[simula67]

> Meanwhile for the newer and more demanding JetStream 2.0 benchmark, Google Chrome continues to win easily over Firefox

It is a good outcome that we have for the web: good standards and a reference implementation in the form of WebKit/Blink.

This is a boon for web developers: follow the standards, but if there are gaps in the standard, check the behavior on Chrome. If there were multiple mainstream browser implementations with split market share; it would be painful for web developers. Large amounts of time and energy would be wasted on testing the web apps on every possible browser implementation. This is probably why platform technologies such as Operating Systems, browsers, etc. trend towards monopolies or duopolies. A highly fragmented market is not in users, developers, or even platform developers' best interests.

Chrome also has well-resourced competition in the form of Apple and Microsoft. As Chrome adds more user-hostile changes, users will switch away to friendlier browsers, such as Brave, Edge, Safari, etc.

[Spivak]

> If there were multiple mainstream browser implementations with split market share; it would be painful for web developers.

But good for users which is the tension. Having multiple browsers that have significant differences that you can't not develop for means that you actually have to gracefully degrade instead of demanding everyone else behave more like Chrome. If we're at the point where were calling Chrome the reference then what's even the point of other browser engines? What would they even bring to the table except the skin?

This is one of those weird arguments that actually supports iOS forcing developers to use Webkit. The only differentiating features of browsers are the skins so quit caring about the engine /s.