Google Chrome OS (Chromium)

Submitted by Jochus on Mon, 01/02/2010 - 22:58 | Posted in: RealDolmen
RealDolmen

Last week, I went to a presentation at my company to see the new Google Chrome OS in action.

Google Chrome OS is an open source operating system designed by Google to work exclusively with web applications. Announced on July 7, 2009, Chrome OS is set to have a publicly available stable release during the second half of 2010. The operating system is based on Linux and will run only on specifically designed hardware. The user interface takes a minimalist approach, resembling that of the Chrome web browser. Because the browser will be the only application residing on the device, Google Chrome OS is aimed at users who spend most of their computer time on the Internet

Advantages

  1. It is an operating system. And the vendor that controls the operating system controls the application stack and can win the hearts and minds of developers by giving them a way to make money for their code pounding.
  2. The Chrome operating system provides a critical bridge between Web 2.0 applications sitting in the cloud and a beefed-up browser. The entrance of Google into the operating system business closes the loop between online, offline, cloud-based applications and mobile applications.
  3. Google's Chrome browser is a really good browser!
  4. The Chrome operating system doesn't have to be a success. As long as it can play nicely with other open-source operating systems such as Ubuntu and Intel's Mobilin, then the Chrome operating system can be a nice little thorn in Microsoft's side.
  5. The Chrome operating system is only part of the Google game. The Google Wave shared-resource system still in development will be a bigger deal than the Chrome operating system, but just like the Microsoft competition, the more you can make all the parts work flawlessly together the stronger you are.

Disadvantages

  1. Google makes its money sticking ads next to search results and has yet to show it can reach beyond that model.
  2. Operating systems from Ubuntu and Red Hat are way ahead of anything Google can do. Those companies (yes, along with Microsoft and Apple) have shown they can court developers and provide solid operating systems. You really don't need another one in the game.
  3. Hardware suppliers control the operating system business. They cut deals with the software suppliers for co-op advertising dollars and push products based on those deals
  4. The mobile, netbook and desktop operating system business is not going to roll over for Google. The big Asian vendors are going to end up in control of the netbook and mobile operating system business.
  5. The entire operating system business is getting virtualised. No one is going to really know or care what system is running on their hardware.

RealDolmen provided us a virtuale image of the application. I've tested it and it is running great on my Ubuntu installation


(click to enlarge)

I also received a virtual (beta) image of Windows 7. I'm still running the XP version as my portable is soooooo old, but it seems a great OS!


(click to enlarge)

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