Benefits and concerns with Google Chrome Frame

Question

Is this a technology I should spend much time evaluating?

http://code.google.com/chrome/chromeframe/

Chrome Frame is a plugin for Internet Explorer (IE6-IE8) that gives it, well, what all the other major browsers have.

Biggies for me are the Canvas tag and a fast JavaScript.

As I do a lot of JavaScript dataset visualization, IE6 is a perpetual thorn in my side, and I often have to write extra code for it, and I often have to slow down the frame rate of user-driven real-time visualizations. Using Google Chrome Frame will allow me to produce a much more responsive experience for IE6 users.

But I wonder if IE6 users may be in situations where their computers are under some kind of IT lockdown hell where they aren't even allowed to install a plugin (why else would they be using IE6?)

So I'd still be left with what to do with the last poor souls in IE6.

Still, IE8 lacks Canvas and the JavaScript is slow, so some of my users would see increased performance, maybe even up to Google Chrome and Safari levels.

So again, my real question: Is this a technology I should spend time evaluating?

Note: Google will be throwing up alerts to IE users to encourage them to download Google Chrome Frame for Google Wave. So maybe Google will get enough Google Chrome Frames out there on IE machines that I can just detect it and use it if it's there, and warn the user that experience may suffer without it. I hate to demand anything of my user. http://googlewavedev.blogspot.com/2009/09/google-wave-in-internet-explorer.html

Eblis

Answer 1

Given the visualizations you're working on, I'd definitely evaluate it. The potential upside for you as a developer and for your users is significant. You do not have to force all Internet Explorer users to use Chrome Frame. You can simply include the meta tag and the users that choose to install the plugin will almost certainly have a better experience.

That said, in my evaluation of Chrome Frame I have encountered some pretty big caveats that might be showstoppers for your project:

1. Older versions Chrome Frame can't print (see bug list). Depending on what kind of visualizations you're doing, this might be a real deal killer.
2. Downloads work but appear to the user like nothing has happened (see bug list again).
3. Chrome Frame is basically the Google Chrome browser shoehorned into the IE browser chrome. As such, any interaction with the browser inside the frame is with Chrome, not IE. If you right click and select Inspect Element you will get the Chrome developer tools window with its Vista-like look and feel. You'll need to make a judgment call as to whether your users will be comfortable with that.

4. In my testing, it appears like Chrome Frame is only looking at the meta tag:

   <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="chrome=1">

   I was unable to get Chrome Frame to activate by setting the X-UA-Compatible HTTP Header as you would with EmulateIE7 mode:

   Header set X-UA-Compatible "chrome=1"
   

   It is also worth noting that this meta tag will override EmulateIE7 mode if you have that setting configured and I believe the inverse is also true too. They are both setting X-UA-Compatible. The last tag to set this will take precedence.

One power testing tip that will help save you from having to go in and edit your pages, is that you don't have to do anything to your site to test it with Chrome Frame. Once you have the Chrome Frame plugin installed in IE, simply prepend gcf: to the any URL and it will load it in Chrome Frame (e.g. gcf:http://dshaw.com ).

Happy coding,

- @dshaw

Pimpernel

Answer 2

Think you should really spend some time on it since i just tested it and it works very well !

It gives you ie6 with the chromium speed !

And google will surely have enough power to spread it a little. Also you can advice your users to install chrome frame for your application if you really need it.

If you can install flash on ie6, you'll be able to install chrome frame.

Some users that can't install google chrome, will be able to install chrome frame.

Panto

Answer 3

I agree with you when you say that you don't like to demand anything of your users. That's generally a good philosophy. I would recommend evaluating how much you need the Canvas and how slow JavaScript really is.

Considering that IE is still the most popular browser (well, the most widely used, anyway), if your web-application is going to be used, you have to take IE into account (as you already are). The real question to ask is, "How much is the user's experience going to suffer if they use IE 'as is'?" If it really will degrade performance, and it will hurt your user base, then, yes, I would check out Google Chrome Frame.

Bookmark

"I would recommend evaluating how much you need the Canvas and how slow JavaScript really is." Heh. Visualization in the browser is what I do. For those with lame browsers, I provide static info, but for powerful browsers I let the user interact, which helps the user understand the data much better. – Eblis

In that case, then, yes, I think it would definitely be worth checking out GCF. Maybe Google has even considered the problem of IT lockdown - I don't know. (Kudos to you, BTW, for the work you do supporting IE6...I don't envy you.) – Bookmark

I was told by a friend who works at a large retail site that he sees a much larger IE6 percentage than is commonly reported. I don't know if retail in general sees that, but I must tell you, I almost cried that day. :-) – Eblis

Answer 4

I think it is a good alternative to sites which are considering not maintaining support for IE6.

Recently some big sites stopped working in IE6, they could ask for chrome frame instead of showing you can't access that site in your browser.

Is something good also for improving performance for google chrome frame users.

Berkey

Youtube is phasing out support for ie6. It still works but there is no guarantee it will in the future – Zoraidazorana

Orkut, for instance (it is the google's facebook, very popular here in Brazil, more than facebook). But I've seen other sites not supporting IE6, don't remember now which ones. – Berkey

Answer 5

I'd say no. It is a waste to spend time evaluating it.

Whoever can and want to install extensions to IE6/7/8 can and should install a modern browser (Firefox/Safari/Chrome). The benefit would be both better performance and better support of standards across the board, more than a plugin for IE can provide.

Starlight

I don't think it is a waste of time evaluating Google Chrome Frame. For some platforms like Rails, making your site compatible is something pretty simple to do, all you need is to add a line into your config and it writes the chrome frame tag into the response. I will increase performance and compatibility for some users, I don't think considering it is a waste of time. – Berkey