Chrome OS

I've been using Chrome browser almost exclusively on my Linux netbook for a while now so I've been curious to try out Chrome OS to see how it's progressing. I've tried two different distributions of the open source Chromium OS version. The latest is called Flow from Hexxeh, which has had really good reviews. Supposedly they've done a lot of work to support various hardware. Unfortunately not much supports my Intel GMA500 (Poulsbo) based netbook. Flow was too slow to do anything with, even slower than the first Chromium OS version I tried.
The idea behind Chrome OS is simple. Reduce the complexity of the computer by eliminating user interaction with the underlying hardware, and move all applications, except the browser, to the web. I already use Chrome browser for most of what I do anyway so this should be fine right? Actually I don't think so. At least not for me. The key word being 'most' in 'most of my work in the browser'. I still rely on a number of desktop apps to get my work done. The most common is a terminal for SSH access to my server. The only browser based terminal programs I've ever seen where Java applets and I'm not going there. Sometimes, while shelled into my server, I'll need to fire up a GUI app on the server so I also need X11 and X11 forwarding through SSH. I don't think we'll be seeing those in a web app anytime soon.
There are also devices that must be considered, like digital cameras. I use Picasa to store my photos in the cloud, but I can't upload them directly from my camera. I have to use Picasa desktop to get them from the camera and then upload them to the web. Perhaps Google will figure this one out before Chrome OS goes to market. Even so I still use Gimp for any real photo editing. It would be hard to give that one up.
So I just don't know how well Chrome OS will appeal to most people. I like the idea of web based applications and think they will continue to get better, but currently there are still so many things that require a good desktop app. Even the Apple iPad, which took so much heat for it's limitations, provides desktop as well as web based applications. One thing is certain though, it will be exciting to see all of these new classes of computers hit the market.