Google Dictionary Chrome Extension

This Chrome extension is a perfect example of why I don’t think I’ll ever like using Chrome as my primary web browser. The feature it adds — inline dictionary definitions that hover over any selected word in a web page — is one that is built into Mac OS X. Mac OS X’s built-in dictionary lookup feature works the same way in every well-written Mac app. It looks the same in every app, and is invoked the same way — either by a keystroke or via the right-click contextual menu. It works in Safari web pages, it works in TextEdit text files, it works in Preview PDFs. But it doesn’t work in Chrome. Chrome’s implementation (via this extension) looks ugly and is invoked differently.

I like Chrome much better than Firefox, but fundamentally it’s the same idea as Firefox — a web browser written and designed for another platform, ported to the Mac, missing all sorts of little things that make for good Mac software.

Update: Chrome’s lack of support for Mac OS X’s system-wide dictionary is a known issue.

★ Wednesday, 26 May 2010