Google Chrome OS is a Linux-based operating system designed by Google to work exclusively with web applications.

Google announced the operating system on July 7, 2009 and made it an open source project, called Chromium OS, that November. Unlike Chromium OS, which can be compiled from the downloaded source code, Chrome OS only ships on specific hardware from Google's manufacturing partners.[6] The user interface takes a minimalist approach, resembling that of the Chrome web browser. Since Google Chrome OS is aimed at users who spend most of their computer time on the Internet, the only application on the device is a browser incorporating a media player and a file manager. The expected launch date for retail hardware featuring Chrome OS slipped after Google first announced the operating system: from an initial forecast date in late 2010 to June 15, 2011, when "Chromebooks" from Samsung (and then Acer in July) actually shipped.

Contents

1 History o 1.1 Cr-48 prototype hardware o 1.2 Commercial hardware: Chromebooks 2 Reception o 2.1 Relationship to Android 3 Design goals and direction o 3.1 User interface o 3.2 Architecture o 3.3 Remote application access and virtual desktop access o 3.4 Hardware support o 3.5 Integrated media player, file manager o 3.6 Printing o 3.7 Link handling o 3.8 Security o 3.9 Shell access 4 References 5 External links o 5.1 Historical

History
Google developers began coding the operating system in 2009, inspired by the growing popularity and lower power consumption of netbooks and the focus of these small laptops on Internet access. To ascertain marketing requirements for an operating system focused on netbook Web transactions, the company did not do the usual demographic research generally associated with a large software development project. Instead, engineers relied on more informal metrics, including monitoring the usage patterns of some 200 Chrome OS machines used by Google employees. Developers also noted their own usage patterns. Matthew

Papakipos, former[16] engineering director for the Chrome OS project, put three machines in his house and found himself logging in for brief sessions: to make a single search query or send a short email.[7] On November 19, 2009, Google released Chrome OS's source code as the Chromium OS project.[4] As with other open source projects, developers are modifying code from Chromium OS and building their own versions, whereas Google Chrome OS code will only be supported by Google and its partners, and will only run on hardware designed for the purpose. Unlike Chromium OS, Chrome OS will be automatically updated to the latest version.[17] InformationWeek reviewer Serdar Yegulalp wrote that Chrome OS will be a product, developed to "a level of polish and a degree of integration with its host hardware that Chromium OS does not have by default," whereas Chromium OS is a project, "a common baseline from which the finished work is derived" as well as a pool for derivative works. The product and project will be developed in parallel and borrow from each other.[18] At a November 19, 2009 news conference, Sundar Pichai, the Google vice president overseeing Chrome, demonstrated an early version of the operating system. He previewed a desktop which looked very similar to the Chrome browser, and in addition to the regular browser tabs also had application tabs, which take less space and can be pinned for easier access. At the conference, the operating system booted up in seven seconds, a time Google said it would work to reduce.[17][19][18][20] Also on November 19, 2009, Chris Kenyon, vice president of OEM services at Canonical Ltd announced that Canonical "is contributing engineering to Google [Chrome OS] under contract. In our discussions, Sundar Pichai and Linus Upson made it clear that they want, wherever feasible, to build on existing components and tools from the open source community without unnecessary re-invention. This clear focus should benefit a wide variety of existing projects and we welcome it."[21] On January 25, 2010, Google posted notes, images and a video of a conceptual design showing how a Chrome OS user interface might look on a tablet PC with a 510 inch screen. The design would include the same basic layout as on netbooks, but with a touch interface; an onscreen qwerty keyboard in different layouts; large, square icons placed above the tabs; and panels placed along the bottom edge that could be opened with an upward dragging motion.[22][23] The posting was made two days before Apple announced the iPad tablet.[24] On March 16, 2011, several changes to Chromium OS were made which indicate the development of a tablet version of Google Chrome OS.[25] In March 2010, Google indicated that consideration is being given to developing two versions of the operating system, a consumer version and an enterprise version.[26]

Cr-48 prototype hardware

The Cr-48 showing the setup screen seen when first booting up a Chromebook

At a December 7, 2010 press briefing, Google announced the Cr-48 laptop, a reference hardware design to test the Chrome OS operating system. The laptop's design broke convention by replacing the Caps lock key with a dedicated search key.[27] The Cr-48 was intended for testing only, not retail sales.[28][29][30] Google addressed complaints that the operating system offers little functionality when the host device is not connected to the Internet. The company demonstrated an offline version of Google Docs running on Chrome OS and announced a 3G plan that would give Chrome OS users 100 MB of free data each month, with additional paid plans available from Verizon.[14] About 60,000 Cr-48s were distributed to testers and reviewers in early December 2010. Reviews of Chrome OS running on the Cr-48 in mid-December 2010 indicated that while the project held promise, it still had some distance to go before being ready for market.[31][32] On March 8, 2011, Google Product Management vice president Sundar Pichai stated that the last of the 60,000 Cr-48s had been shipped.[33] The Cr-48 notebooks have additional unused hardware components for implementation at a future date, including a Bluetooth 2.1 controller.[34] The USB port only acts as a keyboard, mouse, ethernet adapter, or USB storage port and will not work as a printer port as there is no print stack on the operating system.[35] Adding further hardware outside of the previously mentioned items will likely cause problems with the operating system's "self knowing" security model.[36] Users are encouraged to use a secure service called Google Cloud Print to print to legacy printers connected to their desktop computers, or connect an HP ePrint printer to the Google Cloud Print service for a "cloud aware" printer connection.[37]

Commercial hardware: Chromebooks

Main article: Chromebook

Google initially named several development partners working on hardware for the operating system, with others named in the press, including Acer, Adobe, Asus, Freescale, HewlettPackard, Lenovo, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments, Toshiba,[38] Intel,[39] Samsung,[40][41] and Dell.[42] On May 11, 2011 at its Google I/O developer conference, Google announced that the first two commercially available laptops incorporating Chrome OS would be manufactured by Acer Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co., with a retail price beginning at $349. The ship date was June 15 for the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Netherlands, Italy and Spain. The Chromebooks are sold in the United States through Amazon and Best Buy; internationally through "leading retailers". Google claimed an eight-second bootup time and eight-hour operation on one battery charge, and said that the chromebooks would require no virus protection. Models equipped with 3G connectivity receive 100 megabytes of wireless data per month, free for two years, with an additional gigabyte at $20 per month. Google is also working on a Chrome OS desktop machine.[15][43][44] Google also announced a monthly payment scheme for business and education customers at $28 and $20 per user, per month, respectively for a three-year contract, including replacements and upgrades.[15]

Reception
Early on, Chrome OS was viewed as a competitor to Microsoft, both directly to Microsoft Windows and indirectly the company's word processing and spreadsheet applicationsthe latter through Chrome OS's reliance on cloud computing.[45][46] But Chrome OS engineering director Matthew Papakipos argued that the two operating systems would not fully overlap in functionality because Chrome OS hosted is intended for netbooks, which lack the computational power to run a resource-intensive program like Photoshop.[7] Some observers claimed that other operating systems already fill the niche that Chrome OS is aiming for, with the added advantage of supporting native applications in addition to a browser. Tony Bradley of PC World wrote in November 2009: "We can already do most, if not all, of what Chrome OS promises to deliver. Using a Windows 7 or Linux-based netbook, users can simply not install anything but a web browser and connect to the vast array of Google products and other web-based services and applications. Netbooks have been successful at capturing the low-end PC market, and they provide a web-centric computing experience today. I am not sure why we should get excited that a year from now we'll be able to do the same thing, but locked into doing it from the fourth-place web browser."[47] A year later, Ryan Paul of Ars Technica came to similar conclusions. He wrote that Google's Cr-48 prototype "met the basic requirements for Web surfing, gaming, and personal productivity, but falls short for more intensive tasks." He praised Google's approach to security, but wondered whether mainstream computer users would accept an operating system whose only application is a browser. "In its current form, I think that the operating system could appeal to some niche audiences, like regular consumers users who really just need browsing or office productivity workers at companies that have gone Google or only use intranet apps. It's decidedly not a full-fledged alternative to the general purpose computing environments that currently ship on netbooks." Paul wrote that most of Chrome OS's

advantages "can be found in other software environments without having to sacrifice native applications."[31] In reviewing the Cr-48 on December 29, 2010, Kurt Bakke of Conceivably Tech said: "in my household the Chromebook has turned into a family appliance and the most frequented computer in our household. Its 15 second startup time and dedicated Google user accounts made it the go-to device for quick searches, email as well as YouTube and Facebook activities. It has not turned into a device that can rival the appeal of any of our other notebooks we have one gaming laptop, two mainstream notebooks and two netbooks in our household with five kids. The biggest complaint I heard was its lack of performance in Flash applications."[48] In ongoing testing, Wolfgang Gruener, also writing in Conceivably Tech, said that cloud computing at cellular data speeds is unacceptable and that the lack of offline capability turns the Cr-48 "into a useless brick" when not connected.[49] "It's difficult to use the Chromebook as an everyday device and give up what you are used to on a Mac/Windows PC, while you surely enjoy the dedicated cloud computing capabilities occasionally."[50] He praised a March 2011 update that included new trackpad control features, scrolling support, power improvements and a large number of bug fixes.[51]

Relationship to Android
Google's successive introduction of the popular Android[52] and Google Chrome OS has put the company behind two open source, client-based operating systems. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer accused Google of not being able to make up its mind.[53] Google has suggested that the two operating systems address different markets, mobile and personal computing, which remain distinct despite the growing convergence of the devices. Co-founder Sergey Brin suggested that the two systems "will likely converge over time."[54] Steven Levy wrote that "the dissonance between the two systems was apparent" at the 2011 Google I/O developer conference. "Each day of the event featured a keynote devoted to one system followed by a press briefing where each team leader (Android's Andy Rubin and Chrome's Sundar Pichai) unconvincingly tried to explain why the systems weren't competitive. Co-founder Sergey Brin addressed the question by saying that owning two promising OS's was a problem that most companies would love to face".[55]

Design goals and direction

Early in the project, Google put online many details of Chrome OS's design goals and direction.[56] But the company has not followed up with a technical description of the completed operating system.

User interface

Chrome / Chromium OS Login Screen

Design goals for Google Chrome OS's user interface included using minimal screen space by combining applications and standard Web pages into a single tab strip, rather than separating the two. Designers considered a reduced window management scheme that would operate only in full-screen mode. Secondary tasks would be handled with "panels": floating windows that dock to the bottom of the screen for tasks like chat and music players. Split screens were also under consideration for viewing two pieces of content side-by-side. Google Chrome OS would follow the Chrome browser's practice of leveraging HTML5's offline modes, background processing, and notifications. Designers proposed using search and pinned tabs as a way to quickly locate and access applications.[

Architecture
In preliminary design documents for the Chromium OS open source project, Google described a three-tier architecture: firmware, browser and window manager, and system-level software and userland services.

The firmware contributes to fast boot time by not probing for hardware, such as floppy disk drives, that are no longer common on computers, especially netbooks. The firmware also contributes to security by verifying each step in the boot process and incorporating system recovery[ System-level software includes the Linux kernel that has been patched to improve boot performance. Userland software has been trimmed to essentials, with management by Upstart, which can launch services in parallel, re-spawn crashed jobs, and defer services in the interest of faster booting The window manager handles user interaction with multiple client windows much like other X window managers.

Remote application access and virtual desktop access

In June 2010, Google software engineer Gary Kamark wrote that Chrome OS will access remote applications through a technology unofficially called "Chromoting," which would resemble Microsoft's Remote Desktop Connection.[59] The name has since been changed to "remoting," and is "probably closer to running an application via Terminal Services or by first connecting to a host machine by using RDP or VNC.".[60] Initial roll-outs of Chrome-OS laptops (Chromebooks) indicate an interest in enabling users to access virtual desktops.[61][62]

Hardware support
Google Chrome OS is initially intended for secondary devices like netbooks, not as a user's primary PC,[19] and will run on hardware incorporating an x86 or ARM-based processor.[8] While Chrome OS will support hard disk drives, Google has requested that its hardware partners use solid-state drives "for performance and reliability reasons"[17] as well as the lower capacity requirements inherent in an operating system that accesses applications and most user data on remote servers. In November 2009 Matthew Papakipos, engineering director for the Google Chrome OS claimed that the Chrome OS consumes one-sixtieth as much drive space as Windows 7.[63]

Integrated media player, file manager

Google integrates a media player into both Chrome OS and the Chrome browser, enabling users to play back MP3s, view JPEGs, and handle other multimedia files while offline. Chrome OS also includes an integrated file manager resembling those found on other operating systems, with the ability to display folders and their associated files, as well as preview and manage file contents using a variety of Web applications, including Google Docs and Box.net.

Printing
Google Cloud Print is Google's proposed solution to help any application on any device to print on any printer. While the cloud provides virtually any connected device with information access, the task of "developing and maintaining print subsystems for every combination of hardware and operating system from desktops to netbooks to mobile devices simply isn't feasible." However, the cloud service would entail installing a piece of software, called a proxy, as part of Chrome OS. The proxy would register the printer with the service, manage the print jobs, provide the printer driver functionality, and give status alerts for each job. Link handling
This section may contain original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding references. Statements consisting only of original research may be removed. More details may be available on the talk page. (September 2011)

Chrome OS was designed with the intention of having user documents and files stored on online servers. However, both Chrome OS and the Chrome browser have unresolved decisions regarding handling specific file types offline. For example, if a JPEG is opened from a local storage device, should a specific Web application be automatically opened to view it, and if so, which one? Similarly, if a user clicks on a .doc file, which website should open: Microsoft Office Live, Gview, or a previewing utility? The project director at that time, Matthew Papakipos, noted that Windows developers have faced the same fundamental problem: "Quicktime is fighting with Windows Media Player, which is fighting with Chrome." As the number of Web applications increases, the same problem arises.[7]

Security
In March 2010, Google software security engineer Will Drewry discussed Chrome OS security. Drewry described Chrome OS as a "hardened" operating system featuring autoupdating and sandbox features that will reduce malware exposure. He said that Chrome OS netbooks will be shipped with Trusted Platform Module, and include both a "trusted bootpath" and a physical switch under the battery compartment that actuates a developer mode. That mode drops some specialized security functions but increases developer flexibility. Drewry also emphasized that the open source nature of the operating system will contribute greatly to its security by allowing constant developer feedback.[26] At a December 2010 press conference, Google claimed that Chrome OS would be the most secure consumer operating system due in part to a verified boot capability, in which the initial boot code, stored in read-only memory, checks for system compromises.[14]

Shell access
Chrome OS includes the Chrome Shell, or "crosh", which offers minimal functionality such as ping and ssh, but no Bash-like shell capabilities. In developer mode, a full-featured Bash shell can be opened via VT-2, and is also accessible via the crosh command shell.[68]

References
1. 2. ^ CR-48 Stable Channel Update: 0.14.811.132 ^ "Kernel Design: Background, Upgrades". Google. http://www.chromium.org/chromiumos/chromiumos-design-docs/chromium-os-kernel. Retrieved 7 September 2011. 3. ^ Google (2010). "Google Chrome OS Terms of Service". http://www.google.com/accounts/TOS. Retrieved May 19, 2011. abc 4. ^ Sengupta, Caesar (November 19, 2009). "Releasing the Chromium OS open source project". Official Google Blog. Google, Inc.. http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/releasing-chromium-osopen-source.html. Retrieved November 19, 2009. 5. ^ Mediati, Nick (July 7, 2009). "Google Announces Chrome OS". PC World. http://www.pcworld.com/article/168028/google_announces_chrome_os.html. Retrieved July 8, 2009. 6. ^ Dylan F. Tweney (November 19, 2009). "Gadget Lab Hardware News and Reviews Google Chrome OS: Ditch Your Hard Drives, the Future Is the Web". Wired. http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/11/google-chrome-os-ditch-your-hard-drives-the-future-isthe-web/. Retrieved November 22, 2009. abcd 7. ^ Stokes, Jon (January 19, 2010). "Google talks Chrome OS, HTML5, and the future of software". Ars Technica. http://arstechnica.com/business/news/2010/01/chrome-os-interview-1.ars. Retrieved January 23, 2010. ab 8. ^ Womack, Brian (July 8, 2009). "Google to Challenge Microsoft With Operating System". Bloomberg. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aTd2k.YdQZ.Y. Retrieved July 8, 2009. 9. ^ Hansell, Saul (July 8, 2009). "Would you miss Windows with a Google operating system?". New York Times. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/08/would-you-miss-windows-with-a-google-operatingsystem/. Retrieved July 8, 2009. 10. ^ Pichai, Sundar (July 7, 2009). "Introducing the Google Chrome OS". Official Google Blog. Google, Inc.. http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/introducing-google-chrome-os.html. Retrieved July 16, 2009.

11 Undisclosed Features of Google Chrome OS

1. It will removes all Falun Gong references from your files. 2. Your hard drive will automatically get defragged every month 3. Your family photos are accompanied by text ads for skin care and diet plans. 4. Invests in, develops, acquires, and abandons your best ideas. 5. Will change your desktop icons everyday automatically 6. A tax preparation button called I am feeling lucky will be on desktop 7. 20% of time it will not perform what you want it to do 8. Masseuse will come on every monday afternoon automatically 9. Will stop all all activities as soon as it smells anything suspicious 10. Beta status will be there up to 2038 11. Maximum system crashes will happen in initial days

12.

This Blog

Linked From Here

19.

Introducing the Google Chrome OS

20. 7/07/2009 09:37:00 PM 21. It's been an exciting nine months since we launched the Google Chrome browser. Already, over 30 million people use it regularly. We designed Google Chrome for people who live on the web searching for information, checking email, catching up on the news, shopping or just staying in touch with friends. However, the operating systems that browsers run on were designed in an era where there was no web. So today, we're announcing a new project that's a natural extension of Google Chrome the Google Chrome Operating System. It's our attempt to re-think what operating systems should be. Google Chrome OS is an open source, lightweight operating system that will initially be targeted at netbooks. Later this year we will open-source its code, and netbooks

running Google Chrome OS will be available for consumers in the second half of 2010. Because we're already talking to partners about the project, and we'll soon be working with the open source community, we wanted to share our vision now so everyone understands what we are trying to achieve. Speed, simplicity and security are the key aspects of Google Chrome OS. We're designing the OS to be fast and lightweight, to start up and get you onto the web in a few seconds. The user interface is minimal to stay out of your way, and most of the user experience takes place on the web. And as we did for the Google Chrome browser, we are going back to the basics and completely redesigning the underlying security architecture of the OS so that users don't have to deal with viruses, malware and security updates. It should just work. Google Chrome OS will run on both x86 as well as ARM chips and we are working with multiple OEMs to bring a number of netbooks to market next year. The software architecture is simple Google Chrome running within a new windowing system on top of a Linux kernel. For application developers, the web is the platform. All webbased applications will automatically work and new applications can be written using your favorite web technologies. And of course, these apps will run not only on Google Chrome OS, but on any standards-based browser on Windows, Mac and Linux thereby giving developers the largest user base of any platform. Google Chrome OS is a new project, separate from Android. Android was designed from the beginning to work across a variety of devices from phones to set-top boxes to netbooks. Google Chrome OS is being created for people who spend most of their time on the web, and is being designed to power computers ranging from small netbooks to full-size desktop systems. While there are areas where Google Chrome OS and Android overlap, we believe choice will drive innovation for the benefit of everyone, including Google. We hear a lot from our users and their message is clear computers need to get better. People want to get to their email instantly, without wasting time waiting for their computers to boot and browsers to start up. They want their computers to always run as fast as when they first bought them. They want their data to be accessible to them wherever they are and not have to worry about losing their computer or forgetting to back up files. Even more importantly, they don't want to spend hours configuring their computers to work with every new piece of hardware, or have to worry about constant software updates. And any time our users have a better computing experience, Google benefits as well by having happier users who are more likely to spend time on the Internet. We have a lot of work to do, and we're definitely going to need a lot of help from the open source community to accomplish this vision. We're excited for what's to come and we hope you are too. Stay tuned for more updates in the fall and have a great summer.

Google Announces Chrome OS

By Nick Mediati, PCWorld Jul 7, 2009 10:36 PM

Google's New OS
The open-source operating system builds on the speedy and streamlined Chrome browser.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

FAQ: Google Chrome OS Will Google's OS Make the Desktop Safe?

Googles Chrome OS: Not the first Web-based OS With OS Project, Is Google Over-extending Itself?
Google Lists HP, Acer Among Chrome OS Partners Google's Chrome OS May Fail Even as It Changes Computing Forever 5 Ways Microsoft Will Bring the Hurt to Google Chrome OS Is Chrome OS The Future Of Computing? I Hope Not.

Alas, poor Microsoft. First Google dominates the search engine market. Then Google enters the Webbased e-mail market. Android invades Windows Mobile's turf. And then Google jumps into the browser market with Chrome. Tonight Google has upped the ante yet again with its plans for a new operating system based on Google Chrome. The new operating system, aptly named Google Chrome OS, will be an open-source operating system initially geared toward netbooks, Google announced in a blog posting late Tuesday evening. Google claims the new operating system, which should ship on netbooks starting in the second half of next year, will be "lightweight" and heavily Web-centric. With Chrome OS, Google plans to follow the same formula it used with its browser: "Speed, simplicity and security are the key aspects of Google Chrome OS. We're designing the OS to be fast and lightweight, to start up and get you onto the web in a few seconds," Google stated in its announcement. "The user interface is minimal to stay out of your way, and most of the user experience takes place on the web." Google will also make security a high priority with Chrome. The company notes it will be "going back to the basics and completely redesigning the underlying security architecture of the OS so that users don't have to deal with viruses, malware and security updates. It should just work." As you might assume, that is a pretty ambitious goal, considering every current operating system sees its fair share of security flaws and patches. Chrome OS will run on x86-based PCs, as well as machines built around the ARM processor (such as socalled smartbooks).

So what does this mean for Android? According to Google, Chrome OS is in no way connected to Android, and that while Android was created with smartphones, netbooks, and other devices in mind, Chrome OS "is being created for people who spend most of their time on the web" and will be able to run on practically any PC that meets the minimum requirements, ranging from netbooks on the low-end to high end power desktops. When Google first introduced the Chrome browser last year, I remarked in my review that "In the past there has been some speculation that Google would develop its own operating system, but I think that Chrome's launch makes one thing is clear: The Web browser is Google's operating system." While Chrome OS goes beyond being a mere Web browser, Google's vision of the future is as clear with Chrome OS as it was with the introduction of the Chrome browser: The Web is the OS of the future, and a modern OS needs to be built around the Web first. In fact, in the announcement, Google flatly states, "For application developers, the web is the platform." Even better: "And of course, these apps will run not only on Google Chrome OS, but on any standards-based browser on Windows, Mac and Linux thereby giving developers the largest user base of any platform." So has Google just killed the operating system war? Or is it just getting started? Share your thoughts and post a comment below. Stay tuned to pcworld.com for more on Chrome OS, and follow us on Twitter @pcworld.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/43116426/Google-Chrome-OS-Ppt