Google Chrome

Google Chrome uses the Chromium engine, an open source web browser project. Google Chrome is more secure than Microsoft Internet Explorer. It loads and runs faster than both Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox. It is less secure than Firefox due to the fact that the NoScript security extension does not support Chrome. Specifically, Firefox + NoScript is more secure than Google Chrome. Furthermore, Google Chrome has been criticized along with all Google products for a lack of privacy. Google collects user data for their own company agenda which may include marketing and profiling.

Overall, it is recommend that individuals try using Google Chrome when a web site does not render or function correctly in Mozilla Firefox. It is also recommend using Google Chrome with Google web applications such as Gmail, Google Drive, and Google+. It is recommended using Google Chrome as an alternative to Microsoft Internet Explorer and where Mozilla Firefox cannot be used.

Google Chrome is one of the top three web browsers in use on Microsoft Windows desktop systems well into 2015. Marketshare is roughly ranked by the following:

• Microsoft Internet Explorer (on the PC)
• Mozilla Firefox (on the PC)
• Google Chrome (on the PC)

In the mobile market browsers such as Apple Safari have entered the top three web browser category. With the success of the iPhone and other Apple mobile devices, Safari based browsers are ranked first in popularity by many pools.

Plugins and Extensions

Flash Block Extension Not Necessary

Flashblock is not needed on Chrome - go to settings/advanced/content settings/plugins and select "click to play". Now flash will not run automatically. But you can decide to click on something and allow it to play if you want. Works great - no plugin needed.

Ghostery

Ghostery looks for third-party page elements (or "trackers") on the web pages you visit. These can be things like social network widgets, advertisements, invisible pixels used for tracking and analytics, and so on. Ghostery notifies you that these things are present, and which companies operate them. You can learn more about these companies, and if you wish, choose to block the trackers they operate.

Annoyances

Nonstandard button size in upper right corner: In the thread: https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/chrome/4W9ZNDwKeZo

they are blaming Windows XP. When using Linux, Mint, Cinnamon desktop the Chrome buttons are the wrong dimensions also. It is a Chrome problem, not a Windows XP or other desktop problem. It does cause problems, except on the Cinnamon desktop the chrome buttons are smaller and more squished. Chrome obviously doesn't call the common button widget of the OS desktop.

Unable to Escape pause animations: Hitting the escape key should freeze any animated GIFs on a web page and in Chrome it doesn't work.

Copy Without Formatting: Especially when trying to paste something into LibreOffice Writer there needs to be a way to copy just the text, without all of the formatting. Because of all the formatting and crap included with the copy from Chrome, LibreOffice Calc or Write wont do a "paste special" from Chrome sometimes.

Audio playing in a tab you're not using: or videos for that matter. The user should have more control over this.

No Support for 32-bit: Come on Google, there's still folks out there that deserve basic security updates for their 32-bit version of Chrome. And what's with that annoying message that pops up every time you open Chrome exclaiming "no longer supported." How about a "we get it" button so that it stops telling us.

Google monitors the Internet and forbids anyone from offering old versions of Chrome to download. Wow what control freaks! Google's the new Micro$oft, except worse. Right, it is important to run the latest for increased security, which is why it sucks they no longer provide updates to the 32-bit, however, there are times when an older version is needed. Also, it is next to impossible to disable the updater.

Chrome Advertisement blocking doesn't block Ads well: it uses the standards of the Coalition for Better Ads to decide what ads get blocked. If the ad follows a lose set of rules then you still get ads in your face. So now Google becomes the authority on what types of ads are acceptable and which ones go over the line, all when Google makes big $$$$ on advertising revenue.

Customize

In the URL bar type: chrome://flags/

Search From Address Bar

The address bar or url bar is for entering a web site address in the form of a Uniform Resource Locator address that via the magic of DNS resolves to the IP address of an Internet web server. It should not be used for a random text entry search, that is what specific search engine web sites for for. Why are we AOLizing the world wide web experience? Google Chrome was to blur the distinction between a URL and a search string. They suck.

• An Omnibox is similar to the traditional web browser address bar, but you can also use it like a search engine.
• Disable Omnibox, it causes confusion and redirects unwanted entry into a search such as an accidental malformed URL. ie: a URL typo is not a search term.

Google does not want you to disable this. Suggested settings in "flags" cannot be found. For example:

• Enable search in omnibus - not found
• Enable search button in Omnibox - not found