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It doesn't need to be installed by default. If Google made the insane decision of requiring it to be able to search Google, then they would get a huge amount of

It doesn't need to be installed by default. If Google made the insane decision of requiring it to be able to search Google, then they would get a huge amount of converts, but that decision would also be classified as clinically insane. The real secret to them winning is going the route of Firefox and playing the long game. Get it working on as many platforms as possible and then begin evangelizing the shit out of it.

ErrantX 17y ago
Plus of course Google were seriously involved in Firefox till recently. A lot of the lessons learned by Mozilla wont just be passively taken onboard by Google: devs / managers there probably saw some of it first hand. I suspect your right and this will be their approach; they have a killer base engine and a decent browser (in an amazingly short time if you really think it through). I suspect Google have figured that the Browser could well be a very important tool for the next generation of the web. At least if they have a working product they can instanlty compete in such a market - and with Wave coming in and Gears proving pretty popular it will be good to have a browser they can control. Right?
- trickjarrett 17y ago
  I posted on my blog a few months ago after the news of Google Chrome that I expected Facebook to follow suit and release a browser as it is becoming a key tool in the platform wars. The Google team sponsored and helped develop for Firefox, and I'm sure some Google employees still do develop for it, however the creation of Chrome is a clear sign that the honeymoon is over and it's time for Google to internalize it. Google's strategy has been support other people's projects until they prove themselves, then either acquire or create their own. It sounds ludicrous to suggest, but consider what would happen if IE, in IE 9 decided to block Google. Oh sure there would be an outcry from the technologically savvy, but what about our non-computer literate friends. What would they do? How many of them would actually install FF or Chrome rather than just try Bing and find that 'hey, it is almost as good as Google.' It's crazy, like my suggestion in my first comment, but it's a fact that one day they're going to stop playing nice and platform companies are going to begin trying to build the walls to their advantage.

ErrantX 17y ago

Plus of course Google were seriously involved in Firefox till recently. A lot of the lessons learned by Mozilla wont just be passively taken onboard by Google: devs / managers there probably saw some of it first hand. I suspect your right and this will be their approach; they have a killer base engine and a decent browser (in an amazingly short time if you really think it through). I suspect Google have figured that the Browser could well be a very important tool for the next generation of the web. At least if they have a working product they can instanlty compete in such a market - and with Wave coming in and Gears proving pretty popular it will be good to have a browser they can control. Right?

trickjarrett 17y ago
I posted on my blog a few months ago after the news of Google Chrome that I expected Facebook to follow suit and release a browser as it is becoming a key tool in the platform wars. The Google team sponsored and helped develop for Firefox, and I'm sure some Google employees still do develop for it, however the creation of Chrome is a clear sign that the honeymoon is over and it's time for Google to internalize it. Google's strategy has been support other people's projects until they prove themselves, then either acquire or create their own. It sounds ludicrous to suggest, but consider what would happen if IE, in IE 9 decided to block Google. Oh sure there would be an outcry from the technologically savvy, but what about our non-computer literate friends. What would they do? How many of them would actually install FF or Chrome rather than just try Bing and find that 'hey, it is almost as good as Google.' It's crazy, like my suggestion in my first comment, but it's a fact that one day they're going to stop playing nice and platform companies are going to begin trying to build the walls to their advantage.