Google Chrome OS download a fake

Dodgy Linux distribution taken down

By Ramu Nagappan | Macworld.com
Published: 10:45 GMT, 29 October 09

On Wednesday, a brief rash of Twitter posts suggested that the search behemoth had released a preview version of its forthcoming Chrome OS. An official-looking page offered the opportunity to download the public beta as a VMWare appliance, but it turns out that the download was a fake. The site, hosted on Google's web-hosting service, has since been shut down.

The news of the release seemed believable given Google's announcement this week of the new Android 2.0 operating system, primarily intended for mobile devices. And the fall has so far been filled with big OS launches, Apple's Mac OS X Snow Leopard in August and Microsoft's Windows 7 last week.

Google has said that it aimed to ship Chrome OS in the second half of 2010, but preview versions of the operating system were widely expected to become available later this year. So it seemed plausible, until you started digging and saw that despite Google's claims of grandeur, the download appeared to be little more than a hacked together Linux distribution.

Google Chrome browser hits beta of version 4 | Google Chrome Mac beta next month | Can Linux distros survive Chrome OS? | Google names hardware partners for Chrome OS

When the real deal does show up, it will be a Linux-based OS, but it will be structured around the Chrome web browser, which aims to be as minimalist and unobtrusive as possible. Google has also said that Chrome OS will pioneer a new window management system. The browser itself is still a Windows only application as the Mac version is only available as a developer preview release.

Google's goal is to deliver an OS that is lightweight, open source, and free of security headaches. Because it is built around, and perhaps almost synonymous with, a browser, Chrome OS aims to move the user interface from the desktop to web, encouraging the expansion of cloud computing and web applications.

I guess we'll be waiting little while longer for Chrome OS to surface. In the meantime, beware those rumors and check your sources before you tweet.

What are your views on this subject? Use the form below to post a comment on this article up to 500 characters.

Characters remaining: 500

Add your commentComments

DD | Published: 05:31 GMT, 30 October 2009

THAT IS LIFE IN THE CLOUD...LOL WHY ARE PEOPLE SUCH MORONS

DanTe | Published: 17:48 GMT, 29 October 2009

Twits twitting nonsense. What a surprise! NOT!

Related Operating Systems news

Oracle given breathing space by EC

Regulator gives an extra week to prepare Sun takeover arguments.

20 November 2009

Microsoft, Linux rivals mock Google Chrome OS

Operating system crippled by reliance on web access

Google releases Chrome OS to waiting world

Stresses speed and security of operating system.

NSA helped with work on Windows 7 security

Privacy organisations concerned about spooks' involvement.

Related Operating Systems reviews

Jolicloud OS

Moblin 2.0 review

Ubuntu Netbook Remix

Email this article to a friend or colleague:

PLEASE NOTE: Your name is used only to let the recipient know who sent the story, and in case of transmission error. Both your name and the recipient's name and address will not be used for any other purpose.

Techworld White Papers

Database security: Preventing enterprise data leaks at the source

IDC discusses the growing internal threats to business information, the impact of government regulations on the protection of data, and how enterprises must adopt database security best practices...

Download Whitepaper

Service-oriented security

SOA has become an integral part of enterprise software by providing a framework to efficiently develop software as services that is easily sharable, reusable, and integrated. No where is the need more apparent than in the Identity Management space. Welcome to the age of Service-Oriented Security (SOS).

Download Whitepaper

Data protection prospective vendor checklist

Organisations need a way to map business needs against all these challenges in procuring a technical solution. To help, SANS has developed the following Prospective Vendor Checklist.

Download Whitepaper

Unlock the power of the mainframe

This whitepaper presents the notion of CICS as an integration hub based on a component-based, service-oriented architecture supporting Web services. Highlights will review the challenges and contrasted support for Web services natively in CICS.

Download Whitepaper

Techworld UK - Technology - Business

COLT White Paper

Are all VoIP services the same?

Questions to ask your service provider to ensure you get the VoIP service you need
With careful choice of partner, your business can have all the advantages of VoIP access - reduced costs, flexibility and simplicity - without the drawbacks.
This white paper is your guide to ensure you get right the VoIP service and details the pitfalls which businesses would do well to avoid.

Download white paper
BMC

Ride the express lane in the journey to speed ITIL adoption

Explore the challenges in making the journey to ITIL and the criteria for selecting consulting services
By following ITIL practices, your IT organisation will become more closely integrated with the business. We recommend making the journey to ITIL in a sequence of six incremental steps, the phases of which are driven through execution of a strategic transformational roadmap.

Download white paper

Webcast: IT Financial Management: Cost Optimisation for Efficiency and Agility.
On Demand Webcast
Join this webcast to learn about the techniques and technologies that can help you prove the value of IT to the business by understanding the true cost of today's IT services and those that will be necessary to deliver future success.

Register Today

Site Map

IDG Network

* *