How the Google Chrome OS Works

Chrome is a seriously stripped-down, fast OS. Because Chrome supports only Web capabilities, it can do away with much of the bulk and unnecessary system checks that slow a traditional OS. For example, during start up the OS firmware doesn't have to search for floppy disk drives or other hardware that few current computers continue to use -- a task that other operating systems still perform.

Thus, Chrome is a much smaller OS that consumes almost no disk space, especially when compared to Windows. Windows 7, for example, requires about 60 times more disk space than Chrome (source: Mearian).

One nice result of these differences is speed. A fairly fast Windows machine might finish booting in around 45 seconds. In contrast, Google wants Chrome netbooks to be up and running in 7 seconds or less (source: Tweney).

Google works closely with computer makers to ensure that Chrome systems are equipped with hardware that lets the OS run optimally. Chrome runs on x86-based computers, as well as those with ARM processors.

Unsurprisingly, the Chrome OS user interface looks much like the Chrome browser. Beyond this browser-like OS, these netbooks will have no pre-installed software. There's an integrated media player that lets you watch movies, play music and view photos when you're offline. Adobe Flash is already integrated into the Chrome browser, so you can view all Flash Web sites, too.

Because there's almost no on-board storage, you won't even have to worry about installing or uninstalling other programs. When you want to write a report, for example, you just access a Web-based word processing application. Of course, data bandwidth challenges prohibit certain types of work. Video editing, for instance, won't be happening on a Chrome system anytime soon.

For more basic computing tasks, though, you should be able to find applications that suit your needs, using Google's Chrome Web Store. Similar to Apple's App Store and the Android Market, the Chrome Web Store will offer applications for a huge variety of tasks.

There are other major differences between Chrome and established operating systems. In a traditional OS, it's vital that you install device drivers that let your computer work with other hardware. If you use Chrome, Google reasons that the primary third-party device you need is a printer -- but the company doesn't want you to have to install drivers. Instead, you'll use Google's Cloud Print service, which lets you print from any computer to any printer that's connected to the Internet.

Unlike other operating systems, Chrome doesn't bombard you with an endless series of OS update alerts. When you connect your netbook to the Internet, Google updates Chrome for you automatically. The whole idea is to make your computing experience easier and more secure, with less fuss and frustration.

In spite of its Google branding, Chrome is anything but a sure bet in the OS arena. At its core, Chrome is a variation of Linux, which has been around in various incarnations since the early 1990s. In other words, why would Chrome succeed where other versions of Linux have failed?

There are plenty of challenges for Google to address. One issue that may drive away users is that without an Internet connection, a Chrome computer's capabilities are severely restricted. Sans Web, there's simply not much this kind of machine can do, because it can't access any data or even programs other than the included media player.

Many users may also be turned off by the idea of storing all data online. Most people are used to saving at least a few critical documents locally, and being separated from that data may be too much to bear.

Privacy issues are another concern. It's one thing to store a list of passwords or important financial information on your own hard drive. It's quite another to story that information on a Google-owned server, no matter how many assurances the company touts in its privacy policies.

Other users might be confused by the fact that Google already offers an open-source OS called Android, which is becoming increasingly popular for smartphones. Publicly, Google insists that there are differences between Android and Chrome. It says Chrome is simply for people who spend the bulk of their time using their computers for Web purposes, and that although Android does the same things, it also has a lot of non-Web related capabilities. However, the two operating systems do overlap and may converge in the future.

Google may also encounter resistance from users who don't like low-quality netbooks. But those people may not have to wait long for Chrome to appear on better PCs. There's a good chance that if Chrome is successful on netbooks, Google will begin offering an updated version of the OS for more powerful laptop and desktop computers. However, the first releases are geared toward netbook offerings from the likes of Hewlett-Packard, Acer, Lenovo and Asus.

There's also the issue of control. People are concerned that Chrome puts them totally at Google's mercy, with less control over their own data. To counter these issues, Google relies heavily on the goodwill it has generated over the years. And because many businesses already rely on a suite of Google products, such as Google Voice, Google Docs and Gmail, Google is betting that people will be likely to adopt the Chrome OS, if only due to inertia.

It's too early in the Chrome game to see exactly where it will end. Perhaps Google will make substantial inroads into the OS market, further angering rival Microsoft. Or perhaps users will see Chrome as too restrictive and too skimpy -- even for a secondary computer.

In time, we'll see just how Google's Chrome gamble plays out. The company that revolutionized the way we use the Internet just might transform our concept of computing as a whole, too.

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