Google Chrome: What’s It Mean
September 10, 2008
Author’s Note: this post is speculation about the “meaning” of chrome.
Over the weekend, I spoke with a colleague who was interested in the metaphor behind Google’s choice of the word chrome as the name for the beta of the Google browser. There’s a firestorm of controversy raging over what that Google browser is. I want to steer clear of that discussion. I have written about Google’s technology elsewhere and concluded in 2005 that Google is now building applications for its infrastructure. The browser is just an application, which means that it is not “just” a browser.
Back to our conversation: chrome is an interesting choice. I argued that the meaning of “chrome” was a bright, shiny surface, tougher than the lower grade compound to which it is applied. I was thinking of the bumpers on my restored 1973 Grandville convertible, which gets an awesome five miles to the gallon.
The first metaphor, then, is a shiny, hard surface. Could Google Chrome make the innards of Google more attractive? If so, then, it follows that the surface would protect the underlying parts. Makes send to me. I think this “meaning” works quite well.
Chrome also is an alternative name for the Oxygene programming language. Based on Object Pascal, Chrome is adept at lambda expressions. Could the meaning of chrome be a reference to the functions of this specialized programming language. I think this is an outlier. More information about this language is at here.
Chrome carries the connotation of bright colors and hyper reality. The source for this interpretation is Kodak Kodachrome transparency film. John Evans, a professional photographer based in Pittsburgh, told me, “Kodachrome makes nuclear power plants look good.” Maybe? I do like the suggestion of heightening reality. Could Google Chrome heighten the reality of a browser experience.
Chrome is a fictional mutant character in Marvel Comics’ Universe. I often refer to Google as Googzilla. I must admit I have a predisposition to this “meaning” of chrome.
Chrome refers to music. There’s an XM Radio channel by that name, an album by Trace Adkins, who is popular in rural Kentucky, and a track Debbie Harry’s album Koo Koo.
What does this tell us? Not much I fear.
Stephen Arnold, September 14, 2008
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5 Responses to “Google Chrome: What’s It Mean”
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Maybe that “chrome” doesn’t carry a lot of baggage is the reason Google chose it. The name is a familiar word that imparts a positive, shiny image while not being significantly otherwise used in the computing, business, or consumer products worlds. All this means that Google gets to define “chrome” in those worlds.
Seth
Seth Grimes,
I thought that definition was in my original write up. I like the notion of a cover up myself.
Stephen Arnold, September 10, 2008
there are so many advantages and features with Chrome, such as it’s speed, for example; now if only they would take care it’s flighty cookie management…
Chrome’s measurement tests on our application (http://www.taskwriter.com) demonstrates that it is faster than IE about 6 times and a little faster than Firefox 3.0. See the graphs: http://www.taskwriter.com/blog/how-good-chrome-really-is.
Katy
Thanks for the metrics. These data are suggestive, not definitive. The proof will be in the uptake by the users. In general speed is good. Specifically speed does not translate into usage in the consumer space. AOL is still in the dial up business or was until recently. For a dial up user, the speeds you report may not apply.
Stephen Arnold, September 22, 2008