In September 2009, we wrote about something very interesting that Google was doing in order to penetrate the business market: they were essentially turning IE into Chrome. Chrome Frame was a plugin for Microsoft’s browser that would recreate the Chrome browsing experience inside of IE. The reason Google did this is that they realized that many users at work were not able to install Chrome because their computers were on lockdown by their IT department. Well today, Google has announced a more straightforward way to get Chrome at work: an MSI installer — aka, a standard Windows installer for businesses.
“Today, we’re announcing that Chrome offers controls that enable IT administrators to easily configure and deploy the browser on Windows, Mac, and Linux according to their business requirements,” Google writes on the Chrome blog. This new installer allows businesses that use standard deployment tools to install Chrome for all their managed users, the company says. Google has also outlined some policies to show what Chrome will respect with regard to security and settings that can be set by admins.
Google also notes that these policies will work for Chrome OS as well (though obviously not the MSI installer). Yes, Google is really going after Microsoft here. They not only want sys admins to replace IE, they want them to replace Windows as well. They also apparently want them to replace themselves.
Google says that they’ve been working with several large companies for months on this new type of installation of Chrome. Those currently using it include Vanguard, Boise State University, Proctor & Gamble, and, of course, Google.
But Google seems to realize that even this tool won’t be enough to get most businesses to switch to Chrome. They note that this is “just the start” of what they plan to offer businesses with Chrome. “We’re working hard on polishing the next set of policies that will make Google Chrome even more customizable and useful to users in the future,” they note.
Google Chrome is an based on the open source web browser Chromium which is based on Webkit. It was accidentally announced prematurely on September 1, 2008 and slated for release the following day. It premiered originally on Windows only, with Mac OS and Linux versions released in early 2010. Features include: Tabbed browsing where each tab gets its own process, leading to faster and more stable browsing. If one tab crashes, the whole browser doesn’t go down with it A...
Windows Internet Explorer (IE), formerly Microsoft Internet Explorer, is the primary graphical web browser developed by Microsoft for the Windows Operating System. The most recent release of IE is Internet Explorer 8, released in March of 2009. It is the most widely-used internet browser. Microsoft Internet Explorer was originally released as a Plus! Package for Windows 1995. Internet Explorer 8 features faster loading, predictive URL bar, Web slicing and increased security. Microsoft has some relevant videos on IE8.
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