Revealing what is one of the worst-kept secrets in computing, Google has finally announced that they were indeed going public with the development of a computer operating system, cleverly called Google Chrome OS.  You can read the blow-by-blow coverage of the Chrome OS announcement press conference if you’d like (it’s worth a look for the illustrations and the answered questions), but the LA Times has cut to the chase.

Google’s OS philosophy is, basically, the computer as a television.  Turn it on, and it’s on and ready for use.  None of the very slow loading process users must currently endure.  While Chrome OS isn’t ready for this holiday season, Google has opened their code up to developers with an eye on getting the product onto netbooks by 2010.

Given that Chrome OS is going to be running off solid-state drives and is going to be heavily based on cloud computing (using the internet to access the operating system and its various functions), it’s going to be very easy to use, take up very little space on your PC, and will be able to boot up in seconds.  For what most people use their computers for, it’ll be perfect, assuming it matches the quality of current instant-on Linux distributions.  My current desktop computer’s ASUS motherboard already comes with Splashtop, and I have to say that it’s awesome.  It boots up in seconds, and it gives me a web browser, music player, chat program, picture editor, and Skype.

If Chrome OS can do more than this on a netbook, then I’m sold.  Especially if it’s cheap.  I’m not crazy about it being so tied into an Internet connection, but that’s why I have my desktop.

Tags: Google, computers, technology, Google Chrome OS, operating system, Linux, Google OS, cloud computing, explanations, Splashtop, ASUS

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