Google Chrome
Google Chrome
Thursday, September 11th, 2008 | Web Design, Web Technology | No Comments
Google released their new web browser, Google Chrome on the 3rd September 2008. With the launch of yet another new web browser online the professional web designer now needs to consider the appearance of their website on this new medium.
As a professional web designer you should already be factoring in the various differences between Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Opera and Safari to ensure that no matter what the person is using they can see your website clearly and as intended. Each browser has their own unique benefits and downfalls; Safari ranking at the top for speed, and Internet Explorer ranking at the bottom for pretty much everything.
So how does Google Chrome differ and how does it affect website viewing? The first thing you notice when starting up Google Chrome is the amount of screen real estate you are given. All the clutter and various tool bars you are used to seeing on browsers like Mozilla have been completely removed. Google takes great pride in the simplicity and user friendly structure of this great new browser which features “one box for everything” – an address bar you can also use for quick and effective searches on your default search engine (which doesn’t have to be Google). That means you have to be prepared to show a lot more of your website on this browser which may result in ongoing lines finishing early and blank space at the bottom of your page if your web site does not adjust properly to the size. As a user, there is the instant feeling of a much larger screen with only open tabs at the top of the web browser and your start bar at the bottom. Even the traditional progress bar at the bottom has been removed and only a small hovering bar appears during loading and then disappears afterwards.
Google have only just released the beta version of their new web browser but it is easy to see this browser picking up speed and weight in the online community quite quickly. In order to get full browser compatibility ensure you have this browser in your arsenal along side the other four main contenders and you will know exactly what your website looks like on every browser used and you can ensure your website is ready for any major web browser changes.
There is nothing worse than visiting a website that does not function properly on your web browser or looks dramatically different such as overlapping text and images on smaller viewers or misaligned content. If you are engaging in a web design project, make sure that everyone can see your website the way you want it and ensure your site only conveys messages of professionalism, not incompatibility and poor programming.