From DesktopLinux.com: "gOS Cloud can boot in seconds, into a barebones browser-based environment not unlike the locked-down "kiosk" set-ups at libraries and cafes everywhere. Yet, here, the browser has taken on OS-like features, such as the familiar Mac OS X-like application dock shown in the screenshot below."

You’ve used several locked-down forced environment (i.e. "kiosk") systems and probably didn’t even realize it.

A few examples:

• Automated Teller Machines (a.k.a. the "ATM")
• Video game consoles
• Cell phones
• The menu system for DirecTV, Dish Network, Verizon, etc.

All that stuff is kiosk-style.

The good

With a proprietary OS environment, operation and apps are all supposed to work optimally.

Any kiosk-style system is designed with speed first, "fluff" second (this is good).

It’s a Linux distro so you can get into the "guts" of the OS easily.

The bad

There is a such a thing as "too much cloud". If it ever gets to the point where the OS simply will not function without internet, that’s not good.

The reality

gOS states on their web site:

Cloud allows users to switch to the main operating system with a single click, or just power off.

If you’re already using Windows or Linux, what’s the point of even using it then other than boot-up speed?

I think it’s a safe bet to say most people (including beginners) would prefer a "full" OS like Windows or Linux instead of a forced environment.

Incidentally, this is why many people jailbreak iPhones. When you force users into a controlled environment, that’s not the true spirit of computing – and people will find ways to break the chains every time.

The last time I looked at gOS I was not impressed. It looked like it had a long way to go. The operation seemed oversimplified and too watered down.

Even though I haven’t tried out the latest version of gOS, I might. Do you see the screen shot here? Does it remind you of an OS made by Apple? If not, it should, leaning app list and all.

Am I saying gOS is any good as OS X? Not at all. gOS won’t hold a candle to OS X, however, if it’s the look you’re after and gOS has it out-of-the-box, well… maybe it’s worth a look-see.

To our resident *nix-heads in the audience, has anyone used the latest version of gOS? It is worth trying out? We’d like to know.

To note, there appear to be three types of gOS. “Space”, “Rocket G” (has Gnome) and “Rocket E” (has Enlightenment). Which one is the best gOS? I have no idea, but it’s probably safe to say “Space” would be a good start assumedly.

I will be downloading this to test out in Live mode to see how it fares out.