Raves

Posted on 6 Aug 2009 at 12:27

 

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Google has made a lot of promises about Chrome OS, but when you look through the official blog post, one thing sticks out: "Google Chrome [runs] within a new windowing system on top of a Linux kernel".

It's easy to look at this and rewrite the whole Chrome OS announcement as, "Google launches a version of Linux". Put like that, it suddenly seems less revolutionary and, if I'm honest, interesting. But maybe the whole point of this project is that Google is launching Linux, which can only be a good thing in the long run.

I'm a big fan of Linux. It's free, stable, works well and provides a decent alternative to Windows for a lot of jobs. Its one problem is that there are simply too many versions of it, each with its own interface and way of doing things. This is fine for people who love Linux and find a version they're happy with, but for most people, it's confusing. There's no definitive place to go to find out how to do something in Linux, as it's not a standard operating system as Windows is.

Linux inherently frightens some people. We've even heard stories of people taking netbooks back to the shop because they wanted Windows and not Linux. With Google behind a Linux-based operating system, this could change.

Google has almost unlimited funds, and when it sets its mind to something, it does it properly and with style - just look at Gmail and Google Maps. It's not just about quality, but branding. Google is a global brand that people trust; Linux simply doesn't have that.

With a trusted brand will come greater acceptance of a new operating system. This and the fact that Google has the clout to make PC and netbook manufacturers sit up, pay attention and start selling kit with Chrome OS installed.

Google needs learn from Apple: with OS X, Apple created an operating system based on Unix (essentially a full-on enterprise version of Linux) for people who are used to soft, fluffy and easy. If Chrome OS can do the same so that the masses don't even realise they're using Linux, it could be a huge success.

This doesn't mean I want traditional Linux to fail. Chrome OS could be good for Linux in general. Once people get Chrome OS and like it, they may start to look deeper into the OS and get used to the way Linux works. Once that happens, people may want to 'upgrade' to a full Linux distribution.

Even if this doesn't happen, the fact is that a massive company is threatening Microsoft's dominance. That must be good news, whether it means Microsoft has to become more competitive and produce better products, or it annoys Steve Ballmer so much that he throws another chair across his office.

Author: David Ludlow