Maybe, but doubtful I think. But there are people that are saying this. This past week, Google released the source code for their new Chrome OS (called Chromium while still in development). The OS is still in development, expected to be released next year, but is Google’s “attempt to re-think what operating systems should be.” (source: The Official Google Blog)

So what makes it so different than a traditional OS like Windows, Mac OS, or Linux. First and foremost, as the Official Google Blog mentions, “the operating systems that browsers run on were designed in an era where there was no web.” With that in mind, Google has designed Chrome OS to look very similar to the Chrome browser. There are no desktop apps, but rather all apps are ran from the Web. By utilizing HTML 5, the web apps will be able to access system resources which will allow them to run faster than web apps run currently in another OS. Additionally, because of the goal of Chrome OS to be a web-centric OS, it is an extremely light-weight OS which you can expect to start up faster than your current OS. Read more about Chrome OS features here.

If you want to to see check out the new Chrome OS, there are plenty of virtual disks of Chrome available on various torrent sites around the internet. Installation instructions can be found on TechCrunch. You will be installing the OS in a virtual environment inside your current browser. So far, I’ve been having some issues getting network connectivity on the virtualization software on my laptop with a wireless connection so I can’t login to Chrome. I have yet to wire it up to check this, but will be providing a much more in-depth review of the OS once I do. Why does the network connectivity prevent the login to the OS? As previously mentioned, Chrome OS is a very web-centric OS. Since most of the apps that are run are web apps, to log into the OS, you will be logging into your Google account.

So back to the original question of whether Chrome OS is the desktop killer. The reasoning is solid, but I don’t think that Chrome is necessarily the killer. I think it may be the straw that broke the camel’s back, but not the main killer. There are lots of factors contributing to the decline of the desktop PC. With wireless internet (and hotspots) becoming more and more popular and the more mobile nature of our lifestyles, people are on the go more often and have a greater need for a laptop then a desktop. Additionally, having the option of mobility that a laptop affords is nice as well. My brother for instance, just bought a new laptop a month ago. However, I’ve never seen him leave the house with it. Would a desktop PC worked for him? Absolutely. But he’s in school (mostly online classes) and having the option of having his computer with him directly in class to take notes is better. Also, with a laptop comes less peripherals, and thus a cheaper price.

Overall, I think that the Chrome OS may assist in the decline of the desktop PC, but I don’t think it can claim responsibility for the demise of them. Mainly, for the reasons listed above. But also, I don’t think that the desktop PC is going to ever completely disappear, at least not within the next 20 years, maybe more, maybe ever. I think there will always be need for a home desktop PC. It may not be a big demand in the years to come, but it will still be there.

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