Until now, Google did not give any developer the go ahead to come up with a Chrome plugin. The reasoning behind this seems to be pretty obvious: Google Chrome is still in its Beta version and the guys behind it do not need another headache, such as the security risks associated with plugins. The first plugin to get the thumbs up from the Google team is, drum rolls please, Greasemonkey.

Here is what I mean about “security risks”. Let's say that you use Yahoo Messenger, but you install some funky plugin that allows you to send all sorts of emoticons and audibles. Even though the development team at Yahoo worked hard to make the software as safe as it can be, the people behind that plugin may not have taken the issue of security so seriously. To put it simply, it is a security risk. This goes for all the software applications you use on your system.

Getting back to Greasemonkey, two things must be noted. First of all, since Google has allowed this plugin, it stands to reason that in the future it will give other plugins the green light. They say the first step is the hardest – well, this is the first step! The other thing that must be noted is that the level of Greasemonkey support with Google Chrome is basic (that's basic with a capital B). Greasemonkey will work only if you load c:scripts and append the “-enable-greasemonkey” parameter to Chrome's shortcut.

Firefox users have been enjoying this plugin for quite some time now. And why not, since it comes in so handy when you want to create a theme, or address a problem with a certain web page. Personally, I use Greasemonkey in my online gaming, in games such as Travian (even though the official rules of the game state that you shouldn't).