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TG Daily reports that Google's Gmail is now recommending that IE6 users switch to Chrome or Firefox 3. IE6 users logging into Gmail see a link that says "Get faster Gmail" that takes them to a "Get faster Google Mail with a faster browser" page that provides links to download IE7, Firefox 3, or Google Chrome.
Interestingly enough, if you use IE7, the page recommends upgrading to Firefox 3 or Google Chrome, as well as offering a link to the IE 8 beta.
So, what's up with Gmail and IE6? And, why is IE7 also on the naughty list? Is it really speed, or is it time to play "follow the money?"
What makes Google's anti-IE6 stance even stranger is that back in September, Google upgraded Gmail to give IE6 users (many of whom are corporate users that must use IE6) comparable features to those available to newer browsers. And, contrary to TG Daily's claim that IE6 is no longer a fully supported browser for Gmail, the "Does Google Mail support my browser" help page still lists IE versions 5.5 and above as fully supported.
The most likely answer for Google's pushing browsers other than IE is simple: its own Chrome web browser. Chrome is noted for its speed, and Google, quite understandably, wants to see Chrome's market share increase. To this end, Google recently replaced Firefox in its Google Pack, and hopes to sign up hardware OEMs to bundle Chrome on new PCs after Chrome emerges from beta early this year.
So, how about it, Gmail users? If you've tried different browsers with Gmail, do you see big improvements in performance when you use Chrome or Firefox versus IE6 or IE7? Is Google really trying to improve your Gmail experience, or just looking for an excuse to get more Chrome users? Hit Comment and tell us what you think.
Comments are closed on this article
tkid124
January 05, 2009 at 4:58pm
I think it would be great for a company like Google to be honest and say, IE6 is no fun, it's just no fun. But for Google to recommend for speedier service only Firefox or Chrome, is just silly, and will only really convince those who click every button they are told.
Chrome is a streamlined Firefox, nothing more nothing less, it’s a good browser, that lacks the add-ons that Mozilla users have created for Firefox, when I’m loyal to a brand (Down Them All) that requires me to use another brand I’m loyal too (Firefox), Google to do more than just faster Gmail on Chrome to steal me away.
As for those using IE 6 or 7 as their main browser (aside from those required by work) need a good bop on the head, and probably are our mothers who aren’t as picky about speed as us.
sdcat
January 04, 2009 at 1:54pm
We do NOT know why google did this. In fact yes a lot of business are forced to use IE 6, no choice for them.
If the wild guessed reason became true, then google won't be too far away from one of those Bully companies.
FRAGaLOT
January 04, 2009 at 11:33am
This is a good thing. Everyone who even remotely tech savvy knows IE 6 is the bane of the net, and is a major cause of botnets, viruses, and all sorts of malware spreading around the world where Grandma is tottally unaware while she's playing solitare. It's not really about speed so much, but using a stable web browser that in turn will help promote a safer internet for everyone.
I'm curious to know what gmail does when a Mac user running Safari does? But if im not mistaken, Chrome uses the same engine as Safari.. no? hmmm...
I tried chrome out back when it first came out but after a month using it, I really didn't like how it handled bookmarks. Everything else was spot on, but I just didn't find bookmark navigation to be how I needed it. All I wanted is my bookmarks to appear at the left of my screen (ctrl-B in FireFox) which Chrome never had. I don't really give a crap about extentions/add-ons so much since most of the ones I do use are cosmetic.
I'll have to give the new Chrome another spin around the block, but I think it still lacks a built in spell checker, but I'm not sure.
MAGZine
January 04, 2009 at 1:41am
Chrome is a done deal in my books.
I, like many others who use FireFox, was determined that FireFox and it's addons ruled my world, and that nothing would ever, E V E R, replace it. Then Chrome came along.
All of the extra addons that I thought were the best thing ever only had ruined my user experience, in essense. It only slowed the browser and bogged the browser down. Off a clean start, FireFox took nearly a minute to load up - far from acceptable. The memory issues, the javascript that crashed the entire browser (Digg.com, especially) among other things took what I loved about FireFox away - it's unique and pleasurable user experience.
So I switched to Chrome after trying it for the first time. I had read the comic that Google "leaked" just before the release of the Chrome, and understood how the technology that Chrome worked on worked. It made me happy to see that a company was taking a step forward.
People talk about Chrome like it'll never get any extentions or plugins... ever. This is not true. For those who follow the Chromium Nightly updates, you can see that the developers are continuely tweaking the user exeperience and expanding the code base, readying the browser for plugins. It was just the other day that "unzipping" funcationality was added to a nightly build, and the dev. comment included the word "extention" several times.
Chrome includes features from FireFox that required plugins -- which is mostly a mystery to a lot of people. Firebug support is included in Chrome (inspect element); and why skinning on Chrome isn't easy (requires a 3rd party tool from an outside source to make the dll) it IS possible.
Was it worth it? Yes - it was. Chromes sheer speed and use ability (start page ftw) make Chrome a true winner.
Havok
January 03, 2009 at 4:43pm
Sounds like llander is on Google's payroll but yeah, Chrome and Firefox whup IEs butt.
OMGWTFBBQ
Ilander
January 03, 2009 at 9:54am
Here's my Chrome story:
My roommate has computer usage habits that I'm pretty sure are about to go mainstream...he leaves his pc on all the time, which many of us do now...but he also leaves a single firefox window open for days on end, with a dozen tabs open...and then, on day four, he discovers that Firefox is using just shy of 700MB of RAM!
Why? Because he's had Firefox open for so long that its memory leaks have become substantial! The Operating system is much better at recovering memory after it's been used...so let it, rather than Firefox.
See, that's where Google Chrome comes in. It makes each tab a separate process, which allows the OS to do the work of memory management---which is the OS's job in the first place.
Add to that the fact that if one tab crashes, the whole browser doesn't go with it, and you've got a winning prospect for me...but, here's what I'd really like to see:
Firefox and Chrome are both open source software! Combine them! Make a version of Firefox that spawns a new process with each new tab, and doesn't close my email, newegg page, mpc website, and engadget when SOMEONE's java is broken.
Chromefire? FireChrome? Chromefox? I'd use that exclusively in a heartbeat.
Curtai
January 03, 2009 at 12:15am
I have not used IE since 2003 or so when a friend of mine showed me Firefox, and I never looked back, I have tried uninstalling IE many times and have not been able to for some reason... I just thought it was funny when was that the EU sued MS for not letting them get rid of it... I don't want to switch, give it time and chrome will probably look just like FF just like IE is trying to cover with the tabbed browsing and all...
devin3627
January 02, 2009 at 6:15pm
i hate chritism.. but i honestly agree... but 70% users are slackers and %30 is a big percentage. just go with it! before the percentage of the retards go to 50%. lol just trying enccourage. this criticism will come to truth someday. trust me! :) :) :) :o) :o) :o) :-) :-) :-) just trust me! i am an administrator of a small website. i am 100% i am right! :-)
ghot
January 02, 2009 at 5:51pm
..as does webmail from ur ISP...its a lot safer. As for IE6, it must still be supported.....I'm a faithful MS Patch Tuesday guy and was doing a backup, and thought why not check MS updates...there was an IE6 update :)
I only use IE for MS updates anyways...nothing beats Firefox...its that simple :)
Only addons I use are NOUN Buttons and AdBlock Plus...the rest....don't interest me that much. Not to mention that I don't trust Google with my info anymore than I'd trust any other group of white collar money grubbers....Google would sell its' grandmother, if it could find a buyer.
Cache
January 02, 2009 at 11:53am
I need my add-ons, especially things like FoxMarks. Until Chrome can show me a reason to switch over besides being 1.2 seconds faster it's just another pretty beta project. I would gladly sacrifice that extra second or two for FF when I know that I can have add-ons tailor-made for the things I like to do on the web.
To date, only FireFox offers me that flexibility.
atomaweapon
January 02, 2009 at 11:31am
I hate when snotty little hipsters tell me to use "Firefox" cause it's "better''. All I do is click the X button in my IE 7 web browser and make it a point to never visit again.
gamesfrager
January 03, 2009 at 2:04am
Thank you so much, this means I don't have to worry about web users like you when I develop sites that follows the rules, but then I have to patch and hack my code to make it work for IE !!
Keep your trigger on that close button of yours. ;)
eday_2010
January 07, 2009 at 2:01pm
I find myself having to creat hacks and exceptions to get my pages to do what I want in Firefox, not IE. If I use CSS to tell something on my page to do something (ie. be 200 pixels wide and align to the right edge), and then view it in IE, it looks just how I want. If I go look at it in Firefox it looks different. So then I have to fiddle to get Firefox to work right. All the browsers have quirks; some just more than others.
Dunimas
January 02, 2009 at 10:52am
Hmm. Chrome is ok but I don't think it's features (for me) are that outstanding that I would switch from Firefox 3. The fact that Firefox has foxmarks (bookmarks sync toy) alone keeps me committed. As far as IE, I only keep it around for compatibility with corporate sites and for windows update on XP (not needed in Vista or 7).
Google needs to re-think Chrome before they heavily invest in it IMO. It offers little usability changes to me (aside from the interesting home page) and with todays CPU's I see no speed performace. I'm sure there are others with different opinions, but as long as I have 7 different computers (all of which I use on a daily basis) I will be sticking with Firefox until Chrome has a similar bookmarks feature. I'm not fan of IE, but I see no reason to use Chrome
Anybody else think it's worth it?
::.Dunimas.::
Tekzel
January 02, 2009 at 10:49am
They are just trying to get new users for Chrome. Not that their point isn't valid though, anyone still surfing around on IE6 that doesn't absolutely HAVE to... well, maybe the poor things are just uninformed.
Chrome has a way to go before it can touch Firefox in my book. It needs plugin support and themability at a minimum before I could seriously consider using it. I do like the "App mode" feature though, thats pretty slick.
