Roger Fingas
All Mac and Windows users of Chrome will soon have to get their browser extensions from the Chrome Web Store, regardless which release channel they're on, Google announced on Wednesday.
The company originally adopted the restriction for most Windows users a year ago, as a way of preventing complaints about unwanted and potentially malicious extensions being installed. This reportedly caused a 75 percent drop in related customer support requests.
Until now, though, the Windows Developer channel of Chrome wasn't subject to the policy. Google said today that some parties were exploiting the gap, pushing people to install the Dev software for the sake of extensions, creating the additional problem of leaving them in a version of Chrome they may not have wanted.
Beginning Wednesday, Google will be enforcing the extension policy for all Windows users. The tactic should extend to Macs in the near future, and Google has promised to make all channels compliant starting in July.
Extensions will still be supported outside of the Web Store while they're in development, or if they're installed according to enterprise policy.
The policy is similar to Apple's approach to iOS and the App Store. Although containing most iOS distribution to the App Store limits the freedom of developers, Apple's screening system theoretically prevents malicious apps from reaching the public.
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26 Comments
As a Windows 8.1 Chrome User (and a user of extensions) and an Iphone and Ipad owner (I use Safari on my IOS devicces) this is a good thing.
And again, Google continued to shift their policies to those that they've been mocking and shitting on Apple for from the very beginning (WALLED GARDEN!!). But of course, the Google syncophants will never admit or realize this.
And again, Google continued to shift their policies to those that they've been mocking and shitting on Apple for from the very beginning (WALLED GARDEN!!). But of course, the Google syncophants will never admit or realize this.
You should hear them griping about the Galaxy S6 and its lack of a SD card slot, its non-removable battery, its metal case. How quickly they turn... and forget.
[quote name="Slurpy" url="/t/186249/google-to-funnel-all-chrome-for-mac-extensions-through-chrome-web-store#post_2723028"]And again, Google continued to shift their policies to those that they've been mocking and shitting on Apple for from the very beginning (WALLED GARDEN!!). But of course, the Google syncophants will never admit or realize this.[/quote] They are too busy rewriting history. :D
They are too busy rewriting history.
I fully expect that rewritten history to be “Google saved Apple” instead of “Microsoft saved Apple.” You know that’s coming some day.