ChromeOS Is Going To Splinter Linux?!? What The?

I've been watching the wailing and gnashing of teeth that has greeted Googles announcement of ChromeOS with bemusement. From people angry that Google has decided to build their own Distro to those who are claiming that it's a deliberate slight against Ubuntu and will fracture the Linux world, some say fataly!

Take a breath people.

Let's deal with the biggest claim first shall we?

"ChromeOS Will Fracture The Linux Community!!11!"

I'm sorry people but get a grip please? The Linux "Community" was never something that could be fractured. It was born fractured and its strength lies both in the differences and the similarities. Adding another distro like ChromeOS will add to the common store rather than detract from it. Especially if as promised they release it under a broad Open Source license like the GPL(2 or 3).

Face it, there are already something like 150 different distro's out there, adding one more will not break the FOSS world.

"They should have Used Ubuntu!1!1!"

As I understand it, Google already uses Ubuntu internally, at least their own version of it. This is a desktop version specifically tailored to Googles own requirements. The fact they're not using it for ChromeOS isn't anything special. Hell the ASUS EEEPC's didn't use Ubuntu either, rather getting Xandros to build a custom distro for their netbooks.

Ubuntu is a great distro sure, but it's not the be all and end all of the Linux world.

Speaking for myself, I'll be looking at what Google has to offer, but I don't think that the world is going to end.