Google in a surprise announcement said it would release an Operating System for PCs sometime next year. The operating system is named as Google Chrome OS and it is based on Chrome browser.
Just like any other service of Google, Google Chrome OS will be available freely for everyone and it is initially targeted to run on netbooks with main focus on speed, simplicity, and security.
Here is an overview of what Google said about the new OS
- It is a free operating system
- Source code of the operating system will be available as open source
- Its based on Linux kernel and Google Chrome browser
- It will run on x86- and ARM-based netbooks
- Goal: build an OS that boots in seconds and runs Web apps really well
Let’s Hope It’ll Not Be Like The Half Backed Google Chrome Browser
I’m a not a big fan of Google Chrome browser because: it crashes too often, refuse to open web pages when the bandwidth of internet connection is low, some tabs refuse to close and leaves me with the only option of killing the chrome process to close them and can’t trust it to play flash videos as either become non-responsive or crash because of shock wave plugin failure.
Google Chrome browser is a half backed software. It’s really good at certain things and bad at many things. I use Chrome to quickly check my GMail, Calendar, AdSense accounts as it launches at ultrafast speeds. But when it comes to serious browsing, Chrome is of no use. Chrome is an useful application that serves very limited purpose and it can’t replace a serious web browser like Firefox or for that matter IE.
Being said that about Google Chrome browser, lets hope Google will be more serious in developing the new operating system Google Chrome OS. No body needs an OS that is capable of doing very few things in the best possible way. We need an OS that can make us to think of replacing Windows – just like Firefox which replaced IE from our desktops.
Resources To Read More About Google Chrome OS
To know more details about the announcement, here are links to few articles
Eleven Questions About Google’s Chrome OS – Technolizer
Technolizer has written a nice article that gives an in-depth analysis of Google Chrome OS. This article answers the following question about the Chrome OS: Why would Google do this?, Why Chrome, Not Android?, Why would a PC manufacturer want it?, Just how Web-based can (and should) an OS be?, etc.
Microsoft set to respond to Google OS next Monday? – neowin
Neowin analyses why Google announced its plans ahead of big announcement from Microsoft on coming Monday.
No thanks Google, we’ve got Ubuntu – ZD Net
ZD Net has an interesting take on why the open source Ubuntu will be reliable than the up coming Google Chrome OS. The post says
Google’s decision to create its own Linux distribution and splinter the Linux community decisively once again can only be seen as foolhardy and self-obsessive
Chrome OS, Huh? Will it be Based on a Google Analytics Kernel? – Digital Daily
Google is already holds DNA of millions of its users collected through various of its services? Will this OS adds up more to our privacy concerns? Will Chrome OS be yet one more deep well of consumer data to which Google will have access?
After Chrome OS, how long can the Google-Apple friendship last?
Google and Apple are good friends, but how long this friendship is going to sustain? Already they are competing in the mobile industry with their products – Android and iPhone. Now they are rival with each other on the operating system front!!