Built Around The Browser, Google's Chrome OS Launches Reinvents The Operating System (Ubuntu-Based)

Daily Tech ^ | 11/19/2009 | Jason Mick

[goldstategop]

Google Chrome is Ubuntu based. But its radically different from any current desktop OS. It breaks new ground by seeking to become the first "always on" cloud computing OS in history. That's the good news.

The bad news is it will not be available for a year.

[ken21]

firefox and windows 7 cause crashes on my ‘puters.

[goldstategop]

Cloud computing is doing everything online. Nothing is stored on the computer. In the event your computer crashes, no data is ever lost. Its safe in "the cloud." Google Chrome OS has the potential to revolutionize how people manage their daily activities. Its an innovative rethinking of the computing experience.

[MarineBrat]

The bad news is it will not be available for a year.

That reminds me of the old joke that was going around when Windows 95 was looong delayed, and then some. OS/2 was available, and it was pretty good, but because of MS's advertising skill, most people were waiting for the new Windows to ship.

The joke goes like this:

Bill Gates and his wife are in divorce court. The wife tells the judge that they've been married for a long time, but have yet to have sex. The judge says "Never?" She responds, "No, all he does is stand at the foot of the bed and tell me how good it's going to be!"

[tired1]

Ellison was 15 years too early.

[Richard Kimball]

Every app runs in a sandbox and Google backs up and stores all your data in its cloud.

The cloud.

[1066AD]

Can Google be trusted ?

[Nervous Tick]

Interesting.

>> reinventing a tired old wheel (OS)

The problem with THAT is APPLICATIONS. Depending on what apps the user needs to run, it’s a problem for Chrome ranging from zero to intractable.

ref: critical mass

[goldstategop]

Google has now released developer builds. People are already compiling the new OS for testing. And the early builds look quite promising. Since the core is the Linux kernel, everything is already at hand to build and run an alpha version.

[Wally_Kalbacken]

I like the Chrome browser - but oddly it works fine in Windows XP Media Center 2005 - but has the most erratic and vexing problems running on Vista. When I get a new laptop at the end of next year, perhaps I’ll load it with Chrome OS. I have to admit, Google is rocking things.

[goldstategop]

People run only what they need to. There is no need for a complete desktop. Its unnecessary with cloud computing. You want to complete tasks quickly, all using a tabbed browser.

[Nervous Tick]

That’s nice, as long as what I want to do is on one of the tabs. Will it be?

[goldstategop]

No you need to buy new Google Chrome OS specific hardware to run it. Google is taking a leaf out of Apple's playbook. The OS and hardware are designed to work together as a single unit.

[goldstategop]

I think so. If you are already familiar with how Google's Chrome browser works, the OS should become second nature.

[Nervous Tick]

>> No you need to buy new Google Chrome OS specific hardware to run it.

Who sells it?

[goldstategop]

Google is working with various computer manufacturers. They will be netbook type devices priced the same as or cheaper than today's existing netbooks and they will come with solid state drives.

[Nervous Tick]

Interesting. I can see a place for it in the “ecosystem”.

Nice to see competition for Microsoft and Apple — although I wouldn’t count on Google as a move away from the “dark side”.

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

Google Chrome is Ubuntu based.

Well that screws it up i had Ubuntu on a laptop and it never did work right even after all the upgrades ...... what junk !

[goldstategop]

Really? I find I like Karmic. Its even better than Jaunty. Everything just works!

[incredulous joe]

A programming buddy of mine has been running Ubuntu on his system for more than a year and he loves it.

I will say this about it; everything loads very fast! In fact, it loads instantly.