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Google Chrome OS to launch this fall

By | June 2, 2010, 5:13am PDT

Summary: After months of waiting since the official announcement last November, Google has finally picked a time to release the Chrome operating system: this fall.

After months of waiting since the official announcement last November, Google has finally picked a time to release the Chrome operating system: this fall.

According to AFP, Google execs have confirmed that the open-source Chrome OS will be available for free, although no month nor date during autumn has been specified.

It’s also yet to be known whether any new (or old, maybe) devices to be released at that time will be running on the Chrome OS. It could be an interesting selling tool for the holiday season, although it’s not clear cut how much this will challenge Microsoft Windows just yet.

For further coverage of Google’s Chrome OS on ZDNet:

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Topics

Google Inc., Fall, Operating System, Google Chrome, Operating Systems, Software, Rachel King

Rachel King is a staff writer for ZDNet based in San Francisco.

Disclosure

Rachel King

Rachel King has no business relationships, affiliations, investments, or other potential conflicts of interest relating to the content posted in this blog.

Biography

Rachel King

Rachel King is a staff writer for CBS Interactive in San Francisco. Before serving as a contributing editor at ZDNet in New York City for two years, she previously worked for The Business Insider, FastCompany.com, CNN's San Francisco bureau and the U.S. Department of State. Rachel has also written for MainStreet.com, Irish America Magazine and the New York Daily News, among others. Rachel has a B.A. in Mass Communications and History from the University of California, Berkeley and a M.S. in Journalism from Columbia University, where she served as art director for the student magazine, Plated.

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Chrome OS is a web client not a web server.
Bruizer 3rd Jun 2010
@General C#
Why ONLY run a web client when you can use Android and run the same exact web client AND offline apps. For the same exact cost?
View in thread
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RE: Google Chrome OS to launch this fall
ssj6akshat 2nd Jun 2010
I would love to hear Prophetic dreams of Loverock Davidson

wink
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Well, Linux Geek (I believe) claims
John Zern 2nd Jun 2010
it'll have over 60 percent of the PC market by 1st quarter 2011!

happy
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RE: Google Chrome OS to launch this fall
Loverock Davidson 2nd Jun 2010
@ssj6akshat

Aww you think of me even when I don't post, how sweet is that?
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I simply don't get Chrome OS
Bruizer 2nd Jun 2010
An Android tablet makes sense. It would cost the same and do lots lots more and do it easier and better.
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I would be almost sure that they are going to enable it to run Android
DonnieBoy 2nd Jun 2010
applications.
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Disagree completely
Michael Kelly 2nd Jun 2010
@Bruizer

Why would you want an oversized phone app on a tablet rather than something that is compatible with all existing PC software? There's a lot more great PC software than their is phone software. Why not build upon that rather than reinvent the wheel?
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And Chrome OS does not run "PC" apps.
Bruizer 2nd Jun 2010
@Michael Kelly
In fact, it does not run ANY local apps EXCEPT a web browser.

As for PC software on a tablet. There is almost no (maybe none) great PC software for tablet form factors. All you have to do is attempt to use Office 2007/2010 on an HP Touch Smart to understand a desktop OS on a tablet is the fastest path to total failure.
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It's just another Linux distro... or is it?
General C# 3rd Jun 2010
@Bruizer - Why would they call it Chrome OS? The only reason I can think of is the HTML is going to be rendered at a very low level making it extremely fast. I mean the entire windowing system is going to be HTML based.

So how is this different from any other OS? Google is smart - I hope. They don't want to engage in a platform war with either Microsoft or Apple. They want to make their platform completely compatible with everything and HTML is the common link. In essence the OS is going to be a local web server. So the same applications would run across all operating system in one way or another. The awesome thing is all developers (almost) already have the skills to develop these applications.

Okay, I'm a .NET developer and I hold Microsoft in great regard - perhaps a fanboy of sorts. However, I'm really excited about Chrome OS. The only problem I can see is the same issue that Linux has always had, and that's drivers. If Google can get hardware vendors to build support for their devices alongside Windows and Mac OS then they might actually have a chance.
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Chrome OS is a web client not a web server.
Bruizer 3rd Jun 2010
@General C#
Why ONLY run a web client when you can use Android and run the same exact web client AND offline apps. For the same exact cost?
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RE: Google Chrome OS to launch this fall
nuttob 2nd Jun 2010
If there is plenty of new software that will run on Chrome, then I might be interested.
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agreed
Jared Neale 2nd Jun 2010
@nuttob +1
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There will bo NO software. It is Chrome OS.
Bruizer 2nd Jun 2010
@nuttob

Just a web browser.
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RE: Google Chrome OS to launch this fall
tburzio 2nd Jun 2010
Best next step for Google would be to buy Blizzard and get some games for the new OS...
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RE: Google Chrome OS to launch this fall
JT82 2nd Jun 2010
@tburzio Or someone needs to force blizzards hand into natively supporting their games on Linux. If they did that - it'd be a huge shift for the linux platform. WINE just doesnt cut it completely.
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Great now... how do I...
royalstream 2nd Jun 2010
How do I install PC games on it? No? ..mmm... ok... well, that's good, If I can't play I'll become more productive at work.

Talking about work... how do I install Adobe Photoshop on Chrome OS? ... No?.... ok, well, what about AutoCAD? ... No? ... Ahh maybe I can do my trading on it! does it support TradeStation!? NO?????

Let me guess, you think I can "work" on Chrome OS because I can create Word-like documents and create Powerpoint-like presentations.... Some of us actually have real jobs you know...
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The way I would do it
Michael Kelly 2nd Jun 2010
@royalstream

Remote desktop. Not suitable for games that depend on fps, but it should work well for all other applications.

But don't worry about games. If Chrome is a hit the games will follow.
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RE: Google Chrome OS to launch this fall
JamesKelley 2nd Jun 2010
@royalstream

I don't know about work, but I have a ton of customers that I'll be recommending Chrome OS. One of my customers is an 80 year lady who only uses GMail and eBay. I'd say her daily work will be greatly improved, and she won't need to worry about antivirus.

I think the AV issues will be a big motivator for the 95% of the consumer market that only uses they web browser. ( I totally made up the 95% figure, but it seems real ). The way the OS is designed prevents infection, because the boot process checks the signature of the OS files and reboots to a reinstall of the changed files if the signature isn't correct. That is power of non-maintenance.

AutoCAD today? No. Photoshop? No. Web based graphics editors? Yes. Look at the Google buying habit, they bought Picnik, which had a 95%+ market usability for graphics editing in the browser. I'm sure you'll not use it, AutoCAD has too many useful tools for getting things done, but if everyone was trying to do what you do you would have that nice job that allows you to surf the net and read this comment.
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Antivirus isn't necessary in Windows
General C# 3rd Jun 2010
@JamesKelley - Windows Vista and now 7 has a good enough architecture to run without AV. I've been doing it for years now and never had a problem. Even if your PC does get "infected", the rouge code wouldn't have the privilege to do any damage.
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RE: Google Chrome OS to launch this fall
sqr(cos(180)) 2nd Jun 2010
@royalstream So, if you have a real job, why are you reading this bare-minimum news article, much less spending the time to gripe--er, reply?
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RE: Google Chrome OS to launch this fall
Linux User 147560 2nd Jun 2010
@royalstream

Umm... many of us that don't use AutoCAD or Photoshop have real jobs as well. Have you ever been told you're arrogant? No? Well I am telling you now.
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I'm pretty sure Chrome OS is not going to be for power users.
shadfurman Updated - 2nd Jun 2010
@royalstream ... at least not initially. It will be the Windows alternative for grandmas and netbooks and kids and such. The problem with linux is it doesn't work for newbies and their aren't enough heavy applications for power users. Chrome OS will close that gap on the newbie end. Being a new OS will help with security, a big issue with casual users who don't want to be bothered with silly things, and Chrome OS claims some interesting security enhancements (we'll see if they actually hold up.) Obviously Chrome will not be (at least initially) for you. To create a straw-person of what Chrome OS should be capable of, just so you can have something to ridicule, is childish. You can come up with ACTUAL things wrong with it; I have confidence in you.
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RE: Google Chrome OS to launch this fall
eric.canham@... 2nd Jun 2010
@royalstream

yah, and how long until those of you with "real jobs" see web apps which replace the bloated software you currently use.

the answer is no time at all. see google apps marketplace. thunks
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RE: Google Chrome OS to launch this fall
Gis Bun 2nd Jun 2010
Oh here comes another Linux distribution. This will surely boost the Linux marketshare from 1.13% (as mentioned in a previous article) to maybe 1.2%.

Your typical novice user will NOT switch to it. Why? They won't know how to use it. They don't like change. Why was it [one reason] that people disliked Vista? A few will be suckered into it and then will regret it.
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What WILL be interesting to see is . . .
JLHenry 2nd Jun 2010
@Gis Bun :

If they set it up to be able to run Android Apps natively . . .
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What is up with the spammers on zdnet?
Been_Done_Before 2nd Jun 2010
I hate to say it, but i have never seen this much spam on zdnet before. Time to block web links or add captcha.

I used a trick on my websites that blocked users from commenting if the message was not coming from the form on the page. I just stuck in a hidden field with a mathmatical formula.
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RE: Google Chrome OS to launch this fall
wilswong@... 2nd Jun 2010
Chrome armed G-Pad...that's something to salivate on
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So useless.
grillomalta@... 2nd Jun 2010
Although I am not a great fan of Microsoft, due to their prices, it is obvious that the huge user base will really not feel this pin-prick...
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Google Chrome - just a novelty
cnfrisch 2nd Jun 2010
The Google Chrome web-based application will be a novelty. Once users experience its severe security concerns, they will stay with the vastly superior Windows 7 operating system.
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What's the Point?
tricktytom 2nd Jun 2010
An OEM install of Win7 doesn't add much to cost of a PC. Win7 runs fast and is stable; there is a universe of software and support available, and it's update system works very smoothly. Exactly what is my motivation to move to Chrome?
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RE: Google Chrome OS to launch this fall
anon123819284012 Updated - 2nd Jun 2010
@tricktytom
I agree, they should have launched Chrome OS back in the Vista Era (when Linux Fanboys had some support) not the 7 Era, they might have had a lot more success. Although Chrome OS may still have success in the netbook market.
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RE: Google Chrome OS to launch this fall
Loverock Davidson 2nd Jun 2010
Google's spying to increase this fall

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