I have spent a good deal of time with Chrome OS and the Chromebook. The one troubling thing about it is not that it is an operating system in a web browser. You know that going in. It is Google.
Recent events have made all of us a bit wary about Google Services, while still using them. When Google recently launched Google Keep, a decent service in its own right, no one trusted it. Before the Reader debacle, the Google enthusiasts would try it. Now, many are afraid to love a new service.
GigaOm picked up on a feature request for the Chromium OS, the Open-Source version of ChromeOS. The feature would establish an API to allow for extensions to integrate into the file manager, allowing cloud services other than Google Drive to act as ‘drives’ inside the file manager.
Elsewhere, in the Chromium Project, there is a reference to using Chromium without a Google login, but so far, even on the open-source project, you need Google. But, one can ask…if you are going to do Chrome without Google…what’s the point? You might as well run a full-fledged OS.
Years ago, computer design was based on ‘dumb terminals’ and powerful servers. Today’s computers are significantly more powerful than those ‘powerful’ servers. But the truth is that many of us now would rather be able to access identical experiences on multiple devices. But, products like Owncloud prove that while we may wish these things, we want more control and certainty about them. We want control.
Will be looking to see more in this direction. Free services versus Paid Services vs Self-Hosted services. Would welcome your thoughts on this, and what areas you think are worth exploring.
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