Google Chrome OS: What it means for netbooks today

Chris · #1 (**permalink**) 11-19-2009, 09:38 PM

Google released it's source code for the new Google Chrome operating system today (download it here) and we finally have an idea of what it will be - A browser based OS that loads web apps with your data being stored online (aka Cloud): So what does this mean to netbook users today? Well, although Google [...]

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#2 (**permalink**) 11-19-2009, 10:36 PM

Most of the time, my wi-fi cloud is on the horizon and only about the size of a man's hand. Also, my frequent travels across international borders take me around multiple telcos who want hefty tolls for using their telephone data service for a day or week. My SSD equipped netbook with an independent OS and storage is my personal electronic assistant for non-cloud areas. If I had a full-time cloud, I could keep the independent OS and still set it up for the cloud. Is the cloud speed going to be faster than my internal independent system?

Sometimes I write irresponsible comments or download unwise material. Cloud storage means it is public and saved forever. At least I can be sure it is deleted on my own netbook before it possibly gets to the public zone.

Right now Microsoft XP is the devil I know and Chrome the devil I don't know. How can I transfer data to/from my non-Chrome computers? What's to keep Google from *helping* me by scanning my data for searches and marketing according to my IP location? Sometimes there's rain and dry lightning in the cloud.

ThisIsNot · #3 (**permalink**) 11-19-2009, 11:55 PM

I saw some videos of Chrome OS running and I am not impressed. The OS looks a whole lot like their Chrome browser with tabbed operation. Well, I do not like the idea of having to open up a series of tabs just to have a couple of programs open. I want an OS to perform like an OS separate from my internet browsers. I can see Chrome OS coming in handy for people who don't want to fire up a full blown OS (such as a Linux variant, Windows XP/7, etc.) just so they can surf the internet. However, given the performance of Windows 7 (which takes about 25 seconds to fully boot on my netbook and 2 seconds to to come out of sleep mode), I see no need for an OS like this.

However, I can see Chrome OS coming in handy for portable devices as another alternative to Android, a watered down Linux variant, or Windows Mobile.