Chrome OS vs Other OSes(Windows,Mac OSX,Ubuntu) - Cloud computing

There is so much doubt about Chrome OS. What can it do? Why do we need something like it? Will it overcome what Windows operating system did to the world of micro-computers? These are questions people ask when they hear about chrome. And it should always be answered with another question. Will cloud computing
be a success? If Yes, then chrome OS would also be.

So What is the cloud? Simply put cloud is a new(old concept- like mainframes,Bill Gates also thought about this and so did many others) way to dig money out of customer's pockets. Bill Gates(Microsoft) first thought about making money by selling software(by marketing it as a product). The concept was simple. Take money for the software put on any machine. And he did make a lot of money ;) . Then people started asking(jealous), should every copy of it(Windows) be charged? Because software can easily be copied. Unlike other products(like soap,shampoo,cars etc..). At the same time, various foundations like FSF demanded that the closed code has to be made open. So that consumers know what they ran on their machines and change according to their wish. But this would easily destroy the profits of selling software. And it can only be sold in this business model to a big vendor. It can never be sold to many customers.

Meanwhile all hardware components improved and networks grew in size and speed. And the companies started having problems of piracy, especially software piracy. And so companies developed so many methods(copy protection,trusted computing...) to prevent this. But none of them suceeded to be a final solution.

So they decided to change the way people use software. They thought, let us sell software but not give it to the customer(yes, it sounds way too profitable :) - think if you paid for a car and they don't let you put it into your garage). They made software from a product to a service. That also means, these companies can get money as the user uses it(for both the hardware and the software). Renting is always profitable than selling(Think IBM Mainframes). From a user perspective, it's pay for what you use(like tata docomo in India).

The only problem would be that of user data migration(transfer of data from one to another). Companies like google are working hard today to rectify such issues. Various companies are working together to make many standards. Another thing to be noted is that, cloud services are not just by companies like Google(everyone speaks about privacy and about google way too much - just like how people used to speak about Microsoft). It can be from any company.

Just imagine if the same game you play on your computer can be played on your mobile with the same graphics and effects. Now that's where cloud computing is heading towards as far as a normal consumer is concerned. Chrome is just a nano step towards that, but an important one. Gradually people will drop their interest in windows for the productivity they get in the cloud. People always tend to fall for any type of convenience. Let it be car, airplanes , shopping malls...

The following are the advantages you get by moving into cloud computing

1. Stateless - Data and applicaton is available to you no matter what device or where you choose to use it - which means less redundancy

2. Pay as you use - You no more have to pay for the whole package. Only for time you use.

3. Efficiency - All centralized systems will always have efficiency and cost effectiveness (trains compared to invidual cars,mainframes...).

4. Less upgradation cost - Many people use computers that have more computational power than they actually require. This money can be put for the fast internet connection and cloud applications.

5. No Maintainence for the hardware and the software - Except the browser, there is no need to install, update or upgrade any costly hardware/software.

The following are the disadvantages you get by moving into cloud computing

1. No more piracy - Atleast the way people used to pirate is not possible anymore(stealing from the company who makes it). People would only steal from other users.

2. No more privacy - Previously we used to cry about Microsoft. About the closed source prodcuts they used to sell. But then we could store data on our hard disks and feel safe that our data is safe until we turn on our machines and connect to the internet. Now not only that we can't see the code in the cloud. We no more know where it is run. Or where our data is stored. While you work in the cloud this data is stored in the company servers. And we can never be sure the data is secure(until we encrypt it). But for the web applications we run we always require the server programs to run on that data and so it can never be encrypted.

3. Security - Previously you could be held responsible for your data. But on clouds, its all about the servers that store it.

Now the following are the reasons why cloud computing isn't mainstream till now.

1. We didn't have cheap and fast Internet connections.

2. The servers never ran such big applications.

Chrome OS is only required once we acheive the above mentioned two things. And if the cloud is a hit then surely Chrome OS will rock.