10 Mistakes Google Is Making with Chrome OS

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News Analysis: Google's Chrome OS might be exciting to some, but so far, Google has made some major missteps that could cost it serious revenue when the operating system is released. The search and cloud computing giant needs to recognize those mistakes and address them soon or accept a permanent reduction to the operating system's long-term value.

As 2009 comes to an end and the technology industry looks ahead to 2010, it's Chrome OS that could arguably steal the show in the new year. It will be the first desktop operating system Google has ever released. It will also be released with one goal in mind: to beat Windows 7 wherever and whenever it can.

 

That's a tall order, for sure. Microsoft reigns supreme in the operating system space. Windows 7, unlike its predecessor Windows Vista, has an opportunity to solidify Microsoft's position with an experience that bests other operating systems on the market. So as Google prepares its Chrome OS for release, it can't make any mistakes. The more mistakes the company makes, the more difficult it will be for Google to compete. Simply put, Microsoft has applied pressure that will dictate Google's moves going forward.

 

However, Google has already made mistakes. The search giant is focused on the wrong things. And that could come back to haunt it. Let's take a look at some of the areas where Google has gone wrong.

 

1. A Chrome OS netbook

 

Reports are swirling that Google is planning to release a Chrome OS-based netbook of its own. Those rumors are becoming increasingly more detailed, leading many to believe that the search giant is, in fact, releasing a PC of its own. It better not. If Google releases a Chrome OS netbook, it could spell serious trouble for its platform. Third-party vendors would shy away from offering Chrome OS computers, since the software owner is doing the same. Even if Google isn't, all these rumors can't help its cause with vendors. Stay away from netbooks, Google. And make sure everyone knows about your plans to stick with software.

 

2. The focus on netbooks

 

An online operating system can't necessarily be expected to face off with Windows out of the box, but why Google has limited the OS to netbooks is a mystery at this point. Google didn't need to rush to offer Chrome OS. Microsoft and Apple are content with the desktop. The company could have improved the offering so it would work well with netbooks and desktops. It might take longer, but it would also be of far more value to the consumer. By offering Chrome OS on netbooks alone, Google runs the risk of being the company that offers an operating system for underpowered devices. Does it really want that?

 

3. How do third parties factor in?

 

Third-party software is why Microsoft is so successful today. The company has welcomed third-party software for decades. That policy has solidified its position in the enterprise. It also added significant value to its operating system on the consumer side. For now, how Google plans to bring third-party software to its platform is largely a mystery. Since the operating system is Web-based, we might presume that applications that work within the OS will need to be available as online services. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but what about all those useful applications already available on the desktop? By cutting out such a huge portion of the software market, Google might find itself in worse trouble than it expects.

 

4. Locking users into Chrome

 

Chrome OS will only work with Google's Chrome browser. At first glance, that might make some sense. Why would Google want to bring its own software to any other browser? But when one considers that Chrome is being used by only a small portion of the browser market, it becomes blatantly clear that Google is, once again, cutting out a huge portion of its market. Users don't like being locked down to certain software packages—just ask Microsoft.

 

 

5. User understanding

 

What is Chrome OS all about? Why should a consumer use it? Will it work with third-party peripherals? What happens when users can't connect to the Web? These are just a small sampling of the many questions users have about Chrome OS. And until they get their hands on the operating system, it's likely that Google will be unable to answer those questions. The search giant needs to do a better job of helping users understand what Chrome OS is all about. If it doesn't, the software will be just another also-ran in the space.

 

6. It's about hype

 

If Apple has taught Google anything, it's that hype is a best friend when attempting to sell products to consumers. Google had that hype when Chrome OS was first announced. Since then, the mainstream has largely forgotten about Chrome OS, while tech pundits are wondering why Google hasn't done more to talk about it. If Google wants to put a dent in Microsoft's market share, it needs the support only hype can provide.

 

7. What about the enterprise?

 

Chrome OS is not designed for the enterprise. In fact, some analysts have said Chrome OS probably won't be ready for the corporate world for about 10 years. That's a problem. Microsoft's dominance in the operating system market is partly due to its focus on businesses. Google can't afford to ignore the enterprise for long.

 

8. A long delay

 

When Google first announced Chrome OS, some folks were excited about the possibilities it might offer. But when Google said it wouldn't launch the operating system for another year, others were perplexed about why the company would announce the software so far in advance of its release. As a result, users will likely move on to other things. Chrome OS will be just a memory. Big mistake, Google.

 

9. Vendor support

 

So far, Google has done little to reassure consumers that Chrome OS devices will be available when the software launches. A few companies have jumped on Google's bandwagon, but many others are waiting to see if there's a market for an online operating system. That's a problem. Ubiquity is everything in the PC business. The more places an operating system is available, the more likely it is to sell well. Google needs to find a way to reassure vendors and sign more companies up. It's imperative at this stage in the operating system's development.

 

10. Security

 

Security is the thorn in every operating system maker's side. It's now a key concern of Google's. But by detailing few ways in which it expects to keep users safe, Google leaves some wondering if Chrome OS will really hold up against attacks from malicious hackers. In the future, Google needs to focus much of its efforts on reassuring both consumers and the security community that it knows what it's doing with operating system security. If it doesn't, it could hurt Chrome's market acceptance.

 

 

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Why Chrome OS will fail -- big time

A lack of flexibility will doom Google's latest ego trip to the dustbin of history 

The Chrome OS is here -- sort of. This week, Google was kind of enough to give the world a sneak peek at its nascent desktop operating system. And after months of speculation (and more than a few bogus screenshot galleries), I can finally say that I've seen the future ... and it's not Chrome OS.

The preceding statement should come as no surprise to readers of my Enterprise Desktop blog. I came to a similar conclusion months ago. When news of the existence of a Google OS project first leaked out, I gave it an ice cube's chance in hell of succeeding. Now, after watching a sometimes touchy-sounding crew from Google's Mountain View, Calif., headquarters walk us through the ins and outs of the Chrome OS, I'm more convinced than ever that my original assessment was right on the money.

Fatal flaw No. 1: The Linux foundation
First, there's the core architecture. A derivative of Linux, the Chrome OS builds on Linus Torvald's popular open source foundation to create a lightweight, Web-oriented desktop environment. However, it also inherits that platform's many warts, including spotty hardware compatibility.

From power management to display support, Linux has long been a minefield of buggy code and half-baked device driver implementations. Google recognizes this fact and, in a page out of the Apple Macintosh playbook, has taken the draconian measure of allowing the Chrome OS to be distributed exclusively on a series of as-yet-undisclosed netbook-like devices.

It's a move born of desperation. Google knows it can't possibly establish a viable hardware ecosystem and still meet its self-imposed release deadline of "mid-2010." So rather than do the hard work of courting device vendors and building certification processes, Google is taking the easy way out by micromanaging which systems will be allowed to ship with the Chrome OS and then dumping responsibility for the rest of the ecosystem onto the open source community.

Fatal flaw No. 2: The Web user interface
Then there's the user interface. Google looks at the world through the prism of a Web page. So it comes as no surprise that the primary interface to the Chrome OS is ... Chrome, as in the Google browser. Unlike a traditional OS, there's no desktop. The "applications" running under the Chrome OS are really just interactive Web pages, with the Chrome browser's tabs serving to separate and organize them visually on the screen. Basic configuration tasks, like defining Wi-Fi settings, are handled via Chrome OS-hosted pop-up windows, while a simple status bar-like strip at the top of the display informs you about battery life, connectivity status, and so on. 

Sadly, none of the above UI constructs is particularly original or compelling. The tabbed interface and "dockable" favorites are clearly derivative of Mac OS X and/or Windows (depending on whom you ask), as are the status icons and pull-down applications menu. In fact, nothing about the Chrome OS UI jumps out as innovative. Rather, it simply replaces one set of metaphors (Start menu, taskbar/Dock, system tray) with a bunch of Webified equivalents. And though I can certainly appreciate the advantages of doing away with those heavy legacy OS windowing layers -- Web content is lighterweight and easier to isolate from a security standpoint -- it also serves to limit the environment's overall utility.

The world won't buy an inflexible OS
And that's where I believe the Chrome OS ultimately fails. In its effort to pare the traditional OS model down to the bone, Google has thrown out the one characteristic that made Windows and, to a lesser extent, Mac OS X and full-blown Linux successful: flexibility.

Simply put, the Chrome OS is too narrow. It assumes that the world is ready to give up the traditional personal computing paradigm and live full time in the cloud. In reality, most users prefer a hybrid existence, with some of their data and applications stored locally, and others -- typically the freebies, like Gmail -- hosted online.

Perhaps the easiest way to put the Chrome OS into context is by comparing it to the OS it's designed to supplant: Microsoft Windows. Like the Chrome OS, Windows lets you boot your system, surf the Web, and manage your data. Unlike the Chrome OS, Windows also lets you run rich, local applications and services -- and do so on the hardware of your choosing.

Don't forget that Google's plans for acceptable hardware to run the Chrome OS is very limiting. No hard drives or even DVD drives; only solid state drives. That may reduce power usage and speed up boot time (as if that was really an issue), but it also means you can't run your own apps, or store and access data, when you don't have a live Internet connection. Plus, the supported laptops are only netbook-size laptops, with low-power CPUs that won't be all that capable. Sure, Google says you can use a PC or Mac for that stuff, and Google is right: You will. Why you would want a Web-only appliance as well is not so easy to answer.

The bottom line is that while there is virtually nothing that you'll be able to do with the Chrome OS that you won't be able to do equally well with Windows, there are literally millions of things that you can do with Windows today that you'll likely never be able to do with the Chrome OS.

So don't be surprised when you start hearing about early Chrome OS adopters trying to reformat their systems with Windows 7 Starter Edition. After all, people are easily distracted, and the Chrome OS already bores me to death.

This article, "Why Chrome OS will fail -- big time," was originally published at InfoWorld.com. Follow the latest developments on cloud computing, Google, and Chrome OS at InfoWorld.com