Browser-centric OS

As the title suggests, does browser centric OS be the future of computing? This piece was written because of this announcement:
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/introducing-google-chrome-os.html

their promises:
- Free lightweight OS for netbooks
- browser as the main application
- user-centric UI (speed and simplicity)
- better security
- compatibility across systems (x86, mac, arm etc)
- lightning fast startups

most of it have been on my mind for ages. for instance, fast startups. why should we wait (or rather, 'waste') 15-30 seconds of our life waiting for bootup, just to check our email? cant we just push the power button and instantly read our email? drivers can load later imho.

to take browser into the heart of an OS is not a new idea. remember netscape and its similar idea? a decade ago? even MS tried to integrate IE into windows, but they faced antitrust charges (remember ActiveDesktop?). Google's idea is nothing new of sort, but with more widespread broadband access across the world, it's now viable and usable, when compared to ancient ages of dial-up during the netscape time.

and security promises, we certainly hope that Chrome OScan live up to its expectation. we certainly know the limitation on how an OS can secure its users (well, most of the users don't. lol!). majority of security compromise can be avoided if the users use a bit of thinking when they want to submit their private informations online. so let's see how Chrome can beat OpenBSD in terms of security (they might as well use OpenBSD kernel instead of Linux =b)

only less than 24 hours from the announcement and people are already speculating. let's hope that this will be another milestone product from google.

well, here's a gift for you, another windows-bashing comic. enjoy =D


http://xkcd.com/529/