Update: Google has retired Google Chrome Frame as of February 25, 2014. While it is not supported anymore officially, users who have the plugin installed can continue using it as it won’t be removed automatically. It needs to be noted however that it is no longer supported and that issues may occur when using it because of it.
According to Google, the reason for pulling the plug is the decline of legacy browsers and the rise of modern browsers.
Innovation is good. Niche software is good as well as there are usually at least some users who might need a program that the majority of users does not even bothers thinking about.
Google Chrome Frame is a niche product. The niche might however be that small that it lacks the core ingredient: users.
Google Chrome Frame is an Internet Explorer plugin basically that allows Internet Explorer users to use the Google Chrome engine instead of the Internet Explorer engine.
So far so good. The major problem here is that the Google Chrome engine only kicks in if it is detected by a website that is supporting it. The other limitation is that users need to have the rights to install plugins to use it.
Home environments usually do not impose web browser limitations to users which leaves corporate environments as the most likely targets.
These however usually secure Internet Explorer to a point where users cannot do fancy things like installing plugins or changing core settings. There might be businesses with lower security standards but the majority is probably dead serious about security.
Which leaves two types of users who might be a target.
- Users who work exclusively with Internet Explorer and like to use Google Chrome Frame on some websites to experience better performance and technology support.
- Users who are forced to work with Internet Explorer, like Google Chrome better and are allowed to install plugins.
The plugin has a size of about 500 Kilobytes and will download Google Chrome during the installation process.
Check out the plugin’s homepage for additional information and downloads. It is compatible with Internet Explorer 8, 7 and 6. If you give it a try let us know how you feel about it.
Google is a bit shy about test pages not listing a single one on the project page yet. Users do have the option to force the Google Chrome Frame plugin to take over by adding cf: in front of any url.