Why Google Chrome OS has already won

November 20, 2009 By

Today InfoWorld’s Randall Kennedy says that Google’s Chrome OS will fail.

What he is missing is he’s looking at the wrong field.

Google is playing a different game. Google Chrome OS is NOT about killing Microsoft or Apple.

What is it about? Developers, developers, developers, developers, developers.

See, what happens if the world goes to Microsoft’s Silverlight, the way that Seesmic did this week? Google is locked out of such a world.

Google is in a war over developers with Microsoft. Google wants developers to build for the open web. Microsoft wants developers to build for Silverlight. Those messages are VERY clear coming out of both camps now.

But that’s not really the game either, although if it were Google Chrome OS would already be a winner because it reinforces to developers that they better keep developing for the Web using HTML5, even if you follow Loic Le Meur into Microsoft’s camp and build for Silverlight too.

So, what is the game?

Well, it’s a new field altogether. I’m hearing a raft of new, low-cost, devices are coming that you will only need to have on the Web. For instance, I want a cookbook on my kitchen counter that just brings me cool recipes. Right now I use my big Windows 7 computer for that, or my big MacBookPro.

But what if there were a new device that costs less than $100 that JUST does cookbooks and other things I need in the kitchen? I would buy one. A Chrome OS is all that’s needed for such a specialized device.

Where else would I use a low-cost computer? How about the bathroom? Just leave it there. Put a bunch of news sources and magazines on it.

Or, what about my son who is in high school. By the time Chrome OS comes along in big numbers he’ll be in college. Why take a $1,000 computer to class? Couldn’t he do everything he needs to do on a low-cost computer that’s lightweight, replaceable, uses low power, and just uses the web? Absolutely!

See, InfoWorld is making assumptions that the world is going to stay the same. That simply is NOT true.

Now, what will run on these new devices? A heavyweight OS like Windows 7 that takes me 40 seconds to boot up and does a ton of stuff I really don’t need, or a new OS that just has Google Chrome as its centerpiece?

Hey, I just wrote this post on Google Chrome while sitting listening to Marc Benioff at the TechCrunch Real Time Crunchup. I have not seen a single thing demonstrated on stage yet that won’t run on Google Chrome OS.

This is a winner, but on a new field.

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  • http://www.charlesfrith.com charlesfrith

    I'm reading your comment on a 250 dollar netbook that performs better than a 1000 buck piece of kit I last bought as a PC. Things are changing.

  • http://www.charlesfrith.com charlesfrith

    I'm reading your comment on a 250 dollar netbook that performs better than a 1000 buck piece of kit I last bought as a PC. Things are changing.

  • http://www.charlesfrith.com charlesfrith

    That's an interesting comment. I'm always perplexed by people who wouldn't dream of installing another browser as I guess they think it's added complexity. Great post Robert.

  • http://www.charlesfrith.com charlesfrith

    That's an interesting comment. I'm always perplexed by people who wouldn't dream of installing another browser as I guess they think it's added complexity. Great post Robert.

  • http://www.charlesfrith.com charlesfrith

    That's an interesting comment. I'm always perplexed by people who wouldn't dream of installing another browser as I guess they think it's added complexity. Great post Robert.

  • http://www.charlesfrith.com charlesfrith

    That's an interesting comment. I'm always perplexed by people who wouldn't dream of installing another browser as I guess they think it's added complexity. Great post Robert.

  • tonyc

    From a practical perspective I’d sooner have essentially passive screens in the kitchen, bathroom, etc., which I can wirelessly link my iPhone/iPod Touch to as a ‘controller’ but which actually provides the content. This seems more viable than having ‘cloud’ devices all over the place. How many connections to the cloud do you need? One, the one you carry around with you.

  • http://www.charlesfrith.com charlesfrith

    I”m not saying you're wrong. But where is LINUX in household devices and rooms?

  • http://www.charlesfrith.com charlesfrith

    I”m not saying you're wrong. But where is LINUX in household devices and rooms?

  • http://www.charlesfrith.com charlesfrith

    I”m not saying you're wrong. But where is LINUX in household devices and rooms?

  • http://www.charlesfrith.com charlesfrith

    I”m not saying you're wrong. But where is LINUX in household devices and rooms?

  • http://www.charlesfrith.com charlesfrith

    Photoshop over fairycakes? ;)

  • http://www.charlesfrith.com charlesfrith

    Photoshop over fairycakes? ;)

  • http://www.charlesfrith.com charlesfrith

    Photoshop over fairycakes? ;)

  • http://www.charlesfrith.com charlesfrith

    Photoshop over fairycakes? ;)

  • http://www.charlesfrith.com charlesfrith

    Exactly. Ubiquitous computing. You get it big time.

  • http://www.charlesfrith.com charlesfrith

    I thought Google have launched a language

  • http://www.timacheson.com/ Tim Acheson

    Google did announce last week a new langauge that they want to try releasing. Nothing is written in it yet.

    People including me have been pointing out that Google uses other people's languages for some time, perhaps they hope this move will silence that line of criticism. But no, Google products still run using core platforms and languages developed by other people.

  • farroos

    Enterprises who are using Google apps will find chrome OS just perfect for their needs because its web-based. So if your “very expensive industry specific application” is web-based also (and NOT dependent on IE6) then chrome OS is perfect for your needs as well.

    So I would guess a large percentage of enterprises will find this useful and economical, not just average facebook users.

  • http://twitter.com/vimoh Vijayendra Mohanty

    I hear rumours of a Google phone that will be a plain old VOIP device. Certainly sounds doable with integrated Google account and all your chat buddies in it as your contacts.

  • http://brentnewhall.com/ BrentNewhall

    Enough to do what they need to do.

    I honestly don't understand why this is a major criteria. I don't live my life on vacation. :-)

  • http://jasonkeath.com jakrose

    It is scary but you are right. Google has not only already won because they are open and more developers will embrace the open format of their platforms. But they are also free. Silverlight is not the best example, but Google will continue to come out with free solutions in industries that are based on premium pricing. See GPS maps. See operating systems. See books. etc.

  • Anonymous

    Sorry Robert, but there's a lot of things that won't run on ChromeOS:

    Photoshop
    No ssh
    No ftp
    No terminal at all
    No IDEs/editors for coding
    No interactive gaming outside of the browser

    And probably much more I haven't listed here

  • Zandr

    They open sourced it because it's built on GPL software. They didn't have a choice. Nothing to see here, move along.

  • http://www.facebook.com/allenjs Joshua Allen

    You're falling for the myth that Silverlight and HTML5 somehow compete. This myth begs the question why MSFT would invest so heavily in both, and run a keynote at PDC last week where Sinofsky's announcements about HTML5 were followed seconds later by Guthrie showing Silverlight 4. It's a fun myth for sensationalism, but it completely beggars belief. I wrote about this perplexing myth recently here:

    http://visitmix.com/Opinions/HTML5-vs-Silverlig…

  • rbonini

    Erm, Scoble. When you say that “Google wants developers to build for the open web. Microsoft wants developers to build for Silverlight” you seem to have blinkers on.

    Microsoft just opened up Windows Azure to ANY runtime. Including PHP, Python, Ruby and Java. I call that a huge step forward for the open web.

    its like saying that Adobe wants developers to write for Flex, Air and Flash.

  • http://jasonkeath.com jakrose

    stabilizing the cloud is a huge Google goal. stabilizing mobile is even bigger I think. I see the future Google as dependent on mobile (OS, GPS/maps, location based search, apps, etc) as on search. They are getting into hardware. They damn sure should be creating a tablet. Hand held Google is the end game. Putting smarter adds on it all.

  • http://twitter.com/jimcaruso jimcaruso

    Response time + Stability will establish a new basis of competition. Web apps replace desktop/laptop apps. Web devices are an increasing share of online devices. This adds up to Google's OS & Web browser, optimized for Web apps, able to dramatically improve user experience via speed (response time) and stability (far fewer reboots and crashed apps.) One of the apps that is crashing more frequently for heavy Web users is the browser. Stripping the OS down to support browsers and creating a Web-app-oriented browser is a winning strategy.

  • http://technbiz.blogspot.com paramendra

    Chrome OS is a paradigm shift.

  • http://lifestream.silverton.palo-alto.ca.us/ @silverton

    This is exactly what I'm stunned that people don't get. For another $50, your bathroom scale includes your personal http://calorie-count.com/ account in the display, complete with your goals and current status. How are these things not just Plain as the Sky is Blue, people? Your refrigerator has a flat panel with all the electricity usage in your house, by room, by appliance, and how much your solar rooftop has sold back to the grid this month. Duh. Please, let's try not to pretend that any of this is shocking or unexpected; we're at least 10 years BEHIND on all this and more, mostly because of plain old human cognitive inertia. Yawn. Just give me http://bit.ly/BandwidthAndaBrowser

  • milansvec

    My little Asus netbook cannot wait to see Chrome OS. Hoping that patience will be rewarded.

  • http://khurt.com/ Khürt

    Here's an experiment. Find a way to explain your vision of Chrome OS to your mom and dad and the guy down the street who works in accounting. Keep talking to geeks and you'll get always get a YES.

  • http://khurt.com/ Khürt

    Do I need a Chrome OS device if I have a netbook? If price is the only issue, what prevents the Linux community from building their own? Asus etc could just as easily build this “browser only” device.

  • http://khurt.com/ Khürt

    Here's my question. Will the consumer pay for a computing device that is described as nothing more than a web browser?

  • http://khurt.com/ Khürt

    ..everywhere I go my MS Smartphone makes Blackberry and iPhone users say, “I wish my phone could do that!”

    Microsoft and Smartphone are two words that don't seem to go well together.

  • http://khurt.com/ Khürt

    I'll use a web browser only device when I can dictate service level agreements with the online service provider. If all my data – my entire digital life – lives in the cloud then I want guarantees. I want to know that something like the Sidekick/Danger fiasco won't destroy me.

    Pogoplug? So now I have a web only device, I'll buy a computer with a dedicated OS wrapped around a hard drive connected to the Internet with all my most personal data on it? And then trust that no one has tampered with it while in transit?

    Or … I'll send a hard drive with all my data (not sure how the data got on the hard drive in the first place since I don't have a computer )

  • http://khurt.com/ Khürt

    Robert,
    It took Apple to come along with the iPhone to get the wireless telco to even consider offering the kinds of devices we see today (Moto Droid, Palm Pre etc). 5 years from now I expect that my cell phone will will be even heftier than it is now and that I will get less for my money. If Google were to gain control of one of these companies then maybe, maybe, this thing will work.

    I live in a townhouse community where most of the residents are tech savvy (I'm near Princeton,NJ). Everyone of my neighbours has wireless and every single one of those connections is encrypted. Same thing about town. Lot's of encrypted wireless connections that I can't use on my iPod Touch.

  • http://khurt.com/ Khürt

    What's the difference between Google gears and an iPhone/iPod Touch app that allows for offline creation and then sync when online?

  • http://khurt.com/ Khürt

    Oh… I'm loving Chrome for Windows (I don't need extensions and their potential insecurity) and have been testing Chrome for Mac. These are examples of what a browser should be. Fast, light weight, reliable. I dumped Firefox some time ago and live with Safari on my Mac because of speed and compatibility.

  • http://twitter.com/StephenTiano Stephen Tiano

    I work as a book designer and blogger on my 24″ iMac and, away from my studio, on my 17″ MacBook Pro. I communicate on both via email, iCha, and Skype. And I do any 'net surfing necessary on the two. My iPod Touch is as close to a netbook as I need. I've apps to read Kindle-style; check out my email, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and make the occasional VOIP phone call. The last thing, honestly, I expected to get so into was putting my music on it. But I've found the Touch a Godsend for when I run in the morning.

    I just cannot imagine needing another limited device, say, a bathroom reader. Either the Chrome OS will expand to do a lot more or it will wither, I think. Or ami Iwrong and there's simply no limit to just how many devices we're willing to tote around?

  • http://lifestream.silverton.palo-alto.ca.us/ @silverton

    Hey Mom! I know that you and the accountant are frustrated by long startup times, annoying update reminders, and never having access to the one damned file you really needed at that impromptu meeting (you gave up on all those sucky sync, sank, sunk nightmares YEARS ago). So, what if your computer started in 10 seconds (you could actually turn it off at night to save electricity), it never annoyed you to update (yet was always magically up to date), and your files were always available from any desktop, laptop, or hanheld with none those catastrophic syncing feelings?

    How's that? ;-)

  • http://jjesse.wordpress.com jjesse

    there are already several netbook specifically targeted Linux builds, Kubuntu Netbook Remix, Ubuntu Netbook Edition, just to name the two from the Ubuntu Community.

    In fact Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu is a contributer to Google OS as announced on their corporate blog (blog.canonical.com). So you are seeing Linux based distros target specifically the netbook

  • http://www.adelaidedj.com/ dj adelaide

    very interesting, i would agree, a device that does very specific things, that is low cost and portable is something that i would buy because i don't want to spend all of my time in front of the computer but instead, out and about and living life, although i would still want a heavy duty computer that i can use for my home base

  • http://mikechelen.com Mike Chelen

    hopefully gears should help the sync be transparent to the user, in a way developers can reuse

  • http://twitter.com/PedroDCardoso Pedro Cardoso

    There's a saying I have – it's great that everyone seems to be thinking the same as Scoble on this one, but are any of you really thinking? Really?

    After reading through this, and some of the comments…just had to fire back with a post of my own. Here it is folks: Why Scoble Is So Wrong – Chrome OS Has Not Won – Rather It Is The Unicorn Of Tech! http://bit.ly/8iwIQ1

    Sorry Robert – still a huge fan, but on this one I just have to disagree. Interested in your perspective.

  • http://twitter.com/PedroDCardoso Pedro Cardoso

    Ok Robert, now you're jumping the shark on this Chrome OS bent. Chrome isn't even an OS, it's just an application that happens to run a bunch of Google Apps very well. But an operating system that does not make! What about all my other apps?

    If I want to just run “cloud stuff” then that device is already here. It's a mobile device, and the iPhone (remember that) does a great job at it. In a year…expect to be blown away again on that front.

    See My Blog Post….I just have to disagree with you on this one Robert. http://bit.ly/8iwIQ1

  • sexygirl

    first of all, their search engine is dominating, we know that, but their phone OS will not kill iphone. their regular os will not kill windows

    __________
    toys

  • http://www.facebook.com/senderok Senderok Allen

    Two issues that might help Chrome OS:

    1) 7 second boot time vs 40 seconds (Win 7) and 90 seconds (XP desktop)

    2) How much does Windows 7 cost? What will Office 2010 cost?

  • http://www.cerratoenterprises.com roncerr

    Ever heard of word wrap?

  • http://www.TheSpyTools.com Neel

    I have been using chrome since last 4 months and its really fantastic browsing with chrome:)
    I have used firefox and Opera too , the problem with firefox is that its get very slow as its gets old in the computer(very strange problem!) and as far as opera is concerned its browsing speed is light fast but its not compatible with many popular website:( So Chrome wins.

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