Chrome Customization Coming

Google has published plans that will allow extensions so users can customize the shiny new browser.

Google is justifiably proud of its new, open source, and very fast browser, Chrome. However, so far it can’t be customized with extensions, unlike its rival Firefox. But that’s going to change.

Google has published its Chrome extensions document, planning for the future to add extensions, although no kind of timeline is mentioned by Chromium, the project behind Chrome, CNET reports.

“Chromium can’t be everything to all people,” the document states. “People use web browsers in a variety of environments and for a wide variety of jobs. Personal tastes and needs vary widely from one user to the next. The feature needs of one person often conflict directly with those of another. Further, one of the design goals of Chromium is to have a minimal light-weight user interface, which itself conflicts with adding lots of features.”

So what are they proposing? They want a system that’s web developer-friendly, rich, maintainable, secure, and open. The document suggests bookmarking and navigation tools, content enhancements (such as Skype and RealPlayer extensions), download helpers, features, and filters including parental control and – surprise, surprise – AdBlock.

Ideally, extensions should update automatically while the browser is running, and installation should only mean one or two clicks for users.