Google says the software architecture will basically be the current Chrome browser running inside “a new windowing system on top of a Linux kernel.” So in other words, it basically is the web as an OS.
Or, in a bit less sensational words, they are not developing an OS but a window manager for an existing OS. They might also be dropping X11 as they go, but the article doesn't give that away.
This might actually work for netbooks that are mostly used as a fullscreen browser. But I don't see this making any significant inroads on bigger laptops or desktops in the foreseeable future. The technology behind "the web" just isn't up to the task. Wrong tool for the job.
The problems begin on such a basic level that I find it ridiculous someone with the engineering muscle of google is even considering this.
How basic? Well, we don't even have a Socket on this soon-to-be-an-OS platform. That basic. Admittedly it should be relatively simple to add and hopefully the one outcome of this project will be that Websocket finally gains traction (across all browsers).
But it doesn't stop there. The HTML/JS combo is lacking severely in many areas relevant to RIAs. People still have to reinvent basic widgets like comboboxes, datepickers, auto-completion, richtext input, sliders etc. in javascript. CSS is still a nightmare even for simple layouts. Will google fix these problems and break compatibility to other browsers? Don't think so.
So here's what I think they'll deliver: A mangled linux distro with chrome running fullscreen, likely even on top of X11. It'll have a fancy start-page that wants to log you into the google universe first. There will be some flashy widgets and a fancy javascript framework for the windowing - but overall it will just be a fullscreen browser with all its problems.
I hope they surprise me and do better. Because if this is their plan then I think it's time to sell some of those GOOG shares. Google never needed to hype their products upfront thus far. In that light this is a worrying announcement.
Some are claiming that rather than hurt Windows, this is going to take the market share Linux "might have had". But I really don't think that Linux users are going to want a system that gives up more of their privacy to Google, and restricts the power of your own computer to what you can do with Google.
Or, in a bit less sensational words, they are not developing an OS but a window manager for an existing OS. They might also be dropping X11 as they go, but the article doesn't give that away.
This might actually work for netbooks that are mostly used as a fullscreen browser. But I don't see this making any significant inroads on bigger laptops or desktops in the foreseeable future. The technology behind "the web" just isn't up to the task. Wrong tool for the job.
The problems begin on such a basic level that I find it ridiculous someone with the engineering muscle of google is even considering this.
How basic? Well, we don't even have a Socket on this soon-to-be-an-OS platform. That basic. Admittedly it should be relatively simple to add and hopefully the one outcome of this project will be that Websocket finally gains traction (across all browsers).
But it doesn't stop there. The HTML/JS combo is lacking severely in many areas relevant to RIAs. People still have to reinvent basic widgets like comboboxes, datepickers, auto-completion, richtext input, sliders etc. in javascript. CSS is still a nightmare even for simple layouts. Will google fix these problems and break compatibility to other browsers? Don't think so.
So here's what I think they'll deliver: A mangled linux distro with chrome running fullscreen, likely even on top of X11. It'll have a fancy start-page that wants to log you into the google universe first. There will be some flashy widgets and a fancy javascript framework for the windowing - but overall it will just be a fullscreen browser with all its problems.
I hope they surprise me and do better. Because if this is their plan then I think it's time to sell some of those GOOG shares. Google never needed to hype their products upfront thus far. In that light this is a worrying announcement.