Chrome to Replace Firefox in Ubuntu?

By Vygantas Lipskas | May 18, 2010 | 21 Comments

Chrome to Replace Firefox in Ubuntu?If UberGizmo rumor is true, Canonical, a company behind Ubuntu is planning to ditch Firefox web browser in favor of Google Chrome (or Chromium).

In fact, Ubuntu Netbook Edition 10.10 should be the very first version to do that.

How this version differs from the desktop release? It has a new interface, designed for restricted size machines that features a single menu bar design (more about it here).

It’s still unclear, whether same changes are planned for desktop version or not.

[digg-reddit-me]


About (Author Profile)


Vygantas Lipskas is a former web designer whose projects are used by companies such as AMD, NVIDIA and departed Westood Studios. Being passionate about software, Vygantas began his journalism carrier back in 2007 when he founded FavBrowser.com. Having said that, he is also an adrenaline junkie who enjoys good books, fitness activities and Forex trading.

  • Tiago Sá

    This is probably a lie, since Chrome’s EULA isn’t compatible with Ubuntu’s. Unless they’re going to change it, which means Ubuntu isn’t compatible with itself.

    So, no… Chrome is closed source, and only open source software can be bundled with open Linux distros. In fact, I’m not aware that there ARE closed Linux distros… But I may be wrong.

    • http://my.opera.com/rafaelluik Rafael

      Finally someone agrees with me when I say Google Chrome isn’t open source, Chromium is open source!! (I had a long discussion and the people hadn’t believed on me)
      I feel that intelligent people that don’t trust Google “open” lies around. *-*

      • jarncrig

        I was about to ask that question, so maybe Tiago or Rafael could help to answer it.

        I thought Chrome and Firefox are both just as open source as each other. They are both branded and copyrighted final browser builds, but both based on open source browser projects, Chromium and Gecko respectively.

        From how I see it, both Chrome and Firefox are either both just as open source or both neither open source as each other.

        • Tiago Sá

          No, jarncrig. This is what happens: Firefox is open source and totally free and open and good and whatever. You have access to everything inside it, you can pick it up, change it, redistribute it, bundle it with your software, whatever you want. You can even make your own build and STILL call if Firefox if the changes aren’t drastic (if their drastic, you need to remove the Firefox brand, the name and the icon, and call it something else, Minefield is ok, since it’s not trademarked). This is Firefox’s open source. Only the name and the logo are trademarked, but they are open too.

          Now, Chrome is a bit different: Chrome is closed source and no redistributable. However, it is based on Chromium, which is open source and redistributable. But Chromium doesn’t have all the features Chrome does. For example, it doesn’t spy on you, and it doesn’t have Flash bundled with it, and it doesn’t read H264 video like Chrome does. Among other things we may not know about, because, after all, Chrome is closed source. And last time I tried to download Chromium, I got the idea that I had to compile it myself (i.e., I can only get the source code, not the finished program), so I’m not even sure Chromium is anything more than a code repository…

          If you want confirmation for my claims, go look at each browser’s webpage and read their EULAs.

      • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZS0hBHVUlc max1c

        If u speak of it that way ubuntu isn’t open source too…

    • nvm

      This is probably a lie, since Chrome’s EULA isn’t compatible with Ubuntu’s.

      Is H264? Is MP3? Doesn’t look like Ubuntu has any major problems accepting closed stuff!

  • web

    well , for once firefox won’t have h.264, chrome has h264 and even has bundled flash! there ‘s a big difference at least

    • Tiago Sá

      It’s funny that you mention that, because Linux distros WILL NEVER have H264 support of Flash with them, because that software is closed and Linux is open. So no H264 and Abode Flash Reader bundled with Linux, ever… Forget it.

      You can forget about H264. It’s not standard and it will never be because it’s closed technology.

  • dxm

    Why they dont offer bailout screen???

    • Tiago Sá

      That’s also a possibility, but the point of linux is to provide a free and open, ready-to-use operating system. And in terms of browsers, only Firefox is free and open…

  • Dels

    it’s will be chrome (the closed source) or chromium (the open source)?

    • Tiago Sá

      IF it’s going to be anything other than Firefox, it has to be Chromium. Linux cannot bundle non-redistributable software.

  • http://yo-lobo.eu/history_of_opera_in_images/ werwolf

    step in wrong direction, gays :(

    remember me when you have to fight against a monopol much stronger than Microsoft – google

  • Gonçalo Fernandes

    A discussion this big over a typo :) Ubuntu 10.10 will ship with Chromium as its default browser.

    Chromium can play H264 movies if you install the package chromium-codecs-ffmpeg-extra. This package does not ship with Ubuntu because it’s not free software.

    Patents are a silly thing.

  • montypytacz

    VP8 goes open-source! Google, Opera and Mozilla already released preview versions supporting WebM (name of that project):
    http://webmproject.blogspot.com/

    • Tiago Sá

      Indeed!

    • RamaSubbu SK

      FAVBrowser is slow in getting these news :(
      But the another very good news is that, IE 9 mostly likely to support this WebM also – http://www.zdnet.com/blog/microsoft/microsoft-to-support-vp8-video-codec-with-internet-explorer-9-after-all/6264

      • Ichann

        You do know that it is only one guy running this.

        You do know that this guy gets no moneyz (expect for the affiliate links below) and is out of pocket to host the server

        You do know that this guy is not a robot and has other things to do. You know: Family, the job, the shopping, eating, bathing.

        You do know that there is something as ‘timezones’

        • RamaSubbu SK

          Sorry, I didn’t know.
          Then FavBrowsers have all my support :)
          Thanks a lot for educating me!!

  • Ichann

    I hate this ‘Open Source’ mantra.

    • Gonçalo Fernandes

      It’s OK, I hate you too.

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