The OS is currently available for download. See the following site for more information.
http://www.chromium.org/chromium-os
It is not vaporware. It has all of the features that you claim that a real OS needs to support.
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Google Previews Chrome OS, Scheduled for Release in Late 2010
- Thread starter clevin
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The OS is currently available for download. See the following site for more information.
http://www.chromium.org/chromium-os
It is not vaporware. It has all of the features that you claim that a real OS needs to support.
Just my opinion...
Google is not re-inventing the OS. If anything, they are approaching it from a Windows point of view. I'm not being an anti-windows fanatic and can't speak to windows 7 but Google Chrome OS was thought up before windows 7 so my point here is still valid... From a windows view point, restarts are normal. Boot times or login times can be an issue or concern for windows users (again my experience from personal use and family/friends). So to create an OS which boots faster and gets rid of all the crap is very windows centric. I have to rarely boot OSX. I don't have an issue with startup times or waiting to check email. I open my laptop/wake the desktop and within probably 5-10 seconds I'm on the net - and part of those 5-10 seconds is waiting for the internet protocols to register. Re-inventing the OS, not from what I see so far (could change but just saying from what is known right now).
I also am not big on the use of things like Google docs. I use them, I do like them and for the most part are fine. I DO still have printing issues for docs - formating is difficult to retain when I do need to print. Spreadsheets, again for the most part are ok and do have some cool/nice features (I love the form feature). I have run in to slow downs when using google spreadsheets and it is not as powerful as excel - might eventually be but isn't yet so when I need that power it is nice to have an option.
Bottom line, there are many things like that I mentioned for the entire "online" system but more importantly Google has had some significant outages issues over the past year. These outages have impacted me more this past year as I have started to us Google Apps for your domain more. Now if I have Google Chrome OS, I have to hope I have an internet connection AND Google isn't down. It may not brick the computer and likely isn't going to be a frequent event but WHEN it does happen, and given the odds that is pretty likely, it will make people re-think their choice. And please, don't pitch me the "offline" thing. It works for the most part but even the offline feature has given me problems.
Bottom line for me - some people will love it and it will be a good choice for them. At this point in time, it is not right for me. I'm not even sure this is where OS's are headed, but I won't fault Google for trying - I am for competition.
Google is not re-inventing the OS. If anything, they are approaching it from a Windows point of view. I'm not being an anti-windows fanatic and can't speak to windows 7 but Google Chrome OS was thought up before windows 7 so my point here is still valid... From a windows view point, restarts are normal. Boot times or login times can be an issue or concern for windows users (again my experience from personal use and family/friends). So to create an OS which boots faster and gets rid of all the crap is very windows centric. I have to rarely boot OSX. I don't have an issue with startup times or waiting to check email. I open my laptop/wake the desktop and within probably 5-10 seconds I'm on the net - and part of those 5-10 seconds is waiting for the internet protocols to register. Re-inventing the OS, not from what I see so far (could change but just saying from what is known right now).
I also am not big on the use of things like Google docs. I use them, I do like them and for the most part are fine. I DO still have printing issues for docs - formating is difficult to retain when I do need to print. Spreadsheets, again for the most part are ok and do have some cool/nice features (I love the form feature). I have run in to slow downs when using google spreadsheets and it is not as powerful as excel - might eventually be but isn't yet so when I need that power it is nice to have an option.
Bottom line, there are many things like that I mentioned for the entire "online" system but more importantly Google has had some significant outages issues over the past year. These outages have impacted me more this past year as I have started to us Google Apps for your domain more. Now if I have Google Chrome OS, I have to hope I have an internet connection AND Google isn't down. It may not brick the computer and likely isn't going to be a frequent event but WHEN it does happen, and given the odds that is pretty likely, it will make people re-think their choice. And please, don't pitch me the "offline" thing. It works for the most part but even the offline feature has given me problems.
Bottom line for me - some people will love it and it will be a good choice for them. At this point in time, it is not right for me. I'm not even sure this is where OS's are headed, but I won't fault Google for trying - I am for competition.
What I don't get with Chrome OS is that Google is gearing it towards secondary machines. I guess people use their secondary machines in different ways, but I mainly use mine for email and surfing. I can do those things easily enough in whatever standard OS - I don't need Chrome for that. I suppose the 7 second boot time is nice, but I almost always put my Macs to sleep, so boot times aren't an issue.
When you start talking about cloud computing and syncing your documents, photos, videos, etc., then you are talking about the stuff you do on your primary computer. I'm not going to edit my home videos on Chrome. And if I want to put my data in the cloud, there are lots of options out there already.
I can see myself tinkering with Chrome in the same way I occasionally get a bug up my rear to tinker with Linux distros. I play around for a few days, realize I like Mac OS X much better, and then wipe the partition.
Also, how many people have secondary machines with SSDs? Aside from you MacBook Air folks. If Chrome is for the people who just use computers for basic tasks, then those are exactly the kind of people who ARE NOT going to shell out for a laptop with an expensive SSD.
When you start talking about cloud computing and syncing your documents, photos, videos, etc., then you are talking about the stuff you do on your primary computer. I'm not going to edit my home videos on Chrome. And if I want to put my data in the cloud, there are lots of options out there already.
I can see myself tinkering with Chrome in the same way I occasionally get a bug up my rear to tinker with Linux distros. I play around for a few days, realize I like Mac OS X much better, and then wipe the partition.
Also, how many people have secondary machines with SSDs? Aside from you MacBook Air folks. If Chrome is for the people who just use computers for basic tasks, then those are exactly the kind of people who ARE NOT going to shell out for a laptop with an expensive SSD.
Considering that if Apple took a crap on my face I wouldn't eat it up like most fanatics here I'd say so.
This concept of the chrome OS really blows me away...
90% of what I do involves the net in some way. Google docs can take care of the rest for me.
90% of what I do involves the net in some way. Google docs can take care of the rest for me.
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Not sure if this has been said, but the trend I see with netbooks is that everyone is either using windows xp or 7. Further, many are using it as their primary computer. While people are recognizing that they don't require the greatest hardware, they seem to view netbooks as super cheap and portable computers. In other words, they want to do everything they can on a regular laptop minus editing HD videos.
Smartphones seem to be filling the niche that google envisions for their chrome os. People seem to accept that their phones can't do everything.
Not sure if this has been said, but the trend I see with netbooks is that everyone is either using windows xp or 7. Further, many are using it as their primary computer. While people are recognizing that they don't require the greatest hardware, they seem to view netbooks as super cheap and portable computers. In other words, they want to do everything they can on a regular laptop minus editing HD videos.
Smartphones seem to be filling the niche that google envisions for their chrome os. People seem to accept that their phones can't do everything.
I guess that's true to some extent. I usually keep my desktop at work on. Longest time I've had it on was for around 40 days. Had to reboot to apply some patches from IT. (this wouldn't happen on any unix-like system). But I never noticed any slowdown or anything like that. If anything, I've noticed all slowdowns are caused by another software. Unfortunately this happens to me in Linux too, specifically the opera plugging wrapper gets stuck and eats CPU and ram until I kill it. It's ****ing annoying
The specific problem with Windows, with XP at least, is that the more startup services you have the slower boot time is. (try vmware workstation, id adds at least 2 to 3 seconds alone!). Combine this with the obvious risk of malware, and the inherent cluster**** that is NTFS (fragmentation), and performance goes to hell. Things are smoother in Vista and in 7, thankfully.
I love Google docs, I used to have a vm machine with XP only to use MS Office 2007. I still use it sometimes, but lately I'm more of a Google docs user since I absolutely hate OpenOffice.
All in all, people are taking this way in the wrong way. This will be clearly for people who want something cheap and fast to browse the web. The key is that nowadays a lot of everyday tasks (document editing, music, videos) can be done on web applications, I think it's great. But it's definitely not a replacement for a desktop computer. And Google knows this.
Regarding cloud storage, well I can't change people's opinion, but at least in my personal opinion, I feel safe trusting my info to a company like Google. There are millions of users out there who feel the same. Google or any company for that matter, won't sell your specific information like name, addresses, financial information, etc, to anyone.
Fisher price??? Ubuntu is the best looking Operating System. It looks wayy better than OS X. It's just a good job looks aren't important to me.
This chrome os in my opinion is going be be a security nightmare and a fail unless it is made to be able to be used offline as well. Who on earth spends their entire time on their computer online?
exactly, I just don't see where google think their product will fit.
$100, maybe
$300, hell no.
Obviously this is a matter of personal preference and there is no right and wrong, but I think that Ubuntu looks fugly. I think even Windows XP looks better than Ubuntu.
Chrome looks fugly too.
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Bingo
clevin said:
Bingo
It will work offline, and it won't be a security nightmare, or it will carry the same level of complexity as current services like gmail, google docs or google checkout (which is HIGHLY more sensitive) does.
And no, vanilla Ubuntu is not the best looking OS. Gnome is not the best looking DE by any means, metacity themes are plain umm... boring. Then again, the good news is that you can modify and tweak it to suit your needs so you CAN make it look better than anything out there.
It's just a matter of opinion though, I think the latest release of KDE looks as good as OS X. Too bad that's as far as it goes, KDE's usability is HORRIBLE.
I like how you said that Ubuntu looks better than OS X then immediately followed it with saying that looks aren't important to you. That explains it.
Believe it or not....I think it's BRILLIANT
I foresee desktop applications being transitioned into web applications within a shorter period of time than we all think. Think of the benefits: lower cost, easier to control licensing, supply, et cetera.
STORAGE
1) Cloud storage of our daily files? Can you image buying a computer when HDD storage and it's speed wasn't a factor, or a cost consideration? Backing up our files to tape or any other storage device? Really, who here really does that? 2) Intellectual property and offline storage can be handled via an SSD card.
ENTERPRISE
Given VPN, or any other remote desktop situation, this too can be launch from within a web app.
STABILITY
As Mac users, I think we all could agree, *NIX is rock solid.
EASE OF USE
Apple has always been the leader of the UI, making it simple for most people. But, I would be willing to wager that 99.99% of the population has used a web browser sometime during their lifetime.
SPEED
Any of us really on dial-up? Dont' have access to DSL, cable modem, T1 or better?
Call me crazy, or a heretic, but I would be willing to give up the new 17" MBP (with the Arrandale processor) next year for a comparable Google Laptop.
Cheers...
I foresee desktop applications being transitioned into web applications within a shorter period of time than we all think. Think of the benefits: lower cost, easier to control licensing, supply, et cetera.
STORAGE
1) Cloud storage of our daily files? Can you image buying a computer when HDD storage and it's speed wasn't a factor, or a cost consideration? Backing up our files to tape or any other storage device? Really, who here really does that? 2) Intellectual property and offline storage can be handled via an SSD card.
ENTERPRISE
Given VPN, or any other remote desktop situation, this too can be launch from within a web app.
STABILITY
As Mac users, I think we all could agree, *NIX is rock solid.
EASE OF USE
Apple has always been the leader of the UI, making it simple for most people. But, I would be willing to wager that 99.99% of the population has used a web browser sometime during their lifetime.
SPEED
Any of us really on dial-up? Dont' have access to DSL, cable modem, T1 or better?
Call me crazy, or a heretic, but I would be willing to give up the new 17" MBP (with the Arrandale processor) next year for a comparable Google Laptop.
Cheers...
Evolutionary
I think this is a great concept and really good product release for business. I see at least 2 advantages:
1.) greater control over what users can do, and greater centralized monitoring in the work space.
2.) gets rid of the clutter of an OS, most of which many don't use.
This OS has a very specific niche'. I'm in academia at the moment, and ALL I use is a web browser and word processor. There would be real savings in nettops at my institution with this. Maybe even in the law firms and lobbying orgs I have interned with as well, at least in my research divisions. This is a huge threat to Microsoft business dominance because this addresses small and medium business needs, and some large ones, like the academy very well without more than we need.
Apple, however, has nothing to worry about... this is not targeted to their niche or anyone who needs more than the web.
I think this is a great concept and really good product release for business. I see at least 2 advantages:
1.) greater control over what users can do, and greater centralized monitoring in the work space.
2.) gets rid of the clutter of an OS, most of which many don't use.
This OS has a very specific niche'. I'm in academia at the moment, and ALL I use is a web browser and word processor. There would be real savings in nettops at my institution with this. Maybe even in the law firms and lobbying orgs I have interned with as well, at least in my research divisions. This is a huge threat to Microsoft business dominance because this addresses small and medium business needs, and some large ones, like the academy very well without more than we need.
Apple, however, has nothing to worry about... this is not targeted to their niche or anyone who needs more than the web.
Hahaha, so true. Steve Jobs says jump, mac rumors members respond with 'how high?'
Moblin is a product of the work of the Linux Foundation and Intel. Its open souce and I believe Ubuntu Netbook remix is based on it so its not surprising that it should be similar. In turn, Canonical (the company that makes Ubuntu) worked with Google to make Chrome OS. This is the Open Source world we are talking about here. Nothing is "ripped off", many things are shared openly.
Linux on netbooks had higher return rates because the cut down Linux distros had been poorly put together and in some cases didn't even support properly the hardware. Dell, who offered fully working Ubuntu distributions on their netbooks had return rates no higher than the Windows ones. The objection users had was not to Linux itself but the poorly setup ones. If Google can make an OS that works well to suit the needs of the casual users (and there are a lot of people who fit into this bracket) then they could be on to a winner. They have the brand name to attract attention as well as the money and influence to make it widespread. Android is getting increasing numbers of manufacturers releasing phones with it installed, if Chrome OS repeats this pattern it could be at least a good alternative to Windows and full Linux distros.
Google has two OSes now but so does Apple. It takes a huge leap of imagination to say that OSX is the same as that running on iPhone and iPod Touch. You might say that at their heart they have Unix but at the heart of Android and ChromeOS is Linux so that is not a good comparison. Android has been tinkered with to make it run on netbooks but that was not its primary purpose, nor has it been adapted particularly well. As far as I know, only one manufacturer offers an Android netbook, and even then its as backup to Windows. Chrome OS should put a stop to this.
Those who say its not a full OS are not the target for this product. The iPhone may be able to run lots of apps but its something like 1% of the overall phone market and smartphones as a whole account for around 12% of the overall market. There are still plenty of people who just want a normal phone with basic functionality, and there are still plenty of people who want a netbook with simple functionality.
Linux on netbooks had higher return rates because the cut down Linux distros had been poorly put together and in some cases didn't even support properly the hardware. Dell, who offered fully working Ubuntu distributions on their netbooks had return rates no higher than the Windows ones. The objection users had was not to Linux itself but the poorly setup ones. If Google can make an OS that works well to suit the needs of the casual users (and there are a lot of people who fit into this bracket) then they could be on to a winner. They have the brand name to attract attention as well as the money and influence to make it widespread. Android is getting increasing numbers of manufacturers releasing phones with it installed, if Chrome OS repeats this pattern it could be at least a good alternative to Windows and full Linux distros.
Google has two OSes now but so does Apple. It takes a huge leap of imagination to say that OSX is the same as that running on iPhone and iPod Touch. You might say that at their heart they have Unix but at the heart of Android and ChromeOS is Linux so that is not a good comparison. Android has been tinkered with to make it run on netbooks but that was not its primary purpose, nor has it been adapted particularly well. As far as I know, only one manufacturer offers an Android netbook, and even then its as backup to Windows. Chrome OS should put a stop to this.
Those who say its not a full OS are not the target for this product. The iPhone may be able to run lots of apps but its something like 1% of the overall phone market and smartphones as a whole account for around 12% of the overall market. There are still plenty of people who just want a normal phone with basic functionality, and there are still plenty of people who want a netbook with simple functionality.
I'm going to have to escort you off the premises for that one. In your logic, Half Life 2 is like the original Doom. Whereas the only similarities is that its a FPS.
SO I can call KDE and Xfce similar or Photoshop and The GIMP similar.
there are images of this OS floating around bit torrent and websites. i downloaded a vmware image this morning.
first you can't do anything without network access. it uses your google credentials to let you log in. no internet access no login. i have a test vmware system i put it on and the DHCP doesn't work on it too well because it's unofficial in the company. so i couldn't log in.
i downloaded the VMWare Player and installed it on my laptop and will try Chrome again tonight from my laptop.
only Google could make something like this where you can't use a piece of technology without internet access.
first you can't do anything without network access. it uses your google credentials to let you log in. no internet access no login. i have a test vmware system i put it on and the DHCP doesn't work on it too well because it's unofficial in the company. so i couldn't log in.
i downloaded the VMWare Player and installed it on my laptop and will try Chrome again tonight from my laptop.
only Google could make something like this where you can't use a piece of technology without internet access.