Google introduces Chrome OS

Google has now officially announced information about its Chrome operating system at the press conference. The open source OS was introduced by Google VP Sundar Pichai and Engineering Director Matthew Papakipos.

There was no Beta or other product launches. The final product is planned to be released in a year. However, Google did demonstrate the Chrome OS which promises to bring cloud computing to applications. The source code for the operating system is for all to see here.

The OS is largely based on the heavy use of Chrome web browser. The aim is for speed, simplicity and safety. There is no need for installing software because of the cloud computing. Cloud applications can be created by anyone using common and simple languages such as HTML 5.

In the demonstration of Chrome OS reboot took 7 seconds while logging in only 3. The applications opened in tabs as you can see in the pictures below.

In addition to HTML 5 you can use Flash to create applications. The operating system allows the reordering of tabs and you can create new windows and group websites/applications.

Despite the focus in cloud computing and applications, you can browse the files of a traditional mass storage with the web browser.

According to Google they have achieved the speed by dropping out everything redundant.

Safety has been taken care of requirement for application signatures. That way it is far harder to get infested with malware because they do not get the signatures required for installation. If unsigned software is about to be launched, the OS halts and is restored to clean state.

Chrome OS features mandatory automatic updates that will quickly fix possible security holes. There is also no need for additional security patches for older versions, because each of the systems runs the same up-to-date version.

For ordinary consumer the only way to acquire Chrome OS is to buy a computer with one installed. You won't be able to install it on traditional hard drives, only Solid State Drives are supported.

Although Chrome OS relies largely on web content, internet connection is not required. You can store files and use the offline capabilities of HTML 5 applications.

The operating system currently supports ARM and x86 processors and the computer that was used in the demonstration was Asus Eee series. That confirms that the operating system will be available mostly on netbooks.

Written by: Matti Robinson @ 20 Nov 2009 4:26

Amak

And if you can't find a connection or your's somehow dies? Poof, no usable OS!

20.11.2009 07:05 #1

qintoobli

Seems fairly restricted (App sig's etc although i see why it is) but I do love google chrome!

Quote:For ordinary consumer the only way to acquire Chrome OS is to buy a computer with one installed. You won't be able to install it on traditional hard drives, only Solid State Drives are supported. That�s a shame... once it comes out ill have to acquire it and an SSD ;)

20.11.2009 09:41 #2

oappi

it seems i was right they use whitelists, lets see if they let truested 3. parties to sign software too...

why cant ordinary ppl just buy computer that already have ssd, but dont have crome installed and install crome afterwards? Pricey dosnt mean ordinary ppl cant buy those... it is only a matter how you are willing to spend your money. Ssd:s aren't even that pricey if you think about it. You can get 80gb intel ssd for 200€ (not long a go everyone was paying that for standard hdd). If i had sata connector in my laptop i would have already bought one, unfortunately i bought one with ide (i think that was last models that had ide).

20.11.2009 11:06 #3

Josipher

you gotta hand it to google for picking the right target audience tohugh..this is genius simplicity at its finest..to design an OS like this for netbooks..cause when you buy a netbook what do you do on it mostly? NET NET NET! so when you tell a guy who wants a netbook whether he would rather have the hassle of viruses reboot times and system maintenance or just surf the web in seconds the anwser couldnt be clearer.for me i might just buy a netbook..but for now i only use google chrome for browsing..since i dont need all the stupid add ons and the hassle of firefox and because its just zooming all round the place its simply perfect for me.

20.11.2009 11:17 #4

cart0181

Google is certainly taking advantage of the shift to SSDs. They know their OS will look slow(er) on HDDs, so they simply make it not work on those. Uhh, why doesn't it work on HDDs again? Sounds like CONTROL to me...
The fact of the matter is, SSDs make OSX and Windows a hell of a lot faster too. Don't get me wrong here, I'm excited about having another option for an OS out there. Well, truly this is not much more than just another Linux dristro, except this one relies heavily on Trusted Computing and internet from the sounds of it. We will see what happens.

20.11.2009 13:40 #5

scum101

yup.. netbook, linux and opera.. nice team... I don't trust chrome because I don't trust google... and firefox is just too damn bloated for a netbook.

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20.11.2009 13:45 #6

Venom5880

Based on that video clip, it does look like Google's will have exactly what the average computer user needs.

On the bright side, it saves people that actually know how to use Windows from having to constantly fix the random issues family and friends have on their computers. With no real control over the OS, they shouldn't be able to screw anything up anymore.

Which makes it so disappointing that they only plan on distributing it as preinstalled on computer rather and excluding stand-alone installs. I would love to get Windows off of my in-law's computers since they somehow manage to ruin Windows XP at least once a month...

21.11.2009 09:43 #7

borhan9

They try to simplify things however with all these restrictions plus restrictions on what type of hard drive u can install the operating system on it is kinda going to get you nowhere.

Ill wait for the final product.

21.11.2009 17:02 #8

Riderwear

Thats a great idea and thanks for share information. Have some SPAM.

24.11.2009 01:18 #9

dorkydork

It seems like this OS is a little bit better than a SmartPhone OS.

"There is no need for installing software because of the cloud computing. "

Hmm.. Really? It doesn't take into account software like Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere, Flash Builder, 3D Studio Max, Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Open Office, Ableton, ANY INSTALLABLE GAMES etc. Even phones allow you to install commonly used apps!

I was hoping that they would come out with a system that replaces Windows, OSX and Linux. This is not it. I was hoping this would address 64bit, address massive amounts of memory, cpu advancements, take advantage of video cards for number crunching, multithreading, subatomic quantum computing (jk), etc.

If you can't run your software, which I need to for work in addition to play, a computer like this, in most cases, is useless to me.

PS I do like built in backup to the cloud and a safe OS but that's not enough IMHO...

28.11.2009 01:02 #10

pmshah

Originally posted by Venom5880: Based on that video clip, it does look like Google's will have exactly what the average computer user needs.

On the bright side, it saves people that actually know how to use Windows from having to constantly fix the random issues family and friends have on their computers. With no real control over the OS, they shouldn't be able to screw anything up anymore.

Which makes it so disappointing that they only plan on distributing it as preinstalled on computer rather and excluding stand-alone installs. I would love to get Windows off of my in-law's computers since they somehow manage to ruin Windows XP at least once a month...I have a suggestion for you. Get hold of the current version of Puppy Linux, something like 4.1.x . Put it on a DVD and change the system to boot from cd-dvd as first choice. Once you set it up for your in-laws' requirements trust me they will never miss windows in this life time.

28.11.2009 07:52 #11

Gneiss1

This is a fascinating experiment. It was McCarthy who once predicted that computing resources will become a public utility; though his programmer, Stallman, finds 'cloud computing' silly.

Indeed, GNU/Linux can be modified by a consultant to exactly satisfy any company's or individual's requirements. Cloud computing applications 'take the defaults'. Security (not a problem with GNU/Linux or MacOSX, if you have enough experience), is not a problem for anyone with cloud computing, [b]if & only if it's open source, like Chrome OS[b].

Cloud computing has the unique advantage that it can be run from any browser anywhere. It stores its data on one server, but snatches its applications from subscriptions at software companies. I assume it's independent of OS; and it would be great to hear from some actual users.

Could be very promising in socialist countries, if the country foot the bill for an average person's reasonable usage.

Originally posted by dorkydork: It seems like this OS is a little bit better than a SmartPhone OS.

"There is no need for installing software because of the cloud computing. "

Hmm.. Really? It doesn't take into account software like Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere, Flash Builder, 3D Studio Max, Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Open Office, Ableton, ANY INSTALLABLE GAMES etc. Even phones allow you to install commonly used apps! Microsoft offers you a subscription to its applications at

link

but I suspect these are not open-source, eliminating any kind of security: not just the NSA listening to your Verizon calls, but selling information to advertisers. (I've never used a MS system, though I've repaired & de-loused hundreds; GNU/Linux does all the above; clamav & snort prevent theft or infection)

Originally posted by dorkydork: I was hoping that they would come out with a system that replaces Windows, OSX and Linux. This is not it. I was hoping this would address 64bit, address massive amounts of memory, cpu advancements, take advantage of video cards for number crunching, multithreading, subatomic quantum computing (jk), etc. Cloud computing is networked by TCP/ip, so its power is determined by bandwidth and the computer you're running it on.

Originally posted by dorkydork: If you can't run your software, which I need to for work in addition to play, a computer like this, in most cases, is useless to me.

PS I do like built in backup to the cloud and a safe OS but that's not enough IMHO... Yes, if scientists can't modify the application to suit their needs, it's not of much value. Also, it doesn't provide the ability to teach programming that open-source software provides.

Still, it would be nice to hear from a user.

10.7.2010 19:43 #12

sandyl

My netbook is my main computer. Its computing power is way more than sufficient for all my normal work.

(If I need to do video editing, a highly specific application, more intensive by an order of magnitude than my daily work, I use a powerful machine specifically dedicated to that.)

I use XP with 2 gb memory and Opera. It takes about 2 seconds to come out of standby, with all my open apps and data just as I left them. I reboot once a month on average.

Opera does exactly what I want and not what Google or Mozilla wants.

All my data and apps are on my own HD, and not under control or accessible to some mega corporation or the government.

Why on earth would I, or any thinking person, want Google Chrome and "Cloud Computing"?

26.11.2010 11:08 #13

sandyl

ps I can back up my entire HD including the OS and all partitions with a faithful disk image in an hour --- usually overnight. It all goes onto a portable HD that fits in my shirt pocket. This should preempt any replies alleging a putative need for "Cloud Computing" as backup storage.

26.11.2010 11:17 #14

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