The chrome operating system will run in a new windowing system on top of a linux kernel - computer coding that has been the foundation for the open-source software movement for nearly two decades. google has already introduced an operating system for mobile devices, called android, that vies against various other systems, including ones made by microsoft and apple inc. the android system worked well enough to entice some computer makers to begin developing netbooks that will eventually run on it. google, though, apparently believes a chrome-based system will be better suited for running applications in netbooks. "We believe choice will drive innovation for the benefit of everyone, including google," wrote pichai and upson.