But something happens when you say 'new operating system from google' instead of 'linux': you no longer have trouble selling it to a random person in Best Buy.

But something happens when you say 'new operating system from google' instead of 'linux': you no longer have trouble selling it to a random person in Best Buy. The average person rarely understands the difference between an operating system, a browser and a search engine. And they're almost all pretty skeptical of FOSS, even after you explain it. But most know, like and trust Google. And they know Google is fast and free. So when the Best Buy flunkie says it does the internet super-fast and the battery lasts longer, they're inclined to believe. There are no new concepts for them to tackle. The up-side of a Google Operating System vs any other Linux distro doesn't really go to the user. It goes to the netbook vendor, who now has a far easier time moving Windows-less product and thus a stronger position when dealing with Microsoft. Also, OS fragmentation is the logical end result of the web. The OS is still relevant, but it's not the main draw. So there's a lot of room for innovation, specialization and competition. It's A Good Thing.