Google’s Big OS Plans

You should have had an option in that poll… Google scares the hell out of me I wouldn’t touch it with a 10ft pole!

I have a netbook and vista is too heavy for it, so I use XP. I wouldn”t mind a nice, lightweight OS. And I don’t like monopolies, let at least the giants compete with each other. It beats no one competing.

That said, lol, google is scary, yep.

sh*t I can’t vote.

Well I vote for can’t wait to try it, if I could vote. I think it is innovation in the right direction. I know some people are concerned over a google monopoly but I’d rather have them w/ it than Microsoft. Overall I think the competition for OS is going to reach a healthy level for once. Win/Mac/Google. I like what I see as this will lead to innovation

I voted for I think its great, I cant wait to try it.

But that feels a little strong….I will most likely never use it.

I am happy to see another big name is the OS world.
Competition is a great thing.

But I understand the concern with Google being bigger.

I wonder if this is Google’s reaction to Microsoft’s attempts to purchase Yahoo?

If Google stick to Netbooks and don’t havev to worry about interoperability and support of a myriad of legacy devices then Googles new OS can be a success in that marketspace.

But when you start talking about desktops, combining screens, joyticks, mice, printers, routers and the thousands of various combinations of periphials then microsofts O/S have literally hundreds of millions of hours advantage … and will retain that space for decades to come.

PC’s complex envirnoment means that the OS needs a ton of work, each and every day to stay current.

We have plenty of precedent :

Linux and it’s variants are good systems, but cannot handle the complexity of so many devices.

MAC is a good system, but only supports its own devices.

But both these OS’s cannot compete in the commerical / consumer space due to their lack of support for all the connecting devices.

I for one am delighted to hear this news regarding Google.

To quote some of my favorite thinkers, Charles Darwin, “In the long history of humankind (and animal kind, too) those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed”. Rupert Murdoch, “Big will not beat small anymore. It will be the fast beating the slow”, and last, but not least, Australia’s own James Packer “Internet is like electricity”.

By the way, both Google and Microsoft do some outstanding community and philanthropic activities. I enjoy the battle between Google and Microsoft, both in the business and community sector, just as I find the competition the likes of Virgin Enterprises / Virgin Games and Qantas, PartyGaming – PartyCasino, Casino Rewards, WWE and TNA, NRL and AFL, and of course CAP and GPWA, and you get the idea. Most frequently the business partners and public at large win, and it can also make for interesting news stories and publicity campaigns. Go the Aussies in The Ashes. Keep the urn in Australia… thanks Richard Branson and Ian Botham. In the words of Google Guys and friends, ‘Don’t Be Evil’.
Greg Tingle
Media Man Australia
Casino News Media
Australian Casino News

@Nathan 206740 wrote:

Another bold move from Google! Surprise, right?

In an interesting step outside of signature market — namely, Internet services — Google has announced plans to challenge Microsoft on its home turf, by developing its own operating system for PCs.

The new OS will be built around Google’s web browser, Chrome.

What do you think? Could Google really challenge Microsoft here? Are you excited to give it a try, or do you think it’s going to flop?

Read more about Google’s plans at these articles:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/08/technology/companies/08operate.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8140594.stm

TheGooner, you make a great point. No matter how great Google’s product turns out to be, Microsoft already has a huge lead, especially in terms of hardware and integration.

However, Google has certainly shown us a history of being able to innovate around those kinds of problems. Check out this interesting article in the Washington Post explaining why Google’s OS will probably be successful, and how that doesn’t necessarily constitute a threat to Microsoft:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/08/AR2009070804015.html

Hey Nathan, I might be a bit out of touch – but what exactly is it that Google have turned to gold – other than search engine revenues?

I’m aware that they’re a search monster with close to 90% share, and Google have their fingers in everything, but most things are so-so developments rather than must have applications.

Analytics, Gmail, Docs, all products that are useful – but not dominant. Google earth / street view is fun to look at, but hardly a killer app. But does any of this make money? Or is it all done off the back of vast search advertising revenues?

Agreed that Google are the massive search company – but where is the second profitable idea?

There is a lot of Google publicity generated about things they announce (probably due to their massive resources) but have I missed something Google’s done that makes them more than “just” a search company with a lot of cash?

Don’t underestimate Google AdWords — the money that brings in, and the way it’s become the Internet’s gold standard for monetizing simple Internet searches. Google has done an incredible job of creating a market from almost nothing in the last ten years, and even Microsoft has been blown away by what Google has accomplished there. I would also argue that Google Analytics, Google Maps, and Gmail are indeed dominant (or quickly becoming so) in their respective areas.

But here’s the real reason why the company’s achievements are so impressive to me: Google became successful by creating applications and software that consumers chose to use, even though they had tons of other options. Whereas Microsoft became dominant by forcing itself down consumers’ throats and stamping out the competition behind the scenes. Consumers chose Google; consumers were forced to choose Microsoft. When you factor that in, Google’s accomplishments to me are more impressive than Microsoft’s, because it rose to power by creating a superior product.

Google may not have Microsoft’s revenue streams (yet), but it is without question the trend-setter and standard-bearer for Internet marketing and eCommerce. That’s no small accomplishment.

@TheGooner 206761 wrote:

Linux and it’s variants are good systems, but cannot handle the complexity of so many devices. MAC is a good system, but only supports its own devices.

Just as an aside, Google Chrome OS isn’t exactly “ground up” – it will run on Linux, but will redefine integration.

Functionality aside, one of the keys to it’s success will be how many partners they can, er, partner with to ship the product IMO. That’s a large part of the Microsoft success story.