Google Chrome Operating System, Google announces Chrome OS Options

[Undecided]

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/int...-chrome-os.html

Who knows...maybe someday this site will have to change it's name to Mac vs. Windows vs. Chrome

I wonder how well Google is going do with this. My guess is ultimately Google won't challenge the Big Two OS makers. Chrome OS will probably just end up becoming another flavor of Linux.

[LordDaMan]

It seems to make the netbook into some sort of portable internet appliance (PIA? ).

Now, given the fact Internet appliances flopped big time before, why would this be any better?

[daGUY]

It seems to make the netbook into some sort of portable internet appliance (PIA? ).

Now, given the fact Internet appliances flopped big time before, why would this be any better?

I think the idea is just to have an even faster, more efficient way to use Google apps. Imagine something that you just turn on and you're in Gmail, Google Docs, etc. instantly. You've got email, chat, word processing, calendaring, etc. - no lengthy bootup process, no software to install, no viruses/spyware to worry about, etc. Just turn on, work, turn off.

I imagine Google's going to position this as a low-cost, hassle-free alternative to a "real" Windows PC with Microsoft Office, Outlook, etc. How many people actually need all of Office? How many of them even need anything other than a browser, really? This machine/OS will let those people do the same stuff they're already doing now, only at a fraction of the cost and with less trouble.

That's how I'm picturing it, anyway.

[LordDaMan]

I imagine Google's going to position this as a low-cost, hassle-free alternative to a "real" Windows PC with Microsoft Office, Outlook, etc. How many people actually need all of Office? How many of them even need anything other than a browser, really? This machine/OS will let those people do the same stuff they're already doing now, only at a fraction of the cost and with less trouble.

which is the same exact question asked before and failed many many times:

How many people need a full computer when all they do is word processing?
Everyone was going to go to stand alone word processors. It's very hard to even find one nowadays

How many people need a full computer when all they do is us e-mail and browse the web?
WebTv was going to be teh next big thing. it failed miserably. there was another BeOS based one, that bombed. there's still another one using smalltalk and that failed too

How many people need a full computer when a networked Os can take care of all the hassles for you.
Java OS which failled miserably

[daGUY]

Look, netbooks definitely aren't for everyone. I'd never get one, personally. But for people who are using them, I think Chrome OS would just make it even easier and faster for people to do the types of things they're already doing with them.

I wouldn't expect netbooks to replace "real" computers anytime soon. I think Google just wants to capitalize on the trend and use it as an opportunity to get more people using their stuff.

[daGUY]

This is actually the top story on CNN.com right now. Not even just in the tech section, but right on the front page. Interesting. http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/07/08/google....e.os/index.html

[Undecided]

Netbooks first, and then maybe Google is looking down the road to licensing the OS to smartphone companies, or coming out with their own smartphone, like Windows Mobile.

[LordDaMan]

Look, netbooks definitely aren't for everyone. I'd never get one, personally. But for people who are using them, I think Chrome OS would just make it even easier and faster for people to do the types of things they're already doing with them.

I wouldn't expect netbooks to replace "real" computers anytime soon. I think Google just wants to capitalize on the trend and use it as an opportunity to get more people using their stuff.

The market has already spoken with in reguards to netbooks. Linux lost big tiome becasue people waated to compabailtly of windows to run things. Adding yet another linux varient, and an extermly limted one of that, just isn't going to make a lot of differnce

[MPMoriarty]

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/int...-chrome-os.html

Who knows...maybe someday this site will have to change it's name to Mac vs. Windows vs. Chrome

I wonder how well Google is going do with this. My guess is ultimately Google won't challenge the Big Two OS makers. Chrome OS will probably just end up becoming another flavor of Linux.

We already have the support for alternative operating systems on this website. So we welcome any Chrome OS contributions.

The one thing that I am confused about is that why are they not building this off of Android. Obviously this was in the works (early planning stages at least) when Android came along. It just seems silly to have different operating systems that don't share the same core frameworks. While the iPhone OS is it's own beast, the frameworks it has are derived from Mac OS X. Fixes, optimizations, and enhancements in one filter back into the other. I think this is a poor strategy. It's like they are just covering their tracks in case one doesn't work out.

The final thing is that outside of netbooks, I don't see this really becoming popular. While web apps are becoming more and more sophisticated, they do have their limits. When Apple pushed for web apps on the iPhone, everyone was angry (developers claimed it was insulting) because they wanted "native" apps. How is this so different? Is this because they offer offline storage?

[Undecided]

We already have the support for alternative operating systems on this website. So we welcome any Chrome OS contributions.

Yes, but there is no separate section for other operating systems in the forums.

[ModusOperandi]

We don't actually have enough users of alternatives to justify adding more forums.