Google Upgrades Internet Explorer With Chrome

By Jane McEntegart
published

Google has released a Chrome Plug-in for Internet Explorer in an effort to please those still stuck using Explorer for one reason or another.

Plenty of people are still using Internet Explorer 6 because their place of work won't upgrade to the updated version of Microsoft's browser. With the introduction of Chrome Frame, Google is looking to help employees move on without forcing their bosses to do the same.

Chrome Frame essentially transforms Explorer into Chrome by bringing an open HTML5 and other technologies to IE. Google engineers working on Chrome Frame say that the purpose is to help developers take advantage of the latest open web technologies.

"Recent JavaScript performance improvements and the emergence of HTML5 have enabled web applications to do things that could previously only be done by desktop software," wrote software engineers Alex Russell and Amit Joshi, along with project manager Mike Smith. "One challenge developers face in using these new technologies is that they are not yet supported by Internet Explorer. Developers can't afford to ignore IE — most people use some version of IE — so they end up spending lots of time implementing work-arounds or limiting the functionality of their apps," the trio continue.

Russell, Joshi and Smith go on to say that with Google Chrome Frame, developers can now take advantage of a faster Javascript engine, support for technologies like HTML5's offline capabilities and <canvas>, to modern CSS/Layout handling.

Peep the video below for more or check out Google's Chromium blog.

Jane McEntegart
Topics
Software
17 Comments Comment from the forums
  • nukemaster
    This is actually kind of cool.
    Reply
  • Sicundercover
    However it fails to address the real problem. Most companies havnt upgraded IE simply because of an Overworked, underpaid, IT staff. Many large companies here in the Silicon Valley are still running XP SP1. I have witnessed this on many occasions. With the simple effort it would take to put this on every computer, it would still be more simple to just update IE and or install Chrome flat out.

    A simple deployment is no longer a simple deployment once you have 2 guys doing this on over 300 PC's at 11 at night.
    Reply
  • extreme-pcs
    Amen t
    Reply
  • extreme-pcs
    Errr... not sure what happened above. As I was saying... Amen to that. 1200:1 computer to technician ratio here. It's insane.
    Reply
  • ssalim
    Awesome, google.
    Reply
  • SAL-e
    sicundercoverHowever it fails to address the real problem. Most companies havnt upgraded IE simply because of an Overworked, underpaid, IT staff. Many large companies here in the Silicon Valley are still running XP SP1. I have witnessed this on many occasions. With the simple effort it would take to put this on every computer, it would still be more simple to just update IE and or install Chrome flat out. A simple deployment is no longer a simple deployment once you have 2 guys doing this on over 300 PC's at 11 at night.You right and that is why Google's solution is brilliant. See when the employee visit a web page that has the meta tag set it will trigger the IE's automatic install of the needed plug-in. Unless the IT stuff has setup a policy that prevents the plug-in to be installed, all employees who needs HTML5 will get "upgraded" without any assistance from IT guys. Only problem I see is MS releasing and IE update that black-lists the Chrome Plug-in. If MS does that I can bet that European Commission will go after them with even bigger fine this time.
    Reply
  • Major7up
    Sal-e, sicundercover is closer to reality with his statement than you may think. Having worked in IT for years and witness to the very scenarios described I can attest to the delicateness of the situation. Most places that are stuck on IE are indeed due to manpower and budget constraints but in most cases also have implemented security policies which do not allow for plug-in installation and which cannot be over-ridden. Though the Chrome Frame idea is a great one, I see limited potential use. I am currently a web developer and see no reason to run out and support this yet. It may be interesting to test, but let's not all jump for joy until we start seeing some applications of this and see how companies/users are reacting to it.
    Reply
  • SAL-e
    major7upSal-e, sicundercover is closer to reality with his statement than you may think. Having worked in IT for years and witness to the very scenarios described I can attest to the delicateness of the situation. Most places that are stuck on IE are indeed due to manpower and budget constraints but in most cases also have implemented security policies which do not allow for plug-in installation and which cannot be over-ridden. Though the Chrome Frame idea is a great one, I see limited potential use. I am currently a web developer and see no reason to run out and support this yet. It may be interesting to test, but let's not all jump for joy until we start seeing some applications of this and see how companies/users are reacting to it.Yes. I know. I am in the same boat. That is why sicundercover got +1 from me. At the same time I see the potential of Google's approach. I can change the security policy in my AD and then the users will get upgraded without my assistance. So if you are web developer and you need extra feature offered by HTML5 you could take advantage now instead waiting for MS and overworked IT stuff to upgrade the IE. If this framework become popular the web developers will need only to support one standard version of their apps. I really wish you to benefit directly from that.
    Reply
  • michaelahess
    Sicundercover and exteme-pcs, you just need to sell dumb terminals/terminal servers to the brass, a lot less trouble and maintenance ;) And it saves money, and makes security much easier, and it's cheaper to maintain, and....well you get the point.
    Reply
  • Regulas
    Still waiting for Google to finish the Linux version of Chrome.
    Reply