REPORT-chrome Os

Google Chrome Operating System
PAGE INDEX
Topic Page No.
ABSTRACT
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 OVERVIEW
1.2 WHAT IS GOOGLE CHROME OS
2. FEATURES EXPLORED
2.1 BASIC FEATURES
2.1.1 SPEED
2.1.2 QUICK BOOTING
2.1.3 SIMPLICITY
2.1.4 ULTIMATE SECURITY
2.1.5 SANDBOXING
2.1.6 VERIFIED BOOT
2.1.7 DATA ENCRYPTION
2.1.8 CONTINUOUS UPDATE
2.1.9 PRINTING
2.1.10 UE OF CLOUD
2.1.11 MINIMAL USER INTERFACE
2.1.12 SAME EXPERIENCE EVERYWHERE
2.2 WHAT IS CLOUD COMPUTING
2.3 WHAT IS A NETBOOK
3. THE CHROME DESIGN AND INTERFACE

3.1 THE BASICS
3.2 WINDOWS, TABS & PANELS
3.3 THREE-TIER ARCHITECTURE
3.4 FORM FACTOR EXPLORATION
3.5 UI ELEMENTS
3.5.1 FORM CONTROLS
3.5.2 MENUS
3.5.3 SCROLL BARS
3.5.4 CURSORS
3.6 PANELS
3.7 PINNED TABS
3.8 CHROME AND THE WINDOWS MANAGER
3.9 REMOTE APPLICATION ACCESS
3.10 CHROME OS VERSUS BROWSER
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4. HARDWARE AND COMPATIBILITY

4.1 CR-48 PROTOTYPE HARDWARE
4.2 HARDWARE SUPPORT AND COMPATIBILITY
4.1 GREEN FLAG FOR CHROME OS
4.2 WHAT GOOGLE CHROME OS ACHIEVES
5. CHROMIUM OS
5.1 THE BASICS
5.2 USER INTERFACE
5.3 ARCHITECTURE
5.4 CHROME OS VS. CHROMIUM OS
6. DISCUSSIONS
6.2 WHAT GOOGLE CHROME OS ACHIEVES
7. CONCLUSION
8. BIBLIOGRAPHY
9. APPENDIX
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ABSTRACT
Google Chrome OS is a Linux operating system designed by Google to work exclusively with
web applications. It is intended to focus on Web applications while running a fast and simple
interface, based off Google's existing Chrome browser. Google announced the operating
system on July 7, 2009 and made it an open source project, called Chromium OS, that
November.
Unlike Chromium OS, which can be compiled from the downloaded source code, Chrome OS
will only ship on specific hardware from Google's manufacturing partners. The user
interface takes a minimalist approach, resembling that of the Chrome web browser. Because
Google Chrome OS is aimed at users who spend most of their computer time on the Internet,
the only application on the device will be a browser incorporating a media player.
Google Chrome OS is initially intended for secondary devices like netbooks, not as a user's
primary PC, and will run on hardware incorporating an x86 or ARM-based processor.
Chrome OS as a "hardened" operating system featuring auto-updating and sandbox features
that will reduce malware exposure. Google claimed that Chrome OS would be the most
secure consumer operating system due in part to a verified boot capability, in which the
initial boot code, stored in read-only memory, checks for system compromises.
Companies working with Google to develop hardware for the operating system include Acer,
Adobe, Asus, Freescale, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments, Toshiba,
Intel, Samsung, and Dell.
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CHAPTER - 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1. OVERVIEW
This Seminar on “Google Chrome Operating System” discusses the features, capabilities and
functioning of the Google Chrome Operating System, along with its divergence from a
typical Operating System covering its expected advantages and setbacks.
The new operating system, aptly named Google Chrome OS, will be a Linux-based,
open-source operating system initially geared toward netbooks. The Chrome OS, originally
planned for release in the second half of 2010 and currently slated for release in early 2011, is
mostly just the Chrome browser running on top of a very lightweight Linux base. It is
intended to focus on Web applications while running a fast and simple interface, based off
Google's existing Chrome browser. Speed, simplicity and security are the key aspects of
Google Chrome OS.
Quite suitably, this Seminar involves major discussions on how it is a concept for a very
portable and low cost "cloud" terminal. This also explains how and why the operating
system is the browser and how it behaves like a browser, in the case of this unique Operating
System.
1.2 WHAT IS GOOGLE CHROME OS

Google Chrome OS is an upcoming Linux-based, open source operatingsystem designed by
Google to work exclusively with web applications. Chrome OS will not be available as a
download to run and install. Instead, theoperating system will only ship on specific hardware
from Google's manufacturing partners.
On account of the “cloud” concept, the weightlessness feature is a plus under this OS, which
implies virtually no data storage hassles. Also, it is heavily web-centric, considering the fact
that the operating system uses a high speed internet connection facility. Chrome OS has a
few more unique features, the most useful of which are panels, which can be best described
as drawers that hang around the bottom of the screen.
Security maintenance is a major growing concern in every industry, and Google

Chrome OS splendidly provides a great security cover to its user. Chrome OS's security
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infrastructure is so designed, that users don't have to deal with viruses, malware and security
updates.
Google Chrome OS will run on both x86 as well as ARM chips and multiple OEMs are
being worked with, to bring a number of netbooks to market next year. Google offers its
users, a future of web-only computing.
Quick-booting, invisible automatic updates, incessant browsing experience, simple and

explicit downloads are among the other features that have made the Google Chrome
Operating System, an intriguing area to explore. Google Chrome OS will run on both x86
as well as ARM chips the software architecture is simple - Google Chrome running within a
new windowing system on top of a Linux kernel. For application developers, the web is the
platform. All web-based applications will automatically work and new applications can be
written using your favorite web technologies. And of course, these apps will run not only on
Google Chrome OS, but on any standards-based browser on Windows, Mac and Linux
thereby giving developers the largest user base of any platform.
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CHAPTER - 2
FEATURES EXPLORED
2.1 BASIC FEATURES
2.1.1 Speed
Speed is an unsaid feature of the Google Chrome OS. With Google Chrome’s tremendous
booting speed and more, users have a lot to say about experiencing
‘waitlessness’.Waitlessness, in Google’s terms, means never having to wait for the web.
Chrome notebooks boot in about 10 seconds and resume from sleep instantly. Websites
load quickly and run smoothly, with full support for the latest web standards and Adobe
Flash. The web evolves rapidly. Your Chrome notebook evolves with it. Every time you turn
it on, it upgrades itself with the latest features and fixes. Annoying update prompts not
included.
The portion of the operating system needed to operate the device will reside in a read-only
section of memory. The rest of the operating system is integrated with the Chrome browser
and, like the browser, security updates require nothing more than a reboot. Chrome OS can
run multiple Web applications in multiple tabs and each one is locked down from all others,
so vulnerability in one Web app can't lead to exposure in another.
2.1.2 Quick Booting

The Chrome operating system is designed to allow computers to boot up
to the Web within seconds, onto a home screen that looks like that of a
Web browser. Chrome OS boots up in mere seconds. In these precious seconds, Chrome
OS scans critical parts of the OS to make sure they have not been modified.
2.1.3 Simplicity
Basic user interface and features lend simplicicty to the Google Chrome OS, making user
interaction easier and adaptable.
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2.1.4 Ultimate Security
The most fascinating and intriguing features presented by the Google Chrome OS is Security
Maintenance. Chrome OS is the first operating system designed to counter security threats.
It uses the principle of “defense in depth” to provide multiple layers of protection, so if any
one layer is bypassed, others are still in effect.
2.1.5 Sandboxing
On the Chrome notebook, each web page and application visited runs in a restricted
environment called a “sandbox.” So if you visit an infected page, it can’t affect the other
tabs or apps on your computer, or anything else on your machine. The threat is contained.
Google expands its security by running each tab through a dedicated sandbox. These
sandboxes have no access to hard drive. This means the browsing is separated from the other
areas of the system; this gives a total security from malware intrusion in to the hard drive.
2.1.6 Verified Boot
Even if malware manages to escape the sandbox, the Chrome notebook is still protected.
Every time the computer is booted, it does a self check called “Verified Boot”. If it detects
that the system has been tampered with, or corrupted in any way, typically it will repair itself.
2.1.7 Data Encryption
When you use web apps on your Chrome notebook, all the user’s documents are stored safely
in the cloud. But certain kinds of files, like downloads, cookies, and browser cache files, may
still be present on the computer. The Chrome notebook encrypts all this data using tamper-
resistant hardware, making it very difficult for anyone to access those files.
2.1.8 Continuous Update

The web evolves rapidly. Your Chrome notebook evolves with it. Every time you turn it on,
it upgrades itself with the latest features and fixes. Annoying update prompts not included.
2.1.9 Printing
Google plans to create a service called Google Cloud Print, which will help any application
on any device to print on any printer. This method of printing does not require any drivers
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and therefore will be suitable for printing from Google Chrome OS. Mike Jazayeri, Google
group product manager, wrote that the service was prompted by a paradox inherent in an
operating system designed expressly for cloud computing. While the cloud provides virtually
any connected device with information access, the task of "developing and maintaining print
subsystems for every combination of hardware and operating system-- from desktops to
netbooks to mobile devices -- simply isn't feasible. The service would entail installing a piece
of software, called a proxy, as part of Chrome OS. The proxy would register the printer with
the service, manage the print jobs and give status alerts for each job.
2.1.10 Use of Cloud
Users of devices running Chrome will have to perform all their computing online or “in the
cloud,” without downloading traditional software applications like iTunes and Microsoft
Office, or storing files on hard drives. Devices running Chrome will receive continuous
software updates, providing added security, and most user data will reside on Google’s
servers.
User data stored on the device, which is minimal, is encrypted. User data is limited to items
such as user preferences. All other data will be stored in the cloud. User preferences will also
be synched to a cloud account, so like any thin client. should you lose the device, you would
merely log in from another one and your data and preferences should be there.
Google’s Chrome OS, is designed to be a very fast, lightweight flavor of Linux that will be
available on some netbooks and other PCs by the end of the year. Google hopes to achieve
this small footprint and high performance by shipping an OS with only one installed program
– their own Chrome browser. Users would work, live, and save things online, using Google’s
own cloud computing services and other similar utilities, like Microsoft’s Office Web Apps.
This is of course a shift from today’s computing environment, where most programs are
installed locally on the computer’s hard drive.
2.1.11 Minimal User Interface
The user interface is minimal to stay out of your way, and most of the user experience takes
place on the web. Google is going back to the basics and completely redesigning the
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underlying security architecture of the OS so that users don't have to deal with viruses,
malware and security updates.
2.1.12 Same Experience Everywhere
All of the user’s apps, documents, and settings are stored safely in the cloud. So even if the
computer is misplaced, data can be recovered through another Chrome notebook and worked
upon as efficiently and with ease.
2.2 WHAT IS CLOUD COMPUTING
Cloud Computing is Internet-based computing, whereby shared resources, software,

and information are provided to computers and other devices on demand, like the electricity
grid.
Cloud computing is a paradigm shift following the shift from mainframe to client–server in
the early 1980s. Details are abstracted from the users, who no longer have need for expertise
in, or control over, the technology infrastructure "in the cloud" that supports them. Cloud
computing describes a new supplement, consumption, and delivery model for IT services
based on the Internet, and it typically involves over-the-Internet provision of
dynamically scalable and often virtualized resources. It is a byproduct and consequence of
the ease-of-access to remote computing sites provided by the Internet.
The term "cloud" is used as a metaphor for the Internet, based on the cloud drawing used in
the past to represent the telephone network, and later to depict the Internet in computer
network diagrams as an abstraction of the underlying infrastructure it represents. Typical
cloud computing providers deliver common business applications online that are accessed
from another Web service or software like a Web browser, while the software and data are
stored on servers.
Most cloud computing infrastructures consist of services delivered through common centers
and built on servers. Clouds often appear as single points of access for all consumers'
computing needs.
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2.3 WHAT IS A NETBOOK
Netbooks (sometimes also called mini notebooks or ultra portables) are a branch
of subnotebooks, a rapidly evolving category of small, lightweight, and inexpensive laptop
computers suited for general computing and accessing Web-based applications; they are often
marketed as "companion devices", i.e. At their inception in late 2007 — as smaller notebooks
optimized for low weight and low cost — netbooks omitted certain features, featured smaller
screens and keyboards, and offered reduced specification and computing power. Over the
course of their evolution, netbooks have ranged in size from below 5" screen diagonal to over
11.6". A typical weight is 1 kg. Often significantly less expensive than other laptops, by mid-
2009, some wireless data carriers began to offer netbooks to users "free of charge", with an
extended service contract purchase.
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CHAPTER - 3
THE CHROME DESIGN AND INTERFACE
3.1 THE BASICS
Design goals for Google Chrome OS's user interface include using minimal screen space by
combining applications and standard Web pages into a single tab strip, rather than separating
the two. Designers are considering a reduced window management scheme that would
operate only in full-screen mode. Secondary tasks would be handled with "panels": floating
windows that dock to the bottom of the screen for tasks like chat and music players. Split
screens are also under consideration for viewing two pieces of content side-by-side. Google
Chrome OS will follow the Chrome browser's practice of leveraging HTML5's offline modes,
background processing, and notifications. Designers propose using search and pinned tabs as
a way to quickly locate and access applications.
Design goals for Google Chrome OS's user interface include using minimal screenspace by
combining applications and standard Web pages into a single tab strip,rather than separating
the two. Designers are considering a reduced windowmanagement scheme that would operate
only in full-screen mode. Secondary taskswould be handled with "panels": floating windows
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that dock to the bottom of thescreen for tasks like chat and music players. Split screens are
also under consideration for viewing two pieces of content side-by-side. Google Chrome
OSwill follow the Chrome browser's practice of leveragingHTML5's offline
modes,background processing, and notifications. Designers propose using search andpinned
tabs as a way to quickly locate and access applications.
3.2 WINDOWS, TABS & PANELS
The interface of Chrome is currently composed of three types of views: windows, tabs, and
panels. However, this interface is likely to change quite a bit over the coming year, as the
open source community contributes new code to the project.
Applications, which are essentially just Web pages, live in tabs, just as they do in most
browsers now. In Chrome OS, there are two kinds of tabs: page tabs and application tabs.
Application tabs are intended to give users quick access to the Web apps they use most, and
any page can be made into an application tab with one click. Application tabs remain
persistent at the left of the tabs bar, while ordinary page tabs behave just as they do in current
browsers.
Tabs live in windows, which on the Chrome OS are more similar to Linux-style virtual
workspaces. You can drag and drop page and application tabs from one window to another to
group them according to any organization scheme you like.
The final view is the panel, which is a persistent window that can contain a variety of
applications. To demonstrate this, Pichai opened up Contacts and Notepad--two apps
included with Chrome OS--in panel views, which sit in the lower-right area of the screen.
This view is intended to allow users to interact with specific files or Web content while still
viewing another page or app in the main window. Content created in panel apps is instantly
shared with the rest of the Google apps, as demonstrated by a bit of sample text being entered
into the Notepad panel, and then immediately opened in Google Docs.
Other uses for the panel view include searching for music and playing songs or videos in a
smaller view during the course of Web browsing. As with documents, these panels can be
quickly opened into a tab or full-screen mode.
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The design would include the same basic layout as on netbooks, but with a touch interface; an
onscreen qwerty keyboard in different layouts; large, square icons placed above the tabs; and
panels placed along the bottom edge that could be opened with an upward dragging motion.
3.3 THE THREE TIER ARCHITECTURE
Google describes a three-tier architecture: firmware, browser and window manager, and
system-level software and user-land services.
• The firmware contributes to fast boot time by not probing for hardware, such as
floppy disk drives, that are no longer common on computers, especially netbooks. The
firmware also contributes to security by verifying each step in the boot process and
incorporating system recovery.
• System-level software includes the Linux kernel that has been patched to improve
boot performance. Userland software has been trimmed to essentials, with
management by Upstart, which can launch services in parallel, re-spawn crashed jobs,
and defer services in the interest of faster booting.
• The window manager handles user interaction with multiple client windows much
like other X window managers.
3.4 FORM FACTORS EXPLORATION
While its primary focus is netbooks, Chrome OS could eventually scale to a wide variety of
devices. Each would have vastly different input methods, available screen space, and
processing power. Below is an illustration of the forms we are considering along with notes
for each:
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Netbook 10-12"
Because of their small screen resolution, the netbook ui is tailored to one web page on the
screen at a time. Interaction is primarily via mouse and keyboard, and the UI is adapted to
this, with primary targets distributed along the screen edges. Panels would dock against the
bottom of the screen and could be moved to the sides as well.
o Full Screen, Compact/Classic/Sidebar UI

o Omnibox may autohide on devices with limited vertical height
o Docking panels
o Tabs and Windows
Tablet 5-10"
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On tablets, the UI would be adjusted to handle larger touch targets. Initial explorations
have maintained the same basic chrome layout, but enlarged the controls. Icons could be
placed above tabs to provide larger, square targets. Panels would be placed along the bottom
edge and could be opened with upward dragging motions.
o Full screen, Touch UI

o Docking panels
o Touch panel UI
o Tabs only
o High-res display
o Visual explorations
Laptop 15-17"
On laptop-sized devices, full screen mode is not suitable for most web pages. At this point we
would re-introduce multiple windows on screen, using either overlapping or tiling windowing
systems. Panels would now be able to dock to edges or float freely on the screen.
o Windowed, Classic UI
o Overlapping or tiled window management
o Floating or docking panels
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Desktop 24-30"
The desktop UI is similar to the laptop UI, but benefits more from freely positioned windows
and access points near the cursor. Other potential enhancements include magnetic
windows/panels that can be moved around with each other to create workspaces.
o Windowed, Classic UI
o Overlapping window management
o Floating or docking panels
3.5 UI ELEMENTS
3.5.1 Form Controls

The base UI elements in Chrome OS are styled after the default form controls. Any CSS
changes are applied to this base, rather than causing a dramatic change from a native widget
to a CSS one.
Default button style is a simple white to gray gradient.
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3.5.2 Menus
Menus use the same gradient with a stronger drop shadow. When possible, they are displayed
attached to their source.
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3.5.3 Scroll Bars

Scroll bar options:
• Transient scroll indicators

• Wave-style scroll widgets
• Rollover scroll bars (when you press screen edge
• Standard scroll bar
• Reflective scroll bar
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3.5.4 Cursors
Future directions:
• Resolution Independent cursors

• Black with white outline (for contrast)
• Movement in Z space when clicking
• Pulse emitted when you shake
3.6 PANELS
Panels in Chromium OS are used as containers that allow a user to multitask without leaving
the view of their current application. For example, with a music player and chat in panels, a
user can control the playback of their music and chat with a friend while watching a video or
reading a long document in their main view.
This is one of Chrome OS's true innovations: For things like IM and Notifications, these
small windows remain on top of the main browsing window.
Window manager interactions
Panels are always-on-top, and are not attached to a specific window. New panels open to the
left of existing panels.
Open behavior
Panels are minimized and maximized by clicking on their titlebar. When minimized, a panel
is shifted so that only a few pixels of its titlebar are visible on-screen (this is the 'minimized'
state).
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When the user's mouse hits the bottom edge of the screen, any minimized panels slide up to
reveal the text in their titlebars (this is the 'peeking' state). Clicking on these titlebars will
restore the panel to its original size.
If a panel is restored with the mouse cursor at the bottom edge of the screen, a widget will
appear under the user's mouse cursor that will minimize the panel when clicked. The widget
disappears as soon as the user's mouse moves away from the edge. This allows users to
quickly open and close panels.
Auto-arrange
Panels are right-aligned, and automatically arrange themselves in order to not overlap. If a
user drags a panel to the left away from the main group of panels, it is pushed to the left of all
auto-arranged panels until the user explicitly reorders it into the auto arranged set. It will
attempt to hold the defined position until it is pushed out of the way.
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3.7 PINNED TABS
Many users of existing browsers keep their 'primary' tabs to the left of
their tab-strip. This allows easy access to commonly used applications
that users keep open all the time. Others use bookmarks to quickly access
their favorite apps without leaving them open, though bookmarks will
replace their current window which may be undesirable.
Pinned tabs are an acknowledgement of both of these behaviors:
• Any tab can be converted into a 'pinned tab' where it shrinks to the
size of its favicon, and remains locked to the left of the tab-strip
• Any external link opened from a pinned tab will be opened outside
of the group of pinned tabs, ensuring that the group remains
consistently accessible
• Applications open with the pinned tabs automatically, and pinned tabs are
removed when they are closed
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Pinned tabs remain available across sessions, allowing users to always

access their favorite apps from a consistent location. Pinned tabs can
be created via contextual menu, dragging a tab to the pinned area, or
opening an application.
3.8 CHROME AND THE WINDOW MANAGER
The window manager is responsible for handling the user's interaction with
multiple client windows. It does this in a manner similar to that of other X window
managers, by controlling window placement, assigning the input focus, and
exposing hotkeys that exist outside the scope of a single browser window. Parts of
the ICCCM (Inter-Client Communication Conventions Manual) and EWHM
(Extended Window Manager Hints) specifications are used for communication
between clients and the window manager where possible.
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3.9 REMOTE APPLICATION ACCESS
In June 2010, Google software engineer Gary Kačmarčík wrote that Chrome OS will access
remote applications through a technology unofficially called "Chromoting", which would
resemble Microsoft's Remote Desktop Connection. The name has since been changed to
"remoting," and is "probably closer to running an application via Terminal Services or by
first connecting to a host machine by using RDP or VNC."
3.10 CHROME OS VERSUS BROWSER

Google Chrome OS is to Chromium OS what Google Chrome browser is to Chromium.
Chromium OS is the open source project, used primarily by developers, with code that is
available for anyone to checkout, modify and build their own version with. Meanwhile,
Google Chrome OS is the Google product that OEMs will ship on Netbooks next year.
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Chrome Features Chrome OS Features

Window Note: UI under development. Designs
are subject to change.
Window
Frame | Tabs | Throbber | Toolbar | Omnibox Primary UI
Browsing Window UI Variations | Window

Management | Pinned Tabs | Apps
Bookmarks | History | New Tab Page Menu | Panels
UI Elements | Gestures | System Status
Additional UI Icons
Downloads | Status Bubble | Find in Core Applications

Page | Options | Incognito
Notifications | Infobars | Multiple Profiles Notifications | Settings | Content
Browser | Open/Save Dialogs | Shelf
Appearance
Devices
Visual Design | Resolution
Independence | Themes Form Factors | Resolution Independence
Accessibility
Keyboard Access | Low-Vision

Support | Screen reader support
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CHAPTER - 4
HARDWARE AND COMPATIBILITY
4.1 Cr-48 PROTOTYPE HARDWARE

The Cr-48 notebook was released by Google, as a piece of reference hardware created to test
the Chrome OS operating system. The Cr-48 is the test notebook designed for the
Pilot program.
The Cr-48 is intended for testing only, and will not be sold to the general public. Google
also addressed complaints that the operating system offers little functionality when the host
device is not connected to the Internet. The company demonstrated an offline version of
Google Docs running on Chrome OS and announced a 3G plan that would give Chrome OS
users 100 MB of free data each month, with additional paid plans available from Verizon.
Google's Cr-48 prototype "met the basic requirements for Web surfing, gaming, and personal
productivity, but falls short for more intensive tasks".
4.2 HARDWARE SUPPORT AND COMPATIBILITY

Chrome OS is based on the open-source Chromium OS. Google Chrome OS will run on both
x86 as well as ARM chips and we are working with multiple OEMs to bring a number
of netbooks to market next year. The software architecture is simple — Google
Chrome running within a new windowing system on top of a Linux kernel. For
application developers, the web is the platform. While Chrome OS will support hard
disk drives, Google has requested that its hardware partners use solid-state drives due
to their higher performance and reliability, as well as the lower capacity requirements
inherent in an operating system that accesses applications and most user data on
remote servers.
All web-based applications will automatically work and new applications can be written
using your favorite web technologies. And of course, these apps will run not only on Google
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Chrome OS, but on any standards-based browser on Windows, Mac and Linux thereby giving
developers the largest user base of any platform.
The Google chrome OS will run on will run on hardware incorporating an x86 or ARM-based
processor. The solid-state drives are the drives primarily supported by the OS for speed and
reliability issues but hard disk drives will also be supported. It is expected to consume one-
sixtieth as much drive space as Windows 7.
Google Chrome OS is initially intended for secondary devices like netbooks, not a
user's primary PC, and will run on hardware incorporating an x86 or ARM
processor and a solid state drive. Google favors solid state drives over hard
disk drives because the former provide faster boot-up times and the latter's higher capacity
isn't essential for an operating system that accesses applications
and most user data on remote servers. In addition, Google Chrome OS consumes 60
times less drive space than Windows 7.
Companies developing hardware for the operating system include Hewlett-Packard, Acer,
Adobe, Asus, Lenovo, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments, Freescale and Intel.
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CHAPTER - 5
CHROMIUM OS
5.1 THE BASICS
Google Chrome and Chromium are the same OS. Except for the fact that the Chromium
operating system can be extended by anyone. Because the official Chrome OS has not been
released, Google Chromium is basically the “advanced” version. This does not necessarily
mean it is the “best” version, it simply means that it includes the most up-to-date features
and specifications.
Because the Chromium operating system is up-to-date, it means that some of the more
important Google OS characteristics will be fixed and expanded. The Chromium OS is
basically a test environment for Google developers, which means it can be quite buggy and
problematic.
5.2 USER INTERFACE
Chromium OS uses the new new:tab page found in Google Chrome to open web apps.
Compared to prior builds, this replaces the applications page. Chromium OS provides a
clock, battery indicator and network status indicator. The F8 function key toggles a keyboard
overlay that shows the function of all the shortcut keys used in Chromium, including task and
memory managers also found in the Chrome browser, and a command-line interface that
accepts common Linux commands.
5.3 ARCHITECTURE
In preliminary design documents, Google describes a three-tier architecture: firmware, web

browser and window manager, and system-level software and userland services.[6]
• The firmware contributes to fast boot time by not probing for hardware, such as
floppy disk drives, that are no longer common on computers, especially netbooks. The
27
firmware also contributes to security by verifying each step in the boot process and
incorporating system recovery.
• System-level software includes the Linux kernel that has been patched to improve
boot performance. Userland software has been trimmed to essentials, with
management by Upstart, which can launch services in parallel, re-spawn crashed jobs,
and defer services in the interest of faster booting.
• The window manager handles user interaction with multiple client windows much
like other X window managers.
5.4 SOFTWARE ARCHITECTURE
Chromium OS (the basis of Chrome OS) consists of three major components:

• The Chromium-based browser and the window manager
• System-level software and user-land services: the kernel, drivers, connection manager, and
so on
• Firmware
High level design
System-level and user-land software -
From here we bring in the Linux kernel, drivers, and user-land daemons. Our kernel is mostly
stock except for a handful of patches that we pull in to improve boot performance. On the
user-land side of things we have streamlined the init process so that we're only running
services that are critical. All of the user-land services are managed by Upstart. By using
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Upstart we are able to start services in parallel, re-spawn jobs that crash, and defer services to
make boot faster.
Here's a quick list of things that we depend on:
D-Bus:
The browser uses D-Bus to interact with the rest of the system. Examples of this include the
battery meter and network picker.
Connection Manager:
Provides a common API for interacting with the network devices, provides a DNS proxy, and
manages network services for 3G, wireless, and ethernet.
WPA Supplicant:
Used to connect to wireless networks.
Auto-update:
Our auto-update daemon silently installs new system images.
Power Management: (ACPI on Intel) Handles power management events like closing the lid
or pushing the power button.
xscreensaver:
Handles screen locking when the machine is idle.
Standard Linux services: NTP, syslog, and cron.
29
Firmware -
The firmware plays a key part to make booting the OS faster and more secure. To achieve
this goal we are removing unnecessary components and adding support for verifying each
step in the boot process. We are also adding support for system recovery into the firmware
itself. We can avoid the complexity that's in most PC irmware because we don't have to be
backwards compatible with a large amount of legacy hardware. For example, we don't have
to probe for floppy drives.
The firmware will implement the following functionality:
System recovery: The recovery firmware can re-install Chromium OS in the event that the
system has become corrupt or compromised.
Verified boot: Each time the system boots, Chromium OS verifies that the firmware, kernel,
and system image have not been tampered with or become corrupt. This process starts in the
firmware.
Fast boot: We have improved boot performance by removing a lot of complexity that is
normally found in PC firmware.
Chrome and the window manager
5.4 CHROME OS VS. CHROMIUM OS
Google Chrome OS is to Chromium OS what Google Chrome browser is to Chromium.
30
• Chromium OS is the open source project, used primarily by developers, with code
that is available for anyone to checkout, modify, and build.
• Google Chrome OS is the Google product that OEMs will ship on Netbooks this
year.
Some specific differences:
• The two projects fundamentally share the same code base, but Google Chrome OS has
some additional firmware features, including verified boot and easy recovery, which
require corresponding hardware changes and thus also don't work in Chromium OS
builds.
• Google Chrome OS runs on specially optimized hardware in order to get enhanced

performance and security.
• Chromium OS does not auto-update (so that changes you may have made to the code
are not blown away), whereas Google Chrome OS seamlessly auto-updates so that
users have the latest and greatest features and fixes.
• Google Chrome OS is supported by Google and its partners; Chromium OS is

supported by the open source community.
Reference: http://www.seminarprojects.com/Thread-google-chrome-os--16170#ixzz1IqwpfjPk
31
CHAPTER - 5
DISCUSSIONS
The main advantage of Chrome OS is that it is free. Microsoft’s Windows 7 is reported to

cost netbook makers at least $45 per computer. Even if Microsoft is forced to cut the price to
the $25 level that it has been charging netbook makers for its ancient Windows XP system, a
Chrome netbook may well be in stores for $30 to $50 less than an equivalent Windows
machine.
The price point of Chrome OS devices would be low-cost at around the same price as current
generation netbooks.
Those prices are completely determined, by the way, by the costs of the glass, the costs of the
processor and things like that, but in our case Chrome OS and Android are free so there is no
software tax associated with all of this.
Google also says that Chrome will be faster to start, easier to use and more secure than
Windows. We’ll have to see about that. So far the other versions of Linux sold on netbooks
have confounded users, who have largely rejected them in favor of Windows machines.
Chrome OS will be optimized for one thing: accessing the Web. But in Google’s view of the
world, anything you would ever want to do — reading your e-mail, writing documents,
playing games — can be done through browsers. The latest browser standard, HTML 5, has
technology that allows Web sites to store information on your computer, so you can keep
writing your novel even when you are on the airplane. The premise is that in a world where
computers are connected to the Internet almost all the time, your computer doesn’t need to do
that much.
4.2 GOOGLE CHROME OS ACHIEVES
This is how Google describes the experience it is trying to create:
32
1) People want to get to their e-mail instantly, without wasting time waiting for their
computers to boot and browsers to start up.
2) They want their computers to always run as fast as when they first bought them.
3) They want their data to be accessible to them wherever they are and not have to worry
about losing their computer or forgetting to back up files.
4) Even more importantly, they don’t want to spend hours configuring their computers to
work with every new piece of hardware, or have to worry about constant software
updates.
There is a tiny little downside here: no local software. Browsers don’t yet do everything, and
there are two decades of Windows applications that have been written, performing functions
that can’t yet be replicated in a browser. If you want to load music onto your iPod, for
example, you need a computer that runs iTunes. Web sites often require programs to run
alongside the browser, like Adobe’s Acrobat viewer. Even Google writes Windows programs
for its Picasa photo editing product and Google Earth 3-D mapping system.
But over time, more and more functions can be moved onto Web sites.
33

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Google Chrome Operating System

3. THE CHROME DESIGN AND INTERFACE

4. HARDWARE AND COMPATIBILITY

1.2 WHAT IS GOOGLE CHROME OS

Security maintenance is a major growing concern in every industry, and Google

Quick-booting, invisible automatic updates, incessant browsing experience, simple and

2.1 BASIC FEATURES

2.1.2 Quick Booting

2.1.4 Ultimate Security

2.1.6 Verified Boot

2.1.7 Data Encryption

2.1.8 Continuous Update

2.1.10 Use of Cloud

2.1.11 Minimal User Interface

2.1.12 Same Experience Everywhere

2.2 WHAT IS CLOUD COMPUTING

Cloud Computing is Internet-based computing, whereby shared resources, software,

2.3 WHAT IS A NETBOOK

3.1 THE BASICS

3.2 WINDOWS, TABS & PANELS

3.3 THE THREE TIER ARCHITECTURE

3.4 FORM FACTORS EXPLORATION

o Full Screen, Compact/Classic/Sidebar UI

o Full screen, Touch UI

3.5.1 Form Controls

Default button style is a simple white to gray gradient.

3.5.3 Scroll Bars

• Transient scroll indicators

• Resolution Independent cursors

Window manager interactions

3.7 PINNED TABS

Pinned tabs are an acknowledgement of both of these behaviors:

Pinned tabs remain available across sessions, allowing users to always

3.8 CHROME AND THE WINDOW MANAGER

3.9 REMOTE APPLICATION ACCESS

3.10 CHROME OS VERSUS BROWSER

Chrome Features Chrome OS Features

Browsing Window UI Variations | Window

Downloads | Status Bubble | Find in Core Applications

Keyboard Access | Low-Vision

4.1 Cr-48 PROTOTYPE HARDWARE

4.2 HARDWARE SUPPORT AND COMPATIBILITY

5.1 THE BASICS

5.2 USER INTERFACE

In preliminary design documents, Google describes a three-tier architecture: firmware, web

5.4 SOFTWARE ARCHITECTURE

Chromium OS (the basis of Chrome OS) consists of three major components:

High level design

System-level and user-land software -

Here's a quick list of things that we depend on:

Used to connect to wireless networks.

Our auto-update daemon silently installs new system images.

Handles screen locking when the machine is idle.

Standard Linux services: NTP, syslog, and cron.

The firmware will implement the following functionality:

Chrome and the window manager

5.4 CHROME OS VS. CHROMIUM OS

Google Chrome OS is to Chromium OS what Google Chrome browser is to Chromium.

Some specific differences:

• Google Chrome OS runs on specially optimized hardware in order to get enhanced

• Google Chrome OS is supported by Google and its partners; Chromium OS is

4.1 GREEN FLAG FOR CHROME OS