Ubuntu Musings

It’s been a little over a month since I started using Chromium, the Open Source version of the Google Chrome Web browser. Since then, I’ve been using Chromium quite extensively. While the honeymoon isn’t over yet, I do have a better handle on what I like and dislike about Chromium and how it fits into my Web browsing and use of Web apps.

It’s been an interesting experience to say the least, and one that I don’t regret.

The need for speed

In my last post about Chromium, I mentioned its speed. That’s still the case. Even though my copy of Chromium has been updated several times over the last month, it’s still quick. Quicker than Firefox (obviously), Epiphany, Midori, and Opera. By quite a margin, too.

Chromium loads in about a second or two, and loads pages quickly. Graphics and multimedia don’t slow it down much. Font rendering seems to have improved with the updates.

Using Web apps

I use quite a few Web applications. They’re convenient, and do what I need with a minimum of fuss. Chromium, like Chrome under Windows, works very well with Google’s various applications.

But I haven’t had much (if any) trouble with other Web apps as well. Everything from wikis to outliners to Web-based word processors, note takers, and graphics apps. I’ve tried using them with Chromium and the experience has been seamless.

One or two apps warned me that my browser wasn’t supported but I had no trouble using those apps.

Browsing, sans extensions

As a long-time user of Firefox, I have to admit that I’m a bit addicted to the browser’s various extensions and add-ons. Maybe more than a bit. When switching to another browser, like I did with Epiphany a while back, I worry about the withdrawal symptoms that I might experience when working with a browser that doesn’t support many, or any, extensions.

You know what, though? I adapted. Quite comfortably, too. While there are extensions for Chrome (which may or may not work with Chromium), I haven’t bothered trying them. Thanks to Chromium, I’ve learned that extensions are convenient but they aren’t essential. I can live and surf without them.

Things that are kind of wonky

With all of the good, there’s some not-so-good in Chromium. Nothing that will stop me from continuing to use the browser, but annoyances nonetheless. Like what?

First off, in the WordPress (which this blog runs on) admin panel, dropdown lists don’t behave well. You select an item, but the list doesn’t close. You need to click elsewhere for that to happen.

Sometimes, the way the Chromium renders pages formatted using CSS gets a bit wonky. Well, more than just a little wonky. All formatting goes out the window. It doesn’t happen often. When it does, there’s no real rhyme or reason. It might happen with a blog, a corporate or personal Web site, or an ecommerce site.

Bookmarking, too, is still a bit off. I’ve only been able to do that by opening the Bookmark Manager and pasting a URL into a dialog box.

(Update: Of course, I can click the star icon to the left of the address bar to bookmark a page. Major fail on my part. Have a good laugh! I deserve it)

Finally, does anyone know how get rid of the about:linux-splash page that appears when Chromium starts up? I know that the browser is a work in progress.  I don’t mind that it’s a work in progress. I just don’t need to be told every time I start it up.

(Update the second: Installed the latest build of Chromium — 4.0.212.0, build 26708) and the splash screen is no longer there. A tip of the hat to the development team!)

To keep or not to keep

Even though it has its wrinkles, Chromium is a keeper. At least as far as I’m concerned. Chromium reminds me of what Web browsing is all about — doing things quickly and not worrying about the overhead.

Related posts:

1. Adding a little Chromium to my browser diet
2. Google Chrome is now available for Linux … sort of
3. Fooling around with Midori

This entry was posted on Monday, September 21st, 2009 at 12:19 am and is filed under Software. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.