Chrome OS Revealed

At last, Google presented its much awaited Operating System Chrome OS!

First of all, just like Chrome was born from Chromium Open-Source, so does Chrome OS in regard to Chromium OS.

Before advancing further, you can start downloading a ready to use Vmware Chromium OS image via torrent and start playing around with it right now. (If you don't what the heck Vmware and virtual machines are all about, check this detailed Chromium OS installation guide.)

So, what is Chrome OS all about?



Exactly what you'd expect it to be... Everything on the web/cloud.

It's arquitechture is light and simple:

Pretty much like what I had predicted a long time ago, right? ;)

This allows it to be quite fast, and even faster with Chromium OS fast boot.

This helps understand why the "real" Chrome OS will only be available pre-installed in select devices - those will be highly optimized for instant-on, with customized BIOS and flash-based Chrome OS installs. You'll be able to get to the web in a couple of seconds.

For everyone else, you'll be able to toy around with Chromium, or simply use the Chrome Browser in your regular operating system just like we've done till now.


As you'd expect for a could based OS security is a major point, with auto-checking on every boot to ensure the system wasn't tampered with, and transparent daily updates without you having to worry about it.




How does Chrome OS affects our future?

Although you'll be able to use Chrome OS in "offline" mode (seeing cached videos, reading and writing emails, etc.) no one denies it really needs "always-on" internet connectivity to truly shine.
This might be something some people will point as a major flaw - but let's speak frankly... Doesn't that happen right now? How do you feel when you turn on your computer and have no internet? It suddenly seems like your computer is kind of useless, doesn't it? So... that's the real issue: most of us simply can't live without Internet anymore - no matter what OS we're using.

Other will say there are a lot of thing you simply cannot do inside a web broswer window. Well, allow me to tell you that simply isn't true anymore. There's is nothing you can't do inside a browser window. You can watch HD video, you can use multitouch interfaces, you can do image editing rivaling Photoshop, you can do video editing, you can play high quality 3D games - either locally or via streaming - you can even run a virtual OS inside your browser window! And with newer HTML implementations and even faster javascript, things will only get better (not to mention all the possible plugins you might use: flash/silverlight/etc - if needed.)

Chrome OS is only a tool, the real revolution will be these Web Apps becoming our main Apps for everything we do.

Boot Time Comparison

Here's an interesting video comparing boot times using different 64bit operating systems in the same machine (Vista, Windows 7, Ubuntu 9.04 and 9.10) :

Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala

In case you forgot about it, Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" is out.

Next in line is Ubuntu 10.04 LTS - Lucid Lynx, available 6 months from now.

Google Chrome OS beta Download

Can't wait to try out Google's upcoming operating system?

[Check updates below]
Well, no need to fiddle around, Google Chrome beta is now publicly available! 

I'm already firing up a cirtual machine to try it our, and I recommend you do the same.

In fact, they even provide you with a ready-to-run virtual appliance so you can save the installation time.


Update: It seems this Chrome OS is unrelated to the real Google Chrome OS. From the download page:

"Chrome OS is not related to Google. Service provided by SUSE Studio. See the license."

In fact, the site has already been disabled by Google (it was using Google hosting services, which erroneously provided some reassurance this might be an official product.)

Windows 7 Launch Day

Microsoft's latest Windows 7 is finally out on the streets.

A lot has been said about this new Windows, rushed to market after Vista's inability to attract customers - which preferred to stay with their trusted old Windows XP.

Most people are talking about how great this Windows 7 is - but let's not forget the same thing happened with Vista.
But two things have changed since then... Hardware has evolved - while computers with 2GB Ram were not that common when Vista came out, today 3 and 4GB RAM is the norm - and Windows 7 really does seem lighter in older-spec machines (they say it will run as well as XP; which I seriously doubt, as though Windows 7 is a fine-tuned "Vista", it's still a "Vista" nonetheless.)

So, while many Vista-pre-installed-computer users quickly reformatted their computers and switched back to Windows XP, this will now be less likely to happen with Windows 7.

But the real question is: will Microsoft be able to "lure" enterprises to upgrade thousands of computers to Windows 7? Even with the virtualized "XP-mode" to minimize migration problems, most might feel better served with their current systems - or, faced with the inevitability of changing, shouldn't they consider other free alternatives (like Ubuntu) as well?


And fear not the ominous warnings from Microsoft that "XP" will end soon... While they do that in "public", they're also reassuring OEM parterns they'll keep selling them Windows XP until... 2016!


Also keep in mind that the "lightness" of this Windows 7 is relative. For instance, a clean install of any of its versions easily takes about 10-13GB of disk space:

Around here Windows 7 costs:

• Windows 7 Home Premium - 219,99€
• Windows 7 Professional - 349,99€
• Windows 7 Ultimate - 364,99€

Now... you can forget about the record braking pre-order stunt (that was for severely discounted offers of Windows 7) and tell me: would you prefer spending 219-364 euros in a new OS -or- using it in something like this Asus Eee PC S101 that is currently on sale for 249 euros? :)

To each his own decision...

Windows 7 Versions - Disk space Used

Is it just me that thinks Windows 7 takes a lot of disk space?
Someone took the time to clean install the different versions of Windows 7 and check how much space each took.

The results:

• Home Premium - 13.1GB
• Professional - 10.8GB
• Home Basic - 10.71GB
• Starter Edition - 11.16GB
• Ultimate - 13.4GB

... I was complaining about Win7 RC tooking almost 8GB of space... and now I find that Premium and Ultimate versions take over 13GB.

Why couldn't Microsoft keep most of the unneeded files (90%?) compressed or something?
(or at least give use the option to delete all the "junk" and get it from the internet when needed?)

via [PauloBarata]

Microsoft extends XP till May 2009

Although Microsoft states there are millions of Vistas being sold - no doubt that number is largely inflated by all the "forced" sales you get when buying a new computer - even if you'll immediately downgrade it to Windows XP, or even a free Linux-based OS.

Maybe this will help explain why Microsoft has once again extended Windows XP final date to May 30th, 2009.

... a time where you'll probably be able to skip Vista completely and go directly to the new and improved Windows 7.

Windows 7 Taskbar

One of the most visible changes in Windows 7 is its upgraded taskbar.

But better than any written explanation, is seeing how it works. Check the following video:



I think its a step in the right direction; but I don't think it will be enough to "amaze" anyone already using OS X or any Compiz-flavored Linux, both offering similar features for quite some time now.

Google Chrome OS

There's a lot of buzz regarding Google Chrome and how it might grow to become a full-fledged OS and become a "Windows Killer."

This is probably due to the way Google Chrome implements some OS-like mechanisms to manage its tabs and processes.

It didn't take long for some high-profile sites to announce Chrome as a Windows Killer and, of course, for others to say that's stupid.

Personally, I have no doubt that the trend is towards web-based things. Netbooks are alread advertising "online" disk space, some companies are working on realtime online 3D rendering... Imagining a world where you can access everything, from office suites like Google Docs to impressive 3D games, through a browser isn't that farfetched. That's something I have been telling my friends for a longtime - though I also tell them this isn't something that will happen now or next year; it will take a bit longer, but eventually it will happen.

In that sense, I look at Chrome as a step in the right direction - even though I also believe Google's purpose is to push forward so that other browsers keep up, and not really to become an opponent to them.


So, taking that article as reference it tells us that traditionally, processes were organized like this:

And later on evolved to this, with runtime languages like Java and .Net:

... and then it concludes Google Chrome as an OS is stupid because it would turn things into this:

Ok, I understand all those layers look nice for explaining his purposes, and that *right now* this is the case for anyone wanting to try Chrome on Linux, but...

People shouldn't forget Chrome is an Open Source project and it's just a matter of time till it works natively on Linux. In fact, Chrome is already compiling fine, even though it usable yet.

But, more realistically, you'll be able to get rid of all those extra layers:

And end up with something like this:

Which becomes a lot more attractive and acceptable.
Considering we can even imagine getting a Chrome-like browser in an embedded Linus OS like Splashtop, things start looking even better - and this is something Splashtop (and other's, I'm sure) are working on; this isn't just "wishful thinking."

Though a browser will never be an OS in the true sense of the word, it can become very close... and that's what I mean when I talk about Chrome (and other future browsers) as becoming our future "operating systems."