Google Launches Cloud Operating System, Calls It a Browser

Unless it will run by itself on a system, outside of windows or mac os, it is only a platform not an operating system. it will become an operating system when it shows up next to "Apple OS" and "Windows XP" on my boot choices.

God this article is SOOOO messed up. How can you call this browser a cloud OS ? It RUNS on your LOCAL MACHINE. I don't think these blabbering mouths understand or know any tech talk.. Just random garbage to fill up air-time. what a waste of bandwidth!

If you think redmond will fade softly in the night, download and test Internet Explorer 8 beta 2.

So here's the question...will Microsoft be able to repeat their threats against Dell et al like they when Netscape was hot?

When I have no internet connection, I still get work done with Windows and Office and my 50 GB working library. Pure web enabled computing would leave me dead in the water during those times. In my opinion, complete dependence on the web is a huge mistake.

Remember the future operating system will be web based and applications aree to be on the webn as well. Storage would be on the individual computers. Its the network position where the likes of Google and Msft would have all the applications on their own computer site which would make modifications to existing software much faster and content would be easier as well. The browser market would blur and web based applications would be the norm.

What? How can this be an OS if it requires another OS to boot it up? Who the hell want to be on the internet all the time with internet usage cap and virus everywhere? Do these guys know what they are talking about? I guess not, Blodget is the same idiot that hyped the internet stocks and gave a $300 price target to Yahoo.

I agree, a network is only as good if it runs without a glitch and is there ever a time when there aren't any of them?

A little confusing. If it doesn't need Windows, does that mean it runs directly from DOS?

When Microsoft rolled out its first web browser, in 1995 (or thereabouts) Using the word "thereabouts" reflects the lack of homework done for this article. the idea in this article is what the bulls of GOOG and bears of MSFT dream about, nevertheless it's as likely as the flux capacitor from back to the future. Clearly there is an audience for stories about the cloud replacing all software similar to nuclear energy causing monthly electrical bills to collapse.

Confucious say once your software becomes a service in the cloud, it opens up the potential to link it up with other services that are out there. For many vendors and users this is still a barely dawning realization, but it's of fundamental importance. In many ways, the Internet cloud is one great global SOA — still very rudimentary in many ways, but flexible enough to accommodate different levels of sophistication, and evolving fast.

Henry Blodget... You sound like a FOOL!

The "cloud computing" part is nonsense. But for those who are wondering how a Google-powered PC can work without Windows or Mac OS: Simple, Google just partners with a hardware maker that preloads the machines with some flavor of Linux (a graphical-based one, for user-friendliness; maybe even a new GoogLinux variety). Zero cost, which further undercuts the purchase price for consumers. I think Google's been going down this road for a while, actually: http://www.populationstatistic.com/archives/2006/05/25/google-dell-the-birth-of-a-google-powered-pc/

I did a little homework to answer my own question. Windows is not an OS, it is a shell. Same with OSX. These are applications which provide a user interface for the true OS: DOS for Windows and Unix for Mac. Without these "kernels", the computer could not communicate with its hard drive or other hardware. It could not even start. So, saying that operating systems will become obsolete is not really accurate. Unless the computer can actually BOOT from the Google browser, please stop saying this.

I am sure MSFT says: "Bring it On!" Gates and Balmer are not afraid of GOOG guys. Remember Netscape?

You techies are missing the point, as always when it comes to business: this is a step, a step, a step. It is not the Holy Grail. Go somewhere else to find your religion.

Henry Blodgett really needs to learn something about computer technology before he considers himself competent to make any predictions. I see zero reason for web-based applications. The flaw in Google's logic is that they are claiming that since they are internet geeks, they think it somehow makes sense to run programs from within a browser. It clearly doesn't and Google is simply lying thru their teeth in order to make their browser seem more important. Replacing hegemony Microsoft wiith weird hegemony Google is not an idea worth considering. We don't ned ANY hegemonies, fellows. You folks are so used to tolerating monopolies in the computer field, you think that's the way it's SUPPOSED to be. Well, I'm here to tell you that the computer field is immature and illogical.

Google's version of office is junk if you ask me... do any of these gys actually use this crap? It's neat to try once, but when you have work to do... you still fire up the old standby. Like I really want ads on my OS anyway.

GoogleLinux is an interesting concept that could create some truely low cost computing environments. In my business, the software on each computer has more cost than the hardware. This is odd because the cost for hardware manufacturing and development exceeds that software by a large factor. It seems like another failing business model, that must somehow lead to change and opportunity. Capital will continue to seek a more productive home. Maybe a change can also return value to the semiconductor and computer manufacturers, who have provided more value, than the lagging software industry.

Is Chrome an OS? Let's see..The 3 main elements of an OS are: 1. A Scheduler (It manages a bunch of processes). 2. A memory manager(It decides what process gets what memory) 3. Processes (the little guys eating memory and churning cpu-cyles under the Scheduler supervision). Chrome has all three. Chrome is an OS or VM. The old-school of OS being the program that talks to your hardware no longer applies...because the answer you are searching for is no longer within your hardware..is somewhere else, in the cloud. Right, now 99% of the data a user WANTS..is outside the PC. Dig that Microsofit?