Google challenging Microsoft in the OS market

[TheEnforcer]

A potential real challenger to Microsoft. Click link for full article.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/08/google-chrome-os-new-pc-o_n_227513.html

SUN VALLEY, Idaho — Google Inc. is working on a new operating system for inexpensive computers in a daring attempt to wrest away Microsoft Corp.'s long-running control over people's computing experience.

The new operating system, announced late Tuesday night on Google's Web site, will be based on the company's nine-month-old Web browser, Chrome. Google intends to rely on help from the community of open-source programmers to develop the Chrome operating system, which is expected to begin running computers in the second half of 2010.

The Mountain View, Calif.-based company disclosed its plans for the operating system shortly after an online technology news service, Ars Technica, and The New York Times telegraphed the news on their Web sites.

Shares of Google jumped $3.21 to $399.84 in premarket trading Wednesday, while Microsoft fell 18 cents to $22.35.

Google is designing the operating system primarily for "netbooks," a lower-cost, less powerful breed of laptop computers that is becoming increasingly popular among budget-conscious consumers primarily interested in surfing the Web.

The operating system represents Google's boldest challenge yet to its biggest nemesis _ Microsoft.

[Hell Puppy]

So does this mean adsense is coming to the desktop?

Kinda embarassing to be looking at family pictures and have a banner for Depends show up next to Grandma's picture.

[Toby]

Google may want to believe they're going after Microsoft, but in reality they're only going to be taking market share from the other non-Windows OS's.

The only way it will take any significant market share from Windows is if it will run all Windows software right out of the box without the user needing to do anything extra.

I've been looking at netbooks, as a replacement for my aging and heavy laptop. The low cost is attractive, since I only use it when I travel, but I need to be able to run some of the same Windows apps that I use on my home desktop. A non-Windows OS isn't an option in that situation.

[Hell Puppy]

Google may want to believe they're going after Microsoft, but in reality they're only going to be taking market share from the other non-Windows OS's.

The only way it will take any significant market share from Windows is if it will run all Windows software right out of the box without the user needing to do anything extra.

I've been looking at netbooks, as a replacement for my aging and heavy laptop. The low cost is attractive, since I only use it when I travel, but I need to be able to run some of the same Windows apps that I use on my home desktop. A non-Windows OS isn't an option in that situation.

Google's view of the future is that the desktop is irrelevent.

Everything is stored and run on the net or at worst via a thin client.

I could write several pages about this. And although I'm not entirely convinced there's no need for local applications for MOST people, I will say looking at my own usage I have fewer and fewer apps that I rely on running locally.

Email? Cant remember last time I fired up Eudora or Thunderbird. I use Gmail for everything.

Office? I use Google Docs. Haven't even loaded it on my most recent notebook that I've had for about 9 months now.

Anything that's databased is now an online app of some sort for me.

Simple photo management and storage? Again, lots of online tools. Only for heavy work do I go to Photoshop.

Really, video and design work are the only things that I cant easily do online. Those will probably stay that way. Though I could see a cloud type setup being used for rendering.

[miz_wright]

I'm going to post some thoughts I've voiced elsewhere but haven't seen much response to. 'Cos I am a mad, phat thread-killa.

I strongly suspect this is Google's attempt to find a back way to secure the data it was looking to acquire when it made a bid to pick up Facebook 2 years ago. It's staying out of the community space, 'cos they make good software. But AdSense is probably the bulk of their profits - I'm sure we can agree - and if they can find a way to exploit interpersonal recomendations, that makes their ads even more profitable.

Sure, there will be some bitching about Google having that much power as a Peeping Tom, but those same arguments were raised five years ago when Gmail invites were going 'round - and I know Damian has raised those concerns about the analytics. Has it made a significant dent any the meteoric rise of Google as a powerhouse in UX?

Not that I've seen.

[Krissy4 Porn]

Lets go anything for Competition would be good.....nothings perfect.....but if they have something to learn from an all out war.....its best for the consumer.