Google released versions of its Chrome browser through its developer channel for Mac and Linux, but warns users that the browser is not yet ready for primetime. The releases, officials said, are designed to get feedback and still have some bugs.Google has some advice for the average Mac and Linux user dont download Chrome just yet.
The versions of the Chrome browser released last night via Googles
development channel still have some kinks in them and were only made
available to allow developers to kick the tires, Google officials said.
Those who download them will find them with more than a few bugs
and lacking some of Chrome's normal security features and
capabilities.
In order to get more feedback from developers, we have early developer channel versions of Google Chrome for Mac OS X and Linux,
but whatever you do, please DON'T DOWNLOAD THEM! Unless of course you
are a developer or take great pleasure in incomplete, unpredictable,
and potentially crashing software, Google officials wrote on their
Chromium blog.
How incomplete? So incomplete that, among other things ,
you won't yet be able to view YouTube videos, change your privacy
settings, set your default search provider, or even print.
Google has three
channels for Chrome developer, beta and stable. The developer channel
is the earliest stage, where the product is updated often.
Though
the product may not be ready for regular users yet, Sophos Senior
Technology Consultant Graham Cluley spoke in favor of Googles
approach. Releasing an early version to the hardcore browser developer
community will help bugs get found, he said in a blog post.
For Mac and Linux users eagerly awaiting Chromes release, Scott Knaster from Googles Mac team said the development process is
coming along fine." The company did not offer a date as to when the
beta or stable versions of the browser would be ready for Linux or Mac.