A Chrome OS blog
The debate about which operating system is best has raged on for years now, with the majority of that
battle being fought between users of the Mac, and PC users, who are pretty much forced to swallow a
healthy dose of Windows. While that debate has been going back and forth, Google decided to enter the
mix by announcing that they would be releasing their Chrome OS, which is an entirely different beast
from pretty much anything else on offer.
The Chrome OS works on the principle that everything that you need for a regular Windows PC can
be accessed via the Cloud, as opposed to installing drivers and updates on a seemingly endless basis.
Besides the obvious convenience factor that method represents, the fact that your computer wouldn’t
have to load all those drivers on start-up means that you can go from black screen to browser in 8
seconds or less.
At the heart of the new OS is the Chrome web browser, which in itself created something of a download
frenzy when it was released back in 2008. Statistics showed that the browser had gained a 1% market
share in under an hour, and at the present time it sits just behind Firefox in usage percentage. It’s a
clean, stripped down browser that does away with the necessity for toolbars that others rely on. It also
bears something of a resemblance to Android in that there are a growing number of apps that can be
installed right into the browser, without having to give up any of the speedy performance.
If users feel that there is something missing in the release, then they should take a look at the Chromium
OS, which is an open source version that allows developers to go in and tweak the system to their own
needs. Chromium is basically the same code base as Chrome, but it does not have some of the features
that will be enjoyed by Chrome users, such as auto updates and verified boot. Still, it’s a great way for
develops to get their hands on that base code to see what they can come up with.
Before you get the idea of running off and downloading the Chrome OS onto your PC, you should know
that it’s actually not available for download. That’s actually something of a lie, as there are some sites
that will show you how to do just that, but unless you are a programmer or developer with a strong
knowledge of Linux, you should skip that at all costs. Instead, make you next purchase a Chromebook,
which runs entirely on the Chrome OS, and comes at a price that is right in line with the cost of an
average laptop. Perhaps even better than that, Chromebooks such as the Cr-48 are available to
businesses and students at a monthly rate of $28 and $20 respectively. So if you are tired of the eternal
Mac and Windows debate, then make your next purchase a Chromebook.
