Weekend Open Forum: Google Chrome OS and the future of cloud computing

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Jos

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After much speculation Google introduced Chrome OS this week, a feature-stripped operating system aimed at netbooks that's built around the company's browser and relies on web applications. Actual data and programs are stored and run online, while local storage is only meant to be used to speed up those processes.

Google made it clear that Chrome OS is not intended as a replacement for Windows, OS X or Linux. Though that could change in time, initially it will be targeted at netbooks and smartbooks, where it makes the most sense. While Chrome OS might not be the game-changing piece of software some were expecting it to be, it offers a very interesting glimpse at the future Google envisions, one where all your computing is done through the browser.

Web applications like Gmail and Google Reader already run well enough to replace some of their desktop counterparts, but we're still ways off from matching the functionality of more complex applications like video or photo editors, not to mention video games. Then again, looking at ambitious projects like OnLive, one has to wonder if it is a matter of when -- and not if -- we'll want to move our whole digital lives into the cloud.

Regardless of the success Chrome OS may or may not see initially, it seems like an early step towards making bigger things happen. Taking away from the numerous applications and implications of cloud computing, we want to know your thoughts on those tasks affecting you immediately, your current PC tasks and habits either at home or the workplace.

From simple things like relying on Google Calendar instead of Outlook, sharing data with your colleagues or backing it up on a cloud-based service. How do you see these affecting you today and what are your expectations for cloud-based applications a few years from now? Discuss.

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maybe someone who understands it better than I can explain what seems like the almost impossible logistics of security, and the Orwellian aspect of this.
 
I've never used a mail client on my computer. I just log in to gmail from anywhere i want and i don't have to worry about getting infected with a virus unless i click on a stupid link in spam mails (which i don't).
 
Will be good for netbooks. But I'm not one that would trust having my files saved to cloud only. I'd much prefer it saved on my hard drive and backed up myself
 
About 70% of all my work is in the 'cloud' already, courtesy of Google Apps for Domain - email, time-recording, invoicing, website prototyping (Googles Sites is fantastic for this albeit not as the end CMS) and collaborating with colleagues. Am I concerned about privacy? Well, I'm in the academic world and I don't really have anything to hide. WHat concerns me more is stability and reliability in the long-term and compared to everyone else Google has this in spades.
 
I'm honestly having a hard time formulating an opinion about the Chrome OS and that kind of Cloud computing in general. I'm sure there is a certain kind of user that will take advantage of Chrome OS and love it. Of course most people wont go near it for a long time.
 
I said on another thread that IMO the future of home computing are consoles. I'll take the PS3 as an example since it seems to be the best option for this.

The PS3 already has a browser, but is rumoured that it will move to Firefox in the future. This will definitely make it fully compatible with web apps. It supports keyboard and mouse, so there's no compromise on the interface.

So for $300, assuming the Firefox upgrade, you'll be getting a fully fledged cloud PC that can also play games well and blu-ray movies. That's better value than any desktop or nettop PC.

It's not all that hard to see this expanded further. The PS3 already has a hard disk (user upgradable even), so web apps could theoretically be made to store data on it. The PS3's CPU is also pretty powerful, and could likely do pretty good work for video editing or conversion.

The only piece of hardware I think the PS3 lacks is a DVD burner. Replace the Blu-ray drive with a combo (blu-ray read, DVD write) and it'd pretty much have the potential to do everything a home user needs, from web and productivity apps through games and media playback, to storing your pictures and editing your videos.
 
I am serious in saying that I would need a better and more guaranteed ISP performance to even start considering the cloud for bigger things that some webmail or something. I realize I am one of the very few who doesn't play online games and stuff but it's one thing to have documents 'only' up there and another to play games.
 
At the high-level enterprise, cloud computing should have a quicker reception for a number of applications: backups, hosting, software as a service, etc.

For the consumer, the ramp up will be considerably slower. There are some compelling services out there already, but Internet connections are not speedy enough everywhere, and hardware is getting cheaper, so the whole proposition takes less meaning in that front.

As for the "simpler" Web-based services, I'm already using some of Google services like Docs, but at the end of the day, I use them mostly for sharing work and storing a backup copy. For actual editing and going back and forth at files I still rely on my local copy of Word, Excel and even Outlook.
 
Ok, this was heavily discussed in another topic.

First of all, let me invite all Guests in here to make an account, is really easy and takes about 2 minutes to have one working.

Second, some say Google is far ahead in their thinking and how they propose technology and bla bla. Let me reassure you, they are not.

¿Why that is? You might ask, first of all us users, we appreciate speed and short load times that is for certain, but what we also appreciate are the colours and the sounds of all the things that the computer might bring to us, in other words we like to get every ounce of juice we can from our dekstops/laptops/netbooks and that is a fact.

What google brings here, is indeed something that woks fast (Maybe it will truncate on netbooks sometime or another, after all this tabbing and windowing sort of desktop seems to will be using a lot of processor and video graphics to make this all coexist, I mean come on, most java games on atom processors slow down on one way or another) but that limits its usage by waaaay more than we (Yes we, the ones that read techspot and like the juicy stuff) would like.

Yes it is something in their begginings and yes it is expected to change a lot and yes to all those sort of things.

I asked the same question before and no one answered. Why did google talk failed? Mabye not in the whole failed as is, but it has never came to toes to msn messenger ussage (I must read some statistics, and leaving aside the fact that google by default once you open gmail logs you in to google talk). So... why? Google talk is clearly faster in opening times, logging, chatting, and it does have emoticons and a couple of nice tricks.

I was one of the few around here that tried to "hey! check google talk it's really neat, simple and fast, we should all use it", in the end no one did and I just felt alone and say hi back to msn messenger (Although I don't complain I really wanted to give google talk a shot).

Again, we all like the colors and the sounds, and fastest doesn't mean we will like anything racing like a sports car.
 
Ups I didn't finish this...

Again, we all like the colors and the sounds, and fastest doesn't mean we will like anything racing like a sports car when we can't get to actually steer it.
 
i think cloud computing will bring power to the masses. all the processing and storage would done on the cloud.as a result a layman would not have to spend so much on hardware and software.
But one important aspect and possibly hindrance here could be the connection speed which is not so good in quite a few countries.Shifting gaming to cloud computing could be quite difficult as a result of connection speed.
 
From the preview I saw it appears that Chome OS is simply a self running browser with access to local files. The cloud, right now has several different meanings but in general it means the internet because the computer. My main concern is that who owns the data? What happens when it is missused, lost, hacked, searched for targeted advertising, etc? I don't have a problem with the app running elsewhere but I want control of my personal data.
 
from what i've read, Chrome OS is feeble attempt from Google to enter the netbook/laptop market from the software side. i mean ok it's neat to have a netbook and be on the move with your documents backup and stored online somewhere else that you could share/access/download when you're back at your desktop. however that is pretty much dependent on your data plan or opportunity to find a working AP. i personally still find having the data within my harddrives giving me a sense of security and sure accessibility, esp there are times we cannot have internet access (on the plane, for example). The Cloud thing is still nice, though, esp when Netbook is often equipped with tiny storage
 
I was interested enough in the concept of Chrome to give it a try...in a virtual machine of course :)
 
The information provided by you was really appreciable. I also got the more information about the Chrome OS from the
http://www.techarena.in/review/18377-google-chrome-os-chromium-os.htm
 
Hey, You, Get off of My Cloud.........! (M.Jagger, K. Richards)

maybe someone who understands it better than I can explain what seems like the almost impossible logistics of security, and the Orwellian aspect of this.
There, there now Big Red, don't you be a fret-in' none , ever-thin' will be jus' a fine an' dandy, so long as you use this password manger; https://www.techspot.com/vb/topic139796.html to store yo "magik entry sayins'" in da cloud, right along wit' your personal info......:rolleyes:

Although, this does offer a wonderfully dark, draconian, ironic, merging of a couple of old familiar sayings;..(sic).... "look M#$*&^ !@#*&##, jus a 'cause my haid bees in da cloud, don mean I'mma gonna put up wif yo nose up my a** in it...

This could also become part of the lexicon and mythology of alien folklore, "oh man, I was abducted by aliens the other night, brought aboard their ship, whereupon they subjected me to a Google Probe".....!!

"The Google Probe rocked my world", said the abductee, as he attempted to sit down somewhat gingerly.
 
'Whos watching me' (Jermain jackson, Michael Jackson)

There, there now Big Red, don't you be a fret-in' none , ever-thin' will be jus' a fine an' dandy, so long as you use this password manger; https://www.techspot.com/vb/topic139796.html to store yo "magik entry sayins'" in da cloud, right along wit' your personal info......:rolleyes:

Although, this does offer a wonderfully dark, draconian, ironic, merging of a couple of old familiar sayings;..(sic).... "look M#$*&^ !@#*&##, jus a 'cause my haid bees in da cloud, don mean I'mma gonna put up wif yo nose up my a** in it...

This could also become part of the lexicon and mythology of alien folklore, "oh man, I was abducted by aliens the other night, brought aboard their ship, whereupon they subjected me to a Google Probe".....!!

"The Google Probe rocked my world", said the abductee, as he attempted to sit down somewhat gingerly.

" them damn googles gonna land on my pickup!" ....here hold my pabst cus, im a gonna show them a thing or three ........Damn that thing is cold!....is that banjos im a hearin?
 
If the Spaceship is Rockin', ... Don't Come a Knockin'...!!!

" them damn googles gonna land on my pickup!" ....here hold my pabst cus, im a gonna show them a thing or three ........Damn that thing is cold!....is that banjos im a hearin?
Damn...! That's enough to instill the fear of God in ya (pun). Where they playin' "Deliverance Us from Evil" by any chance?

The whole sordid affair calls to mind the words of the immortal theater rock baritone, "Meatloaf", when he sang with all the pretentiousness he could muster, " I would do anything..... but I surely wouldn't zip-a-dee doo dah daaaaatttt"..! Or maybe it was "OUCH, my a**"!


And now a lesson in "Google-quette":

In spite of the fact that the "close encounter" may have lacked a tablecloth, and the utensils were very, very cold, don't forget to tip your musicians.....:rolleyes: !!
 
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