gmail alert) are all Windows based applications. They have totally ignored other platforms, and I do not see that changing.

There is a grander scheme in all this and some may say it is the Google OS. While this may be down the road and a goal of theirs, the browser is just the tip of the iceberg.

[Peter (IMC)]

What about hardware? Google has everything in house to come up with a box that will be cheap, has the operating system inside and no hard disk needed as long as the box can be connected to the internet.

They already build hardware search boxes.

Imagine the price of a box like this. It will be very low. No moving parts so basically no maintenance. All your things stored online on a google server.

And,. it will be an operating system and hardware system that is build by the same people.

Imagine what will happen if you can have the same capabilities as a normal PC has,.. for just 10% (or so) of the price. How many more people will be online and what will that mean for a service like Adwords.... ;)

In stead of half a billion people online world wide,.. there could be 1 billion and a half people online.

I would not at all be surprised if this is already in the works. Perhaps first a "simple" Google browser, but in the not so distant future, these nice Google boxes that put you online at low costs.

Just something to think about.

[ronniethedodger]

Peter - imagine if they ported this over to handhelds and mobiles instead. That would really rock.

[globalhostinggroup]

Humm I missed this topic just started new thread same topic sorry


Google Browser on the horizon

Rumors and speculation surround Google and their future plans on making their own browser. Googles recent hiring is only igniting the speculation. After Google recruited one of the main developers of Java and a developer of Internet Explorer Avalon along with a few people working on IE itself.

More speculation was raised from Google registering the domain gbrowser.com but there is no official comment from Google at this time.

It was only last month that Google hosted the Mozilla Developer day on it’s campus the aim was programmers working on improvements to the browser witch opens the possibility of Google possibly adding to Mozilla as apposed to the cost of making a browser from scratch.

Mozilla's Firefox popularity has bean greatly boosted with the raising security issues with Internet Explorer. Firefox enjoyed a peek of more then 1000000 downloads in less than 100 hours.

Microsoft may be in store for some competition if Google and Mozilla team up.

[effisk]

Originally Posted by Janeth

I just hope they do a better job with it then they have done with gmail

huh ? I quite enjoy my Gmail account. Much better than hotmail or yahoo...

Reagrding an hypothetical Gbrowser, I'll just sit there and wait till something happens. What's the use of such speculations ?

[Blackicicle]

Originally Posted by ronniethedodger

There is a grander scheme in all this and some may say it is the Google OS. While this may be down the road and a goal of theirs, the browser is just the tip of the iceberg.

Exactly!

And the fact that they are using microsoft people says nothing for quality. The reason microsoft has such bad products seems too be because of management more than anything.