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Brin: Mac version of Chrome 'a matter of months'

updated 04:35 pm EDT, Thu September 4, 2008

Brin on Chrome for Mac

The Mac version of Google's Chrome web browser should arrive in "a matter of months," says Google co-founder Sergey Brin. The executive, interviewed by Wall Street Journal writer Kara Swisher, claims it is "embarassing" that a Mac version is not already out, since both he and Swisher use Macs. To cope with the situation, Brin says he is relying on virtualization software from VMware. At present Chrome runs only on Windows.

The release of Chrome, which is based on the Apple-developed WebKit platform used in Safari, has experienced some complications. It initially included an aggressive licensing agreement, granting Google rights over all content posted through the browser, and may have serious security issues, in part because its underlying version of WebKit is outdated. Google has not said when a fix for the Windows software may become available.

 
Previous Comments

Which Means...

09/04, 04:58pm reply

Which means they probably haven't started yet.

jameshays

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Mar 2003

+5

so what

09/04, 05:03pm (1 reply) reply

we have safari, so who cares.

MyRightEye

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Apr 2008

+4

Just like Intuit!

09/04, 05:33pm reply

Intuit's ceo sits (or has sat) on Apple's board yet was going cease development of Quicken for the Mac. Even now Intuit has nothing to offer other than Quicken 2007. Intuit's web site speaks glowingly of a completely rewritten Quicken for 2009 to be released in "the winter" but still not feature compatible with the already available Quicken 9 for the PC.

Now come the cofounders of Google, who supposedly use Macs, and they are embarrassed there is no Mac version of Chrome yet? Gimme a freaking break here. Who exactly runs the company anyway and makes the decision to give the Mac the shaft?

lkrupp

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: May 2001

0

You know for once...

09/04, 05:51pm (1 reply) reply

I'm actually glad Chrome isn't out for Mac first. Haven't you guys been guinea pigs long enough for all things under the Apple sun? I would think you would want the M$ contingency to be first to stomp out all the bugs.

Meanwhile, we've got Safari, Webkit, Firefox, OmniWeb, Opera, Camino and Shiira to keep us busy.

dimplemonkey

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Oct 2001

+2

No worries.

09/04, 08:53pm reply

For me, it is fine that the Mac doesn't have Chrome yet. Virtually all Mac users use a modern version of Safari, Gecko-based browser like Firefox or Camino, or Opera.

In contrast, a good 75% percent of all Windows users use Internet Explorer 6 or 7, which are, if nothing else, a challenge for web developers to support. This is a tough problem in terms of JavaScript performance and reliability - trust me - I live with it every day. We just don't have a lot of nice UI because we can't get it to go on IE.

If Chrome can convince Microsoft to finally fix their browser, the world will be a much better place.

I'm all from Chrome on the Mac. But IE is the industry problem that really needs to be fixed or eliminated.

Jittery Jimmy

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jan 2006

+2

Embarassing...

09/04, 08:54pm reply

The worst part is that they have Mike Pinkerton, one of the creators and head developers of Camino, working on the Chrome project for Google, so there's really not much excuse for the lack of a Mac version...

WiseWeasel

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Apr 1999

+2

s**** this then!

09/04, 09:28pm (1 reply) reply

If they can't have a Mac version ready from day 1 then, I have zero interest in their browser. WTF is up with this c***? Google is using Apple technology and yet Google is marginalizing Mac users!

howiethemacguy

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Sep 2007

+1

Webkit

09/04, 10:03pm reply

Even more embarrassing since Chrome uses WebKit, from Apple. Should've been on OS X first. Would have been a good way to pay homage to Tim Berners-Lee's WWW on NeXT.

derbbre

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Oct 2000

+3

ice water

09/05, 02:00am reply

Chrome uses webkit, so no real need for Chrome on Mac.
Winodws on the other, they need all the ice water they can get.

gikku

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jul 2006

+2

chrome and safari

09/05, 05:20am reply

maybe the threat of a new browser using the safari webkit on the mac will make the development teams at apple get off their collective butt and fix the world leaks in safari 3.1.2
i am glad google had the sense to not deliver their browser to the macusers before it is ready. who needs software with security risks on the mac platform? things get messy enough when wordpress is hacked or banner ads pass pornsites to the clipboard in safari.

Guest

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Nov 1999

0

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