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Google took a lot of the wind out of Microsoft's sails last week, releasing its own web browser barely a week after the release of Internet Explorer 8.
But will Chrome really be the next 'big' browser? Well... maybe. Many of the early reports surround the browser have been positive. It's easy to use, has some unique features, and promises to run web-applications better than its competitors, simply because Google build the browser from the ground up to do just that.
I've been using Chrome for a few days now, and so far it hasn't disappointed. I like opening a browser and having thumbnails of the most recent websites I've visited displayed. My favourite feature so far is the ability to place shortcuts of my favourite websites directly into my start menu. It's really the little things about the browser that make it worth using, and since the application is still in beta-testing, Google probably has some more tricks up its sleeve too.
However, it's naive to think that a few small tweaks is going to allow Google to break Micro-soft's dominance. Some people have estimated that it will take at least two years before Chrome equals Firefox's market share, which still stands at a paltry 20 per cent.
Even if Chrome does manage to grab a significant amount of users, it isn't likely that those users will be reformed Internet Explorer fans. It's just as likely Firefox fans, a group of people who are already willing to go out and find an alternative to Microsoft, will make a large percentage of Chrome's user base.
Chrome and Firefox still have one tactical disadvantage. They don't come prepackaged on computers, and despite what many technophiles such as myself would like to believe, many people just don't care enough to switch.
Computers are just a means to an end for many users. The just want to send their e-mails, buy stuff online, and do some work. After that, they turn off the machine, go home and - I know this is hard to believe, but it's true - they don't spend their evenings surfing the web. It's these people who just can't be bothered to go online and find a 'better' browser.
That's going to be hard for Google and Firefox to overcome. They have to find a way to convince those users their product is superior, and tabs and bookmarks just aren't going to cut it.
Another advantage for Microsoft is that the competition just isn't ready for enterprise. While no one has come up with good figures for browser share among businesses, it's generally assumed Microsoft holds a large share there than it does among general users.
IT managers don't want to have to manage more applications on their networks than they have to, and an application like Chrome, which is designed to run web applications, is not going to make many IT departments happy. They last thing they want is software that specialises in running applications that could compromise network security, especially in today's malware-rich web environment.
That means that both Firefox and Google are going to have to convince a lot of professionals that they're worth the extra effort. Until they show that, Microsoft is going to continue to dominate the browser wars.
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