Google admits Chrome has glitches

The recently released Google Chrome web browser has quickly made a huge impression on users, but the list of software glitches is growing daily.

The recently released Google Chrome web browser has quickly made a huge impression on users, but the list of software glitches is growing daily.

Google released the beta version of Chrome on Tuesday to rave reviews, but the company has already been forced to release a list of known issues crippling the software.

Some issues include the English dictionary being installed on default for all languages, entries in the “most visited” list are unable to be removed, and laptops being unable to “go to sleep” while running Chrome.

While Google has been clear that the software is only a test version, users are nonetheless frustrated with the constant glitches.

On Google’s Chrome Help Group forum, a user posted: “As Chrome is relatively new, I suppose such problems are inevitable, but I really hope the Chrome team can look to this as I would really love to make Chrome my default browser.”

On a Google Groups page, a user complained the browser had “so many issues I can’t believe this even came from Google”, while Windows XP 64-bit version users have reported constant crashes.

Google says problems will be fixed as soon as possible, with Chrome automatically updating itself ever 25 hours.

The browser has also come under scrutiny after Google entered a clause into the user’s agreement that stated it had the permission to control information entered into a website.

The agreement stated Google had “perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free and non-exclusive licence to reproduce, adapt, modify, translate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute” any information.

David Vaile, executive director of the cyberspace law and policy centre at the University of NSW, told The Age, “On the face of it, this does give Google a licence to do almost anything they want with content you ‘submit, post or display’ through the browser.”

Google removed the clause quickly, with Google product counsel Rebecca Ward saying, “Sometimes, as in the case of Google Chrome… the legal terms for a specific product may include terms that don’t apply well to the use of that product,” she said.

But the release has still proven popular, with data tracking firms Net Applications and StatCounter indicating Chrome has taken 1% of the browsing market.

The competition has even spoken out in praise, with Microsoft Australia managing director Tracey Fellows encouraging further software development.

“Whenever there’s competition in any part of our industry you get better performance by all the players,” he says.

John Lilly, CEO of Firefox developer Mozilla, wrote on his blog: “Competition often results in innovation of one sort or another… I’d expect that to continue now that Google has thrown their hat in the ring.”

Related stories:

• Google Chrome grabs 1% of browser market – but problems emerge
• Google’s new web browser Chrome gets the thumbs up in early reviews