Introducing the Google Chrome OS!!

[zmatt]

I think the Chrome OS will be great for netbooks. Windows 7 has proven itself to be a very capable and fast OS itself so i think it will be interesting how things work out.

A big thing to consider is the failure of Linux on first gen netbooks. People overwhelmingly bought the windows equipped models even if they cost more. The resistance to using an unfamiliar and incompatible os is very strong through most of the market. And Google has a lot that they will have to overcome so that they do not repeat history. On the same token though, the experienced and paid staff that Google has, combined with a focused leadership makes them far more capable at pulling such a feat off than a loose knit group of weekend coders.

What Google needs to do is;

-Have an easy to use and intuitive interface. Apple is famous for this. if they can borrow a page from their book they can make Chrome OS sexy and sleek.

-Good performance, I would almost say instant on. Compared to traditional windows this should be cake. Windows XP wasn't made for net books and you could optimize much more. Also, the limited hardware options for netbooks allows Google programmers to make much more platform specific optimizations than what would be possible in a desktop OS. Windows 7 is a bit of a wildcard right now. Sure it's fast, but how much faster can Chrome be?

-Have that "killer app". Most pc products' success and failure has hinged on the "killer app" aspect. Sometimes it's just one overwhelmingly awesome function that you have to have it. Or it could be the product itself. Whatever it is, Google needs it

-Easy windows transition. This is one of the bigger complaints i get form people trying alternative OS's for the first time. They grew up on windows and the new OS feels foreign and alien to them. You can't just thrust people into a totally different UI and expect them to like it (unless it is just "that amazing), so you need to make it feel somewhat like home. That means a task bar, some form of start button analogue, the same key combos (ctrl+c, ctrl+V etc) the same right click behavior etc. it doesn't have to be a rip off, but it need to have a shallow learning curve.

 

[Peter.Cort]

I think you hit the nail right on the head zmatt, it has to be something that can be eased into. It can't be like BAH ALIEN OS THAT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH!!!! or like 'When you see Chrome OS You'll **** brix cause your so confused!" or anything like that. It's gonna be intuitive, yet original and I agree fully that it needs to have like one huge thing that draws people to it. Maybe it's that it's optimized so well for netbooks that it increases battery life while doing the same tasks as a windows or linux based netbook. Instant on would be a HUGE thing if they could master that. You can already tell that Chrome OS will have some basic stuff that you know Google would include such as google desktop search, google maps, picaso, a end user gmail client, stuff like that, but they need something that really puts them over the top to even try and gain a market share that's substantial.

 

[Jayce]

Is this simply an announcement, or is there a download available for their as-of-yet progress? Everywhere I look I just find downloads for the browser.

 

[Kharn]

It's announcement so far mate, if it gets any releases you will here about them.

 

[Puddle Jumper]

I completely agree with what Zmatt and Peter.Cort said.

I think one of the more difficult challenges for Chrome OS is the average consumer's ignorance as far as programs being compatible with a OS is concerned. Because of Window's dominance people are used to being able to go out to best buy, buy any pc, and then be able to pick any piece of software off of the stores shelves and be able to run it. They don't realize that every program won't run on every os. That's what happened when netbooks started shipping with linux, people saw the cheaper Linux model, bought it, and then when they got home they found out that MS Office and all the other software they were used to using didn't work. That woman who dropped put of college because she was to stupid to figure out how to use Ubuntu, which came with her Dell laptop, is another good example of how people can be ignorant about different operating systems.

While I have been very happy with Windows 7 on my netbook I would certainty dual boot with Chrome if it is instant on, offers better battery life, or has some other useful feature.

 

[SiMoNiZoR]

Well folks it is true. Google has a information up on their company blog about it.

What they say is that it will be designed for Netbooks. It will be lightweight, designed with speed, security and simplicity in mind. Considering their failure at this attempt with the browser kinda hard to see how they will do a whole OS based around it.

Right now they are attempting for a 2nd Half 2010 debut on Netbooks. The Code for the OS wont be released to Open Source till later this year.

They are saying it will work with both x86 and the ARM chips. Leaving no talk of x64 at this time. Which if you ask me is kinda counter productive. They talk about going back to the basics. Saying that today current OS's were designed back when the Web wasnt around. But yet they are not making the Chrome OS future proof by giving it the one thing that it needs. 64 Bit compatibility.

Chrome OS will run on top of a Linux Kernel. Here is a quote:



So let me get this straight. They are claiming the largest user base because of the fact that they can work off of the internet? Okay, i agree. But what about tasks that can not be performed on the internet Google? What if i want to create a slideshow, or burn a home movie? Where is your Apps for that? What can i do to accomplish that?

Chrome OS is separate from Android.



I find this funny. It is being created for people who spend most of their time on the web. But you make no mention which package manager you will use so that we at least have a understanding of what else we might be able to do. Not every single task can be dealt with online.

I dont know really. From where i am sitting, they are promising a lot without being able to give it all. Taking away something major that is needed (x64) while claiming that OS's now are stuck in the past. Hello Google! x86 is the oldest platform out there!!!

A lot to live up to while being a disappointment at the same time. We will just have to wait and see later this year.

I think that they're trying as hard as possible to avoid calling it a linux operating system. They just want people to hear Google Chrome and think "Ooo a Google operating system I should try it" instead of hearing Linux and thinking "I don't know anything about that and I hear that none of my programs will work."

They're just taking a different approach at this whole thing. Whether it's going to work or not is still up in the air, but I give them huge props for doing something new.

 

[zmatt]

With the prevalence of SSDs in Netbooks I don't see why Chrome can't be instant on or close to it. We have gotten away from that nowadays and I think it's sad. Heck my smart phone takes forever to boot. Why should a phone boot? Or an mp3 player? Or a netbook? Maybe Google will even optimize Chrome for SSDs and support future functionality. There is a lot of potential here and Google has the chance to make a lot of money and take over yet another market, but they have to get the basics right.

I also think that many of the issues with Netbook Linux can be sidestepped. Google docs can come standard as can firefox and a free audio player. If you make it where the end user has no need to install extra apps then the compatibility issue isn't an issue anymore. Also, if its Linux based then WINE with a custom front end and classic Google intuition and helpfulness can clean up the rest.

 

[KSoD]

I know that they are trying their best to avoid it being classified as a Linux Distro. But at the same time it will be run using a Linux Kernel. So at the heart of it, it will be Linux. No matter what they try to do.

I have been reading about it and from what i have gathered so far is this. They are trying to make this a Cloud based OS. Using only online resources. Such as Google Docs and all of that. No option to install even OpenOffice.

So let me ask this, if this is in any part true why would someone want it?

Just think about it you spend $300 or more on a Netbook with a 60GB SSD HDD and you are nto able to even install the software you want? You have to use online resources only?

With all of the problems that have arisen from things such as Google Docs i would be scared to store my information there. Even more so if it contained personal information.

So if the OS is light on resources and has a small footprint what would the rest of the hard drive space be used for? Saving pics from the net? Your cache, history and temp files from the use of Chrome Browser?

Some of this information comes from 2 sources.

Taking the 'PC' out of the Chrome OS equation | All about Microsoft | ZDNet.com
Google's Chrome OS: Maybe Not a "PC" OS After All - Forward Thinking by Michael J. Miller

While still early and not much information is known if this is true or not, i am certainly hoping for the latter of the 2. It would be kinda counter productive if you dont allow for anything to be installed at all. Great for those who only use their netbooks for email and web surfing but useless to the mass of people who now use them for school and other such things.

Again i know it is early and all of this is just hype and speculation. These are just some of my personal thoughts and feelings on the matter.

 

[Jayce]

I'm leaning towards Mak's .02 here... I can't imagine relying solely on online resources to get the job done.

I think it'd be a cool idea to run a native, snappy, light duty OS that can utilize online resources that may be an "open standard" for cross-platform compatibility. Because at the end of the day, I want OpenOffice, ******! If it'll be a fight to get that, it'll be a fight to install anything on the OS itself.

However, this is speculation and we don't know much yet. But even still, if that's the finalized revision of the OS, I'm still having doubt, but I truly hope it succeeds. It'd be great if Google can nail this one and afterwards people are like, oh, wait, that was Linux? Maybe some people would give it a 2nd chance to its tainted "You must be a programming God to operate" name.

 

[zmatt]

I know that they are trying their best to avoid it being classified as a Linux Distro. But at the same time it will be run using a Linux Kernel. So at the heart of it, it will be Linux. No matter what they try to do.

I have been reading about it and from what i have gathered so far is this. They are trying to make this a Cloud based OS. Using only online resources. Such as Google Docs and all of that. No option to install even OpenOffice.

So let me ask this, if this is in any part true why would someone want it?

Just think about it you spend $300 or more on a Netbook with a 60GB SSD HDD and you are nto able to even install the software you want? You have to use online resources only?

With all of the problems that have arisen from things such as Google Docs i would be scared to store my information there. Even more so if it contained personal information.

So if the OS is light on resources and has a small footprint what would the rest of the hard drive space be used for? Saving pics from the net? Your cache, history and temp files from the use of Chrome Browser?

Some of this information comes from 2 sources.

Taking the 'PC' out of the Chrome OS equation | All about Microsoft | ZDNet.com
Google's Chrome OS: Maybe Not a "PC" OS After All - Forward Thinking by Michael J. Miller

While still early and not much information is known if this is true or not, i am certainly hoping for the latter of the 2. It would be kinda counter productive if you dont allow for anything to be installed at all. Great for those who only use their netbooks for email and web surfing but useless to the mass of people who now use them for school and other such things.

Again i know it is early and all of this is just hype and speculation. These are just some of my personal thoughts and feelings on the matter.

I think your concerns are well founded. Personally I think cloud computing is crap. Wireless internet is far from ubiquitous and even then why would I want to store my personal information on Google's servers? Subject to their terms, and their maintenance schedules.

I think too many people i the industry are jumping head long into the cloud computing concept. in a world where internet was everywhere and worked all the time, and servers never crashed and hackers didn't exist and people didn't have secrets, it would be great. But we don't live in that world. If Chrome turns out to be a cloud OS with no option for local apps then i will quickly pass it over. I see cloud computing and related technologies as a long term ploy to get people into "pay per view computing". If they have your data and apps then they can charge you a fee for them. I want my data on my computer and nowhere else.