Dear Google Chrome Team,

I work on a Mac at work. This is not my choice–it’s the computer my boss purchased for me. I really kinda hate it, but here we are.

I work in publishing. The company that prints our magazine uses a highly technical system that’s continually updated to the latest specs and is Java based.

Do you know where I’m going with this already?

I love Chrome. I’ve been a Chrome devotee since I first heard whisperings that Google would be developing a web browser. I jumped on board because I knew you would break the mold. I knew you would insist on something sleek, something user-friendly, something secure and something that would always surf just ahead of the curve. And I wasn’t disappointed! I got that exact experience for many years, and it led me to sing your praises much and often. (I even created a shortcut that looked like an IE icon that opened up Chrome so my parents would be tricked into using you, instead.)

But now I’m stuck in a very difficult position. See, I need to update Java. I have to in order to be able to use the software that my magazine publisher uses. And it’s smart for me to update Java, since there are security breeches in the 32-bit Java 6.

And it looks like you’re willing to let me leave you behind. That makes me really sad, Chrome.

The onus is on you to make Chrome a 64-bit browser. And it looks like you’re not going to do it, at least not anytime soon. Your help pages tell me to keep Java 6 if I want to stay with you, but there’s not even a hint that you’re interested in fixing the issue (if you’re planning a fix someday, PLEASE let me know!) I can’t be mad at Java; they’re (for once) on the right side of this issue. The fact is, 64-bit is an inevitability, a future I always imagined you’d be at the forefront of. I’m a little confused how some of your employees aren’t having this problem, never mind a fairly sizable chunk of your users.

I resisted moving to Java 7 for months now, Chrome, on the hope that you’d come along with me for the ride. But you’ve chosen to stay behind. So I have to move on.

I’m really going to miss you, Chrome. I hope we can hang out again really soon.

dootsiebug

April 23, 2013

Uncategorized

32-bit, 64-bit, chrome, google, java, mac

3 responses to “Dear Google Chrome Team,”

KathyRo

April 23, 2013 at 7:50 pm

Ohhh…. 32 bit vs 64 bit, Windows vs Apple vs Google… so many feels about this! But rather than spew all over your blog, I’ll keep it one question:

Do you really need to run the Java plugin with Chrome? I use Chrome as my primary browser as well, without Java plugin support. The only thing I can’t access is my company’s (benighted) time charging system. Web sites have been moving away from any kind of applet, Java or otherwise, for years.

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dootsiebug

April 23, 2013 at 10:59 pm

Apparently, my life exists in Java. I upgraded to 7 temporarily, just to see what would happen, and I kept getting just enough errors to make it infuriating. So to Safari/Firefox tag team we go.
The system my magazine uses (Kodak Insite) has a ton of developers and it’s continually being updated and tweaked. It occasionally stops functioning with different browsers as it is–some weeks Firefox doesn’t work, some weeks Safari, some weeks IE. Unfortunately, Chrome seems to be the most stable with this system. T_T
Admittedly, I’ve been hopping onto a Windows computer to do some of my work on this system. Haha. Old habits of a Diehard PC.

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KathyRo

April 24, 2013 at 12:44 am

Ah ok — it sounds like you’re accessing the Kodak system from your browser in which case I guess you’re stuck.

Maybe you could keep Chrome but disable it’s Java plugin and use it for “regular” surfing?

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