Danger: Mac and Linux builds available
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 …
Context & Ripple Effects
A February screenshot had previewed Chrome running on Mac, while November coverage characterized Chrome's share among CNET News visitors as low but increasing rather than mainstream. Opening unfinished builds to developers on Mac OS X and Linux turns that preview into a feedback-gathering effort across two additional desktop environments.
First-order effects
- Mac OS X and Linux developers can begin testing Chrome and reporting platform-specific defects, while Google receives feedback before treating either build as a general-user release.
Second-order effects
- Google's Chrome team must incorporate compatibility and stability work from two desktop environments into its release process, rather than relying only on feedback from its existing build audience.
Third-order effects
- If Google maintains public developer channels across operating systems, browser development shifts toward earlier cross-platform testing, with release quality shaped by distributed developer feedback.
The trend: Google is broadening Chrome through public developer releases that extend testing and feedback across desktop operating systems.