Google's New Internet Browser

[Atomsized]

I was browsing the news when i came across this (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7593106.stm). Looks rather interesting, i might try it out sometime.

What do you think?

[Fostire]

I was browsing the news when i came across this (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7593106.stm). Looks rather interesting, i might try it out sometime.

What do you think?

I think google is slowly taking over the world

[Dallas-Dakota]

Veery slowly, but yeah.

Also, I'l stick with Firefox as my primary browser, and IE as my secondary one.

[DraPrime]

Nothing can beat the awesomeness that is Firefox.

[Emperor Tippy]

Veery slowly, but yeah.

Also, I'l stick with Firefox as my primary browser, and IE as my secondary one.

Depends on how Chrome ends up doing. FF converted me with tabbed browsing and I haven't gone back, but if I hear good things about Chrome then I will give it a try and who knows, maybe it will have something equally nice in addition to tabbed browsing.

[Ego Slayer]

When I heard about it on the radio this morning, I also heard that Explorer holds 75% of internet users. I'd like to know what % Firefox has. And it sure as hell doesn't have the remaining 25%, what with there being Netscape and Opera, etc? :smallconfused:

It must be because of the community here... I'd love to know what the predominant browser is here.

WE NEED A POLL! :O

[CrazedGoblin]

I think google is slowly taking over the world

hehe definatly are trying

[Scorpina]

I'm happy with Firefox, but I might give this 'Chrome' thing a whirl. Can't hurt to try new things, right?

[FoE]

I think google is slowly taking over the world

I, for one, welcome our new Internet overlords. :smallwink:

[Emperor Tippy]

When I heard about it on the radio this morning, I also heard that Explorer holds 75% of internet users. I'd like to know what % Firefox has. And it sure as hell doesn't have the remaining 25%, what with there being Netscape and Opera, etc? :smallconfused:

It must be because of the community here... I'd love to know what the predominant browser is here.

WE NEED A POLL! :O

FF holds upwards of 20%

[adanedhel9]

When I heard about it on the radio this morning, I also heard that Explorer holds 75% of internet users. I'd like to know what % Firefox has. And it sure as hell doesn't have the remaining 25%, what with there being Netscape and Opera, etc? :smallconfused:

The stats vary quite a bit depending on who you get them from, but they're all in the same ballpark. Internet Explorer has about 75% of the user base; Firefox has about 15% and Safari is about 5%. Opera, Netscape, Lynx, Konquerer, and various other browsers make up the last few percent.


It must be because of the community here... I'd love to know what the predominant browser is here.


Your average regular on an internet forum is going to be youngish, tech-aware (if not tech-savvy), and a regular internet user. That's pretty much Firefox's user base. I wouldn't be surprised if Firefox has over 50% of the page views on giantitp.com.

I wonder if one of the admins has access to that information?

[Ego Slayer]

I wonder if one of the admins has access to that information?
Probably not. But they could give us a poll and we could see for ourselves.

But I don't think it's exactly 'important' so I don't think we'd get one.

Maybe if I said it was for science.

FOR SCIENCE.

[randman22222]

Ego! Since you have PMs turned off, I'm dropping in to say take a look at my request in the You Thread.

Oh, and Google is trying to take over the world, so I'm not gonna use their browser.
Same with Microsoft. :smallyuk:

[Scorpina]

Meh, I'm sure if Mozilla were in a position to take over the world like Google and Microsoft are, they'd jump at it.

[valadil]

I'm curious about this. What I'm really looking forward to is its performance/integration with google specific products like gmail, reader, docs, and calendar. I use those a lot. Like, I'd rather lose my hard drive than what I've got on google.

I'm also of the opinion that anything that takes away from IE's market share is a good thing. Google is certainly able to do that.

What I'm afraid of is google becoming the next aol. What I mean by that is that google takes over its own section of the internet such that people subscribe explicitly to google and lose site of the boundary between google and the web. I don't think that will happen immediately, but you never know.

I'll try out the browser at any rate because I'm a web designer and have to try my sites on different browsers.

FWIW I prefer firefox3, but I've been poking at opera lately because ff3 doesn't perform well on my laptop and I can't install it at work, though I can install opera. Opera has a lot of firefox's killer features, but I'm finding them more difficult than I'd like.

[Kami2awa]

FF holds upwards of 20%

I may be wrong, but doesn't Windows Update make use of IE in some way to access the internet? This could account for a lot of IE 'use' since virtually every Windows machine will be using it.

[Rare Pink Leech]

What I'm afraid of is google becoming the next aol. What I mean by that is that google takes over its own section of the internet such that people subscribe explicitly to google and lose site of the boundary between google and the web. I don't think that will happen immediately, but you never know.

I'm also afraid of something like this. Right now Google is great and people are praising it as an alternative to Microsoft, but how long until Google becomes so fat and bloated that it stops caring about innovation and just becomes another Microsoft? Who will we turn to then?

Regarding Chrome, I'll give it a try. I'm currently using Firefox 3, and I love it. I've seen complaints elsewhere on the Internet that we don't need yet another browser, but I'm all for it. The more "competition" (if you can call it that with IE holdinga 75% market share) there is, the better it is for the consumer, even if all it amounts to is cool new features on one browser making their way to another browser. For example, doesn't IE now use tabbed browsing like FireFox? I think so, but I haven't used/updated IE in so long that I'm not actually sure.

[Hzurr]

At the moment, I'm using IE, because that's all that I'm allowed to have on my work laptop, and my home PC blew up earlier this summer (seriously. Some of the capacitors on the motherboard blew up. =( ). However, on that computer I went back and forth between Opera and Firefox. In general, I liked Opera better (especially because when I got bored, I could make it read to me), but I really liked firefox spell checking things for me. I believe Opera can do that as well, now, so odds are that I'll switch back. In gerenal, though, I tend to keep Opera, Firefox, and IE on my computer, because there are certain sites that will only work on certain browsers (or will work better on some browsers. I almost just typed "Bowsers," which is not the same thing at all.)

However, once I get my own personal PC again, I'll give Google's a try, just for kicks.

[Jack Squat]

I use IE. Main reason is I'm too lazy to get used to FF's format (yes, I know there's a skin to make it look like IE7, I even have it...not the point). I guess secondary reason is all but one or two of my friends use IE, and I'm their tech support, so I gotta know how to do whatever it is.


But it's mostly laziness. I may give Chrome a try, but I'll probably give up on it after a day or two.

[valadil]

For example, doesn't IE now use tabbed browsing like FireFox? I think so, but I haven't used/updated IE in so long that I'm not actually sure.

IE7 does have tabs. Sadly, tabbed browsing was the most concrete reason I had for getting non techies to switch to firefox.

Google stopping being innovative isn't my concern. It's what they do with all that data I store on them. What do I do if one day google says they have my email, rss, calendar, and docs hostage unless I start paying $9.95 a month? Well, besides pay for the first month, back up everything, and find some new services.

[chiasaur11]

IE7 does have tabs. Sadly, tabbed browsing was the most concrete reason I had for getting non techies to switch to firefox.

Google stopping being innovative isn't my concern. It's what they do with all that data I store on them. What do I do if one day google says they have my email, rss, calendar, and docs hostage unless I start paying $9.95 a month? Well, besides pay for the first month, back up everything, and find some new services.

Don't worry. Google is your friend.

You trust your friends, don't you?

So, as a mark of friendship, send us your SSN. Because we're friends.

[bugsysservant]

I may be wrong, but doesn't Windows Update make use of IE in some way to access the internet? This could account for a lot of IE 'use' since virtually every Windows machine will be using it.

Actually, most of these statistics are based upon unique page hits, and I can't imagine that the windows download site is counted as one of those pages.

Also, Chrome is out, and let me be the first to say, it seems pretty damned fast. Though its annoying how closing all the tabs will close the browser. Also, customization seems to be pretty much nil.

[Jack Squat]

I personally don't think Google will start charging for anything. It'd have a huge dump on their stock value (people would use other, still free, services), and their board would probably go back into the pool. People like their free stuff.

[Lorn]

Just downloaded it (link: www.google.com/chrome)

So far it looks fairly nice. Simplistic design, very laid back. It has tabs, has the new tab button that IE does, a VERY nice little feature involving displaying your most frequently visited tabs on the New Tab page.

Having said that, Firefox is what I'm going to stay with. Keeping Chrome, nice to have a secondary browser and not have to use IE, but Firefox will see more use.

EDIT: Oooh, just noticed a fun little thing - you can drag tabs out of the tab bar, and it'll make them into a seperate window.

[Lupy]

I downloaded it an hour ago, and it worked fine, even excellently, until I had 5 tabs open, it crashed and hasn't fully recovered since. Still staying with Firefox, but I recommended it to my brother based on ease of use.

[Lord Tataraus]

I just downloaded chrome and I'm actually using it to view this page right now. It does seem to be faster than firefox3, but there is a lot that it just doesn't have. For one, the look is way too simplified for my taste and it just doesn't have all my add-ons that firefox does. I don't really see any advantages Chrome has over firefox3, in fact with my add-ons even my gmail page is better in firefox thanks to greasemonkey and my Better Gmail2 add-on. Anything Chrome can do firefox can or will do thanks to the thousands of add-ons. I'm all for IE losing costumers, but I doubt Chrome will be much bigger than Opera or possibly Safari.

[zeruslord]

I'm all for IE losing costumers, but I doubt Chrome will be much bigger than Opera or possibly Safari.
I don't think the goal of Chrome has anything to do with market share. If it is merely a proof of concept for Google's new JavaScript engine and gets it put into Firefox, Opera and Safari, Google has won. All the high-minded rhetoric in their comic about "it's important to help all browsers become more powerful" is actually true. The better browsers are at dealing with JavaScript quickly and securely, the better Google's web applications are. Anything that improves browsers strengthens Google. Even an improvement to IE is going to make Google Docs better. People complaining about extensions are missing Google's underlying point: improving their own website's performance on the client side.

[Thanatos 51-50]

I use Opera, with a firefox secondary.

Wait - Opera spellchecks, now, you say? Wheres the button?

[Nychta]

I think IE has such a wide userbase due to the number of virtually PC-illiterate people who buy a computer/laptop with it pre-installed and don't know any better.
I use Firefox, because it's easy to use, has tabs, rarely crashes, spellchecks, and has the nice find bar when you need it. The seperate downloads thing is good too. To be honest, though, the new version is seriously slowing down my laptop, piddly little thing that it is, and I might want an alternative.
I'm gonna try out both Opera and Chrome, now.

[Jade Falcon]

Checked it but I don´t see a reason for me to use it. I´m perfectly fine with firefox.

[Ashtar]

For the moment, it's just a browser, but the concepts they are based on are very nice. I can really see how they could go from this to a small embedded OS that launches just a browser.

It's the first building block of gOs (Google Operating System). Makes sense.

--> goes back to conspiracy theories...

[Jack Squat]

I've been having a problem with Chrome that I was wondering if any of you other laptop users have.

Using the touchpad, I can scroll down, but not up. I've ran into one other person who had this problem...and actually haven't talked to anyone else who has Chrome.

I can't find anything else wrong with it though, not within my normal use.

[Archonic Energy]

it's not too bad...

I like the integrated spell/grammar checker...

hmmm, holding the middle mouse button doesn't let you scroll...

[eex]

I'll probably try it out when I build my new PC, unfortunately it doesn't work on Mac yet so I can't try it on my Macbook

[valadil]

Finally tried it. It's actually the most stable webkit based browse I've used so far. And it's crazy fast. I hope other browsers take after the one process per tab model.

What worries me (and geek news sites) more than anything about it is the EULA. Google owns anything you post with it. So anyone posting to forums or blogs is giving their writing to google. I think that may include emails too. I also have to wonder about passwords. I mean, if they own whatever you put into a textual input does that mean they get to harvest your passwords? I dunno.

While I don't mind google owning my GiantITP posts, I don't see any reason why they should. And I certainly don't want them owning my lj or blog posts. I'd rather not have the headache of figuring out if something I'm posting can go to google or not, so until that EULA changes I'm not even considering switching browsers.

[celestialkin]

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e189/Celestialdragon100/b090307A.jpg



Squirtle, I choose you!

[randman22222]

What worries me (and geek news sites) more than anything about it is the EULA. Google owns anything you post with it. So anyone posting to forums or blogs is giving their writing to google. I think that may include emails too. I also have to wonder about passwords. I mean, if they own whatever you put into a textual input does that mean they get to harvest your passwords? I dunno.

THAT fills me with rage. Those bastards! If anyone writes a sequence of short stories or something, despite copyrights on them, Google would get royalties and, more importantly, credit?

Google can cram that piece of shiny metal farrr up their back ends. :smallmad:

[Lord Tataraus]

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e189/Celestialdragon100/b090307A.jpg



Squirtle, I choose you!

LULZ!!!!!!

[Hzurr]

Yes, you are all correct. Google, one of the most powerful, profitable, respected tech companies in existance is going to sit there, sifting through billions of terabytes of information a day, find your short stories, say "AHA! We can make money off of this!"

Really?

Also, don't forget that the government is out to get you, and they're watching you all the time. Oh, and there's also a secret conspiracy of oil companies, the mafia, the cia, and aliens who control the music industry.

Ok, that last part was a bit much (although I've heard crazier things), but an important point to remember is that Google doesn't care what you're typing on the internet. It would take more effort and money to sift through and find stuff to rip off than they would most likely get from selling any of it for their own evil plans.

Google is not spying on you. Google is not out to get you. Google doesn't actually care about you, or what you're doing.

The reason they log things is to figure out what types of people are using their software so they can better market it. If they're getting people who tend to post things on their livejournal or random blog, then they know who their target audience is. Same thing for forum posters.

Besides, this is the same rule that they have for their google code repository that they let people use for free, and (I believe) with google documents. The only reason people are freaking out now is because it's been pointed out, not because it's ever been abused. Remember, Google doesn't need your money, they have plenty of their own.

On a note relating back to the origional topic:
Does chrome download things in a separate window like firefox does? I HATE that download window. One of the reasons I prefer Opera, is because it keeps my downloads in a separate tab, not a separate window (and wasn't using tabs instead of windows one of firefox's big selling points early on?)

[randman22222]

Yes, you are all correct. Google, one of the most powerful, profitable, respected tech companies in existance is going to sit there, sifting through billions of terabytes of information a day, find your short stories, say "AHA! We can make money off of this!"

Really?

Also, don't forget that the government is out to get you, and they're watching you all the time. Oh, and there's also a secret conspiracy of oil companies, the mafia, the cia, and aliens who control the music industry.

Ok, that last part was a bit much (although I've heard crazier things), but an important point to remember is that Google doesn't care what you're typing on the internet. It would take more effort and money to sift through and find stuff to rip off than they would most likely get from selling any of it for their own evil plans.

Google is not spying on you. Google is not out to get you. Google doesn't actually care about you, or what you're doing.

The reason they log things is to figure out what types of people are using their software so they can better market it. If they're getting people who tend to post things on their livejournal or random blog, then they know who their target audience is. Same thing for forum posters.

Besides, this is the same rule that they have for their google code repository that they let people use for free, and (I believe) with google documents. The only reason people are freaking out now is because it's been pointed out, not because it's ever been abused. Remember, Google doesn't need your money, they have plenty of their own.

On a note relating back to the origional topic:
Does chrome download things in a separate window like firefox does? I HATE that download window. One of the reasons I prefer Opera, is because it keeps my downloads in a separate tab, not a separate window (and wasn't using tabs instead of windows one of firefox's big selling points early on?)

Eeep. :smalleek:
Didn't mean to sound all conspiracy theorist there... What I meant is that even the potential is a moral wrong there.

[valadil]

I agree that google isn't doing anything evil with my data ... right now. 5 years down the line that might change.

There are several firefox add-ons btw, for moving the downloads window to a tab. Personally I prefer All-in-one sidebar.

[Firestar27]

IE7 does have tabs. Sadly, tabbed browsing was the most concrete reason I had for getting non techies to switch to firefox.

But IE's tabbing is terrible. It takes much longer than Firefox to load a tab. IE also takes longer to load each window. Besides the fact the Firefox has better tabs than IE, it has many other features that make it better than IE. (Ex: The new favorite system and tags in FF3, add-ons, etc.)


I downloaded it an hour ago, and it worked fine, even excellently, until I had 5 tabs open, it crashed and hasn't fully recovered since. Still staying with Firefox, but I recommended it to my brother based on ease of use.

It crashed after only 5 tabs? I hope that wasn't a usual occurrence. I sometimes have 20+ tabs open (sometimes spread throughout multiple windows).


EDIT: Oooh, just noticed a fun little thing - you can drag tabs out of the tab bar, and it'll make them into a seperate window.
That sounds really nice. Can you do it in reverse as well? (dragging windows into other windows to form tabs)

[Kobold-Bard]

I like Chrome. It is seriously fast. But I was using IE until this morning because Firefox melted my computer when I tried to use it.

I just tried the Ctrl+F search thing and it kicks much ass.

And to whoever said it, yes Google is on a mission for World Domination, but I for one am glad they are and look forward to their benevolent leadership. (Looks around nervously making sure they aren't watching)

Edit: It's spell checking my post. How do I make the little red lines go away.

[Mc. Lovin']

For some reason I really like it, but I really want some of the addons that Firefox has. (E.g. the smother scroll wheel)

[Scorpina]

I'm currently browsing with Chrome. It seems pretty good so far, although I miss having NoScript and AdBlock from Firefox (I imagine there's something similar to be had with this, but I haven't found it). Built in spellchecker is neat too, especially since it knows how to spell words like 'colour' and 'flavour'.

[Dallas-Dakota]

I downloaded it an hour ago, and it worked fine, even excellently, until I had 5 tabs open, it crashed and hasn't fully recovered since. Still staying with Firefox, but I recommended it to my brother based on ease of use.
*currently has 19 tabs on*

Eeeek!

Also google owning whatever I type with it does not sound nice.

Also I have this awesome Wiki search thingy on my Firefox(2, or somewhere between 2 and 3 *is to lazy to update to 3*)

I'm staying with Firefox for sure.

[Lord Tataraus]

On a note relating back to the origional topic:
Does chrome download things in a separate window like firefox does? I HATE that download window. One of the reasons I prefer Opera, is because it keeps my downloads in a separate tab, not a separate window (and wasn't using tabs instead of windows one of firefox's big selling points early on?)

Well, I just downloaded something through Chrome to check it out and it popped up on the bottom status bar (which is usually hidden). Personally, I like the All-in-one Sidebar for firefox, the downloads pop-up in there instead of a window as do all the add-on updates and such.

As for the crashing after five tabs...hmm...well, I got a good 11 tabs and it still worked fine (albeit a bit slower) though with firefox I have NoScript, Abdblock, Videoembed through greasemonkey, WoT, Surf Canyon, and many more add-ons that make google searching better as well as surfing as a whole. I think I'll keep Chrome as a back up since it is very clean and fast, much better than IE. I just wish it was possible to get rid of IE on my computer, it evades all my attempts to do so...

[valadil]

Well, there was enough of an outcry that google is changing their EULA.

http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/google-chrome-license-agreement/

[Firestar27]

Well, there was enough of an outcry that google is changing their EULA.

http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/google-chrome-license-agreement/

I don't think they did it under pressure. It seemed that the clause was more of an accident. It seemed like it was something they put in other products and didn't realize that it shouldn't be in the EULA for a web browser.

[Fostire]

That sounds really nice. Can you do it in reverse as well? (dragging windows into other windows to form tabs)

Yes you can

[Mando Knight]

I HATE that download window. One of the reasons I prefer Opera, is because it keeps my downloads in a separate tab, not a separate window (and wasn't using tabs instead of windows one of firefox's big selling points early on?)

I keep my downloads on a status bar add-on (http://downloadstatusbar.mozdev.org/) I found back during Firefox 2, but was upgraded for Firefox 3 when I switched. Kills the annoying little downloads window...

[Zarrexaij]

I'll stick with Fire Fox and Internet Explorer (for the stubborn sites), thank you very much.

[TigerHunter]

I'm not sure. I might try it out, but it would all depend on how good its reviews are, and how noticeable its supposed speed is over Safari.

[Justyn]

Like some other people here, I am using it right now. And it is very fast, at least two or three times faster than my old Internet Explorer. Another benefit seems to be that when I have music playing on my computer, it seems that it won't slow it down. And while I was typing this, I discovered that it has spell check.

[Vonriel]

I think what some of you are missing is that it's still in beta - or, at least, that's what the link at www.google.com says. Expecting it to have the massive amount of addons that Firefox has is a bit much at this point, don't you think?

[Nychta]

This webpage has a redirect loop.

The webpage at http://www.netidentity.com/FileNotFound.aspx?d=www.netidentity.com&mp=404 has resulted in too many redirects. Clearing your cookies for this site may fix the problem. If not, it is possibly a server configuration issue and not a problem with your computer.

Here are some suggestions:
Reload this web page later.
More information on this error

Please help. I don't know what I did wrong; this shows up whatever page I try to visit on Chrome.

[Thanatos 51-50]

Also, don't forget that the government is out to get you, and they're watching you all the time. Oh, and there's also a secret conspiracy of oil companies, the mafia, the cia, and aliens who control the music industry.

Doubleplusungood thoughtcrime, citizen. Doublepluspleasently make way to MiniLuv and report to room 201.

[Lord Tataraus]

I think what some of you are missing is that it's still in beta - or, at least, that's what the link at www.google.com says. Expecting it to have the massive amount of addons that Firefox has is a bit much at this point, don't you think?

I do realize it is in beta so I don't expect any add-ons right now, however, when it comes out of beta I highly doubt it will ever reach the quality, much less the quantity, of firefox add-ons. Firefox just has too large of a fanatical fanbase that most if not all of those creators will stick with firefox and meet every different add-on Chrome has. Chrome is coming into the game too late, it will never be able to match firefox in that respect.

[Kobold-Bard]

I read that if you type "about:%" (Without the "") into the address bar Chrome crashes. I just tried it and it did. Why is that?

[DigoDragon]

I use IE. Main reason is I'm too lazy to get used to FF's format (yes, I know there's a skin to make it look like IE7, I even have it...not the point). I guess secondary reason is all but one or two of my friends use IE, and I'm their tech support, so I gotta know how to do whatever it is.

I use IE myself, also out of laziness, but a good part of it is because IE gets the job done for what I need it for. Also, I never got into tabbed browsing so I'm just peachy without that. :smallsmile:

[Lord Tataraus]

I read that if you type "about:%" (Without the "") into the address bar Chrome crashes. I just tried it and it did. Why is that?

It might be a debug, or just a joke like typing "about:robots" into firefox 3.

[adanedhel9]

I read that if you type "about:%" (Without the "") into the address bar Chrome crashes. I just tried it and it did. Why is that?

Usually a % in URLs are followed by two other characters to indicate a special character (eg %20 is a space). It could be that Chrome's URL parser doesn't gracefully handle final %s or a % in that particular spot.

[chiasaur11]

I have the weirdest problem with it, although it's really neat on the whole.

It won't accept the central mouse button pressing up.
Down is fine.

What the heck is up with that?

[Jack Squat]

I have the weirdest problem with it, although it's really neat on the whole.

It won't accept the central mouse button pressing up.
Down is fine.

What the heck is up with that?


That's not wierd...I mentioned earlier the same thing with the tochpad scroller on laptops. My guess is it's just an oversight on their part, and it'll end up being fixed. Either way though, submit a bug report, that's why it's the Beta.

[chiasaur11]

That's not wierd...I mentioned earlier the same thing with the tochpad scroller on laptops. My guess is it's just an oversight on their part, and it'll end up being fixed. Either way though, submit a bug report, that's why it's the Beta.

Yeah.
Missed that.

Sorry for the hassle.

[Jack Squat]

Don't worry about it...it's not like I hold the monopoly on scrolling problems.

I was just (re)stating that I had the problem as well so you knew it was a bug and not something on your end.

[Lord Tataraus]

Usually a % in URLs are followed by two other characters to indicate a special character (eg %20 is a space). It could be that Chrome's URL parser doesn't gracefully handle final %s or a % in that particular spot.

You would think it's something like that except it crashes the moment you press Shift+5 (% in other words), just typing in "%" doesn't do it, its an automatic response to just typing about:%, you don't even get far enough to press enter. For this reason, I think its a debug control to make sure Chrome performs the right steps after crashing (i.e. shows the cute Chrome crash message and asks to send information to google).

[RS14]

What worries me (and geek news sites) more than anything about it is the EULA. Google owns anything you post with it. So anyone posting to forums or blogs is giving their writing to google. I think that may include emails too. I also have to wonder about passwords. I mean, if they own whatever you put into a textual input does that mean they get to harvest your passwords? I dunno.

While I don't mind google owning my GiantITP posts, I don't see any reason why they should. And I certainly don't want them owning my lj or blog posts. I'd rather not have the headache of figuring out if something I'm posting can go to google or not, so until that EULA changes I'm not even considering switching browsers.

It was slightly less frightening - basically you granted them a "perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty free license" to use anything that went through the browser as they see fit. I still wouldn't accept it, but it's not totally forfeiting your copyright.
(Note also that it would have required that the EULA stand up in court. If you email a book you've written to a friend, and Google tries to sell your book, I wouldn't bet on it being upheld.)
IANAL

I'm willing to accept that it was an honest mistake. There are other, more valid reasons to fear Google. ::shrug::

[chiasaur11]

I find the new section 11 amusing.
It just says you have the exact same rights as you normally have, from my brief reading.