Google OS.

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Finally our overlords are giving us google chrome OS. I don't usually like to repeat google-pr, especially vapour^H^H^H^H^Hcloud-ware... but this is interesting.

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/introducing-google-chrome-os.html

Actually the article isn't interesting, except 'google are going to release another OS'. No technical details... and no comic book.

Not sure if it'll be anywhere near as good as the latest from Debian/Ubuntu, MS or Apple.

OS user interfaces are way ahead of anything google has made on the web... and game interfaces are way ahead of OS interfaces.

ps. this is the second OS google has released recently. android is the previous one (not yet hugely successful).

Comments

Hugh said…
It all depends on what you think better means in terms of user interface.

Usability or looks nicer?

Because if it's usability I'd say Google wins in that department.

Plus regarding the way ahead comment for OS interfaces and game interfaces, since I'm guessing your using the old Web vs Native Code argument, take a look at Native Client.

Native Client will be built into the developer version of Chrome by the end of the year, so it's more or less guaranteed for Googles new OS.
9:15 AM
René Dudfield said…
Blogger Hugh Isaacs II the Maître d'@

Hello,

Let's take something from the googles own post to compare OS vs Web apps: 'People want to get to their email instantly, without wasting time waiting for their computers to boot and browsers to start up'. Have you timed how long gmail takes to load up? OS email interfaces load way quicker than gmail does.

Games live on the cutting edge of interface design... way ahead of web and OS interface design. There's a reason people pay to play games, and get paid to work on their spread sheets(ok, that's a bad argument, but it's kind of true?).

Think about camera controls, multi touch, 3d interactions, wii-motes, voice controls... the list goes on. The web is many years behind game and OS user interfaces.

cu!
11:52 AM
Anonymous said…
Sounds to me like the Chrome OS will be a simple platform for the browser; no other programs, no other interface. Like when I set Netscape as my Windows "shell" back in the late 90's. Not even comparable to a full-featured OS, but the logical extreme for a netbook or kiosk.
9:21 PM
Hugh said…
@illume

I know I'm late to reply, but things like camera controls, multi touch, 3d interactions, wii-motes, and voice controls can be implemented in the browser with Native Client.

Native Client runs native C/C++ code from the browser, replying on the CPU (and GPU) to run.

Google knows that Javascript can't be used to do everything and that's why they've invented this plugin (and future standard).
10:55 PM
Hugh said…
I feel Native Client is the future of the web and the OS, especially when used hand in hand with Gears you could run apps online or offline giving users a choice to try it now or install it.

And on another note someone ported Python over to Native Client with little modification (http://lackingrhoticity.blogspot.com/2009/06/python-standard-library-in-native.html) since Native Client comes with the SDL library I'm hoping that someone will port PyGame over to it.
1:28 AM
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