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Anyone using windows can easily try it.

By downloading Chrome (or the open source version Chromium)

If you want to see the "second version" in alpha, head on over to the Chromium builds page. They've been building nightlies since Chrome was announced.

chromium build 3268 fixes the drag&drop problem (haven't had that other problem)
http://build.chromium.org/buildbot/snapshots/chromium-rel-xp/

BuildBot: Chromium
Chromium issue tracker
Google Chrome Release History

Well, Chromium doesn't even compile and run on linux yet beyond some unit-tests passing (AFAIK). By the time it's actually a viable browser in linux, these issues will have worked themselves out. My point was not that every single user should be able to fix this for themselves but that this is a very solvable problem, and one that will be receiving a lot of attention in the coming months.

Google has done us all a great service by releasing the code-- many parts of Chromium will soon find use in other projects. Google-url, for example, looks pretty handy. It looks like Chromium uses a modular design with a lot libraries (both from google and third-party), so even if it is, in toto, an enormous codebase, it shouldn't be too hard to isolate any undesirable functionality. In conclusion: the sky is not falling. ;-)

If anyone has some free cycles, please come help get the Linux port going. There's lots to do. See http://dev.chromium.org/

If you have a look at the rlz interface code, It appears that it sends "pings" to the Goog upon various events.

Executive summary: I thought I'd try for a smart ass comment.

But look here Cleetus, some clueless twat really has checked win32 binaries into svn Not just that directory either, even the windows version of the "depot tools" contains precompiled python 2.4, svn and apr libs. Arghhhh!!!

I have been interested in contributing to the linux version of chrome but there is little assistance. The linux_dev page has only cursory information. I did run the unit tests, but I find it hard to figure out where to start. Most of the code is focussed on win32. Does anybody have any experience in starting chromium development for linux. Whats the best way to go about it?

What about their development site which explains how to build chromium on Windows, MacOS and Linux?

It uses webkit for layout, but it uses a (sort of) homegrown library for rendering:

http://gigaom.com/2008/09/02/google-open-sources-skia-graphics-engine/
http://src.chromium.org/viewvc/chrome/trunk/src/skia/

I went looking for the same information earlier today. Surprisingly, the design document titled "How Chromium Displays Web Pages" doesn't shed any light on that, at least at this time. You have to dive into the source to find out.

Basically, a single process (the one main browser process) owns the window and draws to it. Renderer processes draw their web content into shared memory; the browser process then transfers the data into a backing store, which it uses to paint the window. The process is coordinated via inter-process message-passing (using pipes, it seems), but the rendering output travels via shared memory.

I went looking for the same information earlier today. Surprisingly, the design document titled "How Chromium Displays Web Pages" doesn't shed any light on that, at least at this time. You have to dive into the source to find out.

Basically, a single process (the one main browser process) owns the window and draws to it. Renderer processes draw their web content into shared memory; the browser process then transfers the data into a backing store, which it uses to paint the window. The process is coordinated via inter-process message-passing (using pipes, it seems), but the rendering output travels via shared memory.

Here's one excuse: complications when trying to have multiple processes render content on a single window in Mac OS X [mozilla.com] (mentioned near the end of the tab process isolation section).

That's just hearsay of hearsay. In Chrome, only the main process draws to the window: renderer processes draw into shared memory, then the main process takes that rendering and transfers it into a backing store, which it uses to paint the window. (reference)
There is no obstacle to using the same mechanism on Mac OS X.

There are some details to Chrome's sandboxing implementation that limit its security benefits:

- The process limit is 20. Anything requiring an additional process once this limit is reached, such as opening another tab, will be assigned randomly to any of the existing 20 processes.

- Frames are run within the same process as the parent window, regardless of domain. Hyperlinking from one frame to another does not change processes.

There are also some problems where valid cross-site JavaScript doesn't work. Of course it's still only a beta. Some specific details are documented by Google.

Delete RLZ.DLL from Chrome installation. They advise it in source code http://src.chromium.org/svn/trunk/src/chrome/browser/rlz/rlz.h

svn co http://src.chromium.org/svn/trunk/src/chrome

The Chrome browser binary you can download is *based* on the Chromium source code, which is free (see http://dev.chromium.org/developers/how-tos/build-instructions-windows on instructions how to compile). The Chrome browser itself is NOT under the BSD license. I was quite disappointed when I realized that. - Just because they say "open source" somewhere doesn't make the Chrome browser itself open source.

And what's this "installer" program to download the browser for you, why not just give us a download link to the browser itself? Furthermore, the browser will also *update* anytime it feels like it. Afaik there's no way to deactivate this *feature*.

I'd love to see a site dedicated to compiling daily builds of the Chromium source code, maybe through in some forks by private fiddlers, because right now following the instructions from the link requires you to use a non open source tool "gclient" to download about 500MB of source and then compile it using M$ Visual Studio - and then hope it produces a working binary (oh, and have the time for this). So far I couldn't find anyone doing this and putting the binaries online yet - not even using google ;)

Actually, the code for Chrome is 1.3GB if you check it out from svn.

Proof: http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/7396/googlechromesvnisfuckinzx6.png

According to the people in #chromium on freenode Chrome is the browser, Chromium is the community.

As already mentioned the gclient tool is open source. Since its written in Python its distributed as source code anyway and the code is under the Apache 2.0 licence.
As for 'hope it produced a working binary', I compile Chromium for the first time from SVN yesterday without any hitch whatsoever. And yes, my binaries are online.

Might I ask where? Though you might get flooded by slashdotters who read this.. On the other hand your build should produce the same binaries one of the versions at this link posted by Orbis above, so they could just hop over to there.

Just out of curiosity how long did it take to compile?

I'd love to see a site dedicated to compiling daily builds of the Chromium source code

You can download snapshot of the latest version of Chromium for XP from the buildbot here : http://build.chromium.org/buildbot/snapshots/chromium-rel-xp/

[...] right now following the instructions from the link [http://dev.chromium.org/developers/how-tos/build-instructions-windows] requires you to use a non open source tool "gclient" to download about 500MB of source and then compile it using M$ Visual Studio [...]

Actually, it seems that gclient is open source (python source with Apache License 2.0) and you can get source for it with a simple
svn co http://gclient.googlecode.com/svn/trunk gclient-dev
For more information, see http://code.google.com/p/gclient/wiki/StartingDevelopment

The Chrome browser binary you can download is *based* on the Chromium source code, which is free (see http://dev.chromium.org/developers/how-tos/build-instructions-windows on instructions how to compile). The Chrome browser itself is NOT under the BSD license. I was quite disappointed when I realized that. - Just because they say "open source" somewhere doesn't make the Chrome browser itself open source.

And what's this "installer" program to download the browser for you, why not just give us a download link to the browser itself? Furthermore, the browser will also *update* anytime it feels like it. Afaik there's no way to deactivate this *feature*.

I'd love to see a site dedicated to compiling daily builds of the Chromium source code, maybe through in some forks by private fiddlers, because right now following the instructions from the link requires you to use a non open source tool "gclient" to download about 500MB of source and then compile it using M$ Visual Studio - and then hope it produces a working binary (oh, and have the time for this). So far I couldn't find anyone doing this and putting the binaries online yet - not even using google ;)

Vista has no issues. Their response on why there is no native 64-bit: http://dev.chromium.org/developers/design-documents/64-bit-support

Why is there an EULA in the first place? The only difference between Google Chrome and Chromium is a build switch, so anyone can reject the EULA and compile their own versions, even if they can't redistribute the Chrome builds due to trademarks.

The BSD licence includes a disclaimer from liability when using the software, so no EULA is required for this. Google's online services have an EULA when you use them, but this isn't necessary for an open source browser.

Maybe, Google are concerned about their privacy policy, when consent is required for data to be collected on users. And Section 10.2 of the EULA isn't required for an open source browser, so it's possible for Chrome to include closed source code in the future, which the BSD licence permits.

This makes me feel uneasy about using Chrome. I hope that Google don't get so caught up in collecting information on users, that they miss focusing on building a good browser.

BTW, here's the nightly build.

Okay, I've investigated further.

Above, I was depending on Google's own statement that "Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, and others do not support ActiveX. Instead, these browsers make use of the Netscape Plugin Application Programming Interface (NPAPI)."

Looking around, further, the activex shim is explicitly described as "A shim for running some Active-X controls in Chromium."

Poking around in the source tarball in the activex_shim directory, it looks like they're working on a general support-ActiveX-through-NPAPI plugin; both Firefox and Opera are mentioned in the README. This NPAPI plugin is presumably not yet able to support all ActiveX controls.

It's fixed in the Chromium builds.

(I know this is completely off-topic, but can anybody explain the exact difference between Chromium and Chrome? Does Chrome contain parts that are not in Chromium, or is it just a stable release of Chromium?)

and for the really, really impatient

svn co http://src.chromium.org/svn/trunk/src/chrome

I am the AC who posted about the installation annoyances.

Since then, I have started using the Chromium snapshot from

http://build.chromium.org/buildbot/snapshots/

This is much more to my liking. No installer, just a nice clean zip archive that you can uncompress anywhere. No Google updater running in the background.

The design is very clean, although I wish it would use my system colours and visual style (msstyles). Browsing is snappy and seems to render pages well. Passes Acid2 and scores 79/100 on Acid3. No smooth scrolling and no AdBlock, but that is understandable considering it's a new browser.

If Google were to just clean up the issues with the installer, this looks like a very promising beginning.

If Google were aiming this at geeks, it would have made sense to develop a *nix or OS X version first, and get the geeks interested in using it.

By making Chrome available for Windows first, Google is promoting standardization and security to the masses that need it most. As a geek, I am very interested in this.

Sadly, by making it Windows-only, they have missed the boat for stirring any interest in much of the more tech-savvy community ...

I don't know about you, but I live in a world where Windows has a huge market-share. This is a fact, whether you like it or not. I'd rather have millions of windows users have a more secure system, than a shiny new toy for me to play with. I don't need a more secure browser; they do. It benefits them, which benefits all of us.

But the beauty of Chrome, which it seems you failed to notice, is that it is open-source. We can vouch for the security, add features, and improve it to our heart's content.

Despite your negative attitude, I believe there is already significant interest within the tech-savvy community, and a working Linux build is in the works. If you're that impatient for a *nix build, either join in or keep your words to yourself while the rest of us do the work.

... and quite probably have left yet another opportunity for malware infestations on insecure boxes.

The security model that Google is adopting within Chrome is excellent, and long overdue. That's one of their main points in creating the project to begin with. So please do at least a little research before you make blanket statements like this. Thank you.

1. Read the blog post linked from parent
2. Note Chrome currently only runs on Windows
3. See windows specific code in browser_main.cc
4. Remember that the webkit and mozilla code already uses abstraction as opposed to concurrent per-platform development branches
5. Wonder why Google couldn't simply have admitted it's currently win32 only

I posted this earlier today, but I feel I have to post this again, as it is really important people know what they get in to using this browser:

In metrics_service.cc [chromium.org]
it sends everything you do in the toolbar to
static const char kMetricsURL[] =

        "https://toolbarqueries.google.com/firefox/metrics/collect";
It collects everything and sends it to google servers, on startup and on shutdown.

// Ongoing log typically
// contain very detailed records of user activities (ex: opened tab, closed
// tab, fetched URL, maximized window, etc.) In addition, just before an
// ongoing log is closed out, a call is made to gather memory statistics. Those
// memory statistics are deposited into a histogram, and the log finalization
// code is then called. In the finalization, a call to a Histogram server
// acquires a list of all local histograms that have been flagged for upload
// to the UMA server.
//
// When the browser shuts down, there will typically be a fragment of an ongoing
// log that has not yet been transmitted. At shutdown time, that fragment
// is closed (including snapshotting histograms), and converted to text. Note
// that memory stats are not gathered during shutdown, as gathering *might* be
// too time consuming. The textual representation of the fragment of the
// ongoing log is then stored persistently as a string in the PrefServices, for
// potential transmission during a future run of the product.

WHAT THE FUCK. Keep ff ftw.
If your privacy means nothing to you just use Chrome.

So go download Chromium which is the open source project Chrome is based upon. Grab the .ZIP package, unzip, and away you go. No Google update. No nasty EULA.

What does the license say if you compile from source ..

In metrics_service.cc
it sends everything you do in the toolbar to
static const char kMetricsURL[] =
        "https://toolbarqueries.google.com/firefox/metrics/collect";
It collects everything and sends it to google servers, on startup and on shutdown.

// Ongoing log typically
// contain very detailed records of user activities (ex: opened tab, closed
// tab, fetched URL, maximized window, etc.) In addition, just before an
// ongoing log is closed out, a call is made to gather memory statistics. Those
// memory statistics are deposited into a histogram, and the log finalization
// code is then called. In the finalization, a call to a Histogram server
// acquires a list of all local histograms that have been flagged for upload
// to the UMA server.
//
// When the browser shuts down, there will typically be a fragment of an ongoing
// log that has not yet been transmitted. At shutdown time, that fragment
// is closed (including snapshotting histograms), and converted to text. Note
// that memory stats are not gathered during shutdown, as gathering *might* be
// too time consuming. The textual representation of the fragment of the
// ongoing log is then stored persistently as a string in the PrefServices, for
// potential transmission during a future run of the product.

WHAT THE FUCK. Keep ff ftw.
If your privacy means nothing to you just use Chrome.

Valid point. More importantly,

http://dev.chromium.org/developers/how-tos/getting-started

And for the impatient, here is the meat of it

gclient config http://src.chromium.org/svn/trunk/src/chrome
gclient sync

Valid point. More importantly,

http://dev.chromium.org/developers/how-tos/getting-started

And for the impatient, here is the meat of it

gclient config http://src.chromium.org/svn/trunk/src/chrome
gclient sync

Prepare to be even less impressed and look at the V8 src, they only have codegen for ia32 and arm. Plenty of hardcoded platform specific (windows) guff in the browser codebase too.

This stuff might have been acceptable in 2003 but it's -DEPIC_FAIL for 2008.

There's build instructions for Mac OS X and Linux. Of course, the browser doesn't actually run on *nix yet, but you can't say they're not trying.

Prepare to be even less impressed and look at the V8 src, they only have codegen for ia32 and arm. Plenty of hardcoded platform specific (windows) guff in the browser codebase too.

This stuff might have been acceptable in 2003 but it's -DEPIC_FAIL for 2008.

There's build instructions for Mac OS X and Linux. Of course, the browser doesn't actually run on *nix yet, but you can't say they're not trying.

The source is available now, and from what I understand they're using the BSD License.

"If your website works in Safari 3.1, it'll almost certainly work in Google Chrome. "

http://www.google.com/support/chrome/bin/answer.py?answer=95696&query=safari&topic=&type=

As long as the replacement of the JavasScript with V8 doesn't comprise much of that "almost" then I guess it is all good. Saw some people complaining about Java plugin here: http://dev.chromium.org/developers/discussion-groups

I think it was the chromium-dev group. On a related note to that forum. Lots of people making weak stabs at compiling it in Linux. Apparently the codebase is not completely final in the repository (yet its only been a few hours) and/or the docs on compiling are incorrect. Could also be loose nuts at the keyboard. There is also the note here http://dev.chromium.org/developers/how-tos/build-instructions-linux "Note: There is no working Chromium-based browser on Linux. Although many Chromium submodules build under Linux and a few unit tests pass, all that runs is a command-line 'all tests pass' executable."

Obviously some missing pieces on a market segment they weren't initially aiming at. More fuel to the this is aimed squarely at Redmond thing.

"If your website works in Safari 3.1, it'll almost certainly work in Google Chrome. "

http://www.google.com/support/chrome/bin/answer.py?answer=95696&query=safari&topic=&type=

As long as the replacement of the JavasScript with V8 doesn't comprise much of that "almost" then I guess it is all good. Saw some people complaining about Java plugin here: http://dev.chromium.org/developers/discussion-groups

I think it was the chromium-dev group. On a related note to that forum. Lots of people making weak stabs at compiling it in Linux. Apparently the codebase is not completely final in the repository (yet its only been a few hours) and/or the docs on compiling are incorrect. Could also be loose nuts at the keyboard. There is also the note here http://dev.chromium.org/developers/how-tos/build-instructions-linux "Note: There is no working Chromium-based browser on Linux. Although many Chromium submodules build under Linux and a few unit tests pass, all that runs is a command-line 'all tests pass' executable."

Obviously some missing pieces on a market segment they weren't initially aiming at. More fuel to the this is aimed squarely at Redmond thing.

It looks like they've got builds working at the moment:

http://build.chromium.org/buildbot/waterfall/builders/sub-debug-linux.html

Apart from that, my verdict is 'show us the code'.

Build instructions, including how to check out the code, are available from here.

Alright, I'll just go ahead and look through the code ...

Let's look at the getting stared page... WTF?!?

"If you only want to look at the source code, you'll need at least 1.6 GB of hard drive space available. If you want to build it, you will need just under 10 GB of space, including all the object files and executables."

Sure. That'll be audited by monday

View SVN

They could do with releasing a snapshot or mirroring the repo using a sane VCS; mercurial, git or even (gasp) CVS. Also I love the way the way they've got sqlite and optipng exe's in there...

Look at the EXE's in VCS

Poor, poor Windows users...

View SVN

They could do with releasing a snapshot or mirroring the repo using a sane VCS; mercurial, git or even (gasp) CVS. Also I love the way the way they've got sqlite and optipng exe's in there...

Look at the EXE's in VCS

Poor, poor Windows users...