Microsoft and Google may be at odds much of the time, but Microsoft also must know there are lots of PC users out there that surf the web using Chrome's web browser. A few days ago, the company launched an add-on for Chrome that allows users quick access to Microsoft's Yammer business social networking service.
The official Yammer blog states:
The extension adds a Yammer tab to your browser menu, and lets you quickly share any web page you’re viewing – just click on the Yammer icon, choose which Group you’d like to post your message into, and share your own comments with a link to the page.
The extension will also put in a red notification number on the Yammer icon if any other people on your Yammer network are commenting on the web page you are viewing. Chrome users can download it now from the Chrome store.
So why did Microsoft release the Yammer extension for Chrome browsers first, rather than their own Internet Explorer? According to ZDNet, a Yammer spokesperson said they wanted to release it for just one browser to "observe usage and engagement to inform future support."
Yes, that doesn't actually answer the question of why the Chrome browser was picked first but the article does point out that Windows 8 already allows Yammer users to share web pages on IE via the Share Charm. There's no word on when the Yammer add-on will be released for other versions of IE.
