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Main Area and Open Discussion => General Software Discussion => Topic started by: zridling on November 19, 2009, 10:41 PM

Title: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: zridling on November 19, 2009, 10:41 PM
Google previewed its Linux-based ChromeOS (http://www.techspot.com/news/37031-google-previews-its-upcoming-chrome-os.html#jump) Thursday and though it won't replace the big three desktop OSes, it will serve as a superfast thin client on netbooks and mobile devices. "Chrome OS is also fully open source, and will run on a wider variety of hardware than standard x86-based PCs."

[ You are not allowed to view attachments ] (http://www.techspot.com/news/37031-google-previews-its-upcoming-chrome-os.html#jump)

Google is working with multiple partners on commercial devices, including Acer, Asus, Freescale, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments, and Toshiba. Google has very specific ideas on how these machines will be designed. The OS does not support hard drives, just SSDs (solid state devices), on which files, and much content can be cached. With a boot time of 7 seconds to an open browser, this could be exciting for business travelers. Full release [might be] expected in late Summer or Fall 2010.
..........................................
Cade Metz (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/11/20/google_chrome_os/) provides an excellent counterargument to Chrome OS.
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: JavaJones on November 19, 2009, 10:45 PM
Hmm, from what I've heard it will only be available on specific devices (limited driver support), so the line about *broader* support seems odd. I'm also wondering, given the SSD requirement, how a nicely tuned Linux install on similar hardware would compare. I mean is this really that much faster?

Speed aside it's an interesting-ish idea. Maybe good for a subset of the market, depending on the rollout of some additional apps/services...

- Oshyan
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: zridling on November 19, 2009, 11:02 PM
Exactly. This would only be targeted to a limited set of users, and for them not all of the time. This would make a great traveling, short trip, kitchen, waiting room(!) or TV-room device in my opinion. Being open source, it'd be great if other browsers tweaked the code to include their own versions.
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: mouser on November 20, 2009, 12:23 AM
see also: https://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=20689
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: Perry Mowbray on November 20, 2009, 01:02 AM
Exactly. This would only be targeted to a limited set of users, and for them not all of the time. This would make a great traveling, short trip, kitchen, waiting room(!) or TV-room device in my opinion. Being open source, it'd be great if other browsers tweaked the code to include their own versions.
-zridling (November 19, 2009, 11:02 PM)

I'm pretty keen on one for my wife to use from the lounge  :-[

I also wondered if it'd be a nice (ie easier to use) companion on a holiday: especially if it worked with Google Navigation: I'm sort of thinking of a big in car phone/computer/gps
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: f0dder on November 20, 2009, 09:02 AM
The OS does not support hard drives, just SSDs (solid state devices)
-zridling (November 19, 2009, 10:41 PM)
Sounds like a preeeeetty arbitrary and artificial limit, considering that SSDs use exactly the same connectors and protocol as standard hard drives...  :huh:
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: mediaguycouk on November 20, 2009, 09:25 AM
I expected it to be a quick boot button for checking emails and the like as an alternative to full blown windows.

Being locked down stronger than an iPhone is a big disappointment to me.
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: Josh on November 20, 2009, 09:52 AM
It also does not support printing.
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: gexecuter on November 20, 2009, 11:05 AM
It also does not support printing.
-Josh (November 20, 2009, 09:52 AM)

i watched the Q&A and if i am not mistaken i heard the google guys said that Chrome OS WILL support printing.
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: argv on November 20, 2009, 12:10 PM
Well, I'm looking forward to install it in vmware  :Thmbsup:
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: rgdot on November 20, 2009, 01:06 PM
Laugh if you want to, but if I am going to use a cloud OS I want much improved SLA from my ISP.
May be google should be looking at 'partnerships' with ISPs too instead of hardware companies.
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: zridling on November 20, 2009, 03:08 PM
Well, but this is the paradigm shift that Google (cloudsters) have talked about for a couple of years now. Chrome is not so much OS as ad medium. Right now, it's just a foundation, making up in speed what it (purposefully) lacks in extras. When the Google guys say the browser is the OS, they're not joking: they've created a free, easy-to-use, efficient browser that pushes users to the Web -- and Google's ads -- as quickly as possible. In return for text ads, you get "free."

With Google's Chrome OS business model, the OS isn't a revenue-generating product. It's hardly a commodity per se. It's not even a service, as Microsoft's Office Web apps try to be. Under Google, the OS is a medium, like television, radio or the Internet. That's the revolutionary idea, and one that we should take time to ponder. 

Being open source, Microsoft would be smart to simply build its own version, inserted IE where the Chrome browser is. The only other option is for them to sue the socks off Google in Federal courts (like they've done by funding SCO) for the next decade or two. This is indeed an interesting time to be computing!
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: Stoic Joker on November 20, 2009, 06:36 PM
Under Google, the OS is a medium, like television, radio or the Internet. That's the revolutionary idea, and one that we should take time to ponder.
-zridling (November 20, 2009, 03:08 PM)
(Treat it like a Radio or TV) That's the part I find horrifying, because any chance of securing the thing goes right down the drain the instant Joe User gets the impression that a lackadaisical attitude is okay.
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: zridling on November 21, 2009, 04:27 PM
(Treat it like a Radio or TV) That's the part I find horrifying, because any chance of securing the thing goes right down the drain the instant Joe User gets the impression that a lackadaisical attitude is okay.
-Stoic Joker (November 20, 2009, 06:36 PM)

http://www.chromium.org/chromium-os
Google announced that Chrome OS will feature a sandbox approach -- this video explains the technical aspects in less than 4 minutes: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9WVmNfgjtQ). According to Google's announcement, the company will be "going back to the basics and completely redesigning the underlying security architecture of the OS so that users don't have to deal with viruses, malware and security updates."
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: Stoic Joker on November 21, 2009, 07:07 PM
Chrome OS = Sandbox.

Right... (literal) Translation: There is nothing on LM that is worth stealing. It's not really an OS per se, it's a browser with a boot strap that gives you direct access to the Google Cloud. Where all of your data is kept for you... e.g. There is no point in hacking into a TV, which is what this thing pro-ports to want to be.

Once again (and don't even try to tell me AOL hasn't proven this point 1,000 times over), The very instant you tell Joe User that they are perfectly safe and secure in a warm blanket of bull shit... :) ...They will start doing stuff like use their dogs name for a password, "hide" their password in the text of their (public access) personal page (in case they lose it...), and even dumber stuff that I can't even fathom.

Google's use of terms like sandbox is more sales hyperbole than a true use of the technology because there is (once again) nothing stored on the device that actually needs to be defended (it's just a Web-Radio).  It's nothing more then a thinly veiled attempt to stampede people like lemmings off a cliff into the the warm safe embrace of Google's Venus Cloud trap.
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: JavaJones on November 21, 2009, 07:23 PM
I guarantee it'll have password memory, and *that* needs protecting...

If anyone wants to try it in its present state, Slashdot has a story with links for resources:
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/09/11/21/0022253/Try-Out-Chrome-OS-In-a-Virtual-Machine

- Oshyan
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: cmpm on November 21, 2009, 07:29 PM
How does it compare to ajax (which has not seen updates since 2008) or other online os'?

http://www.ajaxwindows.com/apps/windows/content/index.html

Interesting article here-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Chrome_OS

Note the - See also

    * Azure
    * Gazelle


Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: zridling on November 21, 2009, 09:11 PM
Good source, cmpm, thanks. Here's some background by Stephen O'grady on similar ideas/attempts to bring a "network computer" to market in the past 13 years. He also gives his analysis of Chrome:

http://redmonk.com/sogrady/2009/07/08/chrome-os-qa/
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: argv on November 22, 2009, 02:53 PM
It seems a Google Chrome OS Virtual Machine is already available for download on mininova
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: nite_monkey on November 23, 2009, 10:12 AM
lifehacker (http://lifehacker.com/5408932/chrome-os-virtual-machine-build-ready-for-your-testing) has an article on the vm that is available
Alternately, you can download a VMware build directly from web site gdgt (http://gdgt.com/google/chrome-os/download/) as well, "no strings attached" (as long as you don't consider creating an account at gdgt and giving them your email address "strings").

I downloaded it, and for the most part, it isn't to bad. I didn't try it out for very long though.
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: zridling on November 23, 2009, 02:21 PM
Microsoft's Ray Ozzie asked a good question (http://gigaom.com/2008/03/10/the-gigaom-interview-ray-ozzie-microsoft-corp/):

...If you were going to design an OS today, what would it look like? The OS that we’re using today is kind of in the model of a ’70s or ’80s vintage workstation. It was designed for a LAN, it’s got this great display, and a mouse, and all this stuff, but it’s not inherently designed for the Internet.
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: mouser on November 23, 2009, 02:24 PM
but it’s not inherently designed for the Internet.

i worry that when google hear's that, it translates to "it doesnt have an easy way to plaster ads on it"

one of the mysteries of our current age is that people go ballistic when you put ads inside applications, and yet have no problem with the fact that every site on the web is filled with them.
so that happens when all apps are web apps?  is it like dividing by zero?
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: app103 on November 23, 2009, 02:56 PM
Welcome to the future of computing:

WebTVw
MSN Companionw
Chrome OS
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: zridling on November 23, 2009, 03:29 PM
i worry that when google hear's that, it translates to "it doesnt have an easy way to plaster ads on it" ....people go ballistic when you put ads inside applications, and yet have no problem with the fact that every site on the web is filled with them. so that happens when all apps are web apps?  is it like dividing by zero?
-mouser (November 23, 2009, 02:24 PM)

Depends on the app, I suppose. Chrome OS will neither dislodge Windows, Linux, or OSX nor their [powerful] apps. It's just a kernel built to run one foundational app: the browser. But its Chrome browser need not solely run Google Apps. You could use it to run Windows Live apps (one of the videos shows how awesome and fast the web version of Office 2010?/07 is on Chrome) or anything else.  Browsers as we've known them to date aren't enough. That's why we need HTML 5 and Adobe AIR to make the experience "richer" than the bare bones you get with Google Docs, for instance.

Web apps won't supplant local apps. The (local) ones that will fall behind are those that are dependent on one platform. The web, of course, erases that restriction. For now, Chrome OS will be a way to build a true netbook device. Unless you're playing an excellent flash game (http://www.flashchess3.com/), World of Warcraft and Halo ain't never going to happen.

Welcome to the future of computing:
WebTVw
MSN Companionw
Chrome OS
-app103 (November 23, 2009, 02:24 PM)

Microsoft isn't standing still on this. OSX really isn't innovative enough to give it any competitive jolt. This will be good. Here is Microsoft's take (http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/news/features/gazelle-062909.aspx) on an OS for web apps (Gazelle).
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: zridling on November 24, 2009, 12:16 PM
Google is asking developers to contribute to the Chrome extensions gallery (http://blog.chromium.org/2009/11/extensions-one-step-closer-to-finish.html) -- an act that will put third party applications on both the Chrome browser and eventually the operating system.  Developers can contribute to the project by uploading their creations to the Developer Dashboard (http://). You figure the best place to start would be the "Most Shared" in the Firefox Add-ons Gallery and work on porting some of those for Chrome.

"Once an extension is uploaded, our gallery takes care of packaging and signing. Updating an extension is also incredibly easy — all a developer needs to do is to upload a new file in the gallery. Finally, to further help developers, in the next few days, we plan to open up the gallery to a small group of trusted testers."
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: f0dder on November 24, 2009, 12:35 PM
Chrome OS Security overview (http://www.osnews.com/story/22532/Chrome_OS_Security_Overview) - sounds good... but also like a potentially very locked-down platform. (lockdown against malware = good, lockdown against users = bad).
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: zridling on November 24, 2009, 02:28 PM
Great find, f0dder. When you consider what people would be using a Chrome machine for -- social networking, flickr, banking, travel arrangements, buying tickets, etc., if it's not reasonably secure, it would be a terrible device indeed! It takes my bank 10 business days to replace my debit card (not everyone accepts the temporary one they provide in the interim), you can imagine the hassle of a web machine that is too loose with your data, ID, and password info.
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: f0dder on November 24, 2009, 02:33 PM
The security level makes sense, and I think it's essentially a pretty good idea... I just hope they aren't going to use it to limit what you can do on your hardware - and that they let developers target the platform without a lot of draconian requirements (Apple/iPhone springs to mind here - you need a Mac, you need to pay to get your stuff on the iPhone store, and the crap is heavily censored (both "moral" as well as "oh, that could hurt our own profits" crap)).
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: zridling on November 24, 2009, 02:52 PM
I'd agree with that, but not for Chrome OS. It's an OS literally built for a device that runs one thing: the browser. Google explains it far better than I can (http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2009/11/google-chrome-os-use-cases.html):

The goal is to build "an operating system that provides a fast, simple, and more secure computing experience for people who spend most of their time on the web." Here are the initial use cases for Chrome OS:

"First, it's all about the web. All apps are web apps. The entire experience takes place within the browser and there are no conventional desktop applications. This means users do not have to deal with installing, managing and updating programs.

"Second, because all apps live within the browser, there are significant benefits to security. Unlike traditional operating systems, Chrome OS doesn't trust the applications you run. Each app is contained within a security sandbox making it harder for malware and viruses to infect your computer. Furthermore, Chrome OS barely trusts itself. Every time you restart your computer the operating system verifies the integrity of its code. If your system has been compromised, it is designed to fix itself with a reboot. While no computer can be made completely secure, we're going to make life much harder (and less profitable) for the bad guys. If you dig security, read the Chrome OS Security Overview (http://www.chromium.org/chromium-os/chromiumos-design-docs/security-overview) or watch the video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9WVmNfgjtQ).

"Most of all, even though developers can view its source code and compile it, Chrome OS won't be available for download because it requires a special hardware configuration and it's not designed for multi-boot. Chrome OS is just the platform for Chrome OS netbooks. We are taking out every unnecessary process, optimizing many operations and running everything possible in parallel. This means you can go from turning on the computer to surfing the web in a few seconds. Our obsession with speed goes all the way down to the metal. We are specifying reference hardware components to create the fastest experience for Google Chrome OS," explains Google (http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/releasing-chromium-os-open-source.html).

...................................................................
Microsoft's Gazelle project is very similar. But I do think that merely being a web machine won't show its full value at least for 2-3 years. I can work within Google Docs (and I do) or Zoho Office online, but I prefer OpenOffice on the desktop for a wide variety of more complex tasks. I can see its value, assuming it's a $100-$150 machine or so, but if someone takes the code and opens it up to a few big apps, then it will level a lot of Linux distros in its path. And that won't be a bad thing; they need move beyond KDE/Gnome at some point.
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: mouser on November 24, 2009, 03:39 PM
Google is asking developers to contribute to the Chrome extensions gallery (http://blog.chromium.org/2009/11/extensions-one-step-closer-to-finish.html) -- an act that will put third party applications on both the Chrome browser and eventually the operating system.  Developers can contribute to the project by uploading their creations to the Developer Dashboard (http://).
-zridling (November 24, 2009, 12:16 PM)

this might be a good time to remind people that making an addon for a program will qualify as a NANY (https://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?board=284.0) entry.
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: Ehtyar on November 25, 2009, 08:59 PM
The OS does not support hard drives, just SSDs (solid state devices)
-zridling (November 19, 2009, 10:41 PM)
Sounds like a preeeeetty arbitrary and artificial limit, considering that SSDs use exactly the same connectors and protocol as standard hard drives...  :huh:
-f0dder (November 20, 2009, 09:02 AM)
It's an Apple-like limitation, to ensure it runs really snappy I imagine.

You can run ChromeOS from a usb stick (http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/download-google-chrome-os-and-run-on-a-real-computer/) now. Boss tried it this morning and had two total system freezes in 10 mins.

Ehtyar.
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: mahesh2k on November 25, 2009, 09:55 PM
Internet only OS ? No way  :down:
Why they have no plan for offline people or software in mind ?
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: Ehtyar on November 25, 2009, 10:05 PM
Internet only OS ? No way  :down:
Why they have no plan for offline people or software in mind ?
-mahesh2k (November 25, 2009, 09:55 PM)
That's the whole idea of Chrome OS, to cater only for online Google stuff. If you want an offline OS you can chose literally any other OS :P

Don't get me wrong, I find it as screwy as you do, but that is the general thinking behind it.

Ehtyar.
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: zridling on November 25, 2009, 11:45 PM
That's the whole idea of Chrome OS, to cater only for online Google stuff.... Don't get me wrong, I find it as screwy as you do, but that is the general thinking behind it. Ehtyar.
-Ehtyar (November 25, 2009, 10:05 PM)

Not true. While the eventual machine will be setup to take advantage of Google's browser -- which is built to take advantage of Google software and ads (no surprise there) -- you can surf and use any online software you want. You can use Windows Live or Zoho or anything else that's online. Thus the line, "all apps are web apps," and "Chrome OS is just the platform for Chrome OS netbooks."

Being open source, you'll see forks or versions that allow for HDs, local apps, etc.  And probably sooner than expected.
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: Ehtyar on November 25, 2009, 11:55 PM
Yes, poor wording. Chrome OS is Google *focused*, but not Google exclusive as my working implied. Sorry about that.

Found out from my boss that you log into the *OS* with your Google account. What's up with that?

Ehtyar.
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: zridling on November 26, 2009, 03:15 AM
Not sure. Didn't see anyone logging in among all the videos presented. When they opened Microsoft-formatted documents, they went to Windows Live when then opened MSOffice '07/10.

The key point, I believe, is not to think that Chrome OS is a Windows killer, or even a full-blown OS. Instead of having two cars in your garage, you have a car and a bike! The most interesting computing advances are happening away from the desktop, a trend that will only continue through the next decade. Chrome OS -- or a Chromebook -- is symbolic of something larger than OS vs. OS. It's Windows vs. the Cloud.
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: Deozaan on March 09, 2010, 11:47 PM
Has anyone heard of a version of Chrome OS for Netbooks with HDDs (as opposed to SSDs) yet? I'd really like to try it out, but I'm not sure that I'll be able to conjure up a 4GB USB drive.
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: Deozaan on March 10, 2010, 03:30 PM
By the way, Zaine (and other Linux experimenters), have you tried JoliCloud (http://www.jolicloud.com/product)?

It's a distribution based off of Ubuntu Netbook Remix and is in Pre-Beta (which is basically Alpha, right?).

Justin Pot over at MakeUseOf.com has good things to say about it:
I’ve been looking for the perfect operating system download for netbook, and along the way I’ve checked out Chrome OS and Moblin. Chrome’s Internet-only approach turned me off, and while I was quite impressed with Moblin, I concluded it’s not quite ready to be my primary netbook operating system yet.

Jolicloud, however, is the real deal. It exists in a world where desktop applications and web apps are on the same level, and it does so with style. Best of all, it’s extremely easy to use.
-http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/jolicloud-operating-system-download-for-netbook/

He then goes on to mention some of the highlights of why he really likes it, which I'll summarize:


I tried it out and it does work extremely well. It doesn't even have the problems that Ubuntu Netbook Remix had on this machine (such as screen flickering until it figured out whether the AC Adapter was plugged in or not).

Probably my only complaint thus far is that the application manager has very slim pickings when it comes to applications to install. It probably has enough applications for anyone who would be happy with Chrome OS, but as far as I could figure out, if it's not on the list, there's no easy way to install it, since the usual Synaptics Package Manager thingy is nowhere I could find it.

I wanted an FTP client and I couldn't figure out how to get one, and I couldn't figure out how to get FTP commands to work from the terminal (which I consider for "advanced" users, and thus not the market Jolicloud is looking for), so as far as I know, I'm out of luck for an FTP client until they decide to add one to their application manager. But maybe that's just because I don't know much about linux and the advanced techniques (or maybe something extremely simple I'm overlooking) to get other apps on there.

EDIT: I searched the forum and found that Jolicloud was briefly mentioned in this thread: Advice on Netbooks (https://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=18971.msg170429#msg170429). And after reading the linked article, Jolicloud seems to have changed a lot since it was reviewed last July.
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: zridling on March 10, 2010, 09:20 PM
Thanks Deozaan, I'm eager to try it out. Why is FTP the one thing people skimp on?!!
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: Deozaan on September 04, 2010, 07:03 PM
Arise from the dead, necro-thread!

I just found out about Flow (http://chromeos.hexxeh.net/), which is a Chrome OS build that lets you make a Live USB or VMWare image.

In fact, I'm typing this post from within Chrome OS on a Live USB, which is pretty cool, because it means I could boot to my own "portable PC" from any computer that supports booting from USB drive. And since it's all internet/cloud services, there's no need for a huge (in regards to storage space) hard drive. A spare 2GB (minimum) thumb drive should suffice.

Supposedly it even supports my webcam, but I don't know how to test it. Google Talk doesn't have the video/chat plugin installed by default and I'm having trouble installing it. I'm not sure if I'm doing something wrong or if it's just not supported or what.

There are other quirks. Something doesn't seem right about the screen's resolution, and I can't find an option to change it. I can't get a game to work on freeciv.net. I turned up the sensitivity of the touchpad to the max but it still seems a bit slow moving.

Anyway, it's fun to play around with, but obviously not ready for prime time yet. I'll definitely be watching for updates now that I can actually run it on my machine(s).

For what it's worth, I think this would be perfect for internet cafes. They could sell little Chrome OS on a Stick and provide little netbooks without a hard drive in them for people to use at the airport or at a internet cafe. Then you wouldn't need to worry about the security of your data on a USB drive in a machine that might copy it all over without your knowledge, and the internet cafe wouldn't have to worry about malware infecting the PCs.

It's really brilliant!
Title: Re: Chrome OS preview looks pretty cool
Post by: Deozaan on September 04, 2010, 08:03 PM
Found out from my boss that you log into the *OS* with your Google account. What's up with that?
-Ehtyar (November 25, 2009, 11:55 PM)

Yeah, that probably would have seemed weird to me if I hadn't logged into my phone with my google account in starting in May 2009.

You can run ChromeOS from a usb stick (http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/download-google-chrome-os-and-run-on-a-real-computer/) now. Boss tried it this morning and had two total system freezes in 10 mins.
-Ehtyar (November 25, 2009, 08:59 PM)

I guess a lot of progress has been made in the time since you posted this, since it seems to run very well (a little slow sometimes, but that might by USB transfer speeds) on my netbook. As I mentioned before, there are quirks, but it's been stable (no crashes/freezes).

The only thing I can't figure out is the proper way to shut it down. If I just press the Power button on my netbook it will shut down, but then when I boot into Chrome OS again it says it didn't shut down properly and I have to click the button to restore my tabs.

I think this is going to end up being like my experience with Chrome (browser). When I first heard about it I downloaded it, played with it for a few minutes, then uninstalled it. I was happy with Firefox and Chrome didn't add anything new. Then several months later I gave it another try and now I hate when I have to open Firefox. I did the same kind of thing with Chromium OS. I looked at videos and thought it was cool, but wondered why anyone would want just the browser on their computer. Now, almost a year later I'm actually trying it out and all sorts of uses for this come to my mind.

It won't replace a traditional OS on my desktop (or netbook), by any means, but I can actually see how it would be very useful to other people or in specific situations, and even useful for myself in some situations.

Oh, and I found out how to download files, but it is a little troublesome on my setup. For some reason the pop-up window asking me to download just displays a blank page. But if you bring up the Downloads tab (Ctrl-J) then it will let you choose Save or whatever is necessary.