Google operating system review. Chrome os system requirements
Chromebooks are, to a certain extent, the successors of netbooks. Portability, attractive price, low power consumption are the main reasons for their demand. At the same time, the main problems of a typical netbook were low hardware performance and an unsuitable OS. It turns out that what was needed was the “right” software framework that could satisfy the basic needs of the user.
This means sufficient speed, Internet access, work with office software, multimedia capabilities. But at the same time, the system should be light in terms of load on the hardware, simple and easy to use. Windows OS was too cumbersome for these purposes, Linux was “unfriendly” for an inexperienced user, Android without a windowed interface was generally unsuitable for everyday use.
As a result, the concept of netbooks was rethought. A team of developers from Google created an operating system focused on interaction with cloud services, which became the basis for Chromebooks. The purpose of this material is to shed light on the main features and capabilities of Chrome OS, consider use cases and get acquainted with interesting new products among these devices in 2017.
Understanding Chrome OS
Chrome OS is built on the Linux kernel and consists of full-fledged Google browser Chrome with extensions, built into a specially designed multi-window system (graphical shell). The operating system is developing intensively - in parallel with the release of new builds of the Chrome browser.
Simplicity, minimalism and nothing superfluous
Part GUI Chrome OS includes a login screen, desktop with wallpaper and taskbar. The panel contains the application menu with search bar(analogous to the Start button on Windows), pinned shortcuts and icons of running programs.
There is also a system tray with a notification center, information about network connections, time and charge level.
Initially, the OS is built-in with a minimum of local applications that do not require an Internet connection to operate. These include a calculator, webcam software, and a file manager with integrated content Google Drive. The file manager has a built-in simple archiver and graphic editor. There is also a player for playing audio/video.
The bulk of the work is in the cloud
To access all OS functions, you will need an Internet connection and a Google account. Without authorization, the system will not allow you to go beyond the start screen (with the exception of guest mode with disabilities). After logging into your account, the system synchronizes with Google servers, and the user will have access to personal bookmarks, passwords and settings. They will not be lost even after all data is deleted from the Chromebook, or if the device breaks down.
A Key Feature of Chrome OS Is Resource Usage cloud technologies in order to reduce the load on the hardware of the device.
In other words, user data and most applications are stored on servers without taking up local storage space. During the execution of running web applications, part of the load is placed on server equipment, using its own computing power. Chromebook only receives and displays the finished result. This solution has a positive effect on the speed of the system, reduces production costs and makes products more affordable.
Browser and app add-ons
Using add-ons from Chrome Web Store (and now Google Play), can be significantly expanded standard features web browser.
Extensions. Launch and work in Chrome browser tabs. For example, with the Checker Plus for Gmail extension you can get visual and sound notifications about incoming email. And the Save to Pocket extension will save interesting material “for later” with one click.
Web applications (web services). These are a kind of analogues of desktop applications that open in the same way as any website. Unlike extensions, they can be launched outside the browser window, using shortcuts. Google for " quick start» offers a solid set of useful web applications of its own design.
Here are just a few of them: cloud storage for personal data, photo storage service, tools for working with text documents and spreadsheets, notes and lists, online printable service. The list is far from complete; moreover, the user is free to use third-party web services.
Offline applications. The same as web services, only with the ability to work without network access. For example, Gmail Offline allows you to read and delete emails when there is no active connection. As soon as you have access to the network, everything changes made will be immediately synchronized with the cloud. The number of offline applications is gradually increasing.
Android applications. In 2016, the latest stable builds of the OS introduced support for Android applications with the ability to download from Google Play (not relevant for all models). Beginning starting in 2017, all new Chromebooks released will be compatible with Android programs out of the box.
Who and why can Chrome OS be useful?
PC users accustomed to “standard” operating systems have formed a biased attitude towards Chromebooks and Chrome OS in general. Not everyone is ready to give their hard-earned money for a product whose practical benefits are not at all certain.
To highlight fundamental features and capabilities of the system, simple and clear examples of the use of Chromebooks by different categories of people will be presented below.
For the inexperienced
A regular OS may seem overly complicated to master for older people, as well as users who are more comfortable with computers. The developers tried to correct the situation by providing a convenient and easy-to-learn working tool.
A compelling list of 7 reasons why a Chromebook is great for the less experienced user:
- Quick start. The system is ready for use immediately after startup.
- Laconic, intuitive interface.
- There is no need for fine tuning and optimization. Only at the first launch you will be required to enter your Google credentials and Wi-Fi password.
- The device does not require periodic cleaning or system reinstallation.
- Thanks to the features of the Linux kernel and the efforts of the developers, the user does not have to worry about viruses and methods to combat them.
- The software is kept up-to-date through automatic updates that do not require user intervention or attention.
- A Chromebook cannot be “damaged” programmatically. Due to the non-rewritable recovery firmware and EEPROM containing 2 copies of the firmware, you can always return to the initial state of the OS.
For children and students
In the USA and Europe, budget Chromebook models are in great demand among educational institutions. And for good reason, given the close integration with Google services and the absence of distractions (including gaming performance).
For an active Internet user
Meet Olya. Not a day goes by without the Internet: he Googles information on any issue of interest, follows the news, and spends a lot of time on social networks.
Being a manicurist, Olya promotes her services through a group on a social network. There he also accepts orders and discusses conditions with clients. She almost constantly listens to music through VK, where she has collected a decent collection of tracks. And he stores photos in Google Photos: by setting up auto-upload of pictures from a smartphone, he can access them from any device.
With particular enthusiasm, he begins online shopping in the vastness of Chinese online stores. He studies English through the web version of the Duolingo service, and does not miss classes due to daily reminders in the browser.
Follows updates on areas of interest YouTube channels, and in the evenings he enjoys watching TV series. When the computer or Chromebook is turned on, 99.9% of all time is spent in the browser. And only occasionally launches the calculator built into the OS.
For work
Alexander is an experienced blogger and SEO specialist who provides consulting services in the field of SEO on a remote basis.
To conduct an expert audit of the target resource, the Chrome browser is sufficient for him. In the process of generating a report on the audit results, it uses cloud versions of the office from Google and Microsoft (sheets and documents).
The result of its work and other important data is stored in the cloud (Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive). If necessary, takes screenshots that are automatically saved to the local “Downloads” folder. To crop images, he uses a simple graphic editor built into the standard explorer.
By sending a digital copy of the report, Alexander conducts an oral consultation via Skype (which is downloaded from Google Play).
Given the specifics of his activity, Sasha has to plan his schedule. Services like Wunderlist help him with this (a simple task list + reminders in the browser and by e-mail). For creating simple notes, he prefers Google Keep, and for organizing and structuring plans, ideas and working sketches, he prefers OneNote or Evernote. To quickly save the content of a web page or individual fragments in Evernote/OneNote, you use browser extensions.
Alexander independently runs a blog, the subject of which requires high-quality unique photographs. Uploads photos to the site only after processing in one of the third-party graphic editors.
- Photoshop Express is an online version of the editor from Adobe, running in a browser.
- Lightroom is another tool produced by Adobe, but in the form of an Android application. It has rich functionality and is suitable for working with RAW format.
Having cut out free time, Alexander reads e-books, which is found in the corresponding section of Google Play. Since the stock player does not support all video formats, I found a worthy replacement (VLC, version for Android). To maintain a working mood, he likes to turn on good music via Spotify.
For geeks, coders and web developers
In the course of his activities, Kostya has to deal with most of the previously mentioned services. However, its main goal is to adapt Chromebooks for developing your own web project.
To begin with, I tried several online code editors, settling on the Cloud9 integrated development environment, with a full-fledged Ubuntu workspace in the cloud.
I liked it due to the ability to connect via FTP, as well as support for virtual testing of the project functionality in different browsers and on different devices. Kostya also tried his hand at developing extensions for the Chrome browser, using Chrome Dev Editor (the official editor from Google).
In an effort to get the most out of the device, I delved into studying ways to bypass the OS limitation to activate full-fledged bash. Having achieved the desired result, he went even further. Using Developer Mode and a set of Crouton scripts, Kostya made sure that a compatible Linux distribution ran in parallel with Chrome OS (in in this example– Ubuntu distribution).
Now he takes advantage of two systems: the simplicity and convenience of Chrome OS for everyday work and the advanced coding capabilities of Linux. If there is a need to quickly switch between OS, use special combination keys
Advantages and disadvantages of Chrome OS
Main positive features:
- excellent performance even on weak hardware;
- convenience and ease of use;
- low level of energy consumption;
- there is no connection to the equipment, which reduces the risk of data loss (provided that it is stored in the cloud).
There are also weaknesses:
- Specific programs and resource-intensive desktop games are not supported;
- strong dependence of the OS on the availability of the Internet.
All new products were announced at the beginning of 2017, as part of the international electronics exhibition CES 2017.
Acer Chromebook 11 N7. It features a durable body that meets the MIL-STD 810G protection standard and an affordable price. Positioned as a device for the educational sector. The device is able to “survive” a fall from a height of 1.22 meters and withstand pressure of top panel up to 60 kg. The keyboard is wear-resistant, protected from moisture on the internal electronic components.
The price is very attractive: from 230 USD for the C731 model.
Samsung Chromebook Plus. The body is made of metal, in a minimalist design. The 12.3” touchscreen display transmits high-quality, clear images with a resolution of 2400×1600. It rotates 360°, due to which the gadget can be used in several modes. The aspect ratio is non-standard (3:2).
Supports pressure-sensitive S-Pen input. Therefore, Chromebook Plus is great for drawing, taking handwritten notes. The necessary software to unlock the potential of the stylus is present. The downside is that the keyboard layout is quite cramped, and the keys themselves are not backlit.
The hardware is based on a 6-core OP1 chipset, made specifically for Chromebooks. RAM – 4 GB, built-in – 32 GB + slot for MicroSD storage. Chromebook got 2 USB port Type-C, 2 speakers 1.5 W each and high-speed Wi-Fi 802.11 ac (2×2). HD webcam available. The built-in battery ensures autonomous operation for 8 hours.
The minimum price is 450 USD.
Asus Chromebook Flip C302CA The new product is housed in an elegant aluminum body. High-quality touch screen (12.5”, Full HD) covered with glass Gorilla Glass. The display can be rotated 360°. The keyboard is full-size, comfortable, with backlit keys. The touchpad is large, with protection against accidental operation.
The younger version is equipped with an Intel Core m3 6Y30 processor, 4 GB RAM and internal storage with a capacity of 32 or 64 GB. The older version has a more powerful chip (Intel Core m7 6Y75) and more memory (8 GB RAM, 128 ROM).
The graphics are provided by the Intel HD Graphics 515 adapter. Fast dual-band Wi-Fi (802.11ac) is supported. The connector set consists of two USB Type-C 3.1 and microSD slots. Loud (up to 87 dB) stereo speakers are located on the side edges. There is also a webcam. The battery is designed for 10 hours of operation.
Cost: from 500 USD for the junior version.
Conclusion
Chrome OS is a rather specific system, so devices running it are not suitable for everyone. In addition, some of those interested may be “scared” of the shortcomings associated with the lack of software and attachment to the Internet. However, thanks to the introduction of support for Android applications, the shortcomings become less pronounced. The OS does not stand still, it is constantly evolving and shows promise as a promising project.
What do you think are the chances of Chrome OS to significantly advance Windows' position in the compact laptop market? And is it possible for a scenario in which Google implements the ability to install Chrome OS on any desktop as the main system?
Chrome OS is a new “cloud” operating system being developed by Google for use on relatively low-power laptops and tablets. “Cloud” - precisely in the sense that all work will be carried out by the user on the Internet and his data will mainly be stored there. Some local functionality will also be present, but will play a clearly auxiliary role, say, in case there is no Internet connection. This revives the original idea behind netbooks, which, although they ran conventional operating systems general purpose, should have become a kind of Internet set-top boxes (as even the name, which comes from the word network, suggests), but they didn’t.
By the way, it is useful to think about the reasons for this in the context of Chrome OS - what prevented netbooks from forming separate class devices: is it just the lack of a suitable specialized platform or is it simply the unwillingness of users to abandon familiar programs and the accumulated experience of working with them in favor of web applications and web storage? I believe that the second factor played, if not a determining, then at least a significant role - here you have issues with the reliability of network resources, and far from universal (convenient and cheap) access to the Internet, and, for now, a huge discrepancy in functionality. Accordingly, I want to end this short introduction with an answer to another question that our readers quite often ask when discussing articles: why do we need this? Indeed, today it is unlikely that you will be able to get much benefit from Chrome OS - by installing it on your existing computer you will not get any new features. Moreover, the full benefits of its specific architecture can only be realized on specially designed devices, so despite being open source, it is designed for use by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), not end users. Accordingly, read this article and it’s worth trying Chrome OS yourself, rather, out of healthy curiosity and a desire to keep up with progress - even if Chrome OS was somewhat ahead of its time, this does not mean that the situation will not change tomorrow, especially since we are well aware of Google’s ability to “push” its technologies and solutions.
Background
We first heard about Chrome OS just a little over two years ago, and in November 2009 the code for the new operating system was opened as part of the Chromium OS project. At the end of 2010, Google presented a model Cr-48 Chromebook to a narrow circle of developers and beta testers, and this summer the first commercial products from Samsung and Acer appeared. They have indeed already been dubbed “Chromebooks” (Chromebook, i.e. Chrome OS + netbook/notebook) and, undoubtedly, this name will stick.
Rice. 1. Visually, the Samsung Chromebook is no different from ordinary laptops, and its internal structure has only a few features
Many other OEMs have also announced their intention to release products on Chrome OS, including not only the laptop type. For example, xi3 ChromiumPC should rather be called “chrometop” (Chrome OS + nettop). But it is clearly noticeable that none of the OEM is in a particular hurry, and the point is not even the dampness of Chrome OS itself (which is certainly the case), but rather the concept behind it. In addition, the first Chromebooks (due to configuration features) are not so cheap - the recommended price for the older one Samsung model Chromebook Series 5 (Atom N570, 2 GB RAM, 16 GB SSD, 12.1″ LED display with a resolution of 1280×800, Wi-Fi, 3G modem) costs $500, for this money today it is quite possible to find a better-equipped general laptop appointments.
Rice. 2. xi3 ChromiumPC - very compact computer, in fact, an Internet set-top box that is supposed to be mounted on the back wall of the monitor
Architecture
Chrome OS's focus on working with web applications determined its specific architecture.
Rice. 3. The absence of the need to run locally any applications other than the browser made it possible to simplify the Chrome OS architecture as much as possible and provide it with several specific features
As you would expect, it is based on the kernel (version 2.6.32 from the Ubuntu project, to which the necessary corrections and improvements were then made) and the Linux system environment. Because Chrome OS is designed to run just one application program in the classical sense - a browser - the latter was made compact and lightweight. X Window is also cut down as much as possible, although it is preserved OpenGL support(for the sake of WebGL), and the window manager is essentially combined with the browser. All other functionality, starting with OS configuration tools, is implemented by web applications that are created using HTML5 and Adobe Flash (it is likely that support for closed third-party technology is a temporary solution, a tribute to the current state of affairs on the Internet), accordingly, there are no other windows in the system, other than browser tabs and "panels" similar to the one typically used for Google Talk.
There are three main goals pursued by this architecture: simplicity, speed, security. The first has been taken to the absolute extreme: the user does not need to know anything about such things as drivers, utilities, etc. The system partition is closed for write operations, user data is stored in a specially designated area (although, of course, it is mainly supposed to be stored in the cloud). Unlocking is only allowed for developers; it is not supported in commercial products. System updates are performed automatically, as is now the case with Chrome. All that is required from the user is to be able to work with the browser; he will comprehend the necessary details as he gets acquainted with the web applications he needs.
With speed, everything is not so clear: in this context, they are mainly talking about the speed of initialization of a Chromebook - if Google's OEM requirements for device design are met (using EFI instead of BIOS, SSD instead of HDD, etc.), this figure should be no more than 8 seconds. Reviews from happy owners of Chromebooks indicate that this is absolutely possible and, in addition, the initialization speed does not drop over time, since the user, no matter how much he or she wants, cannot “litter” the OS, as often happens, say, with Windows. The performance situation for web applications is less clear. Although commercial Chromebooks are relatively powerful devices (dual-core Atom, 2 GB of memory, SSD), a large number of tabs rich in active content can completely load their computing resources. Google requires you to use a video system that supports hardware acceleration graphics, the “charms” of working without it are easy to taste in a virtual machine, where Chromium OS, under certain conditions, simply eats up all available resources and falls into a stupor. But even on the right Chromebooks, there are complaints about performance, in particular, about video playback, which, apparently, is due to hardware limitations. In addition, a radical reduction in system services and background processes has a beneficial effect on the operating time of Chromebooks. Of course, it depends on the capacity of the battery installed in a particular model and the nature of use, but, for example, the specification of the above-mentioned Samsung Chromebook Series 5 promises about 8.5 hours of continuous operation (according to a special test from Google itself) and according to the first reviews this is not far from truth.
Finally, security, the importance of which is difficult to overestimate in the Internet era. Chrome OS is designed in such a way that it is virtually impossible for foreign code to enter the system, regardless of its purpose. Additional everything system components and updates, which, as mentioned above, are installed automatically, are signed with digital certificates. Attacks directed at the browser and third-party modules connected to it are isolated within the processes of individual tabs, thanks to Chrome's built-in sandbox mechanism, which has proven effective even in much less restricted environments. Windows environment. In the worst case scenario, a reboot should return the system to its original “clean” state, but the developers still allow for the possibility of an intrusion and, in this case, provide a system integrity check during the Chromebook initialization process. For the EFI firmware, the system kernel and important components, hashes are verified and stored in a securely protected location (this can be an EFI encrypted area or a TPM chip, the second option is preferable). If mismatches are detected, the recovery process is initiated.
Because Chromebooks allow multiple users as well as anonymous guest sign-in, all locally stored data is automatically encrypted with keys generated for each Google account. Again, TPM is preferred for encryption and key storage, although software implementation is also possible. Apparently, the first OEMs adhere to this recommendation (which, among other things, leads to an increase in price), but if Chromebooks go into circulation, someone will probably want to reduce the price as much as possible, accordingly, when choosing a model, you should pay attention for this item.
Of course, we must understand that there is no absolute protection. Yes, recently last conference Black Hat Security has already demonstrated a method for hacking Chrome OS (or rather, some web applications and Google services), providing attackers with access to contacts, cookies, and accounts. This example clearly shows how the attack vector is changing - Chrome OS itself is not of much interest, but the browser and web applications are used as a backdoor to user information in the cloud. The flip side of the closed nature of the Chrome OS software core is the impossibility of expansion - for example, you cannot add Java support to the system, not to mention Moonlight, as well as codecs, etc. As mentioned above, everything user capabilities limited to Flash and HTML5, web apps and Chrome extensions.
It's worth noting how big a role EFI plays in the architecture and support of Chrome OS, which is referred to as firmware in Google documentation. EFI, as you know, is a development of BIOS and has been used for a long time in Macs running Mac OS X, but almost never in “traditional” PCs, although its support is present in 64-bit Windows. The firmware code plays a fundamental role in speeding up boot time by early provisioning of devices, it may also contain basic drivers For additional equipment, the security system and functions are significantly dependent on it disaster recovery. Thus, although Chrome OS allows work with a regular BIOS, in the general case this does not make sense, so it is not at all by chance that Google is targeting the platform for OEM use, and not for self-installation, say, as a second OS - although no one has the latter option , naturally, and does not prohibit.
Rice. 4. EFI firmware plays a critical role in the Chrome OS architecture, providing important features such as fast loading and system recovery
Chrome OS should run on x86 and ARM platforms. The latter most likely means use on tablets, but they already have Android, so why another OS? I think Google's main idea is to enable OEMs to leverage sufficiently diverse, powerful, yet inexpensive x86 hardware, and to enable web applications to run on as wide a range of devices as possible. desktop quality- i.e. in full-fledged Chrome, with a predictable rendering engine, with a powerful JavaScript engine, with hardware acceleration of HTML5 and WebGL, etc.
We test it ourselves
As I said above, Chrome code The OS is developed as part of the open-source Chromium OS project. This is a rather subtle point. Chromium OS can be downloaded and used by anyone, but Chrome OS is only available on real Chromebooks. The fact is that Chrome OS contains a number of closed components, in particular, a PDF reader and audio/video codecs, perhaps some others. In addition, Chrome OS blocks developer-oriented features, such as the terminal. Therefore, in the following sections I will refer specifically to Chromium OS, mentioning Chrome OS only when we are talking about the concept itself or actual Chromebooks.
The standard way to get acquainted with Chromius OS is to download the source code and compile it in a Linux environment. But for most users this is a rather complicated and time-consuming procedure, and also completely unnecessary for the purposes of the first acquaintance. Many enthusiasts distribute already compiled assemblies; for example, on the website you can get the latest “nightly” assembly at any time. Many people refer to this resource and its creator seems to be known, but I still recommend that for experimental purposes you specifically create a new Gmail account, which is required to log in to the system.
Rice. 5. Builds are posted every day, it makes sense to take the latest one
This site offers images of a bootable USB flash drive (and a burning utility) and virtual disks for VMware Workstation/Player and Oracle VirtualBox. In theory, the option with a bootable flash drive is preferable, since you can work with it on real hardware - but only on the condition that it turns out to be compatible with Chromium OS. Unfortunately, the latter is not always done; most often the video system is not recognized (the OS is either not initialized at all, or hardware graphics acceleration is not enabled) and network adapter, especially wireless. My most successful experience is with Acer Aspire One on the new AMD Brazos platform: Wi-Fi did not work, and although the graphics were picked up, the acceleration gave strange results and effects, so it was not even possible to get adequate test results. In a word, the USB option is worth a try for everyone, but for guaranteed results, use virtual machines.
Oddly enough, for these purposes I recommend using Vmware solutions rather than VirtualBox. For me (perhaps it was due to some peculiarities of my computer), Chromium OS worked unstably in VirtualBox, with various strange effects, but in Vmware Player it was not only more stable, but also visually somewhat “faster”. In addition, Vmware Player is also a free product, and it is even easier to adjust the configuration of a virtual machine.
So, first, register and download it yourself - about 100 MB. Installing the program does not require additional actions, you can safely agree with all the options offered, at the end you will need to reboot.
Rice. 6. The least problematic way to test Chromium OS is Vmware Player
The Chromium OS image (archive of about 250 MB) for Vmware will be distributed with a ready-made virtual machine, but I recommend that you configure it further before use. Unzip the downloaded file, launch Vmware Player and open the file with the .VMX extension (something like ChromeOS-Vanilla-0.14.805.2011_08_21_1656-r8ca0f243-VMWare.vmx). Then right-click on the Chromium OS machine that appears in the left pane and select Virtual Machine Settings. Although the preset parameters are quite sufficient for the functioning of a virtual machine running Chromium OS, depending on the host configuration they can be adjusted - for example, add random access memory or processor cores.
Rice. 7. Although Chrome OS is designed for the Internet, Flash and HTML5 are quite taxing on processing resources, so adding them to the virtual machine can't hurt
Next, select Hard Disk (IDE) from the list of virtual equipment and pay attention to the file name in the right panel image of a tough disk. It will look like ChromeOS-Vanilla-VMWare.vmdk, while the file name from the archive will include the date and other details - it needs to be edited accordingly.
Rice. 8. The file name needs to be corrected virtual disk so that it matches what is specified in the virtual machine settings
Now select Network Adapter and select the NAT connection type in the right pane.
Rice. 9. NAT - the most universal and trouble-free mode of operation of a virtual network
In this case, Vmware Player does not allow you to configure the video system from the graphical interface, there is no such option in Chromium OS, therefore, if you do not take additional actions, the virtual machine will work in an unpredictable resolution - for example, for me it even exceeded the physical resolution of the monitor. To fix this situation, you need to open the virtual machine file (.VMX) in Notepad and add the following three lines at the end:
svga.autodetect="FALSE"
svga.maxWidth="1024"
svga.maxHeight="768"
In this case, the working resolution will be 1024×768; specify other parameters if necessary. Finally, in the main menu of Vmware Player, select File and there - Player Preferences. Since you still cannot install the Vmware Tools component in Chromium OS, you can uncheck the Check for software components as needed option to disable constant reminders.
Rice. 10. Uncheck to avoid Vmware Tools reminders every time you start the virtual machine
Now you can turn on the virtual machine.
First meeting
After a really quick initialization you will see the welcome screen and initial setup. Many languages are supported - let's choose Russian.
Rice. 11. Chrome OS supports many languages, although localization is not fully done
Next comes the Login screen, where you can specify your existing Gmail details, create a new account, or perform a guest login, during which it will be impossible to make and save any changes to the system.
Rice. 12. You can also work in guest mode, but it's better to create a separate account
The last stage of preliminary setup is choosing a picture for your account. It is not too wide, naturally, you won’t be able to take a photo of yourself in the virtual machine, but in the future you can upload any image.
Rice. 13. The last stage of pre-configuration of Chromium OS
Then, finally, you will be taken to the Chromium OS environment itself. Here you will immediately be asked to master simple gestures for working with the touch panel of Chromebooks, which makes no sense in the case of a virtual machine, in addition, this page will not shine with speed, so you can safely close it right away. As a result, we will see the Chromium OS interface - the Chrome browser (or rather, also Chromium). All further work is carried out with it, so that users who have relevant experience with the desktop version will feel quite comfortable and confident. However, there are some features that everyone should get acquainted with.
Rice. 15. You can use some gestures on Chromebook touchpads, but they are useless in a virtual machine.
Rice. 16. If you have already used an account, all settings will be picked up: browser design, applications, extensions (to the right of the address bar). In the title bar are system indicators, below is a wrench to access settings
The Chromium OS interface differs from regular Chrome in the presence of several icons in the title bar. Initially, the rightmost one is the battery charge indicator (in a virtual machine, of course, it does not work); then - the network connection indicator, visualizing the type of network (wired or wireless), clicking on it opens a menu in which you can configure connection and VPN settings; Next comes the keyboard layout indicator, which can be switched either through the menu or using the Alt-Shift and Ctrl-Space combinations (return to the previous one); and finally, the clock. Although the Chromium OS window manager is as simplified as possible, the system can create not only new tabs, but also new browser windows (Ctrl-N), in which case they open on three-quarters of the screen, and another icon appears in the title bar for collapsing and expanding them (switching by Alt-Tab and Ctrl-).
It's easy to see that the minimalist design of Chromium OS encourages the use of keyboard commands, and to help with learning and remembering them, Google has built visual cues into the OS. It is called by Ctrl-Alt-/ (in fact, this is the only combination that you absolutely need to remember), then you can press various control keys and explore the available combinations.
Rice. 17. Visual help for keyboard commands is called by Ctrl-Alt-/. In this case, combinations with the Ctrl key are shown
Partial control can also be carried out from system menu, similar to that in Chrome, but in this case containing more commands and options. Chromium OS is not an operating system that needs configuration, and most likely the user will not need to look here. However, there are settings for time, touchpad, languages, accounts, and network.
Rice. 18. A button with a wrench provides access to a few system settings
Like Chrome, Chromium OS has hidden settings, usually governing features that are still in development and unstable - you can get to them by typing about:flags in the address bar. Experimenting with them is not encouraged, although virtual machines encourage this, and even on real Chromebooks it’s easy to roll back to previous state systems.
Rice. 19. You can access experimental options through a special page
For those who like to really delve into the details, another trick will come in handy: a special address chrome://chrome-urls - with its help you can get a list of all similar URLs for pages with secret knowledge. They won't be of much help, of course, but they can provide some interesting information, such as memory allocation or Flash plugin version.
Rice. 20. You can get a list of all system pages with settings and additional information at once
Chromium OS, intended mainly for developers, has a command shell called crosh (called Ctrl-Alt-T). It provides network utilities (ping, route, ssh), as well as a shell – essentially a standard terminal. *nix experts can take advantage of this opportunity to, for example, try to add some modules, codecs, plugins for Chrome to the system, although, as far as I know, no one has yet succeeded in connecting Java. The command shell is not available on Chrome OS
Usage
Most of the tools listed above are completely unnecessary, most likely they simply won’t be on real Chromebooks. As I already said, the general idea of Chrome OS is for the user to work exclusively with the browser. This is why Google supports a store of web applications and Chrome extensions, where you can already find almost everything you need for everyday activities. Google itself offers many really useful services, the same Google Docs and Google Dictionary (the pop-up translation of which works, surprisingly, no worse than that of local dictionaries), and third party developers keep up. For example, one of the latest new products is the Kindle Online Reader from Amazon, which can download books locally and work without an Internet connection. As a result, the Chromebook can be used as an e-reader.
Rice. 21. The usability of Chrome OS depends entirely on the quality of the web applications you use. Fortunately, there are more and more of them, a wide variety of
Offline work is quite an important point. Although many people can no longer imagine life without the Internet, it happens that it is not available (on an airplane) or, for example, too expensive (in roaming). Of course, I wouldn’t want the Chromebook to simply turn into ballast in this case. Google naturally understands this and is working to provide some minimum of offline functionality. You can log in without an Internet connection for previously used accounts. In Chromium OS itself, there are currently only two local applications (except for Chrome, which should be considered as part of the OS): a file manager and a media player - both are quite primitive. The first one knows only a few formats, mostly multimedia; even some .doc will have to be uploaded to Google Docs yourself. The second one cannot even play mp3, but this only applies to Chromium OS: as I said above, Chrome OS has some codecs built into it. One way or another, the situation will gradually improve - thanks to HTML5, which allows you to simply and efficiently provide offline execution of web applications from a special cache.
Rice. 22. Built-in Chromium OS applications are primitive, but without them it would be completely sad
Another important aspect of Chrome OS is support for additional hardware. Chromebooks are initially equipped with everything necessary: Wi-Fi adapters, 3G modems, SD card readers, web cameras, etc. But the list of compatible models is apparently quite scant. Enthusiasts try to make their own builds of Chromium OS with additional drivers, libraries, etc., but this violates the purity of the original idea. USB ports also allow you to connect only select categories of devices. Initially, these included keyboards and mice, now the Google website reports support for USB drives, although I could not get it to work in the current build. Work is underway to support Android smartphones.
On the other hand, the inability to connect printers is even presented as an advantage: “forget about cables and drivers!” But miracles, of course, do not happen, and the printer still must be connected somewhere - with a cable and driver, and printing in Chrome OS is carried out through the Google Cloud Print system. For it to work, you must have either a special printer that connects directly to the Internet and the corresponding Google service (for now this is only the HP ePrint line), or any other printer connected to a computer running Chrome. In the latter case, you need to go to the advanced settings section of the browser, connect locally available printers and, if a different Gmail account is used in Chromium OS, give the appropriate permissions.
Rice. 23. First, on a regular computer, you need to connect available printers to Google Cloud Print
Rice. 24. Then - give the necessary permissions
In Chrome OS itself, all printers available for the current account will be automatically displayed in the Google Cloud Print window, which is also called up from the advanced settings. By launching the page printing function, you can select the one you need from the list and even configure its parameters, down to the hardware resolution. Preview appeared in the latest Chrome versions, but does not work on Chromium OS due to the lack of PDF viewers built into the system. Recently also appeared Print function to Google Docs, which involves conversion to PDF.
Rice. 25. When printing via the cloud, you can even adjust basic printer settings. This feature is available in any Chrome browser, but in Chrome OS it is the only one
Conclusion
A small retreat
This post is just impressions of use, thoughts on how you can use this machine. A post about delivery, where I ordered it, how I placed the order, etc. (in photos) will come later. Now I would like to express my thoughts in a somewhat dry form.What happened before...
Before talking about the acquisition, it is necessary to mention the tasks I perform:- working with email (five mailboxes on average);
- work with documents of all imaginable formats (.doc, .rtf, .txt, .docx, .odt, .xsl, etc.);
- modeling business processes, drawing up and maintaining projects;
- working with the regulatory framework, searching for regulatory documents;
- negotiations via various messengers (icq, jabber, gtalk, skype, irc, etc.);
- working with tools for analyzing website traffic (Yandex.metrics, google.analytics, etc.);
- graphics editing;
- working with company websites, website engines;
- software testing.
This results in a fairly extensive list of tasks that need to be grouped in one convenient workplace. Initially, I tried to cram all this into Windows 7, but it became inconvenient to use; if something needed to be compiled from source code, Hell began. Therefore, I switched to Linux as a working system(previously I picked for myself). I tried Arch, Gentoo, Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, CentOS. As a result, I settled on OpenSuse as a more stable and less ancient distribution in terms of program versions (IMHO!).
Over time, it became necessary to transfer large files people geographically located several thousand kilometers away. Started using git, dropbox, box, etc.
Due to the fact that our compatriots often layout documents crookedly (you should have seen some of the reports - it’s terrible), but I needed a correct display, I started using Microsoft Skydrive and their cloud office. And Evernote, which I got very used to during my time at university.
Dry summary: a large number of programs, many cloud services, a lot of software, a large number of constantly transferred files.
Let me clarify right away - I work on my own machine, because I need access to work documents 24 hours a day.
Acer C7 & Google Chrome OS
When the laptop arrived, the first thing I did was scold myself for not immediately ordering an adapter from an American plug to a domestic one for 1 buck. I was lucky that the Packarge Bell multimedia laptop had a similar charger (they were now bought by Acer). Therefore, the problem can be considered temporarily solved (I completely solved it when I bought this adapter at the nearest household appliances store).
The operating system booted quickly, asked for a login and password for Google mail, as well as a key for the WiFi network and a language. The first startup took a couple of minutes, after which I immediately got to the desktop, which had no shortcuts or the usual start button. Only the panel at the bottom of the screen (transparent) with buttons - Google Chrome, Gmail, YouTube, Google and the application menu (from which Google Office, a file manager and a couple of other applications are installed).
The rest had to be installed from the application store...
Clouds
The first thing we had to get used to and understand was that most of the applications in the system are “cloud-based”. The first thing I decided was office applications. Google Office and Microsift SkyDrive have completely resolved this issue.
Evernote is like a web client, no need to explain.
Messenger - IM+. Previously I was on IMO, but I liked IM+ more.
For email - Gmail Offline (I have Gmail mailboxes, not Google mailboxes - they make transfers to them).
To carry out simple calculations (on your knees) - Numerics Calculator (programmable, cloud-based).
For SSH - Secure Shell.
Sometimes I need to write something quickly that won't end up in a notebook or calendar. A note that will be needed for a couple of hours. For these purposes, I liked Writer - a simple notepad-type text editor that binds to a Google account and saves everything written to files.
Editing graphics? What was written in flash - Pixlr Editor - was enough for me. It's not Photoshop or even Gimp. But for purposes like cropping the background and inserting it into a website, it will do just fine.
Viewing graphics from the inside, video and audio, in principle, too.
Modeling? I liked the draw.io service the most.
Next came a hobby that I do in my rare hours of rest ^_^.
The choice of IDE is still in process. Main candidates:
- Cloud9 is a powerful IDE, supports one closed project and three open projects, and can synchronize with GitHub and DropBox. Supports the syntax of many languages, has a terminal emulator (with the ability to call major scripting languages).
- Koding is a fresh product, still in the open beta stage via invites. I registered, a month later I received an invite (if anyone needs it, write in a personal message, there are 2 available). Still in semi-working condition. It’s attractive because it allows you to immediately install frameworks like Ruby on Rails and a faster terminal emulator (from which I mostly need tclsh). The experience of working in it is more pleasant, more responsive in operation, more convenient in the interface (a hybrid of IDE and social media).
- FriendCode is an IDE for teamwork, that says it all. I don’t yet know how convenient it is, I haven’t had time to try it out. Later I’ll tell you what exactly I chose and why, then I’ll add to the description of this environment.
Well, as a last resort, there is an excellent service that can compile 40 programming languages.
Music? Everything here is also very interesting.
Firstly, there is an excellent service called Grooveshark, which allows you to listen to music in the cloud and create your own playlists. At the same time, what is missing can always be downloaded from the local machine and the music will always be available.
The second is the absolutely crazy Achshar Player, which is even worse than tkabber. An offline music player written in HTML5+JS with playlists, libraries and more. At the same time, when you open a folder, it immediately copies the contents of this folder to the hard drive (i.e., you opened the folder from the hard drive, all the contents were copied to your media library, you got tired of it - deleted it from the player and from the media library at once).
Extensions
Since Google Chrome OS is primarily an OS browser, add-ons to the browser are especially important for ease of use. So I have a simple watch (so I don’t even need to look at the tree stump), a save button in Google Drive and a plugin for Gmail that allows you to read and write without going to the service page. I haven't used the rest yet.Native Client
The most delicious and interesting. Google has provided technology that allows you to make “offline” applications that run in a browser window. Some of the ones I have delivered are Google Docs, GFort, Gmail Offline and a remake of the great StarControl 2 - The Ur-Quan Masters. Everything works like a charm, without an Internet connection.So far there are very few applications written in this way, but I think everything is ahead. Technology, as far as I know, is not a year old yet.
Collaboration
This is where things get interesting. Firstly, Google gave 100 GB of space on their Google Drive to everyone who bought a Chromebook. In total, we have 420 GB of space (if you count HDD the machine itself). All cloud services are a plus. As a result, we have places - 320 per local machine yes more than 130 GB in the clouds. It all needs to be linked somehow. Copying to Google Drive is done simply using the built-in file manager File. But what to do when you need to transfer something from Box or DropBox to, say, GitHub? There is an excellent service for this - openera, which can link all the above-mentioned clouds into single interface and help write down the rules for “sending” files (for example, use only Box for pictures). Need to give a file to a colleague? I share it in Google Drive or throw it on GitHub (depending on what type of file).Impressions from the OS
Simply gorgeous. It loads quickly, works quickly, and has never frozen. It is updated more or less regularly, but not constantly like Windows. The first OS I'm on just working, A I don't play OS settings before work. At first I was upset by the lack of a terminal, but now I understand that I actually don’t need it for the tasks I’m performing.Ergonomics Acer C7
Photo - later, in another article. Now it’s just my impressions - I haven’t had a more convenient machine (and I’ve worked for HP, Acer, Fujitsu SIMens, Dell, Sony, Asus). I hardly touch the stationary Packarge Bell with Win7 and the working HP Pavilion dm3 with OpenSuse. 60% of this is due to the OS, but 40% is due to ergonomics. Comfortable keyboard, large touchpad that understands gestures, nothing superfluous.What's left overboard
A lot, actually. So, for example, Google Chrome OS is full Linux. Yes, initially it does not contain make, gcc, mc, etc. But there is almost the entire GNU environment, including tar and a full-fledged bash. True, to do this you need to switch to developer mode (which is what my friend did on the third day of use), after which the crosh terminal (called in the browser tab) can be entered with the “shell” command, which really turns on full-fledged bash in the browser tab. This means we can improve the system ad infinitum. It turns out that we have a system that is equally suitable for both the user and the geek: from a housewife to an economic analyst and a programmer. I found the perfect Unix for me. I wish the same for you. Thanks to everyone who read this heap of thoughts!A few years ago, Google introduced the Chrome OS operating system, which was essentially Chrome browser. Many perceived this as a failed experiment, since it was in no way suitable for a full-fledged OS. Without access to the Internet, Chrome OS was practically useless; the usual software was missing. Users had access only to Google services and numerous extensions familiar from the Chrome browser.
However, this also had its advantages: the system did not require powerful hardware, and the cost of the laptop did not exceed $300. That's cheaper than most Windows devices, not to mention a MacBook.
No longer just a browser
Charlie Brannan/flickr.comAlmost seven years have passed since then and a lot has changed. The system has become more functional, self-sufficient, and has acquired support for offline programs. Yes, it still can do more when connected to the Internet, but now this can be said about any operating system. Offline you can listen to music, watch movies, and work with documents. Such features will satisfy the requirements of most users.
Google's calculation was correct: people spend most of their time in the browser. Or more precisely - in . Its share is about 50%, making it the most popular in the world. “If so,” Google decided, “keep an accessible device that has your favorite browser with all kinds of extensions.” And that's it, nothing more unnecessary. The interface is simple and concise, even a child can master it.
By the way, about children: Chromebooks are most often purchased for education and the corporate segment. Thanks to this, in the first quarter of 2016 in the United States, laptops with Chrome OS outsold Apple laptops. Almost 2 million versus 1.76 million is a serious achievement for a browser OS.
But Google struck the main blow recently, in May 2016. What many have been waiting for has happened: in the near future, Chrome OS will receive native support for Android applications. Chromebook owners are incredibly lucky, because in the near future almost the entire Google Play range will be available to them! The issue of the number of applications and dependence on the Internet is immediately resolved. It is important that the applications are not emulated, but are native, that is, they have access to Wi-Fi, RAM, processor and other necessary components.
In fact, now we have another Android device, but with more advanced capabilities. Yes, but for the vast majority of users, the functionality of a Chromebook will be sufficient.
Pros of Chromebooks
Kohichi Aoki/flickr.com 1. Price
I'll start with the most important thing - the cost of Chromebooks. In the US, an inexpensive Windows laptop will cost $400–700. MacBook prices start at $899. At the same time, the price of most Chromebooks does not exceed $300. An excellent option for schoolchildren, students and simply people who need a laptop only to surf the Internet and work with documents.
2. Simplicity
Chromebooks are easy to use. They are fast, easy to set up, and absolutely everyone can master them: from children to the elderly. This is why Chromebooks are so popular in schools and the corporate sector.
3. Large selection
The range of Chromebooks is quite extensive. There are laptops with screen diagonals from 11 to 15 inches. The hardware is also very diverse: from mobile processors, which are usually installed in smartphones, to Intel processors.
4. Ecosystem
If you own an Android smartphone, a Chromebook will be a worthy addition to your ecosystem. Thanks to Google services, all data is synchronized. In the same way, you can work with third-party software thanks to native support for Android applications.
Cons of Chrome OS
Oll Raqwe/flickr.com 1. Dependence on the Internet
Whatever one may say, the work of Chromebooks is tied to the Internet. Without the Internet, their opportunities tend to zero. Despite the fact that the Internet is now everywhere, for many it can become a serious problem.
2. Lack of “adult” software
Chromebooks are not suitable for serious work. It will not be possible to install Photoshop, AutoCAD and other software that works on Windows and OS X. Such devices are more suitable for those who spend most of their time in the browser, as well as for those who actively use Google services.
What's next?
Of course, Google has made huge strides in seven years, but experts say this is just the beginning. Once the system starts supporting Android applications, its popularity will increase significantly.
It will turn from a fun experiment into an expanded one. Android version for budget laptops. And in this case, the competitor will not be Apple, which is focused on the premium segment, but Microsoft. After all, it mainly makes money from selling software for the corporate segment and licenses for selling laptops. The sharp increase in the popularity of devices on Chrome OS can significantly spoil the life of Microsoft.
Despite everything, the project of a special operating system from Google continues to develop. Chromium OS is an open source operating system source code based on the Gentoo distribution. Her main feature The point is that everything here is designed to work on the Internet, and only in a browser.
Chromium OS loads quickly enough, does not consume many resources, and also supports full integration with your Google account. Your settings, history, programs, plugins and extensions are automatically synchronized.
The operating system was released in 2009 and has all the advantages of the Linux kernel. It is not officially released by Google, the developers simply opened the code and anyone can download it and build the system. At the same time, Google maintains the Chrome OS operating system, which receives updates and is distributed on Chromebooks.
This article will cover installing Chromium OS on your computer or laptop. Considering that the system is not going to Google, some difficulties may arise, but we will try to get around them.
In general, installing this operating system is easier than other Linux distributions, with a couple of exceptions.
We will not build the system from source, that would be too long. We will not use the previously popular assembly from Hexxeh. It is already outdated, and we want Chromium OS 54 or more new version. The Arnoldthebat project collects daily builds of ChromiumOS for x86, amd64 and arm architectures.
We will use their option. There are three options here, daily, weekly and special:
Select the desired version of Camd64OS for x64 or Cx86OS for x32, then click on it to download Chromium OS.
Step 2. Burn the image
The image takes up around 600 Megabytes, so the download will complete quickly. The image is packaged in a 7z archive, if you have this utility installed, you can unpack it with the command:
7z e ~/Downloads/Cx86OS-20160824010101.img.7z
You can also unpack using a file manager. Next you need to burn the image to a flash drive. Moreover, we do not need separate section, and the whole flash drive. This is not just an image with files, it has markup and several sections.
Therefore, we will use the dd command to record:
sudo dd if=Cx86OS-20160824010101.img of=/dev/sdb bs=4M
Here if indicates your ChromeOS image, and of indicates your flash drive. Be very careful, your flash drive may have a different name. First check with fdisk -l, then replace the name with your own. On Windows you can use the utility.
Launching Chromium OS
Step 3. BIOS setup
Restart your computer and during the BIOS splash screen, click F2, Shift+F2 or Del. Here go to the Boot tab and in the item Boot Device Priority or 1s Boot Device install your flash drive first:
It can be displayed by label or USB Drive. Then all you have to do is go to the tab Exit and press Exit & Save Settings.
Step 4: Launch Chromium OS
Step 5. Language and network connection
Without a network connection, Chromium OS will not work. In this window, select the language, keyboard layout and network connection, Ethernet, if available network cable or Wifi:
Step 6: Google Account
Step 7. You are logged in
Before you is a ChromiumOS system loaded into LiveCD and completely ready for use. You'll be given a short tour of its capabilities, but we'll skip that.
Installing ChromiumOS
Everything difficult is already behind us. Installing Chromium OS is done in a couple of clicks.
Step 8: Launch Terminal
To install Chromium OS we need to launch a terminal. First, press Ctrl+Alt+T to launch the crosh developer console:
Then type shell and press Enter to access a regular linux terminal:
Step 9: Start the installation
The installation is performed with just one command, and in the parameters you need to pass the hard drive on which you want to install Chromium OS. Just type the command:
sudo /usr/sbin/chromeos-install -dst /dev/sda
If the system requires a password, enter password. All that remains is to confirm your choice. The system will clear the entire disk. You won't be able to dual boot with other versions of Linux or Windows here. For dual boot use the CloudReady Chromium OS modification.
Step 10. Finish
After installation is complete, restart your computer and remove the USB flash drive. Your system is now ready to use and configure. You can install your programs and surf the Internet comfortably.
conclusions
That's all. Chromium OS installation is complete. As you can see, it was not that difficult and, due to the smaller number of settings, it was even much easier than in other distributions. It’s just a pity that installation in dualboot mode is not supported and cannot be installed on a virtual machine. If you have any questions, ask in the comments.