Chrome OS by Google

Last September Google announced the availability of Chrome, the Google browser.  I installed it and immediately wrote a review where I called “Chrome” an Operating System (OS)! I was correct.

Today Google announced that indeed the Chrome browser will morph by next year into a lite operating system that can run mostly netbooks –those low-cost Internet appliances that are used for mainly surfing the web and using a few web applications.

Google Chrome

Chrome OS: The Good & Bad! Continued…All About Chrome OS…

Speed, simplicity and security are the key aspects of Google Chrome OS, it’s mentioned on their development blog.  This is all good news, but there are a lot of factors that need to be considered.  I can remember the “resistance” that followed when Google announced gMail and the fact that while we read our email ads will appear related to the content of the email.

I haven’t heard too much ‘resistance’ lately about that.  I am sure the benefits of gMail far outweigh the fact that each email is ‘read’ to display relevant ads.

So, what can we expect with Chrome OS?

What I feel are the BAD parts of the Google Chrome OS:

• Google will know everything –they will have a “direct line” to each OS user. To each Internet connected device.  Will they know what’s in my refrigerator?  Sure. Nothing like a few RFID’s, a reader that inventories the content of the frig. Then sets up an order form or prints a list of needed items. Will I then see ads that let me know what type of milk I’ll should be buying based on my age and family?
• They can gather all the information that they want about their user behavior.  Nothing wrong there. After all, we give them permission to do it.  Again, it’s amazing what we accept in exchange for convenience.  In my case I am the Rich Sage, but I find it amazing how people put online their life and everything else we DO NOT need to know for everyone to see.
• The problem is WHAT future uses they will dream up from that?
• Lastly, much of the Chrome OS will enable “cloud computing”, with apps running online.  Better make sure all that data and business information is secure and backed up.

NOW to some GREAT parts of Google Chrome OS:

• It’s going to be ‘tiered’ –small footprint for devices like netbooks.  I assume that for more work-intensive machines it will have to be much more robust.
• This means that we’ll not install a bloated OS onto something that is needed just to read or surf or just print a document.
• It’s going to run on Linux.  An OS like that can pretty easily exist on a USB drive.  Just get to take your computer with you where ever you go!
• Applications that run on Chrome OS will be able to run on any type of browser –this is THE best feature –now developers can make applications that work across the ever increasing collection of browsers. Chrome will BE THE standard.
• There will be a myriad of devices that will be able to run the OS and along with it the applications that we need to deliver to the users!

Now a lasting benefit — Now with major players Apple, Microsoft, Google, Linux flavors, etc. all making great progress, consumers will benefit from more stable and security conscious products.  I think in the future, we’ll be able to fill a form online letting any one of the OS producers know what we need from the operating system and then download for free or a fee an OS that is customized to our needs and hardware.  In a way that is almost there with Linux, but it’s a long way away from the typical user.

With another player the world of OS’s got crowded, but for us users the world became a better place. I hope we can do more and dream of applications that haven’t been thought of yet!

Carpe Diem,
Rich Sage