How do you compete with Windows 8? Google tries running its own OS from Chrome

Google is experimenting with Chrome for Windows 8, and taking advantage of the feature that allows browsers to open in the Modern UI to run a version of the Chrome operating system on top of Windows.

The current stable version of Chrome for Windows 8 can be run as a ‘Metro’ style app, but is simply a browser. But upcoming versions look exactly like Chrome OS when opened – with an start button and app menu giving you access to Google products like Chrome, Gmail and Youtube. You can also open your Chrome apps as stand-alone windows.

This looks like Google sticking their own eco-system on top of Windows 8, and while it’s packed full of features, it’s easy to see how this might upset Microsoft. Chrome OS has not been a huge success for Google, but much like Google+, the search giant has decided this is where its future lies, and is baking the product into other services to make sure we get used to it.

Windows 8 is seen as a more closed system than previous versions, and Google isn’t the only company looking for strategies to deal with it. Steam’s co founder Gabe Newell has been a vocal critic of Windows 8, but took an alternate route, announcing a Steam OS based on Linux.

It’s hard to say any of this is good for users. Running an OS on top of another has to be inefficient, and separate operating systems altogether is inconvenient. It feels as if the competition between Google, Microsoft, Apple and others is resulting in second-rate work–arounds. We want to be able to use our favorite apps easily in our favorite operating systems, and currently it feels like none of the software giants really want us to have that choice.

It’s also hard to see Microsoft allowing a browser to be a Trojan horse for a separate operating system, so it will be interesting to see what its response will be.

Read more about Chrome:

• Chrome 31 beta for Android integrates web payments, application shortcuts
• New Chrome Apps run like desktop apps, don’t require open browser
• Chrome 29 out now, brings reset button and improved Omnibox suggestions
• Chrome Beta for Android gets new gesture controls, advanced image search