Google Chrome: Beginning of a new future?

The new browser released by Google is first nail in the coffin of desktop OS in enterprise computing. Chrome has taken over process management. It needs OS services only for hardware access. Wait for a Google VM directly accessing a hardware abstraction layer. Next step would be, to make it available on BIOS, enabling a full fledged diskless desktop.

Now most desktop applications are available over Cloud. They are interoperating with existing apps. So this is highly desired by many large organisations fatigued by desktop OS upgrades.
The future would be applications accessed by a Chrome like browser in Cloud (or for those who still prefer on-premise applications, there still may be appliances) from a diskless desktop.

Looks like this is beginning of a new future and end to enterprise computing as we know it. Well not really, we had exactly this situation earlier when 3270 terminals accessed big mainframe apps. Difference this time is

• The new diskless desktop will be more powerful than 3270 terminals and more multi-media capable.
• Network and protocols would be open standards based than proprietary.
• Software ownership model will be replaced by software tenancy or pay per use model

I am accepting bets on how fast this is likely to happen!Three, Five, Ten, Fifteen years?