Google Announces Chrome Operating System
Just when you think all Google has up its sleeve is the removal of some beta labels, the company unveils its plans for an operating system based around its Chrome web browser.
After rethinking browsing, Google has decided to do the same thing with operating and late Tuesday the company announced that it was working on its own open source, lightweight operating system that will initially be targeted at netbooks.
Details are scant at the moment. We know that it will run on both ARM and x86 chips, and we know that we'll see netbooks running the software in the latter half of 2010 (Google says its already talking to partners). Because they're stripping everything down and going back to OS basics, users won't have to deal with viruses, malware and security updates. According to Google, "It should just work."
"The software architecture is simple — Google Chrome running within a new windowing system on top of a Linux kernel," writes Sundar Pichai, VP Product Management at Google. "For application developers, the web is the platform. All web-based applications will automatically work and new applications can be written using your favorite web technologies," he explains, adding that, "of course, these apps will run not only on Google Chrome OS, but on any standards-based browser on Windows, Mac and Linux thereby giving developers the largest user base of any platform."
For those of you wondering what this will mean for Android, Google assures that this is a completely separate project. The Chrome OS is created for people who spend most of their time online and is designed to power computers of all shapes and sizes, from netbooks to desktops. Google does concede that there are areas of the two that overlap but goes on to say that choice will drive innovation for the benefit of everyone.
Check out the full blog post about Chrome OS by clicking here.
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People do use netbooks while not connected to the internet... so what are people supposed to do with a ChromeOS netbook when they don't have an internet connection? It'd just be an over-sized paperweight.
Everything web-based: good for netbooks but not for more powerful laptops and desktops. What happens when your security is compromised because you foolishly did EVERYTHING over the web. What happens when your internet is down in your area? Your operating system stops working?
We all know, this is good for competition and what-not but Google is interested in gaming and what-not. They just want a piece of the pie and Google is slowly taking over the world, one computer at a time.
Argh I need editing just like TH >_> I meant "Google is NOT interested in gaming"
MicroSucks is gonna be p*ssed, serves them right though for making only cream filled OS and not having a liteweight option.
more players... more competition... some choice is better than no choice.
Will it be free?
But will it run games? If I can't enjoy my PC to its fullest, I'll stick with what does--even if I have to pay Redmond through the nose for it.
Still, I'm excited to see what options they will have for this, as netbooks are only the tip of the iceberg (a platform I expect them to expand from very quickly).
if Apple got on this, they would dominate the market.
As for google i like it, i would definately trust the OS, but would still stay with windows. if i got a new comp maybe i would use the chrome OS. The browser is awesome so the OS might be too.
But will it run games? If I can't enjoy my PC to its fullest, I'll stick with what does--even if I have to pay Redmond through the nose for it. Still, I'm excited to see what options they will have for this, as netbooks are only the tip of the iceberg (a platform I expect them to expand from very quickly).
Says open source...doesn't necessarily mean free but I would guess they advertise on your OS to make cash rather than charge you for it. Let's face it, the primary model that Google uses is ad based revenue so it wouldn't be a far stretch for them to ad base your OS.
bah quoted wrong guy...meant to answer the question : will it be free?
Designed from the ground up... with the Linux kernel as the ground.
An OS that doesn't load many services has advantages. I just doubt it will have an API that can do more than web-based gaming.
I'm guessing it will have local apps that run using browser friendly code so that you can use it while not on the internet.
Still, can't really judge it until we know more. I look forward to seeing it, but I'm not holding my breath.
that looks LIKE THE MOST EPIC
POKEBALL
EVER
Just a thought,
who thinks that this is another step towards a fully inter-net based computing environment? and glocal culture?
and who thinks that might be a really scary world? with limitless advantages
Maybe this could finally give Linux a decent amount of operating system marketshare. Google is a big name and can put a dent in the current Microsoft share.
The reason I couldn't wholeheartedly recommend Linux to casual computer users is because it's not user-friendly enough for them. Granted it can be MADE to be (i.e.: Ubuntu), there are still certain things in Linux that can only be done through a terminal (mounting a flash drive, anyone?)
If Chrome OS can be user-friendly enough for casual users, tweakable enough for geeks (which it should be--it's using a Linux kernel), and can run common apps without jumping through loops*, then we may have a winner!
*: By "jumping through loops," I mean using Windows emulators, Wine, or substitute programs. Granted the substitutes may be acceptable (i.e.: GIMP), marketing that to the end user is like saying Dr. Thunder is just as good as Dr. Pepper.
What happens when your internet is down in your area? Your operating system stops working?
"The Chrome OS is created for people who spend most of their time online"
How are you going to check Facebook or send email when your internet is down?
So basically, this is just like another Linux distro. Distro's like these already exists, except by Google doing it more people are exposed (publicity) to it.
Hopefully Google will be able to make this OS more user friendly to the average computer user. At the same time I hope Google doesn't change the distro (ie minimal command line,etc) too much as to alienate old Linux gurus.
Why do this? What value will this add to the marketplace? Not criticizing, not rhetorical. Honest questions...
Support (and inexpensive support) is key here.
But will it run games? If I can't enjoy my PC to its fullest, I'll stick with what does--even if I have to pay Redmond through the nose for it. Still, I'm excited to see what options they will have for this, as netbooks are only the tip of the iceberg (a platform I expect them to expand from very quickly).
it will play all the web-based games you can handle (no crysis Haha) I'm sure they'll have java support but you'll have to wait and see about flash support though.
"The Chrome OS is created for people who spend most of their time online"How are you going to check Facebook or send email when your internet is down?
but what if you want to write a novel or read a pdf article while you have no internet connection? Like on a plane or train trip or on vacation in the islands?
gOS, anyone?
http://www.thinkgos.com/
Maybe this could finally give Linux a decent amount of operating system marketshare.
I'm not so sure, because...
So basically, this is just like another Linux distro. Distro's like these already exists, except by Google doing it more people are exposed (publicity) to it.
It's NOT "just another distro." Nearly all Linux distributions today are based around the X.org graphics server. The glaring exception is Android, which uses kernel-level frame buffering instead. This means that programs or front-ends designed for X won't work natively on Android or a new Google OS without X. And just to clarify, that's the vast majority of GUI-based software available for Linux today. It'll be more work to port existing apps that modern Linux users "need" nowadays, like Open Office, WINE or Firefox.
So while it's arguably going to be a Linux distribution, it won't be "just another distro." Like Android, programmers are going to have to rethink their platform development if they want to support it. In this case it looks like Google is trying to nudge people towards web-based applications almost exclusively (i.e. a hosted service like Gmail as an email client, Google Docs or similar for word processesing, etc.). This is even different from the Palm Pre's webOS, where only the interfaces for the programs should to be built with web-style markup.
Personally I'm more comfortable with local instead of cloud-based applications (Gmail being the biggest exception), and this Google OS doesn't sound appealing to me at the moment.
agree with someone above...this is a linux minus all of the complex stuff.
i just hope this google OS handles media files (photo,video,music) and slick and simple GUI as vista/win7 since that is what i miss when using Ubuntu.
if they can do that then we'll have reasonable prices for consumer MS OS.
If it's using the Linux kernel, then isn't it still a Linux OS?
Why doesn't Google come up with it's own x86 kernel?
Just because it has a Linux Kernel doesnt make it a "Linux OS" no one calls Windows "NT" but it has a NT kernel.
It just means it has a Linux Kernel.
This is the standard I'm-so-smart question:
But, can it play Crysis?
But can it play Crysis?
Everyone stop hating. This is an awsome idea, about time they did it. Of course it will work when offline...All the google apps do. A browser, a pdf reader, a media player and manager and an office suite, then you have what 90% of people use their pc's for. (gamers excluded)
Google FTW!
If it's using the Linux kernel, then isn't it still a Linux OS?Why doesn't Google come up with it's own x86 kernel?
couldn't agree more. I thought that is what I was going to read about actually.
Just because it has a Linux Kernel doesnt make it a "Linux OS" no one calls Windows "NT" but it has a NT kernel. It just means it has a Linux Kernel.
I don't know about you but I know just about everyone I know called NT 4.0 simply NT. Back then you were usually running one of the following - 95(b/c)/98(SE)/NT. No one called it 4.0 that I know. Yeah, Yeah I know there was also a 3.5 and 3.51 to but that's going back a little far even if it was still NT.
and if I remember correctly it was microsoft who pushed the community away from using NT as the name with Win2K which they tried to make more main stream and user friendly with better plug and play support instead of plug and pray. but it didn't quite work out for Win2K thus paving the way for WinXP. not that WinXP wouldn't have come anyways.
anyways as my point was - back in the day windows with this kernel was called NT.
hmmm could Win7 be NT 7.0? Nah it's actually NT 6.1. but it is the 7th variation of NT based OS's. Otherwise if NT has no meaning as gate's claimed why even call it Win7? and not thought up a better name? eh, I'm going off on a tangent. I'll stop myself here.
What about gamers? I think a new OS is about bl**dy time, since microsoft owns the PC-market.. kind of...
BRING IT ON...
Am in for everything google has to throw...
Am sure they'll think something regarding drivers and compatability.
when I saw the the title I was like O.O
Finally netbook's user found something lighter the the the heaver OS "Vista"
.