Google Chrome Operating System announced

Google, less than 24 hours after bringing a number of its major services out of beta, has announced its first foray into providing users with a free, desktop OS alternative. Introducing the Google Chrome Operating System (GCOS).

A post to The Official Google Blog states:

Google Chrome OS is an open source, lightweight operating system that will initially be targeted at netbooks. Later this year we will open-source its code, and netbooks running Google Chrome OS will be available for consumers in the second half of 2010.

The release of a desktop OS is in response to current operating systems which Google says, “were designed in an era where there was no web.” GCOS will be developed around the Chrome browser with Google focusing on speed and simplicity. Interestingly, security is going to be tackled in such a way that, “users don’t have to deal with viruses, malware and security updates. It should just work.”

Here’s a run down of the key features detailed in this announcement:
GCOS is open source and will run on both x86 and ARM platforms
Netbooks are already planned to be shipped with GCOS next year
The OS consists of the Chrome browser and a new windowing system built on top of the Linux kernel
All application development will be done for the web using your favorite web technologies
Any apps developed for GCOS will automatically work on other operating systems because they target the browser rather than the underlying OS
GCOS is a totally separate project to Android, but there is some overlap

Google state that GCOS is a response to the needs of users and the feedback the company has received, saying:

People want to get to their email instantly, without wasting time waiting for their computers to boot and browsers to start up. They want their computers to always run as fast as when they first bought them. They want their data to be accessible to them wherever they are and not have to worry about losing their computer or forgetting to back up files. Even more importantly, they don’t want to spend hours configuring their computers to work with every new piece of hardware, or have to worry about constant software updates.

Read more at The Official Google Blog

Matthew’s Opinion
Anyone who follows the news and Google were expecting a desktop OS announcement sooner or later. I think what a lot of people will be surprised about though, is the fact it isn’t Android being pushed as the desktop OS. Instead, Google is focusing on the Chrome browser as your entry point to doing everything either online or offline.

It makes sense. Regardless of what experience a user has on a PC everyone comes into contact with a web browser and arguably ends up using it the most to access services such as e-mail, social networking, entertainment, and increasingly, productivity services such as Google Apps. If a browser is the first thing a user sees when their machine boots up they will instantly be at home using it and being productive. If it removes all the hassle of updating and keeping your machine secure all the better.

This announcement will worry Microsoft, but they must have been expecting it from Google. It isn’t just Microsoft this affects, however, and many other software vendors are going to be on edge about GCOS.

If you are running a machine that only uses a web browser then it renders most packages from security vendors either pointless or a lot less useful. Can companies like Symantec, McAfee, or Kaspersky create new products to work with GCOS? Desktop apps are not relevant on GCOS. You want to use Photoshop? Then it will have to be the web version. Want to play a game? Web-based games are your only option. And what about Firefox, Opera, IE, and Safari? If you choose GCOS then there is no browser choice anymore.

GCOS is potentially a game changer, but it all depends on just how popular it is with users and PC manufacturers. It will certainly be cheaper to buy a GCOS netbook or desktop than a Windows alternative and Google’s name carries a lot of weight with users.

There is still time for companies to digest this information and start to formulate apps and service for GCOS with 2010 being the key year; and it’s certainly going to be a very interesting one.