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I don't really care if you agree or not. Just saying what I think.

Friday, July 10, 2009

Google OS

Posted by L S. "Spencer" Olsen at 8:23 AM

About 3/4 of you who read my blog will probably ignore this, but I am going to go on record anyway.

Most of us nerds' ears are buzzing over the announcement by Google this week that it is developing an operating system.  Google OS.  Then, a couple of days later, a news article points out that Microsoft may announce a web based version of Office.

That got me to thinking.  Google's systems development time-line has has created a slew of web based applications.  Everything from email, calendars, documents, down to pictures is accessible online through the Google "portal."  Google wants to trump the major operating systems in speed and reliability.  The new OS, based on Linux, will be directed toward the netbook market at first and then expanded from there.  

Google would be in for a heap of development trouble if it tried to re-invent the wheel and create are real live "from scratch" operating system.  Instead, I believe that their aim is going to be to create a light-weight Linux distro that will boot to a custom desktop shell based on their Chrome browser.  With the increasing popularity of WWAN (mobile broadband) enabled netbooks this move seems like a no-brainer to me.  Google will most likely create a browser-based environment that relies heavily on cloud computing as its main operating vehicle.  Of course programs like Picasa which exist in "native application" form will be integrated into the OS for camera, webcam, and other hardware communications, but the overall feel and look will be that of a Chrome browser and the need for an "always-on" web connection.  This development track will allow the OS creators to fashion an OS that is extremely stable, boots and runs very fast, and manage DRM effectively.

DRM?  Oh yes.  With the web-based portal (or cloud computing) applications and media will be available for use through the browser.  That means that your applications and media will be stored at Google's server farm where, without direct access to the infrastructure, there is no getting around the DRM.  Of course, their OS is Linux based, so customization of the base OS to add 3rd party programs and data will be easy.

Anyway...  just a bit of speculation on my part and a break from my half-baked, insanity-ridden, political BS.

 

3 Comments:

  1. Lee said...
    July 10, 2009 at 10:53 AM  
    I Agree. I think the future of computing is cloud computing and its awesome seeing google make a OS around this. With internet speeds going higher and codecs going smaller soon there can even be HD video editing on a cloud application. I feel if google plays its cards right this can be a MS killer; as you said as long as they dont follow the ways of Windows.
    L S. "Spencer" Olsen said...
    July 10, 2009 at 11:15 AM  
    Agreed. I just wanted to clarify that I believe that if this is done right, and it becomes widely accepted it could also kill Apple. But I really don’ t think that this move will garner more market share than Linux currently has. What this will do, is open the door for cloud computing as an accepted norm and force Apple, Microsoft, and the Linux Community to push development in that direction (although I do see Apple remaining the maverick on this one). We already see these steps being taken with MS Office. What I would like to see is Google taking their terminal-server relationship and making it scalable to sell to businesses who want to give their employees productivity at an extremely minimal cost. If I could run a google-server in house and all my workstation run google-os – I could significantly reduce both hardware and support costs.
    Bo said...
    July 14, 2009 at 10:03 PM  
    You want to play some Dungeons and Dragons later?

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