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What company takes it over is an important question, and I honestly don't have a good answer for that. Nearly every company I can think of would have some probl

What company takes it over is an important question, and I honestly don't have a good answer for that. Nearly every company I can think of would have some problem. But my question is, do we need Chrome to actually continue in its current state? Chromium could continue as open source with multiple companies contributing to it (and maybe it falls under the linux foundation to oversee it) then with companies like Microsoft making their own forks. We have Safari, Edge, Firefox (which its future is also in question, but that's a separate topic). I guess Oprah is still kicking around. When not under Google's control, what value does Chrome really serve beyond its existing install base (which not discounting, but that can change)

iambateman 1y ago
I think the divide between HN and the world is significant, here. For you (and me), switching browsers is annoying but doable. There was a time when I used Firefox, and then a time when I used Chrome, and someday I'll use something else. But for the vast majority of the world, the idea of switching browsers feels like a big challenge. A lot of the world needs Chrome to keep working well for them.
- nerdjon 1y ago
  It seems like all of the browsers now import data from other browsers when you install them. So, is that really much of the case? Beyond the old stereotype "grandparent thinks the E is the internet", there is not much of a difference in how each browser behaves. The UI's are shockingly similar. If it was, I would not think that Google would be as successful as they are to push Chrome heavily. Users would not transition over. I will admit that I do sometimes have a different view of technology than many people, I mean as it is I have multiple browsers running right now. And generally when I step back I can see, oh yeah this really may be a bigger deal for most people. I am struggling to see it in this case, especially with every browser trying very hard to make it as easy as possible.
  - dabockster 1y ago
    > Beyond the old stereotype "grandparent thinks the E is the internet" That stereotype is now "grandparent thinks Chrome is the internet". It still exists in a big way. It also exists in the sense that "no one ever got fired for downloading Google Chrome".
- Hasu 1y ago
  > For you (and me), switching browsers is annoying but doable. There was a time when I used Firefox, and then a time when I used Chrome, and someday I'll use something else. But for the vast majority of the world, the idea of switching browsers feels like a big challenge. Given this paragraph suggests you haven't changed browsers in over 15 years, you should probably give it a try sometime and see if what you think is true still is true. (If you don't want to do your homework, it is not true. A not-very-technical person could change browsers three times between now and dinner and have no issues)
  - robocat 1y ago
    > A not-very-technical person could change browsers three times between now and dinner and have no issues Unlikely. Maybe if they have no saved bookmarks, no saved passwords, and no saved cookies (which isn't most users). Let alone usability differences. They might get lucky for certain OSes and certain browser current combos that auto-import, or they might not. Whenever I watch someone change to a new browser, there are multiple serious issues to deal with.
  - iambateman 1y ago
    FWIW I use Chrome because my customers use Chrome, so I want to see what they’re seeing as much as possible. I know how to install Arc :)
Y_Y 1y ago
> I guess Oprah is still kicking around. Wouldn't have been my first choice, but she's not the worst idea I've seen so far in this discussion.
- dabockster 1y ago
  Opera is PRC owned and operated. Vivaldi is the actual successor to OG Opera.

iambateman 1y ago

I think the divide between HN and the world is significant, here. For you (and me), switching browsers is annoying but doable. There was a time when I used Firefox, and then a time when I used Chrome, and someday I'll use something else. But for the vast majority of the world, the idea of switching browsers feels like a big challenge. A lot of the world needs Chrome to keep working well for them.

nerdjon 1y ago
It seems like all of the browsers now import data from other browsers when you install them. So, is that really much of the case? Beyond the old stereotype "grandparent thinks the E is the internet", there is not much of a difference in how each browser behaves. The UI's are shockingly similar. If it was, I would not think that Google would be as successful as they are to push Chrome heavily. Users would not transition over. I will admit that I do sometimes have a different view of technology than many people, I mean as it is I have multiple browsers running right now. And generally when I step back I can see, oh yeah this really may be a bigger deal for most people. I am struggling to see it in this case, especially with every browser trying very hard to make it as easy as possible.
- dabockster 1y ago
  > Beyond the old stereotype "grandparent thinks the E is the internet" That stereotype is now "grandparent thinks Chrome is the internet". It still exists in a big way. It also exists in the sense that "no one ever got fired for downloading Google Chrome".
Hasu 1y ago
> For you (and me), switching browsers is annoying but doable. There was a time when I used Firefox, and then a time when I used Chrome, and someday I'll use something else. But for the vast majority of the world, the idea of switching browsers feels like a big challenge. Given this paragraph suggests you haven't changed browsers in over 15 years, you should probably give it a try sometime and see if what you think is true still is true. (If you don't want to do your homework, it is not true. A not-very-technical person could change browsers three times between now and dinner and have no issues)
- robocat 1y ago
  > A not-very-technical person could change browsers three times between now and dinner and have no issues Unlikely. Maybe if they have no saved bookmarks, no saved passwords, and no saved cookies (which isn't most users). Let alone usability differences. They might get lucky for certain OSes and certain browser current combos that auto-import, or they might not. Whenever I watch someone change to a new browser, there are multiple serious issues to deal with.
- iambateman 1y ago
  FWIW I use Chrome because my customers use Chrome, so I want to see what they’re seeing as much as possible. I know how to install Arc :)

Y_Y 1y ago

> I guess Oprah is still kicking around. Wouldn't have been my first choice, but she's not the worst idea I've seen so far in this discussion.

dabockster 1y ago
Opera is PRC owned and operated. Vivaldi is the actual successor to OG Opera.