Google Chrome Operating System

PAGE INDEX

Topic Page No.

ABSTRACT

1. INTRODUCTION1.1 OVERVIEW1.2 WHAT IS GOOGLE CHROME OS

2. FEATURES EXPLORED2.1 BASIC FEATURES

2.1.1 SPEED2.1.2 QUICK BOOTING2.1.3 SIMPLICITY2.1.4 ULTIMATE SECURITY2.1.5 SANDBOXING2.1.6 VERIFIED BOOT2.1.7 DATA ENCRYPTION2.1.8 CONTINUOUS UPDATE2.1.9 PRINTING2.1.10 UE OF CLOUD2.1.11 MINIMAL USER INTERFACE2.1.12 SAME EXPERIENCE EVERYWHERE

2.2 WHAT IS CLOUD COMPUTING2.3 WHAT IS A NETBOOK

3. THE CHROME DESIGN AND INTERFACE3.1 THE BASICS3.2 WINDOWS, TABS & PANELS3.3 THREE-TIER ARCHITECTURE3.4 FORM FACTOR EXPLORATION3.5 UI ELEMENTS

3.5.1 FORM CONTROLS3.5.2 MENUS3.5.3 SCROLL BARS3.5.4 CURSORS

3.6 PANELS3.7 PINNED TABS3.8 CHROME AND THE WINDOWS MANAGER3.9 REMOTE APPLICATION ACCESS3.10 CHROME OS VERSUS BROWSER

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4. HARDWARE AND COMPATIBILITY4.1 CR-48 PROTOTYPE HARDWARE4.2 HARDWARE SUPPORT AND COMPATIBILITY4.1 GREEN FLAG FOR CHROME OS4.2 WHAT GOOGLE CHROME OS ACHIEVES

5. CHROMIUM OS5.1 THE BASICS5.2 USER INTERFACE5.3 ARCHITECTURE5.4 CHROME OS VS. CHROMIUM OS

6. DISCUSSIONS6.1 GREEN FLAG FOR CHROME OS6.2 WHAT GOOGLE CHROME OS ACHIEVES

7. CONCLUSION

8. BIBLIOGRAPHY

9. APPENDIX

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Google Chrome Operating System

ABSTRACT

Google Chrome OS is a Linux operating system designed by Google to work exclusively with

web applications. It is intended to focus on Web applications while running a fast and simple

interface, based off Google's existing Chrome browser. Google announced the operating

system on July 7, 2009 and made it an open source project, called Chromium OS, that

November.

Unlike Chromium OS, which can be compiled from the downloaded source code, Chrome OS

will only ship on specific hardware from Google's manufacturing partners. The user

interface takes a minimalist approach, resembling that of the Chrome web browser. Because

Google Chrome OS is aimed at users who spend most of their computer time on the Internet,

the only application on the device will be a browser incorporating a media player.

Google Chrome OS is initially intended for secondary devices like netbooks, not as a user's

primary PC, and will run on hardware incorporating an x86 or ARM-based processor.

Chrome OS as a "hardened" operating system featuring auto-updating and sandbox features

that will reduce malware exposure. Google claimed that Chrome OS would be the most

secure consumer operating system due in part to a verified boot capability, in which the

initial boot code, stored in read-only memory, checks for system compromises.

Companies working with Google to develop hardware for the operating system include Acer,

Adobe, Asus, Freescale, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments, Toshiba,

Intel, Samsung, and Dell.

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Google Chrome Operating System

CHAPTER - 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1. OVERVIEW

This Seminar on “Google Chrome Operating System” discusses the features, capabilities and

functioning of the Google Chrome Operating System, along with its divergence from a

typical Operating System covering its expected advantages and setbacks.

The new operating system, aptly named Google Chrome OS, will be a Linux-based,

open-source operating system initially geared toward netbooks. The Chrome OS, originally

planned for release in the second half of 2010 and currently slated for release in early 2011, is

mostly just the Chrome browser running on top of a very lightweight Linux base. It is

intended to focus on Web applications while running a fast and simple interface, based off

Google's existing Chrome browser. Speed, simplicity and security are the key aspects of

Google Chrome OS.

Quite suitably, this Seminar involves major discussions on how it is a concept for a very

portable and low cost "cloud" terminal. This also explains how and why the operating

system is the browser and how it behaves like a browser, in the case of this unique Operating

System.

1.2 WHAT IS GOOGLE CHROME OS

Google Chrome OS is an upcoming Linux-based, open source operatingsystem designed by

Google to work exclusively with web applications. Chrome OS will not be available as a

download to run and install. Instead, theoperating system will only ship on specific hardware

from Google's manufacturing partners. 

On account of the “cloud” concept, the weightlessness feature is a plus under this OS, which

implies virtually no data storage hassles. Also, it is heavily web-centric, considering the fact

that the operating system uses a high speed internet connection facility. Chrome OS has a

few more unique features, the most useful of which are panels, which can be best described

as drawers that hang around the bottom of the screen.

Security maintenance is a major growing concern in every industry, and Google

Chrome OS splendidly provides a great security cover to its user. Chrome OS's security

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Google Chrome Operating System

infrastructure is so designed, that users don't have to deal with viruses, malware and security

updates.

Google Chrome OS will run on both x86 as well as ARM chips and multiple OEMs are

being worked with, to bring a number of netbooks to market next year. Google offers its

users, a future of web-only computing.

Quick-booting, invisible automatic updates, incessant browsing experience, simple and

explicit downloads are among the other features that have made the Google Chrome

Operating System, an intriguing area to explore. Google Chrome OS will run on both x86

as well as ARM chips the software architecture is simple - Google Chrome running within a

new windowing system on top of a Linux kernel. For application developers, the web is the

platform. All web-based applications will automatically work and new applications can be

written using your favorite web technologies. And of course, these apps will run not only on

Google Chrome OS, but on any standards-based browser on Windows, Mac and Linux

thereby giving developers the largest user base of any platform.

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Google Chrome Operating System

CHAPTER - 2

FEATURES EXPLORED

2.1 BASIC FEATURES

2.1.1 Speed

Speed is an unsaid feature of the Google Chrome OS. With Google Chrome’s tremendous

booting speed and more, users have a lot to say about experiencing

‘waitlessness’.Waitlessness, in Google’s terms, means never having to wait for the web.

Chrome notebooks boot in about 10 seconds and resume from sleep instantly. Websites

load quickly and run smoothly, with full support for the latest web standards and Adobe

Flash. The web evolves rapidly. Your Chrome notebook evolves with it. Every time you turn

it on, it upgrades itself with the latest features and fixes. Annoying update prompts not

included.

The portion of the operating system needed to operate the device will reside in a read-only

section of memory. The rest of the operating system is integrated with the Chrome browser

and, like the browser, security updates require nothing more than a reboot. Chrome OS can

run multiple Web applications in multiple tabs and each one is locked down from all others,

so vulnerability in one Web app can't lead to exposure in another. 

2.1.2 Quick Booting

The Chrome operating system is designed to allow computers to boot up to the Web within

seconds, onto a home screen that looks like that of a Web browser. Chrome OS boots up in

mere seconds. In these precious seconds, Chrome OS scans critical parts of the OS to make

sure they have not been modified.

2.1.3 Simplicity

Basic user interface and features lend simplicicty to the Google Chrome OS, making user

interaction easier and adaptable.

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Google Chrome Operating System

2.1.4 Ultimate Security

The most fascinating and intriguing features presented by the Google Chrome OS is Security

Maintenance. Chrome OS is the first operating system designed to counter security threats.

It uses the principle of “defense in depth” to provide multiple layers of protection, so if any

one layer is bypassed, others are still in effect.

2.1.5 Sandboxing

On the Chrome notebook, each web page and application visited runs in a restricted

environment called a “sandbox.” So if you visit an infected page, it can’t affect the other

tabs or apps on your computer, or anything else on your machine. The threat is contained.

Google expands its security by running each tab through a dedicated sandbox. These

sandboxes have no access to hard drive. This means the browsing is separated from the other

areas of the system; this gives a total security from malware intrusion in to the hard drive.

2.1.6 Verified Boot

Even if malware manages to escape the sandbox, the Chrome notebook is still protected.

Every time the computer is booted, it does a self check called “Verified Boot”. If it detects

that the system has been tampered with, or corrupted in any way, typically it will repair itself.

2.1.7 Data Encryption

When you use web apps on your Chrome notebook, all the user’s documents are stored safely

in the cloud. But certain kinds of files, like downloads, cookies, and browser cache files, may

still be present on the computer. The Chrome notebook encrypts all this data using tamper-

resistant hardware, making it very difficult for anyone to access those files.

2.1.8 Continuous Update

The web evolves rapidly. Your Chrome notebook evolves with it. Every time you turn it on,

it upgrades itself with the latest features and fixes. Annoying update prompts not included.

2.1.9 Printing

Google plans to create a service called Google Cloud Print, which will help any application

on any device to print on any printer. This method of printing does not require any drivers

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Google Chrome Operating System

and therefore will be suitable for printing from Google Chrome OS. Mike Jazayeri, Google

group product manager, wrote that the service was prompted by a paradox inherent in an

operating system designed expressly for cloud computing. While the cloud provides virtually

any connected device with information access, the task of "developing and maintaining print

subsystems for every combination of hardware and operating system-- from desktops to

netbooks to mobile devices -- simply isn't feasible. The service would entail installing a piece

of software, called a proxy, as part of Chrome OS. The proxy would register the printer with

the service, manage the print jobs and give status alerts for each job.

2.1.10 Use of Cloud

Users of devices running Chrome will have to perform all their computing online or “in the

cloud,” without downloading traditional software applications like iTunes and Microsoft

Office, or storing files on hard drives. Devices running Chrome will receive continuous

software updates, providing added security, and most user data will reside on Google’s

servers.

User data stored on the device, which is minimal, is encrypted. User data is limited to items

such as user preferences. All other data will be stored in the cloud. User preferences will also

be synched to a cloud account, so like any thin client. should you lose the device, you would

merely log in from another one and your data and preferences should be there.

Google’s Chrome OS, is designed to be a very fast, lightweight flavor of Linux that will be

available on some netbooks and other PCs by the end of the year. Google hopes to achieve

this small footprint and high performance by shipping an OS with only one installed program

– their own Chrome browser. Users would work, live, and save things online, using Google’s

own cloud computing services and other similar utilities, like Microsoft’s Office Web Apps.

This is of course a shift from today’s computing environment, where most programs are

installed locally on the computer’s hard drive.

2.1.11 Minimal User Interface

The user interface is minimal to stay out of your way, and most of the user experience takes

place on the web. Google is going back to the basics and completely redesigning the

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Google Chrome Operating System

underlying security architecture of the OS so that users don't have to deal with viruses,

malware and security updates.

2.1.12 Same Experience Everywhere

All of the user’s apps, documents, and settings are stored safely in the cloud. So even if the

computer is misplaced, data can be recovered through another Chrome notebook and worked

upon as efficiently and with ease.

2.2 WHAT IS CLOUD COMPUTING

Cloud Computing is Internet-based computing, whereby shared resources, software,

and information are provided to computers and other devices on demand, like the electricity

grid.

Cloud computing is a paradigm shift following the shift from mainframe to client–server in

the early 1980s. Details are abstracted from the users, who no longer have need for expertise

in, or control over, the technology infrastructure "in the cloud" that supports them. Cloud

computing describes a new supplement, consumption, and delivery model for IT services

based on the Internet, and it typically involves over-the-Internet provision of

dynamically scalable and often  virtualized  resources. It is a byproduct and consequence of

the ease-of-access to remote computing sites provided by the Internet.

The term "cloud" is used as a metaphor for the Internet, based on the cloud drawing used in

the past to represent the telephone network, and later to depict the Internet in computer

network diagrams as an abstraction of the underlying infrastructure it represents. Typical

cloud computing providers deliver common business applications online that are accessed

from another Web service or software like a Web browser, while the software and data are

stored on servers.

Most cloud computing infrastructures consist of services delivered through common centers

and built on servers. Clouds often appear as single points of access for all consumers'

computing needs.

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Google Chrome Operating System

2.3 WHAT IS A NETBOOK

Netbooks (sometimes also called mini notebooks or ultra portables) are a branch

of subnotebooks, a rapidly evolving category of small, lightweight, and inexpensive laptop

computers suited for general computing and accessing Web-based applications; they are often

marketed as "companion devices", i.e. At their inception in late 2007 — as smaller notebooks

optimized for low weight and low cost — netbooks omitted certain features, featured smaller

screens and keyboards, and offered reduced specification and computing power. Over the

course of their evolution, netbooks have ranged in size from below 5" screen diagonal to over

11.6". A typical weight is 1 kg. Often significantly less expensive than other laptops, by mid-

2009, some wireless data carriers began to offer netbooks to users "free of charge", with an

extended service contract purchase.

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Google Chrome Operating System

CHAPTER - 3

THE CHROME DESIGN AND INTERFACE

3.1 THE BASICS

Design goals for Google Chrome OS's user interface include using minimal screen space by

combining applications and standard Web pages into a single tab strip, rather than separating

the two. Designers are considering a reduced window management scheme that would

operate only in full-screen mode. Secondary tasks would be handled with "panels": floating

windows that dock to the bottom of the screen for tasks like chat and music players. Split

screens are also under consideration for viewing two pieces of content side-by-side. Google

Chrome OS will follow the Chrome browser's practice of leveraging HTML5's offline modes,

background processing, and notifications. Designers propose using search and pinned tabs as

a way to quickly locate and access applications.

Design goals for Google Chrome OS's user interface include using minimal screenspace by

combining applications and standard Web pages into a single tab strip,rather than separating

the two. Designers are considering a reduced windowmanagement scheme that would operate

only in full-screen mode. Secondary taskswould be handled with "panels": floating windows

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Google Chrome Operating System

that dock to the bottom of thescreen for tasks like chat and music players. Split screens are

also under consideration for viewing two pieces of content side-by-side. Google Chrome

OSwill follow the Chrome browser's practice of leveragingHTML5 ' s offline

modes,background processing, and notifications. Designers propose using search andpinned

tabs as a way to quickly locate and access applications.

3.2 WINDOWS, TABS & PANELS

The interface of Chrome is currently composed of three types of views: windows, tabs, and

panels. However, this interface is likely to change quite a bit over the coming year, as the

open source community contributes new code to the project.

Applications, which are essentially just Web pages, live in tabs, just as they do in most

browsers now. In Chrome OS, there are two kinds of tabs: page tabs and application tabs.

Application tabs are intended to give users quick access to the Web apps they use most, and

any page can be made into an application tab with one click. Application tabs remain

persistent at the left of the tabs bar, while ordinary page tabs behave just as they do in current

browsers.

Tabs live in windows, which on the Chrome OS are more similar to Linux-style virtual

workspaces. You can drag and drop page and application tabs from one window to another to

group them according to any organization scheme you like.

The final view is the panel, which is a persistent window that can contain a variety of

applications. To demonstrate this, Pichai opened up Contacts and Notepad--two apps

included with Chrome OS--in panel views, which sit in the lower-right area of the screen.

This view is intended to allow users to interact with specific files or Web content while still

viewing another page or app in the main window. Content created in panel apps is instantly

shared with the rest of the Google apps, as demonstrated by a bit of sample text being entered

into the Notepad panel, and then immediately opened in Google Docs.

Other uses for the panel view include searching for music and playing songs or videos in a

smaller view during the course of Web browsing. As with documents, these panels can be

quickly opened into a tab or full-screen mode.

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Google Chrome Operating System

The design would include the same basic layout as on netbooks, but with a touch interface; an

onscreen qwerty keyboard in different layouts; large, square icons placed above the tabs; and

panels placed along the bottom edge that could be opened with an upward dragging motion.

3.3 THE THREE TIER ARCHITECTURE

Google describes a three-tier architecture: firmware, browser and window manager, and

system-level software and user-land services.

The firmware contributes to fast boot time by not probing for hardware, such as

floppy disk drives, that are no longer common on computers, especially netbooks. The

firmware also contributes to security by verifying each step in the boot process and

incorporating system recovery.

System-level software includes the Linux kernel that has been patched to improve

boot performance. Userland software has been trimmed to essentials, with

management by Upstart, which can launch services in parallel, re-spawn crashed jobs,

and defer services in the interest of faster booting.

The window manager handles user interaction with multiple client windows much

like other X window managers.

3.4 FORM FACTORS EXPLORATION

While its primary focus is netbooks, Chrome OS could eventually scale to a wide variety of

devices. Each would have vastly different input methods, available screen space, and

processing power. Below is an illustration of the forms we are considering along with notes

for each:

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Google Chrome Operating System

Netbook 10-12"

Because of their small screen resolution, the netbook ui is tailored to one web page on the

screen at a time. Interaction is primarily via mouse and keyboard, and the UI is adapted to

this, with primary targets distributed along the screen edges. Panels would dock against the

bottom of the screen and could be moved to the sides as well.

o Full Screen, Compact/Classic/Sidebar UI

o Omnibox may autohide on devices with limited vertical height

o Docking panels

o Tabs and Windows

Tablet 5-10"

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Google Chrome Operating System

On tablets, the UI would be adjusted to handle larger touch targets. Initial explorations

have maintained the same basic chrome layout, but enlarged the controls. Icons could be

placed above tabs to provide larger, square targets. Panels would be placed along the bottom

edge and could be opened with upward dragging motions.

o Full screen, Touch UI

o Docking panels

o Touch panel UI

o Tabs only

o High-res display

o Visual explorations

Laptop 15-17"

On laptop-sized devices, full screen mode is not suitable for most web pages. At this point we

would re-introduce multiple windows on screen, using either overlapping or tiling windowing

systems. Panels would now be able to dock to edges or float freely on the screen.

o Windowed, Classic UI

o Overlapping or tiled window management

o Floating or docking panels

Desktop 24-30"

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Google Chrome Operating System

The desktop UI is similar to the laptop UI, but benefits more from freely positioned windows

and access points near the cursor. Other potential enhancements include magnetic

windows/panels that can be moved around with each other to create workspaces. 

o Windowed, Classic UI

o Overlapping window management

o Floating or docking panels

3.5 UI ELEMENTS

3.5.1 Form Controls

The base UI elements in Chrome OS are styled after the default form controls. Any CSS

changes are applied to this base, rather than causing a dramatic change from a native widget

to a CSS one.

Default button style is a simple white to gray gradient.

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Google Chrome Operating System

3.5.2 Menus

Menus use the same gradient with a stronger drop shadow. When possible, they are displayed

attached to their source.

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Google Chrome Operating System

3.5.3 Scroll Bars

Scroll bar options:

Transient scroll indicators

Wave-style scroll widgets

Rollover scroll bars (when you press screen edge

Standard scroll bar

Reflective scroll bar

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3.5.4 Cursors

Future directions:

Resolution Independent cursors

Black with white outline (for contrast)

Movement in Z space when clicking

Pulse emitted when you shake

3.6 PANELS

Panels in Chromium OS are used as containers that allow a user to multitask without leaving

the view of their current application. For example, with a music player and chat in panels, a

user can control the playback of their music and chat with a friend while watching a video or

reading a long document in their main view.

This is one of Chrome OS's true innovations: For things like IM and Notifications, these

small windows remain on top of the main browsing window.

Window manager interactions

Panels are always-on-top, and are not attached to a specific window. New panels open to the

left of existing panels.

Open behavior

Panels are minimized and maximized by clicking on their titlebar. When minimized, a panel

is shifted so that only a few pixels of its titlebar are visible on-screen (this is the 'minimized'

state).

When the user's mouse hits the bottom edge of the screen, any minimized panels slide up to

reveal the text in their titlebars (this is the 'peeking' state). Clicking on these titlebars will

restore the panel to its original size.

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Google Chrome Operating System

If a panel is restored with the mouse cursor at the bottom edge of the screen, a widget will

appear under the user's mouse cursor that will minimize the panel when clicked. The widget

disappears as soon as the user's mouse moves away from the edge. This allows users to

quickly open and close panels.

Auto-arrange

Panels are right-aligned, and automatically arrange themselves in order to not overlap. If a

user drags a panel to the left away from the main group of panels, it is pushed to the left of all

auto-arranged panels until the user explicitly reorders it into the auto arranged set. It will

attempt to hold the defined position until it is pushed out of the way.

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3.7 PINNED TABS

Many users of existing browsers keep their 'primary' tabs to the left of

their tab-strip. This allows easy access to commonly used applications

that users keep open all the time. Others use bookmarks to quickly access

their favorite apps without leaving them open, though bookmarks will

replace their current window which may be undesirable.

Pinned tabs are an acknowledgement of both of these behaviors:

Any tab can be converted into a 'pinned tab' where it shrinks to the

size of its favicon, and remains locked to the left of the tab-strip

Any external link opened from a pinned tab will be opened outside

of the group of pinned tabs, ensuring that the group remains

consistently accessible

Applications open with the pinned tabs automatically, and pinned tabs are

removed when they are closed

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Google Chrome Operating System

Pinned tabs remain available across sessions, allowing users to always

access their favorite apps from a consistent location. Pinned tabs can

be created via contextual menu, dragging a tab to the pinned area, or

opening an application.

3.8 CHROME AND THE WINDOW MANAGER

The window manager is responsible for handling the user's interaction with

multiple client windows. It does this in a manner similar to that of other X window

managers, by controlling window placement, assigning the input focus, and

exposing hotkeys that exist outside the scope of a single browser window. Parts of

the ICCCM (Inter-Client Communication Conventions Manual) and EWHM

(Extended Window Manager Hints) specifications are used for communication

between clients and the window manager where possible.

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3.9 REMOTE APPLICATION ACCESS

In June 2010, Google software engineer Gary Kačmarčík wrote that Chrome OS will access

remote applications through a technology unofficially called "Chromoting", which would

resemble Microsoft's Remote Desktop Connection. The name has since been changed to

"remoting," and is "probably closer to running an application via Terminal Services or by

first connecting to a host machine by using RDP or VNC."

3.10 CHROME OS VERSUS BROWSER

Google Chrome OS is to Chromium OS what Google Chrome browser is to Chromium.

Chromium OS is the open source project, used primarily by developers, with code that is

available for anyone to checkout, modify and build their own version with. Meanwhile,

Google Chrome OS is the Google product that OEMs will ship on Netbooks next year.

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Chrome FeaturesWindow

Window Frame | Tabs | Throbber | Toolbar | Omnibox

Browsing

Bookmarks | History | New Tab Page

Additional UI

Downloads | Status Bubble | Find in Page | Options | IncognitoNotifications | Infobars | Multiple Profiles

Appearance

Visual Design | Resolution Independence | Themes

Accessibility

Keyboard Access | Low-Vision Support | Screen reader support

Chrome OS FeaturesNote: UI under development. Designs are subject to change.

Primary UI

Window UI Variations | Window Management | Pinned Tabs | Apps Menu | PanelsUI Elements | Gestures | System Status Icons

Core Applications

Notifications | Settings | Content Browser | Open/Save Dialogs | Shelf

Devices

Form Factors | Resolution Independence

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Google Chrome Operating System

CHAPTER - 4

HARDWARE AND COMPATIBILITY

4.1 Cr-48 PROTOTYPE HARDWARE

The Cr-48 notebook was released by Google, as a piece of reference hardware created to test

the Chrome OS operating system. The Cr-48 is the test notebook designed for the Pilot

program. 

The Cr-48 is intended for testing only, and will not be sold to the general public. Google

also addressed complaints that the operating system offers little functionality when the host

device is not connected to the Internet. The company demonstrated an offline version of

Google Docs running on Chrome OS and announced a 3G plan that would give Chrome OS

users 100 MB of free data each month, with additional paid plans available from Verizon.

Google's Cr-48 prototype "met the basic requirements for Web surfing, gaming, and personal

productivity, but falls short for more intensive tasks".

4.2 HARDWARE SUPPORT AND COMPATIBILITY

Chrome OS is based on the open-source Chromium OS. Google Chrome OS will run on both

x86 as well as ARM chips and we are working with multiple OEMs to bring a number of

netbooks to market next year. The software architecture is simple — Google Chrome running

within a new windowing system on top of a Linux kernel. For application developers, the

web is the platform. While Chrome OS will support hard disk drives, Google has requested

that its hardware partners use solid-state drives due to their higher performance and

reliability, as well as the lower capacity requirements inherent in an operating system that

accesses applications and most user data on remote servers.

All web-based applications will automatically work and new applications can be written

using your favorite web technologies. And of course, these apps will run not only on Google

Chrome OS, but on any standards-based browser on Windows, Mac and Linux thereby giving

developers the largest user base of any platform.

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Google Chrome Operating System

The Google chrome OS will run on will run on hardware incorporating an x86 or ARM-based

processor. The solid-state drives are the drives primarily supported by the OS for speed and

reliability issues but hard disk drives will also be supported. It is expected to consume one-

sixtieth as much drive space as Windows 7.

Google Chrome OS is initially intended for secondary devices like netbooks, not a

user's primary PC, and will run on hardware incorporating an x86 or ARM

processor and a solid state drive. Google favors solid state drives over hard

disk drives because the former provide faster boot-up times and the latter's higher capacity

isn't essential for an operating system that accesses applications

and most user data on remote servers. In addition, Google Chrome OS consumes 60

times less drive space than Windows 7.

Companies developing hardware for the operating system include Hewlett-Packard, Acer,

Adobe, Asus, Lenovo, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments, Freescale and Intel.

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Google Chrome Operating System

CHAPTER - 5

CHROMIUM OS

5.1 THE BASICS

Google Chrome and Chromium are the same OS. Except for the fact that the

Chromium operating system can be extended by anyone. Because the official

Chrome OS has not been released, Google Chromium is basically the

“advanced” version. This does not necessarily mean it is the “best” version, it

simply means that it includes the most up-to-date features and specifications.

Because the Chromium operating system is up-to-date, it means that some of

the more important Google OS characteristics will be fixed and expanded. The

Chromium OS is basically a test environment for Google developers, which

means it can be quite buggy and problematic.

5.2 USER INTERFACE

Chromium OS uses the new new:tab page found in Google Chrome to open web apps.

Compared to prior builds, this replaces the applications page. Chromium OS provides a

clock, battery indicator and network status indicator. The F8 function key toggles a keyboard

overlay that shows the function of all the shortcut keys used in Chromium, including task and

memory managers also found in the Chrome browser, and a command-line interface that

accepts common Linux commands.

5.3 ARCHITECTURE

In preliminary design documents, Google describes a three-tier architecture: firmware, web

browser and window manager, and system-level software and userland services.[6]

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The firmware contributes to fast boot time by not probing for hardware, such as

floppy disk drives, that are no longer common on computers, especially netbooks. The

firmware also contributes to security by verifying each step in the boot process and

incorporating system recovery.

System-level software includes the Linux kernel that has been patched to improve

boot performance. Userland software has been trimmed to essentials, with

management by Upstart, which can launch services in parallel, re-spawn crashed jobs,

and defer services in the interest of faster booting.

The window manager handles user interaction with multiple client windows much

like other X window managers.

5.4 SOFTWARE ARCHITECTURE

Chromium OS (the basis of Chrome OS) consists of three major components:

• The Chromium-based browser and the window manager 

• System-level software and user-land services: the kernel, drivers, connection manager, and

so on

• Firmware

High level design

System-level and user-land software -

From here we bring in the Linux kernel, drivers, and user-land daemons. Our kernel is mostly

stock except for a handful of patches that we pull in to improve boot performance. On the

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Google Chrome Operating System

user-land side of things we have streamlined the init process so that we're only running

services that are critical. All of the user-land services are managed by Upstart. By using

Upstart we are able to start services in parallel, re-spawn jobs that crash, and defer services to

make boot faster. 

Here's a quick list of things that we depend on:

D-Bus:

The browser uses D-Bus to interact with the rest of the system. Examples of this include the

battery meter and network picker. 

Connection Manager: 

Provides a common API for interacting with the network devices, provides a DNS proxy, and

manages network services for 3G, wireless, and ethernet.  

WPA Supplicant: 

Used to connect to wireless networks.

Auto-update: 

Our auto-update daemon silently installs new system images. 

Power Management: (ACPI on Intel) Handles power management events like closing the lid

or pushing the power button. 

xscreensaver: 

Handles screen locking when the machine is idle. 

Standard Linux services: NTP, syslog, and cron.

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Google Chrome Operating System

Firmware -

The firmware plays a key part to make booting the OS faster and more secure. To achieve

this goal we are removing unnecessary components and adding support for verifying each

step in the boot process. We are also adding support for system recovery into the firmware

itself. We can avoid the complexity that's in most PC irmware because we don't have to be

backwards compatible with a large amount of legacy hardware. For example, we don't have

to probe for floppy drives.

The firmware will implement the following functionality:

System recovery: The recovery firmware can re-install Chromium OS in the event that the

system has become corrupt or compromised.

Verified boot:  Each time the system boots, Chromium OS verifies that the firmware, kernel,

and system image have not been tampered with or become corrupt. This process starts in the

firmware.

Fast boot: We have improved boot performance by removing a lot of complexity that is

normally found in PC firmware.

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Google Chrome Operating System

Chrome and the window manager

5.4 CHROME OS VS. CHROMIUM OS

Google Chrome OS is to Chromium OS what Google Chrome browser is to Chromium.

Chromium OS is the open source project, used primarily by developers, with code

that is available for anyone to checkout, modify, and build.

Google Chrome OS is the Google product that OEMs will ship on Netbooks this

year. 

Some specific differences:

The two projects fundamentally share the same code base, but Google Chrome OS has

some additional firmware features, including verified boot and easy recovery, which

require corresponding hardware changes and thus also don't work in Chromium OS

builds.

Google Chrome OS runs on specially optimized hardware in order to get enhanced

performance and security.

Chromium OS does not auto-update (so that changes you may have made to the code

are not blown away), whereas Google Chrome OS seamlessly auto-updates so that

users have the latest and greatest features and fixes.

Google Chrome OS is supported by Google and its partners; Chromium OS is

supported by the open source community.

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Google Chrome Operating System

Reference: http://www.seminarprojects.com/Thread-google-chrome-os--16170#ixzz1IqwpfjPk

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Google Chrome Operating System

CHAPTER - 5

DISCUSSIONS

4.1 GREEN FLAG FOR CHROME OS

The main advantage of Chrome OS is that it is free. Microsoft’s Windows 7 is reported to

cost netbook makers at least $45 per computer. Even if Microsoft is forced to cut the price to

the $25 level that it has been charging netbook makers for its ancient Windows XP system, a

Chrome netbook may well be in stores for $30 to $50 less than an equivalent Windows

machine.

The price point of Chrome OS devices would be low-cost at around the same price as current

generation netbooks.

Those prices are completely determined, by the way, by the costs of the glass, the costs of the

processor and things like that, but in our case Chrome OS and Android are free so there is no

software tax associated with all of this.

Google also says that Chrome will be faster to start, easier to use and more secure than

Windows. We’ll have to see about that. So far the other versions of Linux sold on netbooks

have confounded users, who have largely rejected them in favor of Windows machines.

Chrome OS will be optimized for one thing: accessing the Web. But in Google’s view of the

world, anything you would ever want to do — reading your e-mail, writing documents,

playing games — can be done through browsers. The latest browser standard, HTML 5, has

technology that allows Web sites to store information on your computer, so you can keep

writing your novel even when you are on the airplane. The premise is that in a world where

computers are connected to the Internet almost all the time, your computer doesn’t need to do

that much.

4.2 GOOGLE CHROME OS ACHIEVES

This is how Google describes the experience it is trying to create:

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Google Chrome Operating System

1) People want to get to their e-mail instantly, without wasting time waiting for their

computers to boot and browsers to start up.

2) They want their computers to always run as fast as when they first bought them.

3) They want their data to be accessible to them wherever they are and not have to worry

about losing their computer or forgetting to back up files.

4) Even more importantly, they don’t want to spend hours configuring their computers to

work with every new piece of hardware, or have to worry about constant software

updates.

There is a tiny little downside here: no local software. Browsers don’t yet do everything, and

there are two decades of Windows applications that have been written, performing functions

that can’t yet be replicated in a browser. If you want to load music onto your iPod, for

example, you need a computer that runs iTunes. Web sites often require programs to run

alongside the browser, like Adobe’s Acrobat viewer. Even Google writes Windows programs

for its Picasa photo editing product and Google Earth 3-D mapping system.

But over time, more and more functions can be moved onto Web sites.

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