Of late, it seems whenever there is a change in computing or communications technology, Google is at its vanguard.
The recent updates on Google Chrome promise to banish those pesky long URLs that are often very hard to remember. This might seem such a positive move at first glance, but if one was to believe some users, this could possibly be a backwards change that renders Google Chrome very difficult to use. The verdict is still out on whether Canary 36, the latest experimental browser from Google, will make life easier or worse for the lack of URLs.
The Update
The Google Chrome Canary 36 is the latest update on Google’s new experimental browser, and many consider it to be a leading edge innovation. This new updated version of the browser aims to remove the omnibox, which can be used to search Google for a term automatically, or type in a URL. It will now offer users the ability to type the domain only. This domain only approach was designed to simplify web browsing. You can still see the entire URL of the page by clicking on the ‘origin chip’ button embedded into the browser, but you will not have to enter it.
The Debate
There is raging debate now, on whether this move is actually beneficial or just makes the Google Chrome browser Neanderthal. It is a fact that most users first search for terms on the Google search engine, and then click through on links that come as results of the search. Only a few people actually type in the entire URL of a page they want to visit anymore. On the other hand, there are those who argue that even for the handful of users who still use URLs, this move is definitely aimed at making life much easier. Another fact is that URLs are often interminably long, and can confuse a person completely. So removing them can be a really good idea. This is an innovation that is already being used by Safari Mobile on the latest iOS 7, and should be a great addition to Google Chrome as well.
The Verdict
As always, Google is not forcing anything on its users. The banishment of the URL is certainly a positive step, and one that should invite a lot of compliments to the tech giant. Like most of its other innovations, Google has decided to keep this ‘no URL’ setting optional. Therefore, users who do input URLs into the address bars, or omnibox – as it is called now, can go on and opt for the new version of the browser that makes life infinitely easier for them. Those who use Google search for most of their web browsing can continue to do so and can revert to their old settings – the ones they are comfortable with. It is all about making the users comfortable with whatever they want to work on, and however they want to work on it. The new update is good for a lot of other reasons, because it eliminates phishing attempts and does not give slightly altered web addresses in the domain name you want to use.
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