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The Web OS
November 7, 2007

Well, not really a web OS, but the gOS (meant to imply Google I am sure, but not associated with the company) is a new flavor of Linux that focuses on integration of web apps. Instead of having an office suite installed locally on the hard drive, for example, the desktop shortcut to a word processor loads Google Docs.

As reported on LifeHacker yesterday, gOS is being used by Wal-Mart to power a new $199 desktop. There isn't any reason why a library couldn't use gOS to create new web app stations from older computers. If you want to give it a try, you can download a free "Live CD" from the gOS website. These are special CDs from which you can boot your computer into a temporary session of gOS - they will NOT overwrite or disrupt your regular Windows (or other operating system). You do have to have the ability to boot from a CD, though, which may be turned off on school computers. As always, please complete any necessary technology department conversations before trying this =)

After just a quick look, however, I can see a great deal of potential for using this to refresh older hardware by transfering the application load onto the Intertubes.

Posted by Chris Harris on November 7, 2007 | Comments (0)