

Google Wants to Kill the URL: Chrome 13 Lets Users Hide the Address Bar - zuzzo
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/google_wants_to_kill_the_url_chrome_13_lets_users.php

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beaumartinez
As long as there's a hotkey to reveal the URL field once hidden, I'm all for
it.

> _The effect is a 30 pixel gain in vertical space and transforms the standard
> viewing window in Chrome into a full-screen view._

I'm sure it's not for everyone, but those few additional pixels of screen real
estate will make a difference, especially on netbooks.

I greatly admire the Chrome team's continued push for greater browser UX.

~~~
ShabbyDoo
Yes. Especially when using a webapp like GMail, the URL doesn't matter once
you're in the app. I'm not saying I think URLs should not be accessible if
someone wants one, but they're mostly just a user distraction. Perhaps a "who
you are trusting" notification would be useful? Basically, just the hostname
and the level of trust conferred by SSL certs, lack of inclusion in whatever
blacklists Google keeps, etc.

~~~
beaumartinez
I agree; I think the only _real_ downside of hiding the URL field by default
is the loss of the "secure padlock".

A (naïve, immediate) solution I can think of is showing the URL field as you
switch tabs―padlock included.

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giberson
Hey good call on the padlock issue I hadn't even thought of that. However, I
don't it should be visible only when switching tabs. I think instead it should
be added to the tab itself that way it's always visible. However, that means
presenting some kind of divider or something on the tab itself so that some
one can't fake it with a favicon. Perhaps by coloring the tab and adding the
padlock at the right most of the tab. This way it will be less likely to
confuse it with the favicon.

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bravura
"Google's Chrome browser will give users the ability to kill that final
remnant of the fact that they're actually using the Web - the address bar."

Wrong. File system browsers (e.g. Nautilus) typically show the URI, viz. the
name of the folder that you are browsing.

This is a savvy move on Google's part because deprecating the URL means that
you have no option for finding resources, _except search_. Search through your
browsing history. Search through your filesystem. Search through the web.

Using search more can be pretty sexy, if your search works well.

~~~
TomOfTTB
I think you make a good point but I disagree on the conclusion. Even if it
works well I don't think Search is the be-all-end-all

In my opinion the ideal web is one that is properly categorized via url. For
example, if I knew all magazines had an author listing at
"magazine_url/Authors" then it would be easier for me to type in
Time.com/Authors then it would be to use Search.

Now obviously things aren't that well organized right now but REST has done a
lot to move us in that direction and I have no reason to think that wouldn't
continue. If things are someday that organized it won't matter if users have
grown accustomed to hiding the url.

So while I agree this is savvy for Google because it makes the user more
dependent on search I don't think this is good for the web.

~~~
freshhawk
I don't think bravura was arguing that it was good for anyone but google.

I agree that's it's bad for the web, but historically walled gardens seem to
always fail in the long run but google's attempt to build a UI "wall" around
the open internet seems to be working quite well.

I'm guessing UI people will praise it for "making things easier" for the
imaginary "grandma on the internet", security focused people will rightly be
scared by this and phishers will absolutely love the idea.

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rwar
I think there is a bigger concern of phishing attacks... Without an address
bar its harder to confirm that you are actually visiting X.com

~~~
jimbobimbo
Exactly my sentiment over at <http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2564086>:

I wonder how this might impact the overall security? Right now URL bar
provides useful information about the domain where you are at. Hiding the URL
box could bring back the most brain-dead attacks like hosting a phishing site
on a regular HTTP (no cert = no warnings from the browser) and hidden URL
cloacks the fact that the URL in fact is "bankofameri.ca".

~~~
extension
Certainly they will still have some way of indicating the domain, at least
with SSL. It might actually make users more aware of the domain since it won't
be sandwhiched between URL gibberish.

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spjwebster
_To activate teh hidden URL bar, users will also have to right-click a tab and
select "Hide the toolbar" [sic]_

The sources quoted in this article in no way support the conclusion present in
the title. As phlux said, other browsers have enabled you to turn off the
address bar. Are they trying to "kill the URL" too? No, and neither are
Google.

This article comes off as little more than sensationalist (albeit apparently
effective) link bait.

~~~
kidmenot
I agree.

The same is true for _a lot_ of other articles we happen to read. The title
says one thing, but the actual body of the article has little (or even
nothing) to do with it.

Hey, I understand their job is getting people to read what they write, but it
looks to me like the signal-to-bullshit ratio is getting worse.

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synnik
The analogy in my mind has always been that of the command line. Most users
these days do not use the command line. But many tech people still do, as it
is a very effective tool.

Likewise, the address bar - I still hand-type most of the sites I regularly
use, because I can type them faster than navigating my various bookmark
folders. Which also negates any inspiration to find better bookmarking tools.

I also have the unfortunate job of maintaining SharePoint sites, for which
there are many standard URL strings I can throw onto a site that will get me
to various admin pages.

I am sure other platforms have similar structures, where hand-typed addresses
can manipulate the site in some way to the benefit of those who support it.

And maybe that is where Google will end up - with the address bar being the
command-line-equivalent for their web-based OS.

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rwwmike
Agreed. I still hand type most URLs and weird ones I use bookmarks for...but
it's more and more rare that I hand type anything more than the basic
domain...anything with an actual URL structure I navigate to...

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rradu
The URL bar serves as the search bar as well, and for most people that's their
primary mode of navigation. Even if they don't really care about URLs, I don't
see anyone wanting to add another step every time they do a search.

~~~
mike_esspe
I'm clicking ctrl + L before searching anyway :)

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rradu
Ctrl + K gets you into search mode only. I find it annoying sometimes when
what I'm searching is similar to a URL in my history, so it's useful to
specify it's a search with a "?" before a query.

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guynamedloren
I hope they keep the address bar for new tabs. In fact, I just realized this
is basically the only time I use the address bar

\- ctrl+t opens a new tab with the cursor in the address bar

\- after typing 2-3 letters, chrome knows where I want to go

\- hitting enter takes me there

I've found this is the absolute fastest way to navigate to any regularly
visited websites. No pointing, clicking, or browsing through bookmarks - just
a few keystrokes and I'm there. As for new websites, Google search is
perfectly efficient.

~~~
moe
t n↵

Those are my first 3½ keystrokes in the morning.

~~~
guynamedloren
HN shortcut? Me too :)

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extension
I was getting ready to post a rant about how this violates the principles of
the web, but I actually can't think of any principle that says you have to
show URLs all the time. The earliest browsers probably didn't. I'm sure you
will still be able to _enter_ URLs through some popup widget.

Ultimately, if people can't read URLs then there's no great value in shoving
it in their face. We might as well use that space for something they do
understand. If it showed _just_ the domain or SSL creds, users might pay more
attention to them since they wouldn't be buried in noise from the rest of the
URL.

I'm not happy that Google search is effectively replacing the DNS as the web's
canonical index, but that has been happening for a while and it's driven by a
very real user need. I would consider hiding the address bar an effect rather
than a cause.

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Lycanthrope
Some article was temporarily the top Google hit when searching "facebook
login". This caused some confusion among URL-unaware facebook users.

[http://jonoscript.wordpress.com/2010/02/18/some-people-
cant-...](http://jonoscript.wordpress.com/2010/02/18/some-people-cant-read-
urls/)

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joshz
If it's what I think it is, they used to have this feature for app tabs last
year, then removed it. I couldn't find much writeup, here's
[http://lifehacker.com/5608189/restore-chromes-toolbar-
when-w...](http://lifehacker.com/5608189/restore-chromes-toolbar-when-web-
apps-are-installed) a mention. I'm happy it's back.

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mike-cardwell
I like being able to see the address bar. It lets me know that I'm viewing the
page that I think I am.

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anigbrowl
I'm happy, as I've argued for this a few times on the CR-48 list. Not sure how
this will work with lack of direct access to extensions and so forth, but
perhaps this will spur innovation among 3rd party UX developers.

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Iroiso
Personally I think killing the URL is one of the first steps to crystallizing
Google's goal of replacing desktop apps with web apps. It all fits...

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lzy
To be honest, I think this is a terrible idea. Let's hope they keep it
optional rather than forcing this implementation on every user.

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phlux
You have been able to turn off the nav bar in FF and I think IE for ages.

~~~
Zev
Also, Safari. My favorite way of browsing docs is to open them up and hide the
tabbar, urlbar and statusbar at the bottom of the screen. this leaves me with
a very minimalist window and let's me focus completely on what I'm reading.

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aw3c2
F11 (aka fullscreen)?

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Zev
I'm running Mac; F11 does the opposite and shows my desktop.

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sfgfdhgfdshdhhd
Every browser has had this feature since the beginning of time. Just press
F11.

It automatically pops up if you press Alt+D to enter url or move the mouse to
the top of the screen.

