What's in it for programmers from Google Chrome Operating System? I'm curious from Java, Scala, C++, C# perspective.
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422answers:
7
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A:
I think it's going to be open source, so I am looking forward to checking out a Google OS codebase. :) (I guess what's "in it" in this case is learning).
JP Alioto
2009-07-08 22:05:48
Good point ... learning is another thing, but lets hope it doesn't stay there or it might be like anohter BeOS. XD
bbqchickenrobot
2009-07-08 22:08:08
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A:
Basically, it's the wild frontier with the new OS. But, I believe they are speaking of running web apps on the desktop as opposed to traditional Win32/PECOFF executables from the OS. They are trying to move away from that model and create an OS for the SaaS model.
That being said, who's to say they won't have an API or development platform to run desktop applications. But, for now, from what I heard was that the OS will be open source and to run your app on it, the preferred method will be to put it on a web server somewhere on an intranet or ineternet...
That said, IMHO the java runtime will be ported and the Mono guys will definitely get something ported over I'm sure. The Google OS is slated to be open source, so we'll just have to wait and see what sort of groovy things are in it. Just like everything else (windows, facebook, PS3) there will be a way for programmers to make money from their apps tailored to the Chrome OS, assuming they get a market following. Bottom line? Money, that's what's in it.
bbqchickenrobot
2009-07-08 22:07:35
Since it's based on Linux, wouldn't it be able to run most typical linux software? Or you could run a compiler (whatever's bundled with it) to set it up for the OS?
Jon
2009-07-08 22:15:03
@Jon, I don't think so. Linux on the bottom, but Chrome Web Browser as the interface. Boot right into the browser is my understanding.
Nosredna
2009-07-08 22:23:04
It won't have X, so anything with a GUI is out of luck. Probably no console, so anything without a GUI will be useless too.
Mark Ransom
2009-07-08 22:27:17
@Mark - Just because it doesn't have X doesn't mean it won't have a GUI. Obviously to render the chrome browser to screen it's going to need some sort of "windowing" system. It's going to be open source, so as with many other projects, I can see hacks and add-ons that make this into what windows/linux is. If there is a Kernel, there is a way ;)
bbqchickenrobot
2009-07-09 20:50:43
To be honest, I dont see them taking out microsoft unless they can break into the 3D video game market. Windows is king there...
bbqchickenrobot
2009-07-09 20:51:58
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It was just introduced yesterday, I read it is based on the Linux kernel so as a Java programmer I hope there will be a JVM soon.
Meanwhile nothing is in for me
victor hugo
2009-07-08 22:07:37
I think Google hopes to "boot up" in the browser, but Java programmers have GWT. C# programmers have Script#. Also, Google could add some sort of virtual machine or multiple virtual machines to speed things up.
Nosredna
2009-07-08 22:21:25
Since it is a subjective question and most of my work is resides in a server I posted this answer. ChromeOS is not for servers is intended to work on netbooks
victor hugo
2009-07-08 22:25:23
Maybe a good time to learn Google App Engine on the server side. Python's been around awhile and now Java is coming into its own (and other languages that can run on JVM).
Nosredna
2009-07-08 22:30:52
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A:
Actually, whats "in it" for programmers will be web applications. Assuming that Chrome can take off (which I kind of doubt for now unless Google can bundle it at the manufacters), it will completely focus on web applications--PHP, Ruby, Python, ASP.NET, and of course JavaScript and HTML5 for the client side-- will be the real languages that will leverage the potential of Chrome.
Its going to be very stripped down on the client end. The value is that the user can be online almost instantly. The power will be what you can deliver of the web using HTML5 and JavaScript.
Chet
2009-07-08 22:09:14
They are already talking with Netbook manufacturers, so it will indeed likely be a bundle deal at first.
Nosredna
2009-07-08 22:15:49
I'm sure limiting developers to web-based interfaces will work out just as well for Google as it did for Apple when they released the first iPhone "SDK."
richardtallent
2009-07-08 22:37:02
@richardtallent That's really my point. Unless Google pushes literally millions of people to replace their desktop apps with web apps, its not going to have a really significant impact, except to maybe take away market share from Microsoft.
Chet
2009-07-08 23:05:40
People are willing to accept a whole new set of apps in a different form factor. Apple proved that with the iPhone.
Nosredna
2009-07-08 23:25:17
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A:
As far as I understood Google's blog post, local software will be linux based, so it should support current sofwtare aswell.
But the real thing about Chrome OS is web app, it's an idea to use web applications instead of software as we use now :)
usoban
2009-07-08 22:09:36
+2
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I've heard it's a browser-based thing, so I recommend you look at Google Wave. The Wave video made me rethink what a web application (actually, what any application) is:
- Not just request/response (instead the software can push things onto your browser)
- Not just client/server (instead it can be interactive in real-time with other, remote users)
ChrisW
2009-07-08 22:11:54
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A:
Google hasn't disclosed much (technical) information about Chrome OS, so I think it's a bit to early to answer this question. Nevertheless the announcement said it's based on Linux which is already capable of running software in the languages (C++, Java) you described.
As far as I know it's not even certain conventional desktop applications will be supported. It could well be happening inside the browser (oh wait the OS is the browser). Anyway if (local) Java applications are supported I'm curious whether Google will adopt the Sun/Oracle/OpenJDK VM or the Dalvik VM included in Android.
R. Kettelerij
2009-07-08 22:26:17