GOOGLE CHROME OS

Just wondering what the concensus was on this "back tot the 60's " approach to the PC??
Personally I don't think the enthusiests out there will buy in to it at all....

iskatefast said:

Just wondering what the concensus was on this "back tot the 60's " approach to the PC??
Personally I don't think the enthusiests out there will buy in to it at all....

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What do you mean? What does this have to do wit teh Chrome!?

I loves me some Google!

Chrome is just a browser to me. If it's an os I've never used it.

MRD said:

Chrome is just a browser to me. If it's an os I've never used it.

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Google announced yesterday that they have developed a new Operating system called Chrome OS..a totaly web-based system that would eliminate hard drives as we are used to them...storing all info and application on the internet. They make some interesting claims on security that I found very interesting...

Well, I haven't seen/used it, but I am generally not a fan of thin client computing or putting everything in the cloud. It has uses, but it's not always the best case. I move way too much data around my home network to use the cloud (hundreds of gigabytes a day). I suppose that is not normal, but then again, media is becoming more and more important, making it more and more relevant to the average person.

Also, I am definitely not a fan of web based interfaces. My feeling is that the the web is being replaced in many applications with local apps that offer a superior user interface to websites. I have an ipad, and the interface offered by apps is almost universally superior to the interface offered through the web, and when it isn't, it's due to a shortcoming in the app.

I think this browser approach to everything is doa, and I would not be interested in using it at all.

i have used the VM of chrome. it was very basic in function. browser, email not even sure if it had a file browser. Im with MRD, to much data movement to be of any use. i can see it working on a Netbook, but at this point just use Android.

I'm also not interested in a fully web-dependent os. I can see how there would be perks for certain people, but I'm too much of a control freak and a tinkerer. Plus, like MRD said, most apps/progs are better than their web-based version.

It'll be useful for low-end systems, as the price for the OS will be drastically less vs Windows. Outside of that? Meh, whatever. I might tinker with it, but I doubt any power user or up will use it as their main system.

Even with the low price, why not just put a lean version of linux or bsd on the netbook? I can definitely see how the cost of windows could be prohibitive on a $250 netbook, but I can't see any reason why you would use chrome over ubuntu netbook edition - or for that matter, Android.

Apps are the future for regularly used online services. The web will be for searching for info, not programs you run on a regular basis.

MRD said:

Even with the low price, why not just put a lean version of linux or bsd on the netbook? I can definitely see how the cost of windows could be prohibitive on a $250 netbook, but I can't see any reason why you would use chrome over ubuntu netbook edition - or for that matter, Android.

Apps are the future for regularly used online services. The web will be for searching for info, not programs you run on a regular basis.

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I like both your posts on this. I think web based computing on thin clients is a pretext to start charging monthly service fees for... well for everything. I don't care for that model of computing.

Dunno -- either could work I suppose. Depends on the feasibility of getting the vendors buy-in to deploy inux/bsd on their hardware vs chrome OS. As for the future, who knows...maybe it'll be app centric, maybe it won't. Time will tell!

I'm not a "cloud" kinda guy, so the chrome OS has no appeal for me. I do like chrome:the browser though, and use the Chromium version in Debian.

I played around with it a bit in VM and found it... meh. I understand the idea, but it's definitely not for me. I have, however, looked into haiku-OS and i think it could be a great simple, low-key OS for netbooks and the like

I don't have a reliable internet connection, so cloud computing is out for me.

I think google is waaaaaaay too early with that kind of technology. We still live in a world where people refuse to buy a slimmer laptop because it had no cd/dvd drive...

and internet connections aren't constants yet.. People aren't ready for chrome os

Don't want software as a service. I already choose a 100% libre GNU/Linux distro for a very specific reason. I'm not about to hand over my freedom without a fight.

Link

TalRW said:

Don't want software as a service. I already choose a 100% libre GNU/Linux distro for a very specific reason. I'm not about to hand over my freedom without a fight.

Link

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+1.

For me(and my computing) it's all about not relinquishing what little control I do possess over my life, to corporate and governmental interests.

Even with the low price, why not just put a lean version of linux or bsd on the netbook? I can definitely see how the cost of windows could be prohibitive on a $250 netbook, but I can't see any reason why you would use chrome over ubuntu netbook edition - or for that matter, Android.

Apps are the future for regularly used online services. The web will be for searching for info, not programs you run on a regular basis.

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They're really building this product for a futuristic web model. The idea is that, with enough bandwidth, computers will barely need hard drives. All of your programs will be in the cloud, all of your files will be on the cloud, and most of your compute power will probably be in the cloud. So, they took a stripped down Linux kernel and built an operating system around the idea that hardly anything is local.

It's a very interesting and forward-thinking product. Is it really sensible now? No. But if the only products you build are what's sensible now, you'll end up like Microsoft, constantly developing products for technology from 2-3 years ago. Google is pushing the envelope with Chrome; the operating system itself could take off or not, but it's success as a product (I think) lies more in the implications of an operating system LIKE Chrome than in the OS itself.

Computing in the cloud isn't a big deal yet for the typical end user, but its usefulness is absolutely skyrocketing for the technology industry. When the infrastructure is there (which could take 5-10 years) the Chrome OS model will start to look a lot more appealing.

Apps are the future for regularly used online services. The web will be for searching for info, not programs you run on a regular basis.

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I think Google would agree. But their app interface would be web-backed, not run locally. I like your posts a lot, MRD, but I wouldn't say that Chrome is DOA. I would say it hasn't had the chance to come to life yet. Today's web interface would absolutely suck for running all of today's applications, but that doesn't mean it's always going to be that way. The idea here is that the web will get good enough to be your desktop, and when that happens, all you need is a browser for everything. And THEN, all your OS needs to be is Chrome OS.

Don't want software as a service. I already choose a 100% libre GNU/Linux distro for a very specific reason. I'm not about to hand over my freedom without a fight.

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If the cloud model takes off, this isn't the issue. It's not where the software comes from, like tightly-controlled Apple software or open source efforts, but rather the medium. The medium will be the web, and you'd be able to use your open source products and services through a web platform.

I heard quite a bit about chrome os earlier this year but then it seemed to drop of the radar. Johan pretty much covered the details of it in his above post.