All about Chrome

I'm not sure if you caught the news of Google's new browser that was released on Tuesday. Some have hailed it as the first true "Web 2.0 browser." Reactions are generally mixed across the Internet though, as users grapple with the sudden and unexpected entrance of a new browser.

Indeed, Mozilla Foundation CEO John Lilly was quoted as saying that he views Chrome as a competitor. If anything, this is an indication that even the Mozilla Foundation had no warning prior to the release of Chrome. This is significant, as the Mozilla project has an agreement--recently renewed for anther three years--to use Google as the default search engine. This deal is responsible for generating some 85 percent of Mozilla's revenue.

Whatever the case, I have installed Chrome and was using it for the last few days. One of the charges levied against Chrome's isolated tab model is that it makes the browser a "pig" when it comes to memory consumption. However, I think just about everyone agrees that it can only be a step forward in terms of reliability and security. Personally, I really liked the ability to monitor the memory consumption that each tab--and site--is consuming.

At its current beta stage though, Chrome does not yet support any kind of plug-ins, and its ability to organize bookmarks is nonexistent. However, considering its pre-1.0 status, I can't say I have any major issues with it either. What are your experiences with Chrome so far? - Paul