Google Chrome operating system planned for second half 2010
Posted on 08 July 2009, at 5:17 am, by Wayne Schulz
Late last night Google dropped the bomb that many people have been expecting for quite some time. For years we’ve all been talking about how the web browser could eventually become the operating system. I first remember hearing this discussed when Netscape rose up to take on Microsoft’s dominant Internet Explorer. Until now though the thought of browser as OS has largely remained a distant but ever more believable dream. The dream may become reality if Google has their way.
In a blog post on their site posted last night, Google announced to expect a version of Google Chrome that would be open source and function as an operating system in the second half of 2010.
Certainly a large part of these plans (and perhaps the initial launch) are aimed squarely at the lowly Netbook. These sub $400 laptop computers are increasingly looking like they are here to stay.
Microsoft’s Windows 7 is slated to begin shipping in October 2009. However the company has caused a stir by announcing a confusing array of pricing as well as attempting to limit the types of Netbooks that could run its lowest priced Windows 7 version.
Google Chrome OS will be a separate project from Google’s other operating system known as Android. As the company explains in their blog post:
Google Chrome OS is a new project, separate from Android. Android was designed from the beginning to work across a variety of devices from phones to set-top boxes to netbooks. Google Chrome OS is being created for people who spend most of their time on the web, and is being designed to power computers ranging from small netbooks to full-size desktop systems. While there are areas where Google Chrome OS and Android overlap, we believe choice will drive innovation for the benefit of everyone, including Google.
It’s still too early to judge what Microsoft’s reaction to this may be. At the outset it seems likely that they will be required to revamp their Windows 7 upgrade pricing.
This is welcome news for the consumer as competition tends to stir innovation and protect users from pricing that is out of line with the marketplace. Increasingly that marketplace has been flocking to low powered, low priced Netbooks in an increasing realization that much of what users want to run is located within their web browser.
The web as an operating system had been predicted for quite some time. Now we shall see if Google can pull it off or whether Microsoft might have a response lurking somewhere in their engineering labs.
Google Blog Post – Introducing the Google Chrome OS
No related posts.
July 8th, 2009 at 8:12 am
I don’t think Google is going to use the Web as the OS. How could you? In order to even load a browser, you will need a kernel and some basic things like filesystems. It’s possible, but you’d still need some code on a flash drive or disk somewhere.
What I DO think will happen is Chrome OS will be based on a Linux kernel(you need a kernel after all and Linux has the support they’ll need). Then, they will have Chrome on it. Hopefully, instead of writing their own graphic engine they will use Xorg and then use a established environment like Gnome or KDE. Google does not have to reinvent the wheel. The wheel is already there. They just have to make it better than all the other wheels out there. That’s a tall order.
July 8th, 2009 at 11:11 am
The problem here is that they are proposing a RADICAL paradigm shift that, if taken to the point they intend it to be taken to, will require a hardware paradigm shift to implement. They are looking for an instant on, non-disk based “operating system” that boots the device, but requires the cloud for apps, storage, and communications.
My basic issues and concerns with cloud computing still stand: what happens if you can’t get to the cloud, for what ever reason (connectivity problems, remote locations, or even, hey…I have to turn the wi-fi/3G radio off because I have to get on a plane)? To an extent, Joel, you’re right, but if we take it to the level your’re suggesting, it is NOT going to work, as it relies TOO heavily on the current paradigm. They want something that breaks away from the paradigm that was initially created with DOS/Windows/Apple back in the late ’70’s/early 80’s. To do that, they have to go “back to formula” and reinvent a “better” wheel.
Yes, they have to come up with some kind of file system, and some kind of kernel so that the device does in fact, “boot;” but really all they want is some kind of local file system to hold that “kernel,” graphics sub-system so the display works, and device drivers for what ever is hanging off the device. All else is going to rely on the cloud.
In order to make all of this work, they aren’t going to have to get buy-in from the enterprise; but from consumers. If THEY buy into it, then yes… MS AND Apple will have to radically rethink what they do, how they price it, how they market and present it, etc. However, this goes way beyond what Wayne (and Google) originally relate.
But that’s just me…
July 8th, 2009 at 11:24 am
“The Web as an operating system”? How? Would you HAVE to be connected ALL the time? What happens if you can’t connect for some reason? Do you just have a very fancy paperweight?
No, methinks it will be on top of Linux as well, with extensions that are web-based. Better have plenty of bandwidth.
July 8th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
As Wil Wheaton just tweeted … isn’t there already an open-source alternative for netbooks?
July 8th, 2009 at 12:18 pm
I think the point is that Google can give Microsoft a big run for their money. As to running off the Internet I think they’re going to boot from a Linux based system then I bet many of the icons, etc will go to the Internet when available and Google Gears when disconnected (which is built into Chrome already).
July 8th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
You may be right, Wayne; but the way I read the articles on ZDNet, I think I’ve read it right. If they truly do reengineer the OS as a web-based platform, the questions that I and jkj1962 asked are legitimate. (altho the implementation of Gears would solve a lot of the “what do I do when I am/can not connected…)
July 8th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
I think Google looks at Gears as ‘offline Web based’ so it would actually flow pretty well as Wayne said.
July 8th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Regarding the “offline” bit….OK with Gears you apparently get copies of the docs and apps stored locally on your device.
http://googledocs.blogspot.com.....h-you.html
“As long as I have an Internet connection, every change I make is saved to the cloud. When I lose my connection, I sacrifice some features, but I can still access my documents…even when I’m offline (the goodness that Google Gears provides). When my connection comes back, my documents sync up again with the server.”
OK, that sort of makes sense. It looks like they’re using the reverse of on-line backup. Instead of the documents being local and backed up to the ‘net, they’re on the ‘net and backed up locally.
In terms of “giving Microsoft a big run for their money”, they’ll have to sell it as “this is a better way to work, period” rather than simply “better than/less expensive than Windows”. Sell the cloud concept first, with the OS comparison secondary.
July 8th, 2009 at 9:50 pm
Actually I am going to do a post on why Chrome OS is probably just another Linux distro. Sure, the interface may be different than any other OS but you still need a kernel. You still have to interact and abstract the hardware. You COULD deal with not being online all the time by making everything work through Google Gears, but last I checked people also want to do things like play music and unless there are some new services deployed by Google, that won’t be included.
As online and in the cloud as Google is, they still realize there are offline things people want to do too.