Google Chromium OS Released

Moejoe · 11-20-2009, 12:30 PM

If you don't know by now, Google have been working on a new Operating System based around their Chrome Web Browser. That operating system (in source code) is now available here: http://www.chromium.org/chromium-os

Here's an intro video explaining Chromium

A more in-depth demo (Interesting to MR users might be the hint at 6:35 at how Google is portraying Google Books usage in relation to the netbook)

GA Russell · 11-20-2009, 01:10 PM

Is that what is meant by cloud computing?

PS - OK, I posted my question after watching the first video, and now I see that they discuss cloud computing on the second video.

Jaime_Astorga · 11-21-2009, 07:16 PM

Some people have already installed it by using the source code. Behold, Chromium OS!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JASlXyJt-ZA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTjFeUtCvLo

Underwhelming, isn't it? The only program in the OS is a browser! No other programs may be installed. No user created files may be saved or read from the local memory. The OS is completely dependent on the internet for functionality. Want to play a game? You need to go to a game website. Want to work on a document? You need to use an online office suite and save the document to some remote server when you are done.

Not only that, but Chromium OS has a stifling list of restrictions on hardware. For starters, no hard drives are allowed; flash storage only. That is to ensure fast booting times. It only gets worse from there. As I've said elsewhere, this kind of fascist control over the user experience by keeping a tight grip on hardware and software is more of Apple's shtick, and I have no idea what possessed Google to dip into it.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/19/l...-announcement/
http://www.maximumpc.com/article/fea...bout_chrome_os
http://arstechnica.com/open-source/n...nouncement.ars

Moejoe · 11-21-2009, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaime_Astorga

Some people have already installed it by using the source code. Behold, Chromium OS!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JASlXyJt-ZA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTjFeUtCvLo

Underwhelming, isn't it? The only program in the OS is a browser! No other programs may be installed. No user created files may be saved or read from the local memory. The OS is completely dependent on the internet for functionality. Want to play a game? You need to go to a game website. Want to work on a document? You need to use an online office suite and save the document to some remote server when you are done.

Not only that, but Chromium OS has a stifling list of restrictions on hardware. For starters, no hard drive are allowed; flash storage only. That is to ensure fast booting times. It only gets worse from there. As I've said elsewhere, this kind of fascist control over the user experience by keeping a tight grip on hardware and software is more of Apple's shtick, and I have no idea what possessed Google to dip into it.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/19/l...-announcement/
http://www.maximumpc.com/article/fea...bout_chrome_os
http://arstechnica.com/open-source/n...nouncement.ars

Exciting and yet worrying at the same time. Exciting because it's Open Sourced, so you can bet all the annoyances are squashed in a non-Google version. Worrying because the vast majority of computer users won't be savvy enough to use that 'free' version and will gladly give Google all their data in exchange for convenience.

Interesting times....

wodin · 11-21-2009, 08:15 PM

As my signature over in the Android forum says:

The Cloud is EVIL!

no.guru · 11-21-2009, 09:07 PM

I see a Debian server and a dumb terminal.

Moejoe · 11-21-2009, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by no.guru

I see a Debian server and a dumb terminal.

I see dead people

(sorry, couldn't resist)

HarryT · 11-22-2009, 05:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaime_Astorga

Underwhelming, isn't it? The only program in the OS is a browser! No other programs may be installed. No user created files may be saved or read from the local memory. The OS is completely dependent on the internet for functionality. Want to play a game? You need to go to a game website. Want to work on a document? You need to use an online office suite and save the document to some remote server when you are done.

It sounds like a return from the grave of Larry Ellison's vision of "thin clients" from a few years back, where his concept was a very simple Java-enabled PC, with all the "computing" being done on a central server.

vivaldirules · 11-22-2009, 06:45 AM

I'm with the rest of you. I loved what I was hearing in the first video and was almost cheering: yes!, PCs need to boot much, much faster and bypass some of the processes that are lower priority. But then at 2:28 when he said that nothing is stored on the computer, I instantly was brought back to the days when my IT organization wanted everyone to have dumb terminals and they wanted complete control of what applications I ran and how they were run on their remote processor. Gladly, those days are long gone.

But I'm old and remember those times and I wonder if today's youth know or care about such things. Perhaps they will jump into this big time.

GeoffC · 11-22-2009, 08:37 AM

Once upon a long time, used to be Time Sharing Options .... TSOs .

The idea is Okay, and may have worked 30 years ago; but now where everyone is so used to Personal Computers, it's a long haul to expect users to become used to everything they do now at the mercy of a "cloud runner" (no matter who they be, nor how secure they claim to be).

Mobile Mason · 11-22-2009, 02:28 PM

Not at all what I was expecting at all from Google. I was going to compile this on my Netbook or on VMWare, but now I'm just not going to waste my time.

I'll just stick with Mac OSX and Ubuntu

Edit: I thought I might as well give it a go, considering how much I use the "Google Cloud" for everyday stuff.

11-20-2009, 12:30 PM	#1
Moejoe Banned Posts: 5,100 Karma: 72193 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: South of the Border Device: Coffin	Google Chromium OS Released If you don't know by now, Google have been working on a new Operating System based around their Chrome Web Browser. That operating system (in source code) is now available here: http://www.chromium.org/chromium-os Here's an intro video explaining Chromium A more in-depth demo (Interesting to MR users might be the hint at 6:35 at how Google is portraying Google Books usage in relation to the netbook)

11-20-2009, 01:10 PM	#2
GA Russell Montreal wins Grey Cup! Posts: 7,583 Karma: 31484197 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Device: Paperwhite, Kindles 10 & 4 and jetBook Lite	Is that what is meant by cloud computing? PS - OK, I posted my question after watching the first video, and now I see that they discuss cloud computing on the second video. Last edited by GA Russell; 11-20-2009 at 02:31 PM.

11-21-2009, 07:16 PM	#3
Jaime_Astorga Member Retired Posts: 274 Karma: 4446 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Florida Device: PRS-350-SC: Sony Reader Pocket Edition	Some people have already installed it by using the source code. Behold, Chromium OS! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JASlXyJt-ZA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTjFeUtCvLo Underwhelming, isn't it? The only program in the OS is a browser! No other programs may be installed. No user created files may be saved or read from the local memory. The OS is completely dependent on the internet for functionality. Want to play a game? You need to go to a game website. Want to work on a document? You need to use an online office suite and save the document to some remote server when you are done. Not only that, but Chromium OS has a stifling list of restrictions on hardware. For starters, no hard drives are allowed; flash storage only. That is to ensure fast booting times. It only gets worse from there. As I've said elsewhere, this kind of fascist control over the user experience by keeping a tight grip on hardware and software is more of Apple's shtick, and I have no idea what possessed Google to dip into it. http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/19/l...-announcement/ http://www.maximumpc.com/article/fea...bout_chrome_os http://arstechnica.com/open-source/n...nouncement.ars Last edited by Jaime_Astorga; 11-22-2009 at 04:09 PM.

11-22-2009, 02:28 PM	#11
Mobile Mason Resident Anglophile Posts: 76 Karma: 460 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Ohio, United States Device: Kindle 2	Not at all what I was expecting at all from Google. I was going to compile this on my Netbook or on VMWare, but now I'm just not going to waste my time. I'll just stick with Mac OSX and Ubuntu Edit: I thought I might as well give it a go, considering how much I use the "Google Cloud" for everyday stuff. Last edited by Mobile Mason; 11-22-2009 at 02:52 PM.

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11-21-2009, 08:15 PM	#5
wodin Illiterate Posts: 10,279 Karma: 37848716 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: The Sandwich Isles Device: Samsung Galaxy S10+, Microsoft Surface Pro	As my signature over in the Android forum says: *The Cloud is EVIL!*

11-21-2009, 09:07 PM	#6
no.guru Crazy like a Posts: 229 Karma: 2368978 Join Date: May 2009 Device: Sony PRS-T1, Sony PRS-350	I see a Debian server and a dumb terminal.

11-22-2009, 06:45 AM	#9
vivaldirules When's Doughnut Day? Posts: 10,059 Karma: 13675475 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Houston, TX, US Device: Sony PRS-505, iPad	I'm with the rest of you. I loved what I was hearing in the first video and was almost cheering: yes!, PCs need to boot much, much faster and bypass some of the processes that are lower priority. But then at 2:28 when he said that nothing is stored on the computer, I instantly was brought back to the days when my IT organization wanted everyone to have dumb terminals and they wanted complete control of what applications I ran and how they were run on their remote processor. Gladly, those days are long gone. But I'm old and remember those times and I wonder if today's youth know or care about such things. Perhaps they will jump into this big time.

11-22-2009, 08:37 AM	#10
GeoffC Chocolate Grasshopper ... Posts: 27,600 Karma: 20821184 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Scotland Device: Muse HD , Cybook Gen3 , Pocketbook 302 (Black) , Nexus 10: wife has PW	Once upon a long time, used to be Time Sharing Options .... TSOs . The idea is Okay, and may have worked 30 years ago; but now where everyone is so used to Personal Computers, it's a long haul to expect users to become used to everything they do now at the mercy of a "cloud runner" (no matter who they be, nor how secure they claim to be).

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