Chrome OS

Chromium OS is Out, and it is Based on Ubuntu Linux

November 19, 2009

in Linux

A branch called chromiumos was just added to the official Chromium git repository, and the contents of the index files there indicate that Chromium OS, and in effect Google Chrome OS, is based on Ubuntu Linux. From chromiumos.git/src/package_repo/repo_list_image.txt:

  71 fontconfig 2.6.0-1ubuntu12 optional utils pool/main/f/fontconfig/fontconfig_2.6.0-1ubuntu12_i386.deb
  72 fontconfig-config 2.6.0-1ubuntu12 optional libs pool/main/f/fontconfig/fontconfig-config_2.6.0-1ubuntu12_all.deb
  73 gcc-4.4-base 4.4.1-1ubuntu3 required libs pool/main/g/gcc-4.4/gcc-4.4-base_4.4.1-1ubuntu3_i386.deb

Here are some videos from the Chromium OS website that just went live:

What is Google Chrome OS?

Chromium OS Security

Chromium OS & Open Source

Chromium Fast Boot

There’s a live transcript of the Google Chrome OS event speech by Google VP of Product Management, Sundar Pichai, over at TechCrunch. They have also just posted a video demo of Google Chrome OS recorded at the announcement event in Mountain View, showing off the interface, bootup times, and more.

Update: Ars Technica has just published an excellent analysis of Chrome OS.

Google to Release Chrome OS Within a Week

November 13, 2009

in Linux

Google Chrome LogoGoogle is apparently releasing their highly anticipated, lightweight, Linux-based operating system targeted at netbooks, Google Chrome OS, within a week, according to TechCrunch. TechCrunch also thinks we should expect shoddy driver support, which seems like a strange conclusion considering the maturity of the Linux kernel.

There’s really not that much information about the operating system, though it is safe to assume that there will be a strong emphasis on the Chrome browser and all of Google’s web-based services and applications.

Let’s wait and see.

Update: It seems that Google is planning a special Chrome OS event for Thursday, the 19th of November, which will include a demonstration and “complete overview” of Google Chrome OS. The product apparently won’t be released until (early) next year, but the wording “complete overview” gives me the impression that they are just polishing and testing now.

Update 2: Chromium OS is Out, and It is Based on Ubuntu Linux!