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shifuimam · Jan 2, 2010, 10:31 PM

I ran it on my eeePC. It does boot up really quickly, but it's super rough around the edges.

It's exactly what it's touted to be - the barest possible Linux kernel running the Chrome web browser. You can access a bash shell, but it's incredibly (and I mean INCREDIBLY) limited in what even root can do. The two biggest flaws so far are the lack of WPA support and the fact that there's no clear way to safely power down the machine.

It's definitely not supposed to be the replacement for a real OS. The biggest use I can see out of it is the ability to be on the Internet and browsing in ten seconds or less, kind of like the whole ExpressGate functionality that lets you access basic stuff without booting into a full-on OS. I'll keep it on the SD card it's installed on, but it won't be replacing Jolicloud on my eeePC...

starman · Jan 3, 2010, 04:19 PM

I just don't get the point of this OS. I mean, why not just run Linux and auto-boot Chrome? Ok, yes, *some* apps are moving to the cloud, but a lot can't. I just see this as nothing more than an experimental OS.

CharlesS · Jan 3, 2010, 04:32 PM

The point is that the type of people at whom Chrome OS is aimed are not going to have any idea how to do that.

Oisín · Jan 3, 2010, 04:33 PM

Actually, from shif’s description of it, I could easily imagine installing this on my stepmum’s EeePC. She uses nothing but the browser, anyway (in a whole year of having the machine, she’s used Word to write one single-page document, nothing else). A computer that quickly boots and has you online in a browser immediately would be absolutely perfect for her.

As it is (since the computer was running unbelievably slow in XP), I just installed UNR on it with Chrome as the standard browser. Gave the machine a speed boost of about 90 per cent, but booting still takes time.

For many here, I could see Chrome OS being quite useless; but there are many people like my stepmum who need nothing else than the Internet and an occasional document from their computer, and who don’t understand anything about computers. For them, it’s perfect.

starman · Jan 3, 2010, 04:40 PM

That's *IF* you use Google's tools. Let's say you're on Comcast. Yes, they have web-based mail, but does it all stay there for all eternity? Is it reliable? Can you back it up? There are so many things that we take for granted with a REAL OS that these new-fangled web tools can't do that I think people lose sight of the limitations of a browser OS.

Sealobo · Jan 3, 2010, 04:46 PM

i know a lot of people do nothing with their computer but the following:

Web surf
Email
Facebook
Youtube
Porn (last but not least)

Only if Chrome OS can integrate all these seamlessly.

By the way, the Mac Chrome browser is fast, especially running Flash. I have a 17" MBP 2.8

Railroader · Jan 3, 2010, 06:01 PM

If only there were a forum on this site to discuss this OS...

Oisín · Jan 3, 2010, 07:23 PM

Originally Posted by starman

That's *IF* you use Google's tools. Let's say you're on Comcast. Yes, they have web-based mail, but does it all stay there for all eternity? Is it reliable? Can you back it up? There are so many things that we take for granted with a REAL OS that these new-fangled web tools can't do that I think people lose sight of the limitations of a browser OS.

Was that a reply to my post? Or CharlesS’? I’m a bit confused …

If it was in response to mine, then: my stepmum uses google.com and tradera.com, that’s basically it. So yes, she uses Google’s services already.

ISPs operate quite differently here from in the States, generally. There are no ‘services’ (like e-mail or storage) that come with your Internet connection here. If she even has an e-mail (I think she does, she just never uses it), it’s probably a Hotmail address. She doesn’t need to back anything up. Really, the only reason she has a computer is because it’s easier than going to the library and borrowing (paying for!) using the Internet there.

And yes, there are many users like her.

besson3c · Jan 3, 2010, 08:15 PM

Originally Posted by starman

I just don't get the point of this OS. I mean, why not just run Linux and auto-boot Chrome? Ok, yes, *some* apps are moving to the cloud, but a lot can't. I just see this as nothing more than an experimental OS.

It seems very similar to VMWare ESXi to me in terms of being a very stripped down bare metal sort of appliance. One distinct advantage it has if all you care about is surfing the web and doing the stuff it is designed for it will be very, very fast, as you'd expect with such a lightweight kernel.

To give you a frame of reference, a VMWare ESXi requires only 1 gig of disk space, and much of this is for stuff that is not accessed constantly. If you could get an OS under 1 gig, not only is there a reasonable bet that it will be quite fast, but it also maximizes your bang for your buck on devices with a small amount of flash based storage.

besson3c · Jan 3, 2010, 08:16 PM

Originally Posted by starman

That's *IF* you use Google's tools. Let's say you're on Comcast. Yes, they have web-based mail, but does it all stay there for all eternity? Is it reliable? Can you back it up? There are so many things that we take for granted with a REAL OS that these new-fangled web tools can't do that I think people lose sight of the limitations of a browser OS.

Most people can't back up their email anyway, assuming that most people are using IMAP by now...

Sorry, I don't mean to pick apart your point, just throwing this in there...

ghporter · Jan 3, 2010, 08:55 PM

In many situations you CAN back up IMAP email. It can be a pain, especially compared to POP3 email, but it can be done. For example, with Gmail there are a couple of apps (I think they're both Windows apps

) that will do that. If your only access is via a web client then you are sort of screwed (happened to me the hard way), but if you use something like Entourage to access an IMAP account you can pretty easily save it all.

besson3c · 12:42 AM

Originally Posted by ghporter

In many situations you CAN back up IMAP email. It can be a pain, especially compared to POP3 email, but it can be done. For example, with Gmail there are a couple of apps (I think they're both Windows apps

) that will do that. If your only access is via a web client then you are sort of screwed (happened to me the hard way), but if you use something like Entourage to access an IMAP account you can pretty easily save it all.

You can siphon all of your IMAP mail into another account or some other sort of format/container, but how do you restore from this backup, and how do you do so without creating duplicate messages?

The closest I've seen approach this is with an IMAP -> IMAP sync script, but I don't know of any accessible point and click type products for Grandma that facilitate this, including automatic scheduling.

ghporter · Jan 4, 2010, 08:51 PM

Well as I pointed out, you can do it with Entourage pretty simply-and Microsoft's help data is pretty useful too (!!!). But frankly there's no email system that's "grandma-proof." With some instruction most people who can type can do it with POP3 accounts and a decent client, and with IMAP and certain clients. The trick though is that some mail systems ONLY provide access through web clients, and that's a royal pain to do any sort of archiving with.

besson3c · Jan 4, 2010, 09:39 PM

How do you do it in Entourage? Can you point me to some info? I'm not finding much at all...

shifuimam · Jan 5, 2010, 06:33 AM

Originally Posted by starman

I just don't get the point of this OS. I mean, why not just run Linux and auto-boot Chrome? Ok, yes, *some* apps are moving to the cloud, but a lot can't. I just see this as nothing more than an experimental OS.

I don't think it's really going to take off for replacing normal apps, but there's a hell of a lot you can do these days just in your browser. I mean, when I'm not playing MMOs, most of my Internet usage comes from talking on IRC and browsing the web, both of which can be easily accomplished in Chrome OS. I wouldn't use it for day to day use, but I can see the merits of it, mostly because it boots up so incredibly quickly. Like I mentioned in the OP, it's like ExpressGate and other technologies that allow a user to access a few things on their machine without waiting for a full OS boot, except this one doesn't require any special hardware or vendor-specific software.

ghporter · Jan 5, 2010, 06:39 AM

Originally Posted by besson3c

How do you do it in Entourage? Can you point me to some info? I'm not finding much at all...

Read the Entourage help for "Backup and restore Entourage information." Full details there. It works very similar to Outlook's archiving and exporting capability.

besson3c · Jan 5, 2010, 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by ghporter

Read the Entourage help for "Backup and restore Entourage information." Full details there. It works very similar to Outlook's archiving and exporting capability.

I've found several pages that describe Entourage's archive process, but none that tell me whether Entourage actually uploads your mail back to the server upon restore to the correct folders, and does so to prevent duplicate messages and folders.

My sense is that Entourage helps you restore the cache, which is only useful if you never sync with the IMAP server again.

Big Mac · Jan 5, 2010, 11:00 AM

IF you want to back up your IMAP mail in a local client, create a local folder and drag the messages you want into it - you'll create local copies of those messages, right?

besson3c · Jan 5, 2010, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by Big Mac

IF you want to back up your IMAP mail in a local client, create a local folder and drag the messages you want into it - you'll create local copies of those messages, right?

Yeah, but then if you want to start using your email account again you still have to upload everything back to the server. This is the piece that I'm most interested in.

Then again, creating a local copy of your mail is better than nothing as far as a shit-hits-the-fan fallback plan for when the server dies/goes away. Of course, it would be better to not put your mail on a server without a proper disaster recovery plan, but..

Does Entourage include an Applescript to put your backups on an automatic schedule?

Big Mac · Jan 5, 2010, 11:25 AM

Yeah, you still have to uploading everything back to the server if you really need or want what you saved put back on it, but what's new with that? I guess that's the type of thing I expect to have to do if I need it on the rare occasion, instead of worrying about automated solutions.

Doofy · Jan 5, 2010, 11:26 AM

What's this "booting" thing that you people keep banging on about?

The Final Dakar · Jan 5, 2010, 11:30 AM

The reason I don't download Mac updates.

besson3c · Jan 5, 2010, 11:57 AM

Originally Posted by Big Mac

Yeah, you still have to uploading everything back to the server if you really need or want what you saved put back on it, but what's new with that? I guess that's the type of thing I expect to have to do if I need it on the rare occasion, instead of worrying about automated solutions.

Well, if it's not automated it's not really much of a backup, right?

I just wonder whether these sorts of Desktop IMAP backup solutions are more trouble than they are worth, in some cases. Your best means of backup resides on the server, these sorts of solutions seem like incomplete kludges to me. However, they are better than nothing

I realize that there are probably very few, if any email providers that allow restoring from their snapshots, if they even have any.