Google Likely to Replace Android with Chrome

[Sregener]

Originally Posted by Prestidigitweeze

Apple users have often asserted their platform is safe, but malware and viruses still exist, and in the days before OSX (c-r-e-a-k!), you couldn't print out a word document from a floppy disc at Kinko's without bringing home a virtual venereal disease.

There are vastly fewer viruses and malware for OS X, in part because it is a more secure operating system. Most of the malware requires you to type in your administrator password to install. Thus, the programs need to trick the user into doing that. That's not impossible (the Adobe Flash updater trick) but not easy, either. And the few holes that have been really bad have been the fault of third-parties like Adobe's Flash or Sun's Java. Those technologies have provided a back door around Apple's security, and it's no secret that Apple doesn't like that one bit.

However, history has shown that browsers are particularly troublesome to keep secure and clean, and there's no reason to think that an OS based on a browser will be more secure and clean than previous browsers have been. So I would find any claims that ChromeOS is secure simply because it contains no code from Microsoft (see paragraph above for two other companies whose code would need to be excluded in any security-conscious effort) to be extremely doubtful.

[Graham]

Originally Posted by Prestidigitweeze

Perhaps the Chrome user takes fewer chances of acquiring malware and adware, but only at first -- in proportion to the ubiquity and popularity of the OS.

Originally Posted by Sregener

So I would find any claims that ChromeOS is secure simply because it contains no code from Microsoft (see paragraph above for two other companies whose code would need to be excluded in any security-conscious effort) to be extremely doubtful.

These aren't the reasons why ChromeOS is considered to be very secure. Separate apps and processes are sandboxed, and a boot verification process checks for changes, overwriting with clean code if necessary. See:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-10403664-245.html

Google regularly runs events with cash prizes to get hackers to try to find loopholes:

http://www.tgdaily.com/security-feat...own-and-secure

Google's rapidly evolving web-centric Chrome OS managed to stave off hordes of hackers this past weekend at Mountain View's Pwnium (3) hack event.

Indeed, attendees failed to locate a security flaw in the locked-down OS, which would have netted them some of the $3,141,590 prize offered by Google.

It's doing its best to be a very hard target for attackers; it's not just relying on safety by obscurity.

Graham

[Rbneader]

Originally Posted by Graham

a boot verification process checks for changes, overwriting with clean code if necessary.

Seriously? Man, I hate that kind of stuff. I like having OS options open. MS secure boot with Win 8 is already enough to get me to not buy that OS. I guess this is just one more reason to stay far, far away from Chrome.

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by Rbneader

Seriously? Man, I hate that kind of stuff. I like having OS options open. MS secure boot with Win 8 is already enough to get me to not buy that OS. I guess this is just one more reason to stay far, far away from Chrome.

Developer mode.

[Kumabjorn]

Google has just released some Chromebooks in Sweden, one of their main selling points is that Chrome OS is virus free, you never have to worry about virus or hackers if you use it.

I think that is one dangerous claim to make, because sooner or later someone will be determined to prove them wrong and then Google opens up itself to class action suits.

[SeaKing]

I have decided that my next Net-Book will be a Chromebook.

As for turning in my mobile Android devices, well that will come later if at all.
I have to ask what is Chrome going to do for them. I can see the purpose with the laptop/netbooks. Get rid of MS!

[ApK]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I don't buy it. I have no real personal investment in it--emotional or otherwise--I just don't buy it.

Add me to the list of non-believers.

Anyway, we have a Chromebook C7, and for the price, it's suiting its role fine. It's roll is "little thing with a decent keyboard and mouse to keep by the recliner so my wife can browse her forums while watching TV.

Even for my non-techie wife, though, ChromeOS is just not functional enough on it's own and she has to rely on her main laptop (and her Android phone) for many things.

I was half-tempted to get another one and run Linux on it for myself, but there really are just too many Windows-specific things I need to run to make it worth even the relatively small cost, and even as a non-primary computer.