Chrome OS, Present and Future

Many readers are submitting stories related to Google Chrome OS. ruphus13 points out a GigaOm opinion piece about how, if users end up rejecting its current cloud-only focus, the nascent OS may succeed as a netbook secondary operating system alongside Windows (in company with secondaries based on other Linux flavors, including Android). Engadget reviews a Chrome OS on a USB key setup that is claimed to offer eye-opening performance compared to running under virtualization. And an anonymous reader notes the 0.1 beta release of ChromeShell, which installs a "Chrome OS-like" environment that boots to the Chrome browser in ~3 seconds; users can switch to Windows later as desired.

False!

[sys.stdout.write]

If you read the linked ChromeShell page, it says it goes from standby to the Chrome browser in 3 seconds.

It actually takes 30 seconds to boot, which isn't much better than Windows. Actually, is that even better?

Who gives a fuck?

[nhytefall]

Honestly?

Aside from the latest, greatest, shiniest geek toy... this thing isn't even in a beta state, yet somehow it is going to reshape the industry? I think not.

Come out of the basement, folks... the sun here in a real world only hurts for a moment or two.

Re:False!

[prockcore]

ChromeShell isn't Google. ChromeOS boots to a login screen in less than 10 seconds off a USB key for me. But it doesn't support my wifi. It does support the wifi on my wife's gateway netbook though.. but doesn't support her verizon card.

Re:False!

[chabotc]

Of course if you even read the slashdot summary you would see that ChromeShell is a 'ChromeOS like' type thing, and not ChromeOS at all.

ChromeOS boots (that's full bootup and not resuming) in 7 seconds, and resumes in 3. They're working with bios firmware vendors to improve this though so boot times could become even less

Re:Useful

[Unoti]

And the only reason there aren't any viruses or trojans yet is because no one uses it yet. People will write them when the user base shifts. To imagine that there aren't any flaws in the system is a sad joke in naitivity

Perhaps you should consider reading up on how Chrome OS is designed. The argument you posted above sounds like you're applying the same kind of logic to Chrome OS that you would to any other flavor of Linux. Chrome OS is actually an entirely different ball game, and fundamentally does not let you install software on the machine. This and other design considerations make it radically more secure from security attacks than conventional operating systems.