You're Not Getting the Google OS for Christmas

As expected, Google released the code for Chrome OS, the Google operating system based on the Chrome Web browser. However, this release isn't even a beta. Google is still a year away from releasing anything that is easy to install or comes pre-installed on new computers.

What's the idea behind Chrome OS? It's as simple as it sounds. The entire computer is essentially a Web browser. Nearly everything you do is stored on the Web instead of on a hard drive, and all those Web apps run quickly.

You can download the source code from Google. If you want to see what it will look like, the easier way is to download the Chrome Web browser, maximize the window size, and picture it without a system tray.

• What Is Chrome OS?
• Why Doesn't Chrome Have a Search Box?