Google to launch operating system (and Gmail is no longer Beta)

[J-man]

Google is working on a operating system for netbooks. Called Chrome OS, it's expected to be released in the middle of 2010. "Speed, simplicity and security are the key aspects of Google Chrome OS,(..)We're designing the OS to be fast and lightweight, to start up and get you on to the web in a few seconds," according to google.

Chrome will be based on Linux and will be open source. I assume that google will focus on 'cloud computing', like if you want to use office applications you use the web based google docs. It looks like google is going head-to-had with microsoft.

Oh and they have pulled Gmail (amongst other projects) out of Beta, FINALLY!

 

[El Koeno]

Hmmm... It looks like it will be an OS than can only run a browser. Handy if you always have an internet connection, but I doubt it'll be useful to me personally.

 

[Bratmon]

I've known Google was out to take over the world for a long time. I've seen this coming ever since there was an article in Discover magazine a few years back.

 

[GoodGame]

I'd think such an OS would be able to do some java too. Sounds like a good idea if they can demo it with some basic apps---like maybe a version of OpenOffice.

 

[Aramazd]

Hmmm... It looks like it will be an OS than can only run a browser. Handy if you always have an internet connection, but I doubt it'll be useful to me personally.

I can't really see what its advantage is over plain Linux. Sure maybe the browser won't be starting up as fast, but that's not a big issue, IMHO, especially if you don't have internet access.

I'd think such an OS would be able to do some java too. Sounds like a good idea if they can demo it with some basic apps---like maybe a version of OpenOffice.

Google Docs. From what I've read the OS is about moving from desktop apps to online google services.

 

[Zuffox]

Hmmm... It looks like it will be an OS than can only run a browser. Handy if you always have an internet connection, but I doubt it'll be useful to me personally.

Where did you read this?

With Google Gears, some - or a lot - of the services will also be available offline. Not that I find Chrome OS tempting even so.

 

[Mise]

Oh so they're making yet another Linux distro...

Call me when they actually make a new OS.

 

[Zelig]

Oh so they're making yet another Linux distro...

Call me when they actually make a new OS.

Well, Chrome wasn't actually a new browser either, it just uses the WebKit layout engine.

 

[El Koeno]

Where did you read this?

With Google Gears, some - or a lot - of the services will also be available offline. Not that I find Chrome OS tempting even so.

Hmm.. yeah, you're probably right. I didn't read a whole lot to be honest.

 

[mdwh]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8139711.stm

It's not just for netbooks:

Google Chrome OS will be aimed initially at small, low-cost netbooks, but will eventually be used on PCs as well.

Hmmm... It looks like it will be an OS than can only run a browser.

Do you have a source for this? Whilst it seems to be optimised for running things via the web, I don't see any evidence that it can't run anything else.

Oh so they're making yet another Linux distro...

Call me when they actually make a new OS.

And Apple haven't made a new OS, they just made a Next distro...

 

[Genocidicbunny]

Chrome OS isnt targeted the same way Linux or Windows is. So its not "just another linux distro"
So far it seems like its a cloud based OS that will run around Chrome -- handy for small portable devices. It'll allow easier/faster/more integrated access to Google Apps which is great for netbooks and smartphone-like devices. If you're using a desktop or another traditional computer, its not meant for you.

Oh so they're making yet another Linux distro...

Call me when they actually make a new OS.

But if they make a completely new OS, they might be using an existing programming language. Its not really a new OS then, they should come up with their own language. And their own hardware! Heck, they should reinvent the transistor.

Its actually not confirmed yet if they're going the Linux route or going to use a port of Android, albeit its very likely that its going to be the Linux route.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8139711.stm

It's not just for netbooks:



Do you have a source for this? Whilst it seems to be optimised for running things via the web, I don't see any evidence that it can't run anything else.

Its supposed to be an OS based around Chrome:

Two separate sources—one inside the company and one outside it—have confirmed to Ars tonight that Google plans to launch an operating system built in some fashion around its new Web browser, Chrome.

http://arstechnica.com/web/news/200...lives-and-is-coming-to-a-netbook-near-you.ars

 

[admiral-bell]

Google has dueled with Microsoft (and won) in the search market. It has made attacks on other Microsoft applications with Google mail and Google docs. It even fought the browser war, by proxy, through Firefox. This is just the next step in Google's ongoing plan to unseat Microsoft, and become the new rulers of the world.

I hope it's a good OS; We need some more alternatives in that market.

 

[Genocidicbunny]

Again, this is not an alternative to Windows or OS X or even majority of Linux and etc distro's. Its closer to Android for netbooks.

 

[Mise]

Google criticised existing operating systems for being designed before the web took off, and without the web in mind; they said that their new operating system would be designed with "speed, simplicity and security in mind", that they were "completely redesigning the underlying security architecture of the OS so that users don't have to deal with viruses, malware and security updates". Forgive me if I expected a bit more than a Linux distro.

Oh, and Mac OS X is UNIX-based, not Linux-based; it's partly based on BSD (i.e. not Linux) and partly based on Apple IP.

 

[mdwh]

Again, this is not an alternative to Windows or OS X or even majority of Linux and etc distro's. Its closer to Android for netbooks.

I think it's hard to claim that it isn't intended to be in competition.

Windows and Linux are also targetting netbooks, and Netbook usage is rapidly increasing. Even if Google Chrome wasn't intended for desktops PCs, it's still in competition with Windows and Linux.

And it is intended to run on desktops too anyway, according to the BBC at least.

Its supposed to be an OS based around Chrome:

http://arstechnica.com/web/news/200...lives-and-is-coming-to-a-netbook-near-you.ars

"built in some fashion around" doesn't imply to me that it can't run any other applications.

(And even if they do set it up so that everything's done through a browser, the point is they intended normal applications to somehow be run that way. It's not like the only thing you can do with it is browse ordinary webpages, so saying "It looks like it will be an OS than can only run a browser." would still be a bit misleading in my opinion - their intention is to change the way that people run their existing applications, not limit people to only doing one thing.)

Forgive me if I expected a bit more than a Linux distro.

Oh, and Mac OS X is UNIX-based, not Linux-based; it's partly based on BSD (i.e. not Linux) and partly based on Apple IP.

I don't see that anyone claimed that OS X is Linux-based?

Obviously it isn't. But Apple is Next-based with Apple IP. Chrome will be Linux-based with Google IP. It's as much just a Linux distro, as OS X is just a Next or BSD distro.

 

[Turner]

I would really rather not see Google put MS out of business. Yeah, it may sound good at first, but all that would do is set them up to be the next microsoft. I'd rather see Google give MS a good run for their money, and in the end have both companies be the better for it.

Competition is good, m'kay.

 

[LightFang]

Google is incredibly hostile to privacy. Don't believe them when they say that they "Don't do evil." Because they do.

 

[Genocidicbunny]

Google is incredibly hostile to privacy. Don't believe them when they say that they "Don't do evil." Because they do.

And your supporting sources are?

 

[Shadylookin]

so you've got a linux distro with chrome instead of firefox. I'm predicting that it will be a huge flop.

 

[Mise]

I don't see that anyone claimed that OS X is Linux-based?

Obviously it isn't. But Apple is Next-based with Apple IP. Chrome will be Linux-based with Google IP. It's as much just a Linux distro, as OS X is just a Next or BSD distro.

Sorry, I misread "Next" as "Linux" for some reason. My mistake.

Anyway, if there were such thing as a BSD or Next distro*, OS X would be an ideal candidate. The difference between ChromeOS as Linux will be bigger than the difference between Fedora and Ubuntu, similar to the difference between OS X and BSD, but less than the difference between Linux and Windows.

*- that is, if we frequently referred to BSD or Next distros in the way that we refer to Linux distros. The word "distro" doesn't have a lot of meaning outside a Linux context -- but if we gave it a meaning, Mac OS X would be a good candidate for it to refer to.