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Is this Google Chrome OS?

View Comments October 16, 2009 | Mike Halsey

In the last day or so, what is reported to be an early build of Chrome OS has been leaked online.  I’ve got some exclusive screenshots of it here for you.

chrome01 thumb Is this Google Chrome OS?

It’s basic, very basic.  This is either a hoax, which is probably quite likely, or a very early beta of what the final OS will be.  Either way it’s all working and I’ll let you decide for yourself.

As I said, it’s very basic but Google say it’s only intended for netbooks, at least for now.  I couldn’t find any version coding that had the Google name on it so the only Google branding is the name “Chrome OS” at startup and the Chrome wallpaper.

If this is genuine then we can expect to see some very significant changes made to it in the coming months to bring it up to the standard and look ‘n feel we’ve come to expect from their browser.

You’ll see from the screenshots though that what we have at the moment is extremely simplistic.  Google will have some way to go to make it a truly user-friendly operating system to challenge the likes of Microsoft.  Simply sticking your logo onto Linux won’t do it.

It will also be interesting to see how this is received by the Linux community.  Google will be using this as a vehicle to further fill their coffers and satisfy the share-holders.  How will this fit with the open source community?

It’s still all to play for.

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About Mike Halsey: The author of the new Windows 7 Troubleshooting Inside Out from Microsoft Press and the Windows 7 Power Users Guide, a how-to guide for non-technical Windows users on how to get the best out of Microsoft's new operating system, with step-by-step and quick guides. You can follow Mike on Twitter or on his own website The Long Climb View posts.

  • Sebash
    This is merely a very well executed attempt to make an OS that looks like it might be Chrome. Maybe not a hoax, but it's not genuine. It even says "Built with SUSE Studio". You could do the same thing at susestudio.com. It is clearly made with GNOME desktop environment, which I'm sure Google will not be utilizing.
  • Looks like a hoax to me! I mean, I'd expect Google to come up with something more than a linux distro. Or maybe, it's a theme or something? Whatever it is, definitely non-google!
  • I'm 100% certain that when Google do decide to 'accidently leak' early screens of their OS on the web to stir up some excitement - they will look far, far, better than this hoax.

    free ipad
  • Since Chrome OS is supposed to use a new windowing system, it's too bad these screens leaked. I can't imagine anyone having much interest in yet another linux distro with a Gnome desktop, as evidenced by Sun's Java Desktop failing to make a splash.

    It's a good find, but I'm sure we're all interested in seeing what the new GUI is going to look like. We'll have to keep waiting for that.
  • Wow, my post was removed... This is a hoax fools. The author should have done his research better. The screenshots above are from

    http://sites.google.com/site/chromeoslinux/home

    which is a google sites webpage, aka user made
  • Your comment wasn't removed...it was removed by disqus as suspected spam. If you'd sent me an email asking why I could have checked and reinstated it, but you decided to take a different approach
  • Additionally, the distro posted above has been available for several weeks. Obviously google wouldn't release a distro with 'suse studio' plastered on it.

    Poor form on this site removing comments proving this is a scam, and perpetuating these fake screens.
  • My initial thought was that this was, at best, shots of the underlying kernel and userland they'll be running their new windowing system on top of. That's why I said it was disappointing, because shots like this are worse than no shots at all. They show nothing of the new desktop we're all curious about. After your link, it's obvious to anyone that this has nothing to do with Chrome OS. I'm with you, it's some distro with a custom GRUB graphic.
    Why are you responding to me though? I didn't write the article.
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