Chrome OS

[-HP-]

Mmm... I guess this is simply the OS for people that browse the internet, 101% of their time.

What about compatibility with Mac and Windows programs? What about video games? Drivers? etc, lot's of unanswered questions, too many.

edit, here's the demo

[Thrik]

It has no software support whatsoever from what I understand. Everything including the OS itself is delivered via the web browser interface.

According to Google it's not designed for proper desktop use at all, instead to be used on netbooks and stuff like that. I read earlier it'll only run on specific (netbook) hardware too, so you can't just install it on any machine you like.

Power users are most probably going to hate it, but casual users who primarily use their laptops for browsing the web, using online applications, etc will most probably be fine with it. It seems more comparable to an iPhone on steroids, like an ultra PDA. I guess that's what a netbook is anyway though.

[Sentura]

think of it as a mac osx replacement

[Sindwiller]

think of it as a mac osx replacement

Without Photoshop or Pro Tools ^^

[-HP-]

I don't get it... So many people bash windows, and no one dares to make a better OS. People have to understand that the future is not "click one button and the computer will do it for you", at least that's not how I see it.

Windows has lot's of problems, but no OS can even touch It's capabilities. Again, this is my opinion, I don't want to start a flame war here, so mac users, gtfo!

[Thrik]

I think Windows hate has kind of died down a bit as more people have tried OS X and Linux distros and realise they don't actually like them that much after all — they realise that Windows does do what it does pretty well.

However, for some people OS X is preferable because it suits their needs better. After all, not everyone needs games or multimedia software. In fact, for a lot of people Facebook and music are pretty much all their computers are used for! Something like OS X is ideal for such people, kind of comparable to the iPhone versus any number of dedicated PDAs or miscellaneous smart phones. Very slick, do the job well, and have excellent user interfaces that appeal to the most and least technically savvy of users alike.

I think the whole 'one OS for everything' thing will kind of die down with time, and instead we'll find them becoming more specialised towards certain types of people. For example something like Chrome OS could become the standard OS for netbooks (it's clearly not meant to be a desktop OS, which isn't surprising seeing as it's coming from Google), just like Android could become the standard OS for mobile phones.

One thing worth highlighting at this point is that Chrome OS is based on Linux.

[-HP-]

One thing worth highlighting at this point is that Chrome OS is based on Linux.

Yep, and It's open source.

[Section_Ei8ht]

Correct. This OS is for netbooks only. That's what it's designed for. A netbook's sole purpose is to go on the internet and that's it, hence why this is perfect for it. It's not meant to replace windows or mac osx in any way shape or form.

With google being a web company and having stateless web applications that act as alternatives for just about every common business/home application (outlook becomes gmail/calendar; office becomes docs; etc...) it really is the perfect companion to that business strategy. With Google now offering cloud computing services for businesses to run google web based produces instead of things like ms office or open office, this is the perfect addendum to that strategy (netbooks work great for the traveling salesman role if your company intranet is a web application an vpn/internet accessible.

Where I work, all of our inventory management and business logic applications are web-based. Right now we have slab tablet PC's that the warehouse workers keep handy to do inventory management. Netbooks are perfect for situations like that. We have one or two attached to lift trucks with barcode scanners to make their lives easier.

[hessi]

reading in this forum about operating systems is so much fun...

who wants to bash me, because i use mac os and ubuntu and will not switch to anything different in the next 2 years?

topic:

i haven't paid much attention to google's OS, but imo an OS that is constructed around internet services seems to be something innovative and right. many of us use web applications or applications that access a certain api over the internet. so why shouldn't an OS do make use of a web based API?

btw: talking of drivers is so windows/linux talk. using a mac is like "WTF: you want a driver for that shitty device? go fuck yourself!". almost everything is plug-and-use. comparing to windows/linux: install a (kernel)driver and then reboot the entire system. after 5 reboots and updates the new hardware might probably work -> sucks anus!

an important notice: use what ever platform you are happy with, but please respect users that think different!

[Skjalg]

I think this is the future right here.

[-HP-]

here we go again...

[Psy]

This is great. Imagine a notebook with 3G and Chrome OS. EOT on the go!

[Bic-B@ll]

its perfect for my mother

[Duff-e]

it's perfect for bic's mother

[Skjalg]

I think this is perfect for most people, except power users.

Only thing I use my computer for now-a-days is to play games (probably better on the xbox), browsing internet (probably better on chrome os) and watch movies/tv series (probably better on xbox).