Chrome OS: The big misunderstanding

For some reason people are mistakenly calling Chrome OS a Windows killer. The more I read the comments that come with articles on Google's newly open-sourced Chrome OS, the more I realise people don't actually read the articles. Some people will comment that they believe Chrome OS will be a replacement and actually beat other desktop operating systems like Windows or the Linux operating systems. If people actually read what Chrome OS is and what it does they would realise this is simply not the case.

Google stated pretty blatantly that Chrome OS is basically a web browser built as an operating system. It is being designed to be installed on netbook computers and will only give access to the Internet and the associated applications. Files will not be stored on the local file system as we know it today. The only local storage will be as a cache. All files are permanently stored on the cloud.

The devices that will have Chrome OS installed on them will be, according to Google, companion devices. Most people will have their traditional, full-blown desktop machine or laptop and a Chrome OS netbook. The netbook will be useful for the times you are out and about and want to quickly access your email, Twitter, Google Apps, etc.

There is a good reason for this, again according to Google. They want to create an experience with the device whereby if you happen to lose it, it breaks or gets stolen you can just pick up a new device, login and all that data is still available. Also, with no local applications they can also make the OS more secure. If there is an application running that shouldn't be there, and by default there should be no apps apart from what is included on purchase, then Chrome OS can reset the entire device. Again, all your data is stored remotely, so you lose nothing with a reset, just a local cached copy.

These features, while a great idea, mean that Chrome OS is by no means a replacement for your current desktop operating system. There are just too many things that need a desktop application that the cloud does not yet provide for. But if you're an online connected kind of person you will find use for it.

What Chrome OS may do, however, is start to push people toward the cloud a bit more. If you use a Chrome OS device, you will need to make sure your documents are stored somewhere that would be available to you over the Internet. And, if you do start storing and even working on all your documents and work over the Internet from your desktop machine, only then will Chrome OS look like a viable alternative to your current desktop OS.

This is a very clever tactic by Google, because, while the world isn't ready for running everything off the Internet right now, Google's business is the Internet, and by releasing an operating system that starts pushing people towards trusting and utilising the cloud for everything, they are inexorably increasing their reach and possibility for providing web based services to .... well everyone. Extend that a little further and this means big money potentially for the Internet giant.

Its all about me.

Well, no, I am not that pretentious. This blog is all about me and my day-to-day activities related to web development, primarily with that revolutionary, server-side scripting language known as PHP, which started out standing for Personal Home Page and now represents Hypertext Pre-Processor ... pretty much a "hacked" acronym.

But enough about the boring history of PHP (I assume boring as when I discuss it with most people the glazed look is a dead give-away), and more about me. I am Gareth ... Oh, you want a bit more? Alrighty then. I am as of the date of this post a 28 year-old, engaged (should earn me some kudos with the little lady), South African guy, currently employed by Synaq, a company that specialises in providing Managed Linux Services to corporations using Open Source technologies. Pretty much were a bunch of Open Source geeks having a blast playing with really powerful machines that handle millions of processes per day. Well, thats what the System Admin's do at least. I am the geek that makes some of the software my fellow colleagues use and even some of our clients. I am the Web Developer. Or rather a web developer because with my compatriot Scott we are the team of two that try our best to write, hack, squeeze, prod, improve, maintain and otherwise maul code into some semblance of what the company wants. Its a nice job ... keeps me kinda busy .. and we get free coffee .. which is a nice perk..

And I am waffling so ONWARD! The reason I created this blog is simply because in my day-to-day work I often find myself sitting with a Great Discovery in my hands, either conjured alone or with Scott, and no one to share it with. While there are sites I could post this stuff onto it somehow feels more like just chucking stuff at the world in general than it does making a contribution. So, I hope to use this blog to share my web development woes and I have a few ideas I hope to get up and running on here as well. One of which is a complete A-Z tutorial of becoming a PHP web developer. All the way from understanding the client-server chain, to installing a testing server on your machine, choosing an IDE and getting stuck into the coding.

Well enough waffle for today. Tomorrow I shall make my first post (or later if I can't contain myself). Thanks for taking the time to read my first piece of drivel and hope you come back