|
|
May 23, 2013
|
|
|
|
 Google Gives Microsoft a New Reason to Lose SleepPosted on Jul 8, 2009
Google’s inexorable drive toward world domination took a major leap forward Tuesday when the company unveiled plans to build its own operating system. Google says it is designing the long-rumored OS, called Google Chrome OS, “to be fast and lightweight, to start up and get you onto the Web in a few seconds.” Wouldn’t that be nice? It remains to be seen how much of a threat Chrome OS will pose to established players such as Microsoft, which lives on just about every monitor and does much of its business on an enterprise scale. So far, Google’s effort is focused on netbooks—cheap, underpowered, ultraportable machines designed for light Web browsing—but the tech giant says the OS will also run on desktops. From Google’s description of its “attempt to rethink what operating systems should be,” it’s fairly clear the company thinks operating systems should be minimalist and dedicated to the Web. That won’t sit well with everyone and it sounds like programs running on Chrome OS won’t be much more sophisticated than those that live in your browser. But then that’s the whole point. Google knows users are moving to the cloud, and it’s building a suitable cloud-oriented OS to facilitate that transition. No one knows what Chrome OS will look like yet or how robust or popular it will be, but chances are Google will come out with something that just works better than the competition. They’ve done it before.
Advertisement Previous item: Gonzales’ New Gig Next item: Progressives Flex Health Care Muscle New and Improved CommentsIf you have trouble leaving a comment, review this help page. Still having problems? Let us know. If you find yourself moderated, take a moment to review our comment policy. |
Benghazi: Dissecting Congressional Follies, Media Coverage and ‘Cover-Up’ Charges
Email 
Print
Share
Email to a friend
Newsletter 
Like Us
Follow Us
Get Our Feed
Tags|Bazaar|Podcast|About Us|Contact Us|User Agreement|Privacy Policy|FAQ: Comments and Moderation | Google+
© 2013 Truthdig, LLC. All rights reserved.
By BlueBerry Pick'n, September 19, 2009 at 5:02 am Link to this comment
Google:
the company that plays footsies with China’s ‘Freedoms Squads’
& Americans are dumb enough to think that it doesn’t happen in North
America.
riiiiight: it’s all in service of the “American Dream”, is that it?
“World domination” indeed!
perspective, people.
Perspective.
The Jeff Farias Show:
streams FREE & LIVE Mon-Fri, 6-9pmEDT
FREE podcast
Report thisBy coloradokarl, July 10, 2009 at 5:43 pm Link to this comment
When I eat Taco Express and type a 300 word manifesto to Politico I pass gas when I hit send. Cloud Computing???
Report thisBy Marshall, July 9, 2009 at 12:22 pm Link to this comment
By Marshall K, July 8 at 1:44 pm #
<<Just try opening a document written with Vista with an old version of XP.>>
I assume you’re talking about documents saved with something like MS Word. You could certainly save the document in legacy Word format and open it under XP (or Mac OS X for that matter).
<<Just like GM, it worked for them for a long time, but people are getting sick and tired of their crappy operating systems, and are starting to look for something better.>>
My perception is that people don’t care that much about the OS, and most are more or less happy with XP because they know how to use it. That’s why Google is hoping the netbook will be the trojan horse for their new OS; because it would be pretty difficult to supplant the OS on a standard desktop PC. And those that really hate MX probably already own Macs.
Report thisBy thebeerdoctor, July 9, 2009 at 10:05 am Link to this comment
Cardboard_Man’s points about cloud computing are important. I just wonder how many on this site understand exactly what he is talking about. The good news is that open source development is far greater than even a billion dollar concern such as Google, who have embraced non-windows formats like Linux, in their never ending quest for my eyeballs. But community based operating systems, such as Ubuntu, believe that the Internet should be free and open to everyone, without surrendering millions of dollars in licensing fees to Gates, Balmer, Jobs, and their ilk.
Report thisBy thebeerdoctor, July 9, 2009 at 2:40 am Link to this comment
Once upon a time, those who advocated for Linux solutions and open source software, soon discovered that those who surrendered mammon to the Gates altar were legion, and were quite happy to continue to pay tithes to the mighty Windows, because doing something different would require actual personal effort, which in the consumerist mindset of the United States, is considered an anathema, if not downright degrading.
Report thisDespite all the bitching about Microsoft, many folks must truly love that corporation. Why else would they continue to use their Explorer browser, when it is clearly the most compromised in the entire world? I guess they just do not have the initiative to install the Firefox for windows?
Perhaps this old saying applies here: Slaves Embrace Your Chains.
By Cardboard_Man, July 9, 2009 at 1:03 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Cloud computing while being useful should never become “the future”. If storage can grow to the point where everything can be stored in server farms then it can be stored locally also. And being stored locally is more secure, always.
The same applies to graphics and CPU technology (+ when they eventually merge).
Cloud computing is another excuse to turn computing into subscription services.
If google were to release a version of Linux that they officially backed w/ prompt patches & updates that would be great; as it would put a big brand name on Linux & encourage more development for it. However, a minimalist web-centric proprietary OS. A PC version of their google phone software… No thanks.
Report thisBy rollzone, July 8, 2009 at 9:31 pm Link to this comment
hello. i applaud Google for projecting forward into a quickly developing market that needs tiny, portable, personal equipment solely for browsing the web. i would clap louder if they enabled their systems to interplay with Microsoft, on applications that work better on larger, perhaps home based, systems. people in motion could surf unlimmetted venues in what now is considered down time, and then incorporate their research into their home systems. or not.
Report thisBy Marshall K, July 8, 2009 at 10:44 am Link to this comment
Microsoft has followed the same business model as General Motors: Planned obsolescence. Its new systems, like Vista are not compatible with their old systems. Just try opening a document written with Vista with an old version of XP.
Report thisJust like GM, it worked for them for a long time, but people are getting sick and tired of their crappy operating systems, and are starting to look for something better. I hope that Google comes up with a system that is more like a Honda or Toyota.
By thebeerdoctor, July 8, 2009 at 9:23 am Link to this comment
Operating System? I have only one word to say: UBUNTU.
Report thishttp://www.ubuntu.com/
By NYCartist, July 8, 2009 at 7:02 am Link to this comment
AskWoody http://www.askwoody.com has an article about it.
Report thisIt’s a helpful website.
By RootJensen, July 8, 2009 at 4:39 am Link to this comment
My only problem is Google Chrome browser, altho I really do like, keeps crashing/freezing on me, but then that could be using damn Windows, but I look forward to seeing what it can do
Report this