Google Chrome - Will it hurt?

[yester64]

Hi,
i am really puzzled and amazed what will come out with Google Os and what impact it might have not just on Windows, but on Linux as well.
Since it is Linux based, i wonder how many people might switch and disband distributions like Ubuntu in favor over Chrome.

Now Linux does not have to only compete against Windows and MacOS, no it has to compete against Chrome (free) as well.

I am worried...

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/11/google-chrome-os-ditch-your-hard-drives-the-future-is-the-web/

[eragon100]

Chrome OS is a linux variant, isn't it? So I don't see how it could possibly hurt linux :wink:

[Xbehave]

I wonder how many people might switch and disband distributions like Ubuntu in favor over Chrome. I don't think it is aimed at the same people as real distros, so i see it as gaining the linux kernel support for more hardware and the core os gets some development from google and it's only really going to take customers from the non-geek oses (mac os x and windows 4 non gamers).

[wulfgang]

I believe it will bring more people to linux, but not a major number though.

[joey-elijah]

ChromeOS is NOT intended to be a mainstream OS. Google themselves have said that. It is focused on being an OS for use with netbooks (for now). Pure and simple.

Ubuntu is a proper fully fledged desktop OS, the markets are two different things.

Also given it can only be installed on Google approved hardware, i.e you won't be able to download Google ChromeOS you have to buy it on a netbook, there will be little detraction from the Ubuntu user base since most people use Ubuntu on laptops and desktops - and netbooks that don't meet the hardware requirements for Google OS won't come with it... so... there's no issue. The only market share that it may eat into is Windows as Windows comes pre-installed on a majority of netbooks and this is the model Google ChromeOS is taking.

(An open source version of ChromeOS (ChromiumOS) is what is now available and people can edit and hack it to work with other hardware, but "google chromeOS" can only be 'bought' with hardware.)

[blueshiftoverwatch]

As long as it's open source I guess it can only help Linux. Although it's hard for me to imagine a company like Google making a completely open source OS. It seems like they'd try to make the majority of the OS open source, but than make a few of the key components proprietary to try to lock users into their platform.

Does anyone know if they're going to try to pull something like that?

[lethalfang]

Chrome OS is a linux variant, isn't it? So I don't see how it could possibly hurt linux :wink:

One way it could hurt Linux is that, people try it out because they believe in Google, but find out that it actually sucks big time, and then never give Linux another chance.

[Johnsie]

It'l help a little bit... maybe some new drivers for netbooks and in web browsers, but other than that not much. It certainly won't help many of the the offline programs that we use in Linux. Hopefully some linux people will fork it into a proper operating system capable of running native software.

Click this link to turn your Google OS machine into a Google OS+ machine that can run native Linux apps

That would make it alot easier for Google users to have a real Linux than for Windows users to have a real Linux, because they may not need to repartition or dual boot to get Linux capabilities... If they could put that in then it would be good for the future of offline Linux usuage.

[gdonwallace]

Google chrome will in no way hurt Linux. Check this out from Infoworld about what Chrome is supposed to do:

http://www.infoworld.com/d/cloud-computing/googles-chrome-os-appliance-not-pc-233?source=rss_infoworld_news

In other words, you can't install anything on it. So don't look for chromeOS Desktops or Laptops. It is strictly for the cloud. That really narrows down what Google is trying to do. Its obvious that if they don't change this, that Linux and Windows have nothing to be afraid of, except for increased sales of netbooks with the chromeOS installed. Which is exactly what Google is aiming at.

[Sylslay]

Good point lethalfang.
I remeber than I first instaled Debian 4.0. On all my machine,
it suck becouse I have no sound (did't know aobut alasa that time), cant read NTFS partiton on other pc, 3g was in development state. Than I give up to install linux. But stuck to live cd call Knoppix. And learn, learn ....
Than next installatnon of linux was mandriva, but worked only 3 months until distribution upgrade :-(.

and than I found Ubuntu 8.04 in Linux Magazine DVD. THX guys.:-)

and now I am linux user, witch first pc was commodore 64..and tape...

But I think that will help for office users: sync, calender, storge online and for company witch like to use free linux in their job.

[The Funkbomb]

The average computer user had no idea it's just linux with a new windowing system. I was reading a non-tech message board and most of them said stuff like: "Finally, MS has some competition!"

Major facepalms.

[Simon17]

Will it hurt... when Google gives us the shaft?

Most likely.

[yester64]

I agree that it will cut into MS Operation System business, but i don't think they will stop there.
Yes, its for cloud computing, but my thought is that the general evolution of computing will eventually go that road anyway.
Just look the change today. You don't need monster hardware to browse the web or email. More and more is online these days.
I am a little more oldschool and like to have stuff offline, but i believe that future generations relay more on online rather than offline.
So that means in the end, that the age of offline os is numbered in a certain way. Unless you are a hardcore user (gaming, video etc.) you will go that road.
That is a prediction on my part, but i think that technology is evolving and that included behaviour as well.
I am not sure if MacOSX has helped Linux as it has a linux base system, so i am not sure if Chrome will help Linux.

I observe that the way we compute will change and is.

[madhi19]

It going to help a lot I think. All those Google services like Picassa, Google Earth and Gmail they would all have to get optimized for Linux because it all going to have to run on Chrome and Chrome IS Linux. The first order of business for the Linux community would have to be in getting Chromium OS to support drive and offline app! Because their no way in hell that users would accept to be tie down to the cloud just because Google says so!

[pi.boy.travis]

More competition = more pressure to improve = better OS for everyone!

ChromeOS might even provide an incentive for more hardware manufactures to publish Linux drivers. At the very least, it will increase awareness.

[finisdiem]

I think this is helping drive drive the evolution of computers. Google said it is free (in both senses of the word) i imagine that once Chrome comes out that anyone can still download and tinker with the code. This can only benefit their OS and us. Our community will be able to adapt it to fit us better.
How many people still have only desktops? After my desktop died i only use my laptop and used all my old desktop stuff as a docking station and i use an external drive for data storage. Google has your data on their severs. I see computers going mostly mobile, with netbooks, cell phones and PDAs all merging and using home docking station for watching movie and playing video games on bigger screens.
Check out the BBC link http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8369611.stm

I guess bottom line... Google good for Linux

[Wiebelhaus]

I think this is going to be a fantastic situation , They have already put Android into 3+ million hands a month or two after introduction and I'm dying to get my hands on one. I forgot to mention the fantastic advertising they are doing for chrome browser , Think about mainstream adverts for a *Buntu based OS , That's fantastic.


Not for my money but for my beliefs , I won't have anything to fix if it's not windows , except maybe a few years of installing it on PC's.. who knows , either way I feel good about it.

[areteichi]

As a few people have already hinted, I think the greatest contribution Google will make on Linux with their Chrome OS is the whole new idea of computing, which brings a fundamental shift from the program-based application base to the web-based application base. This was emphasised by the main Chrome project leader repeatedly. What this implies is that not only will Google improve on their web-based applications like gmail, picasa, maps, docs, etc, but this also stimulates other companies to shift towards that direction (like web-based photoshop, ms office, video-editing/playing, music, etc). And this is a great benefit for Linux because this will clear many of the obstacles and challenges that hindered Linux from achieving the same level of functionality and compatibility as Windows did. If things are more web-based, what would matter more is the browser (as Google believes) so it matters less which OS you're using. This obviously allows people to consider Linux as a viable option for their computer.

[kyuubi777]

I said it will most likely help... but this is hugely conditional!
I have dabbled in gOS which is speculated to have similar desktop enviornment features as google chrome and it is awesome!
if Gchrome turns out anything like gOS it will help bridge people to other linux operating systems

on the other hand, if it ends up unstable with lots of bugs this is going to hurt

However, google software is always excellent and the fact they have been delaying the release for so long only means they have been working endlessly to make the first distro as good as it can be...
the google guys are amazing

[donato roque]

Absolutely not hurt linux...
Why? Even Canonical is helping Google with Chrome os. Chrome OS is Linux. If you go to the Chromium website the prerequisite for it is Ubuntu 9.10.
Hurt Linux, I don't think so. Google wants to spend its money on improving existing open source projects it wants to use on Chrome OS. That will push development in Linux not hurt it.

[ZankerH]

Even Canonical is helping Google with Chrome os. Chrome OS is Linux.

Chrome OS is GNU/Linux, locked down to google's "Cloud computing enterprise IT solution" (add buzzwords to taste). It doesn't benefit the development of Linux in any way, since Google's revolutionary new "windowing system" consists of replacing all GUI with google's Chrome browser. According to the Register, it basically restricts the user from running any local apps that aren't Chrome. So it's web apps only, meaning google basically stole* the basis of an open system (GNU/Linux) and put a locked-down everything on top.

They claim it's Free Software because they released the source to the client OS. But the fact is that that OS (chrome OS) is just the chain that will lock every one of its users to google's (and others') restrictive, proprietary web-based applications and services.

*Yes, I realise they didn't steal anything and the GPL permits them to do what they did, but they're in major conflict with the Unix philosophy, and I'm sure the sentiment I used is shared by many Free Software enthusiasts.

[Tibuda]

If you burn Chrome OS into a CD, and you cut your skin using such CD, yes, it will hurt.

[Tibuda]

*Yes, I realise they didn't steal anything and the GPL permits them to do what they did, but they're in major conflict with the Unix philosophy, and I'm sure the sentiment I used is shared by many Free Software enthusiasts.

I don't think they are in conflict with the Unix philosophy of "Do one thing, and do it well".

Gmail: does only one thing, as does Claws Mail, Thunderbird, Mutt (not Evolution).
Google Calendar: does only one thing, as does Sunbird (not Evolution).
Google Docs: does more than one thing, but the same applies to MS Office or OpenOffice.
Picasa: does one thing, as does F-Spot, Gthumb
Chrome/ium browser: does one thing, as does Firefox (not Opera).
Chrome/ium OS: does one thing, as does Chrome/ium browser and Firefox.

All those apps do what they do very very well. This fits into Unix philosophy to me.

[ZankerH]

I don't think they are in conflict with the Unix philosophy of "Do one thing, and do it well".

Gmail: does only one thing, as does Claws Mail, Thunderbird, Mutt (not Evolution).
Google Calendar: does only one thing, as does Sunbird (not Evolution).
Google Docs: does more than one thing, but the same applies to MS Office or OpenOffice.
Picasa: does one thing, as does F-Spot, Gthumb
Chrome/ium browser: does one thing, as does Firefox (not Opera).
Chrome/ium OS: does one thing, as does Chrome/ium browser and Firefox.

All those apps do what they do very very well. This fits into Unix philosophy to me.

If by "very well" you mean "holding their user's data hostage to their ISP's and google's whim under a non-Free licence", then yes, they're doing their job very well.

[Tibuda]

If by "very well" you mean "holding their user's data hostage to their ISP's and google's whim under a non-Free licence", then yes, they're doing their job very well.

No, by "very well" I mean Gmail is the best e-mail client available. Chrome/ium is the faster browser.

[Bachstelze]

I don't know, and care very little. What I know is that it won't hurt me, since I won't be using it.

[scottuss]

ChromeOS is based on Linux
ChromeOS is backed by Google
Google is a well known, popular and influential brand.

As I see it, it will benefit Linux because more people will be willing to try it in place of Windows.

At the moment, the fact that we have so many distros from so many vendors is great for us geeks and Linux techies, but not so good for every day consumers. They don't see ease of use, virus free computing, free high quality software and all the other benefits we know and love, they see complication, and uncertainty.

If it had a name they know and trust slapped on it, they'd be more likely to use it. It's simple marketing I guess.

As people start using ChromeOS, they will perhaps start to explore "more fully features" distros such as Ubuntu.

[ZankerH]

No, by "very well" I mean Gmail is the best e-mail client available. Chrome/ium is the faster browser.

Gmail isn't an "e-mail client". If you mean their web interface, it's disgusting and unusable, and doesn't even allow for offline storage and archival of email, and requires constant internet connectivity, which indeed isn't "very well" at all. The sole purpose of gmail is to have everyone's email centrally archived by google. They still do not offer transparent deletion, even after years of complaints by users. Any local POP client I could hack together in a day beats it in that regard. But, of course, it all relies on the server, and the best email server for anyone is still the one you run in your own basement. No worries about encryption, data retention and transparent deletion that way.

[Tibuda]

Gmail isn't an "e-mail client". If you mean their web interface, it's disgusting and unusable, and doesn't even allow for offline storage and archival of email, and requires constant internet connectivity, which indeed isn't "very well" at all. The sole purpose of gmail is to have everyone's email centrally archived by google. They still do not offer transparent deletion, even after years of complaints by users. Any local POP client I could hack together in a day beats it in that regard. But, of course, it all relies on the server, and the best email server for anyone is still the one you run in your own basement. No worries about encryption, data retention and transparent deletion that way.

Gmail does allow offline storage and don't require constant internet connectivity (apt:gears) (or click here if apturls don't work for you, or you are not in karmic (http://gears.google.com)). Gmail is not different from Yahoo mail, Hotmail or any other webmail service. Yeah, if you are worried you should run your own server.

[ZankerH]

Gmail does allow offline storage and don't require constant internet connectivity (apt:gears) (or click here if apturls don't work for you, or you are not in karmic (http://gears.google.com)). Gmail is not different from Yahoo mail, Hotmail or any other webmail service. Yeah, if you are worried you should run your own server.

A cached web app? Seriously? What is it with the obsession that email has to be viewed from a browser? I very much prefer going through it in my favourite text editor.

And I never said that "any other webmail service" is better than gmail. In fact, gmail in all likelihood is one of the better ones, as much as I despise the very idea of webmail.

[Tibuda]

A cached web app? Seriously? What is it with the obsession that email has to be viewed from a browser? I very much prefer going through it in my favourite text editor.

It is not an obsession. I just love the interface, how Gmail groups messages like threads (not the pseudo-threads tree created by Thunderbird and Evolution). I just think it is a thousand times better to read messages this way. I have never seen a local mail client that can do this.

And in ChromeOS, it is not only the email, but everything will be done from the browser.


And I never said that "any other webmail service" is better than gmail. In fact, gmail in all likelihood is one of the better ones, as much as I despise the very idea of webmail.

Well... Ok.

[scottuss]

A cached web app? Seriously? What is it with the obsession that email has to be viewed from a browser? I very much prefer going through it in my favourite text editor.

And I never said that "any other webmail service" is better than gmail. In fact, gmail in all likelihood is one of the better ones, as much as I despise the very idea of webmail.

Yeah but lets be honest, not many people go through their email in a text editor... it does rather beg the question: why? :confused:

[whoop]

Personally I find Google Chrome OS ridiculous. I would find it totally restrictive. I hate (other peoples) clouds, I want the processing power, I want the control. I trust what I do with my data, I don't trust it to other people. But it is totally beside the point what I think of it.

Google Chrome OS is a good solution for allot of people (this is good). Google Chrome OS is linux based and it is open (this is great).

If Google Chrome OS gets wide adoption this will be very beneficial to open source operating systems:

All vendors creating devices (printers, scanners, webcams etc.) will want to make there devices function with this OS in good working order.
All software developers will want to make there technology (Flash, Silverlight, Audio/Video codecs etc.) available in this OS in good working order.

So I expect an increase in compatibility of hardware in linux and an increase in functionality/stability of free proprietary software in linux. Best case scenario is that companies will see the benefit of open source and open source them selves (where they think it can't hurt them).

Also, Google Chrome OS could make "the internet" increase in functionality/possibilities. They are developing an API that will let hardware and webapps communicate in a safe way. Plugins that make use of your computers GPU for instance.

So although I really dislike Google Chrome OS personally, I think its totally awesome (if you catch my drift).

[madhi19]

As people start using ChromeOS, they will perhaps start to explore "more fully features" distros such as Ubuntu.

I heard the argument before but I don't think it likely for two reason first to the outside world Google is not really talking Linux at all. They don't want the average user to make the association with something that right or wrong is still considered hard to use. Second I think it likely that the netbook diskless design they are aiming at is going to be almost impossible for the average users to dual boot into a more full fledged Linux distro.

Unless off course as part of a deal between Canonical and Google every Chrome Netbook also come with Ubuntu Netbook Edition as a way to offer a full desktop for the times when web apps don't really cut it!

Either way I don't see OEM's selling diskless Netbook the size of the hard drive was always a big selling point to put on a spec sheet! I feel that Google will get support from many OEM's if the overall package include another full fledged traditional OS.

[David Ostrom]

The Google Chrome OS is a internet/cloud based operating system. I don't see it taking over the word, but I do see some market share being lost the more people use web only applications and services. The one thing I like about Chrome is its speed. Power on the computer and within a few seconds your on the web. For me though I prefer to have everything on my computer and not in some cloud on someone else's computer.

[schauerlich]

I haven't seen people flocking to BSD or Mach just because OS X is based on them. Most Mac users don't even know what those are. Some of the "power users" (I use that term loosely) know that it's "Unix", but not really much more past that.

Mac OS X is sold as a solution to your problems, not as a UNIX™ BSD/Mach based operating system.

I think it'll be a similar situation for Chrome OS.

[civilian]

I don't see how it would hurt Linux. Chromium will bring a new perspective to OS'es which is always good.

[yester64]

As a few people have already hinted, I think the greatest contribution Google will make on Linux with their Chrome OS is the whole new idea of computing, which brings a fundamental shift from the program-based application base to the web-based application base. This was emphasised by the main Chrome project leader repeatedly. What this implies is that not only will Google improve on their web-based applications like gmail, picasa, maps, docs, etc, but this also stimulates other companies to shift towards that direction (like web-based photoshop, ms office, video-editing/playing, music, etc). And this is a great benefit for Linux because this will clear many of the obstacles and challenges that hindered Linux from achieving the same level of functionality and compatibility as Windows did. If things are more web-based, what would matter more is the browser (as Google believes) so it matters less which OS you're using. This obviously allows people to consider Linux as a viable option for their computer.

I was wondering how gaming will play into this question.
Gaming was usually the drive for buying always new computers and components since every new game always required a new graphicscard or other components.
Will we see the day, that you play a title like Call of Duty just as a web application? I remember that there was Quake Online which is webbased, but i lost track of it.

[xxhopingtearsxx]

Seeing how Google Chrome OS is basically just a web browser, I will only think about switching to my nonexistant netbook. I think it will benefit Linux.

[zagz]

Google Chrome - Will it hurt?/ (http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/11/google-chrome-os-ditch-your-hard-drives-the-future-is-the-web/)


The release of Cromos is about a year away, this is about the same time as Gnome3 shell comes out.

imo Gnome shell is pandering heavily towards the notebook/netbook market with its interface with a vision of touchscreen creeping into ever more devices.