Google Gets Web Allies by Letting Outsiders Help Build Chrome's Foundation

Google is loosening control over the core of its Chrome browser, a move that helps Microsoft, Samsung and Brave build competitors while advancing the search giant's vision of the web. From a report: Over the past six months, Google welcomed a new outside developer into the leadership of its Chromium project, the software that powers the similarly named browser. The Alphabet subsidiary is also granting outsiders access to its previously proprietary software development system and allows outside features even when Google doesn't incorporate them into the flagship Chrome browser.

Chromium is open-source software, which means anyone can modify and use it. Even with open source projects, however, outsiders can have trouble convincing organizers to accept their changes and additions, making it harder to contribute and benefit. Google took pains to draw attention to the changes at the BlinkOn conference earlier this week. "It's really cool to see so many people and groups with different priorities coming together and finding solutions that not only meet their individual agendas but also advance the common goal of improving the web," said Danyao Wang, a Chrome engineer at Google.

Seperate it from Alphabet

[xack]

Transfer it to a Mozilla like organization. Having two major independent browser foundations will help keep the web free.

Re:

[GRYB Ranix]

Can't, it's too political. Has been since around 2016 when some dumbfuck executive decided he needed to make some executive decisions and declared that ChromeOS needs to run Android apps and started Andromeda. Many good minds left or transferred to other projects. Don't even get me started on how much they bastardized it and murdered Chromecast and Google Wifi to make Google Home

Re: Seperate it from Alphabet

[WarJolt]

The open source project needs a name change. Chromium from a trademark standpoint dilutes the Chrome brand. Google extracts value from the brand, not the source.

Now that Chrome and Edgium are effectively the same, the question most consumers are faced with is "do I want to use a Microsoft account or a Google account?" and that determines the browser they use.

Re:

[GuB-42]

Why would they?

The entire point of Chrome is to control the web. For example, they push for features that benefit them by including them in Chrome. They wouldn't spend money developing a free browser if it is not to decide what to do with it.

If they just wanted to advertise their services, they could just do like they did before (and still do): by paying Mozilla to be the default search engine.

Stop the incessant updates

[Twinbee]

Chrome has deteriorated in a few ways since its initial release (lag, GUI, URL string, losing tab cache forcing reloads). I wish they'd stop messing about with it.

What about Apple?

[DontBeAMoran]

I wonder if Safari's code base is still similar enough to Chrome that they could enter this partnership*? What about Firefox?

Imagine all those companies working on a single code base. One browser for all platforms.

* I'm 99.999% sure they'll never do that, since they're progressing nicely on their vertical integration. I'm also sure they hate having to rely on other companies since the whole IBM and Intel problems.

Re:

[jenningsthecat]

Imagine all those companies working on a single code base. One browser for all platforms.

Wow - with an imagination like that you could have a career as a horror writer!

Re:

[DontBeAMoran]

But wait! At the end, there is a twist!!1

Sounds great.

[Gravis Zero]

Over the past six months, Google welcomed a new outside developer into the leadership of its Chromium project,

Letting multiple profit driven corporations dictate the development of a project that controls a massive amount of sensitive data? What could possibly go wrong? -_-

Anyway, Firefox is an excellent replacement. Not perfect but none of them are.