The Raging Tech

Google Reverse Engineered Vista Code to Write Chrome

It’s no big surprise that Google makes a superior web product for a lot of our day-to-day needs. Recently, Google announced their new web browser called Google Chrome. It’s code is based on Mozilla Firefox and Apple’s Web Kit used in Safari (on Mac, PC, and iPhone). There are several suspicious lines in the code, according to Ars Technica, that mention having tried documented API’s first, and after that didn’t work trying undocumented APIs. In order to do that, they’d have to have reverse-engineered certain Windows APIs that have only been available since Vista SP1 and Server 2008, in direct violation of the EULA.

Now before the flamers get up-in-arms and the fanboys jump to defend, Google did all of this for a good reason, if it was intentional. The way DEP (Data Execution Prevention) works in practice in current Windows systems is sort of, shall we say, optional. Programmers can choose to implement it, but it’s not forced unless they’re writing 64-bit code. Google actually re-wrote portions of DEP as it works in Windows and made it more secure.

Basically, each tab in Chrome is a separate process. Formerly, if you crashed one tab in a browser you crashed the whole browser. Now, if you crash one tab you only crash that one tab. Google figured, hey, if there’s no need for that process to talk to the part of the OS (Operating System) that has access to files on the computer, then let’s sandbox it off on it’s own. Another part of the browser can handle things like file downloads and accessing settings on the computer, and it can have a different security setting altogether. It’s really a smart strategy, this sandboxing.

Ars Technica seems to think Microsoft won’t call foul, because in the end the reverse engineering was all for good. In several state laws, reverse engineering is actually allowed in circumstances where proper documentation is not provided. Of course, this doesn’t account for what might happen to Google’s new baby browser when Microsoft releases a patch that breaks the whole thing. Also, this browser is specifically coded to Windows, and short of using Chromium Crossover you’re not going to see Chrome on the Mac or Linux unless they recode it from scratch to use different low-level APIs. Will Google code each version of Chrome completely from scratch for each OS?

Take Control of Firefox Extensions

If you’re not already on the Firefox bandwagon, get on it! One of the safest, coolest web browsers out there, Firefox is steadily gaining ground in the browser wars. Firefox is extremely extensible through add-ons, or “extensions.”

There are a plethora of Firefox extensions out there - ad-blocking software, user-scripting software, bookmark plug-ins, tab managing software, and software that modifies the way certain web pages behave to download files you normally couldn’t.

Once you find the extensions you like best, it’s best if you back them up so that you can install them again later without hunting all over the place. The easiest way to do this is when you go to download the extension, instead of left-clicking, right-click on the download link and choose “Save Link As” and saving the resulting file with a .XPI file extension. Back these up to a folder, maybe name it “Firefox Extensions” and then double-click each to execute the installation of the extension in FireFox.

But what happens if these extensions go haywire and wreck your FireFox? If you’d like to trace down the location of the files used by your Firefox extensions, a simple about:config tweak will let you see the full system path to the files. CNET also has an excellent article on using Process Explorer from Microsoft to take back control of runaway processes.

Mozilla Firefox 3 Beta 3 Released

The Mozilla Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Mozilla Foundation, has released Beta 3 of the much-anticipated 3rd edition of the Firefox browser. It is currently available for download here, but be aware it’s only a beta, it may break your computer entirely, and none of your current extensions (add-ons) will work out of the box. There are ways to enable them through about:config - just do a Google search and you should find it easily.

Firefox is my browser of choice on all platforms; and yes, it even trumps the mighty Safari on the Mac, at least for me. It’s extensible through add-ons and Greasemonkey scripts, has ad blocking, is easily skinned without bogging down the system or worrying about spyware, and can also be easily tuned-up through the about:config page.

If you are still using clunky old spyware-prone Internet Explorer, consider making the switch. Most sites are working out compatibility, and from what I’ve seen of my site stats, the majority of you are already using Firefox. If you’re interested in the bleeding-edge version, go check out that beta. My favorite new feature: resumable downloads - finally!