Chromium OS source released

On the one hand, sure, it impacts some people's perceived freedom, but do they actually want such a device to start with?

On the other, the vast majority of computer users don't (nor should need to!) care about system adminstration and keeping it virus free etc.

Therefore, at the greater internet eco system level, I can only think of it as a good thing as long as the entity controlling it (i.e. google in this case) keeps it up-to-date and secure. Eventually that'll no longer happen, but if serious vulnerabilities are found then there's your means to fix it yourself.

The way I see it, as long as it's secure => great for everybody (including those who'd rather like to tinker with it because they don't get exploited by exploits running on those machines)

If it starts being insecure => no loss over a current system that requires good adminstration on the user's part to keep secure, which we all know doesn't happen.

If you want to buy something with that on specifically to tinker with, there's something wrong with you :)

Now, I realise that this argumentation isn't exactly sound on a moral level, but the way I see it so far a way to give an end-user a secure system _and_ let them tinker with it as they like hasn't been invented yet.

So is this really so bad?