Google Sets Up Task Force to Reduce Chrome Binary Size
Google Sets Up Task Force to Reduce Chrome Binary Size
Posted 03/22/2011 at 2:50pm
| by Pulkit Chandna
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Considering the fact that Chrome earned its stripes as a minimalist browser optimized for speed, the increasing size of Chrome's distribution binaries isn't really something to be proud of. Google has now decided to put the kibosh on this trend. To this end, it has set up a task force that will weigh in with with ways to “bring down the size of Chrome distribution binaries.”
Chrome started out with a binary size of only 9.0MB. However, its size has almost tripled in the past two years, with Chrome 10 tipping the binary scales at 26.2MB. Anthony Laforge, Chrome technical program manager, wrote in a message on the Chromium Developers mailing list that the task force is currently concentrating on Windows as “the primary target for size reduction.”
According to Chrome Developer Ian Fette, while Chrome's current file size might not be a huge problem for users with fast broadband connections, it is a cause of concern in countries with poor bandwidth, including India, which “happens to be a very good market for Chrome (we have good market share there and growing).”
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d3v
March 22, 2011 at 8:23pm
Stupid google. If you want to promote your browser in poor countries release it on physical media. There is no dearth of "CD shops" here. Just stick it on a CD or DVD and release it. People here can easily afford to pay for the cost of the media.
thetechchild
March 22, 2011 at 9:08pm
It's not like it's much cheaper and easier for Google to utilize its hundreds of developers to minimize binary size, and offer a smaller download on its massive collection of servers. Oh no, it's obviously way better to package the software on CDs, a physical object, get it shipped to various stores, and begin charging for those costs despite Chrome being freeware.
[/sarcasm]
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