by Search Copywriter
D. Warburton
D. Warburton
Google has released a preview of its Chrome operating system for developers in the open source community. BBC News reports that the Mountain View giant lifted the lid on its hotly anticipated operating system at an event held at the company's headquarters in California.Since it was announced earlier this year, Google Chrome has been eagerly awaited as a competitor to Microsoft Windows, though the open source system presents a significant departure from a traditional OS.
Google's vice-president of product management, Sundar Pichai, stated: "We are trying to offer a choice for users.
"This model of computing is fundamentally different."
Expected to be released by the end of 2010, the operating system will be based around the existing Chrome browser, which the company claims to have 40 million regular users.
Mr Pichai explains: "It's very familiar and intuitive to users - most people know how to use the browser.
"There are no conventional desktop applications.
"That means you don't have to install or update software.
"It's just a browser; a browser with a few modifications."
All applications run in Chrome OS will open in different tabs of the Chrome browser, and the system is reportedly based on considerations of speed, simplicity and security. Mr Pichai demonstrated the system loading in only seven seconds, but expressed Google's intention for the loading time to be even shorter, using the analogy of a television which can be switched on and off as needed.
The preview code of Google Chrome OS is available now. Mr Pichai stated: "You can get Chrome OS up and running today.
"We're looking forward to feedback from the open source community."
