Comments on: Google's Chrome OS and Netbooks: Why Microsoft shouldn't worry...yet

While it may not have the same buzz as a new iPhone, Google's announcement of a new computer operating system, based on its Chrome Web browser, has certainly set tongues wagging across the Interwebs.

[Forked_Tongue]

Unless the mfg check the limitation of the OS they put on the netbook MS will win this war as well. I was a first generation netbook adopter and many of the programs installed could not be managed on the tiny screen (you couldn't see the bottom to confirm the radio selections for installed programs or programs you just installed), menu limitations (EEE you could not uninstall programs from any of the programs it had installed on it, the app manager it had claimed you could uninstall it but wouldn't let you), and they don't give you the same options as the MS XP netbooks (I might be one of those people who like a larger platter hard drives 40-160gb (I might want to carry a decent music and movie collection) and more ram over the slow crappy 4-16 gb ssds [some they didn't even have the decency of it being just one ssd, they gave you one or two slow ssds] they choose for the linux install or worse they soldered on the board without the option to change it!). I don't understand why they couldn't do a little more research to fix the linux options they installed, made certain some form of windowing will keep all information on the screen, and allow a range of options for settings instead of fixed settings (Why can't I have more options for an external monitor for resolution and refresh rates? Why can't I get options for key mappings, key settings {like how the arrow keys scrolls up/down}? Why can't I get options for programs to install on an usb pendrive or ssd instead?). Why give us a larger size crappy slow ssd drive instead of something more useful like more ram, bluetooth, or touchscreen for the linux machines?

I wonder if they'll make the same stupid mistake with Chrome OS? Sure some things are great in the cloud but we're not guaranteed to be online all the time (We're a media happy world, give us some storage, the current data packages of 5 gb/month for the netbooks are woefully inadequate for cloud survival.), if they repeat the same mistakes it'll be unnoticed in sales like the other linux variants on these machines. It seems the arm machines will go ssds killing their chances to be a pmp killer unless ssds grows up in size and down in prices (unless we want to keep "smartbooks" out of the "netbook's" arguments). Will they restrict this to ssds only, low ram (512 mb), and raise the price to be equal to MS OS netbooks with literally no advantages in hardware (most MS OS netbooks have webcams, bluetooth, more ram, and larger hard drives, it's usually cheaper to buy them, wipe XP off of it, and then install linux which shouldn't happen imho we should be given the option to buy the linux variant with the same gear cheaper)? Will they also limit themselves to the same hardware (MS restricts XP home's hardware choices, why should they keep these when installing open source?) instead of pushing the envelope a lot instead? If not then MS will win this round again, too bad the customer will have to lose if this is the case.

[ptorney1]

Hmmm an OS with an attached Web Browser and potentially an office suite? Darn Microsof.....oh wait its not Microsoft? Its free? and its google? Well that should be ok...just nobody do a conspiracy theory on the Square Colorful Window Logo and it morphing into a Circle Colorful Google Logo and we should be good.

[gary85739]

If it's FREE and if it is intuitive as OSX or Windows, millions will use it!

Linux would be as popular/used as Windows "IF" they had tech support!

Most don't have time or inclination to play with linux...we all know it's superior to any OS, but few use it because they aren't geeky enough!

You know, it goes like this "read the manual" or "click", the majority prefer "click"!!!

[diamondduq]

I don't know if I'd necessarily say it's time for Microsoft to worry but their time for complacency is coming to a close. For years Microsoft has had essentially a monopoly on personal computing and could offer the often unreliable, though familiar, Windows in its many incarnations that needs constant upkeep and updating. Apple is an all or nothing and chooses not to compete cost-wise. As we are seeing with Android on mobile phones, Google is offering very user friendly, adaptable software that is free. Microsoft is finally going to have a suitable competitor that will force it to offer better solutions than the lackluster Windows offerings we have seen to this point.

[motionmagicman]

Personally I really don't buy that netbooks are the answer thing. The trend or the demand seems to me to be in smaller devices the size of a cell phone that pretty much do same things as our expensive computers do. If most users are spending there time surfing the web, listening to music and watching video on the web then we could all do that with our PSP, IPhone, etc. The only real reason to create another operating system is so developer have a platform to design web apps on that better integrates with the hardware. Which the main reason why I believe Google is making this announcement so early. To draw that support. I just hope that doesn't ruin the work they have done with Chrome browser because personally if Chrome did all these things today. I wouldn't have to buy another device tommorrow to do the exact same things I am doing on my PC. Which is the reason why I would question the value in my purchase to begin with.

[happygolucky101lol]

Just port OO.o and Limewire or iTunes support to Cloudo or something. EZ and :)

[sav1981]

I like to see a netbook by Apple they can call it the Mac Super Mini Netbook. Now that will be a system seller.

[aliceagain]

I don't think Apple is capable of selling a netbook for a low enough price to be competitive.

[jordanaustino]

WINDOWS 7 all the way!!!!111

[iromania94]

Google definitely has the right idea here. Im using chrome right now, and honestly, i LOVE it. Sweet and simple. What ever happened to getting the job done? Functional, organized, quick, powerful, and easy on your eyes.
The second i open up IE, i get a head-ache. Add-ons, toolbars; crap from norton, yahoo, ask, and anything else you can think of. And IE perfectly reflects the operating system it was meant for. Vista is what? Attractive at best. It may be flashy with its "Aero" theme, but it is just a PAIN. Cluttered, slow, and buggy: just like IE.
If Chrome OS will resemble its browser [which it will] then i see a very successful OS. Microsoft should be shaking right now.

Now im just waiting for Google to think up a gaming system... finally kick Microsoft and its Xbox out of the competition once and for all, maybe team up with Sony... or maybe thats just wishful thinking.

Bottom line, this is what gets consumers to enjoy their computer experiences. Google knows what they are doing. Sure, v1.0 of an OS is always gonna have a few mistakes. But Google seems to be quick to fix them. I will be the among the first to try it. Looking forward to see what Google has in store for us over the next few years.
Lets jump OFF the bandwagon for once, and let go of this love/hate relationship we all seem to have with Microsoft. Google, i salute you!

[106730207]

??????????????

[106730207]

WHY CAN?T SHOU CHINESE?

[dnosotti]

While I have had my share of problems with Windows products, I won't be trying Chrome. I have tried Ubantu and Mac OsX10. Better the devil I know than the one I don't.

My problem with these other operating systems and Chrome is that I am familiar with Windows and how to fix most common problems, but if something goes wrong with an operating system I am not familiar with, I have nowhere to turn. I can't afford to be without a computer for very long, and so I maintain several backup computers. If I can't fix it, there is a large support group that can.

[Sajit_BLR]

GOOGLE CHROME "CANNOT" COMPETE WITH A WELL ESTABLISHED MICROSOFT WINDOWS OPERATING SYSTEM. I AGREE WITH THE ARTICLE. NO OPERATING SYSTEM CAN BE AS USER FRIENDLY AS WINDOWS.

[Vrmithrax]

Sorry, that's complete drivel. There is TONS of stuff that Windows does that is anything BUT user friendly, particularly for power users. The problem is that is has become the defacto standard (so much so that Linux has to have a Windows-like front end thrown on it to get considered, and the Apple OS long ago chose to use the Windows feel). I'm a PC user, and I can honestly say that I envy my friends with Macs because Apple took the Windows thought and gave it a much more user-friendly feel.

All it takes for a revolution is an idea, a direction, and a will... iPod and iPhone anyone? If Google can boil down an OS into a simple streamlined experience, and do it for free (or even a fraction of a normal OS cost), they have a chance at making a nice dent in Microsoft's death grip on us consumers... And maybe MS will have to rethink resting on their laurels as they watch over their captive audience, if they start noticing those slaves are just walking away to something better (or at least less oppressive).

[formergeek]

You are all missing the point. The problem is marketing. The point of a netbook is NOT to be a primary computer, though too many people assume it could be. Anyone complaining about the lack of ports, storage, performance, etc. of a netbook should be complaining to the salesperson who misled them into buying it as a fully functional computer. It's basically a big smart phone. It's not designed to store stuff and run complicated apps. It's designed to give you basic functionality for traveling and/or conducting business, where your desktop back at home or the office will do the heavy lifting. Google's approach here is perfect, though it's a niche play. I've been saying for years that Netscape should have come up with an OS. Of course, after AOL got involved, we all know it would have been a _P_OS. Google, IMHO, should flex their muscle more, assuming their netbook play is successful, and push into the desktop arena.
Another note: someone made the point that "Linux" should market its OS better. LINUX IS NOT A COMPANY. It's a product, built by millions of developers worldwide in the open source arena. Red Hat could market its version of it better - I agree. It's a pity, IMHO, that Microsoft won the battle a few years back in the antitrust suit. It's also a pity that so many businesses standardize on Microsoft. We can all hope that our desktop OS will find the same path that web servers did.

[DJNomad77]

I am a new linux user as of this last year.I find myself trying another distro often cause I may have a lil problem here or I think that another may suit me better.I don't know about everyone else but I think I would have stuck with Ubuntu out the get go if I had to invest as much in it as I did windows.I think that is the main advantage that windows has in the fight is thatpeople paid for it so they are gonna stick around and make sure they get their monies worth out of it.Linux mint and ultimate Ubuntu are my 2 favorite distrosand I imagine that is cause all the Flash,Java,and codecs are there from the beginning.

[Mspirit]

I would like a Google chrome OS ultra cheap netbook :D