GNU founder: using Chrome OS is "careless computing"

[clifford_cooley]

GNU founder: using Chrome OS is "careless computing"

Free Software Foundation and GNU founder Richard Stallman has declared that Google's Chrome OS should not be referred to as "cloud computing" as it actually encourages "careless computing." His argument is based on the fact that the rules over what information police can or can't seize without a search warrant change depending on whether your data is stored on your computer or on a company's machine.

This opens a big can of worms for those who strive to keep their privacy.

Read more here - http://www.techspot.com/news/41575-gnu-founder-using-chrome-os-is-careless-computing.html

 

[Core]

I don't see the can of worms. Who's forcing people to use this OS?

 

[clifford_cooley]

I don't see the can of worms. Who's forcing people to use this OS?

You know how everyone talks regardless of whether they are involved or not.

 

[catilley1092]

You're right, everyone does talk, especially Stallman. He talks too much for his own good, but I feel that everyone ought to be able to express their opinion, regardless if it's understandable or not. I've read a ton of his articles.

But I don't think it'll matter, users won't be flocking to Chrome OS over Windows 7, or even XP. On two occasions, early this year and last month, I've ran the OS, it's just not appealing at all. Linux Mint & Ubuntu should have no problem in retaining their leads in the Linux world. They both are easier to use, and far more elegant, especially Mint.

It will probably replace the Windows CE netbooks that are being sold for $100 (or less), but other than that, it's not a threat at all. As far as the privacy issues goes, anyone who uses Google products should be aware of them by now, it's all in the media, pics of homes that are on the verge of trespassing, they're into everything.

The only reason that I even tried out the OS was to see if it was any good at all, the first version was as elementary as I've ever seen an OS. The last isn't much better. It has a long way to go yet to be a real contender.

Cat

 

[Core]

The only reason that I even tried out the OS was to see if it was any good at all, the first version was as elementary as I've ever seen an OS. The last isn't much better. It has a long way to go yet to be a real contender.

Do you have a link where I can download it?

 

[catilley1092]

It was a torrent file, I'll have to look it up again, then post the link.

PS: Here it is:

http://getchrome.eu/download.php

You'll have to create a free account with Easy Share to download the file.

Cat

 

[catilley1092]

They pull the "slow download" on you if you don't pay. If you know of another way to find it, the name of the file is:

Chrome_OS.i686-0.9.570.iso

The last time I downloaded it, it was a torrent file, apparently things have changed.

PS: There are still torrents, you just need to type the file name in the search box.

Cat

 

[catilley1092]

I just installed the latest version of Google Chrome OS inside of VirtualBox, and I can only say that it must be a joke. There's no way that this could possibly take from M$, still a very elementary OS, to say the best.

I concede, Google may have the search engine in their hands, but they have a long way to go to be in the OS business. This (Chrome OS) looks like something that a bunch of stoned teens came up with, with so few options, although you can now select Bing as your search engine, and can install Firefox. But a full fledged OS takes a lot more than that.

Looking at it, it reminds me so much of the failed Linux OS "Freespire", another piece of crap. But anyone who wants to try, go for it.

Cat

 

[Core]

Is this a legal download?

EDIT: Nevermind. What you're posting a link to is a fan-made "Chrome OS Linux" which is NOT Google's product. It's a customized Linux distro based on SUSE.

 

[TrainableMan]

Is Google Chrome OS free?
Yes – Google Chrome OS is an open source project and will be available to use at no cost.
Source
So any torrent sharing the file would be legal.

But as always scan for viruses as you never know what somebody else may add to a torrent.

 

[catilley1092]

Is this a legal download?

EDIT: Nevermind. What you're posting a link to is a fan-made "Chrome OS Linux" which is NOT Google's product. It's a customized Linux distro based on SUSE.

I've downloaded & installed three such products, the last two inside of a month. You mean this is not the real deal? I do know it showed an openSUSE symbol in the right corner, but it showed Google's symbol at startup, too (the light blue screen, the "eye" in the center). In fact, I'm downloading SUSE (32 bit), a 4GB download, to try out on my notebook. If the so-called Google Chrome OS is a version of SUSE, the writer sure left a lot out, as it was only a 600 something MB d/l, the real SUSE is 4.0GB.

So if this isn't the real deal, does anyone know where it's at?

Also, allow me to add, there wasn't a lot of effort put into these "Chrome OS's", as they were called. I only can hope that the "real deal" looks better than this work. It looks like the work of "newbie" developers who were stoned while working on it. SUSE looks better than this does. And I did notice the links to SUSE in the OS, but thought nothing of it.

Cat

 

[TrainableMan]

Chrome OS Linux is not related to Google. Service provided by SUSE Studio

Another version called Flow also seems to be available.

Makes me wonder, when you do a search and find so many different versions, if it won't be too diluted to have any impact.

May be some useful Info here: Chrome OS Site

 

[catilley1092]

I saw that "Flow" version somewhere recently, when I was trying to find a copy of the Google OS. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I'm a big Google fan, but I'm a Linux fan, and since it will use a Linux variant, I'm interested to see what it looks like.

The SUSE download (4.0GB) just finished downloading, I'll probably put it on my notebook tomorrow, that is, if I'm able to. Speaking of that notebook, it's riding on a prayer. The Reallocation Event Count is screwing up, and my hard drive only has a 96% rating (health) at this point, last week it was at 100%. And the disc temps have been high, the Acronis Drive Monitor lets me know if it high, and it stays above 127 (above the critical point of 125).

I've used the recently added Drive Wiper that CCleaner offers, have done the Gutmann wipe at least 10 times straight (have lost count). I thought that would fix the Reallocation issue, but it hasn't.

But she still manages to fold, that is, when she'll run.

Cat