Google To Launch Operating System

[Ashley]

Source: BBC NEWS | Technology | Google to launch operating system

Google is developing an operating system (OS) for personal computers, in a direct challenge to market leader Microsoft and its Windows system.

Google Chrome OS will be aimed initially at netbooks, the low-cost portable computers that have turned the PC world upside down.

Google said netbooks with Chrome OS could be on sale by the middle of 2010.
"Speed, simplicity and security are the key aspects of Google Chrome OS," said the company in a blog.

The news could also be a blow to the open source Linux operating system, which had taken an early lead on netbooks, but then lost out to Microsoft's elderly Windows XP.
For Microsoft the news comes just months before it launches the latest version of its operating system, called Windows 7.

'Back to basics'

"We're designing the OS to be fast and lightweight, to start up and get you onto the web in a few seconds," said the blog post written by Sundar Pichai, vice president of product management, and Google's engineering director Linus Upson.

Both men said that "the operating systems that browsers run on were designed in an era where there was no web" and that this OS is "our attempt to re-think what operating systems should be".

To that end, the search giant said the new OS would go back to basics.

"We are completely redesigning the underlying security architecture of the OS so that users don't have to deal with viruses, malware and security updates.

"It should just work," said Google.

Google already has an operating system for mobile phones called Android which can also be used to run on netbooks. Google Chrome OS will be aimed not just at laptops but also at desktops for those who spend a lot of time on the web.

"Truly competitive"

The announcement could dramatically change the market for operating systems, especially for Microsoft, the biggest player with around 90% share.

"This announcement is huge," said Rob Enderle, industry watcher and president of the Enderle Group.

"This is the first time we have had a truly competitive OS on the market in years. This is potentially disruptive and is the first real attempt by anyone to go after Microsoft.

"Google is coming at this fresh and, because it is based on a set of services that reside on the web, it is the first really post web operating system, designed from the ground up, and reconceived for a web world," Mr Enderle told the BBC.

Last year Google launched the Chrome browser, which it said was designed for "people who live on the web - searching for information, checking email, catching up on the news, shopping or just staying in touch with friends."

Stephen Shankland at CNET said the move had widespread implications.

"One is that it shows just how serious Google is about making the web into a foundation not just for static pages but for active applications, notably its own such as Google Docs and G-mail.

"Another: it opens new competition with Microsoft and, potentially, a new reason for anti-trust regulators to pay close attention to Google's moves."

Some commentators said Google's motivation in all this was pretty clear.

"One of Google's major goals is to take Microsoft out, to systematically destroy their hold on the market," said Mr Enderle.

"Google wants to eliminate Microsoft and it's a unique battle. The strategy is good. The big question is, will it work?"

At the popular blog, TechCrunch, MG Siegler said "Let's be clear on what this really is. This is Google dropping the mother of all bombs on its rival, Microsoft."

Microsoft releases Windows 7 later this year to replace Windows Vista and Windows XP which is eight years old.

The Redmond based company claims that 96% of netbooks run Windows to date.

[willyboy104]

That is ace, can't wait to test that baby out...

[Ashley]

I bet it's full of spying applications.

They will soon know everything about us, not just what we search for, but what we talk about, and what we set our wallpaper too.

Great for marketers, because we have extra demographics.

I won't be using it though, I like my data safe(ish).

[Blackman]

I bet it's full of spying applications.

They will soon know everything about us, not just what we search for, but what we talk about, and what we set our wallpaper too.

Great for marketers, because we have extra demographics.

I won't be using it though, I like my data safe(ish).

LOL, so true While Google's trying to act like an angel, they got evil plans for us...

Anyway, I don't care, because Windows 4 life, and I <3 PC

[Ashley]

Windows 7 is pretty sexy. My mate (JoshP) has got it, guna download, I mean PAY for that soon.

[lemonarian]

Mac ftw.

[Blackman]

Mac ftw.

YouTube - "Mac or PC" Rap Music Video - Mac vs PC (Normal Quality)

[JeremyWaller]

YouTube - "Mac or PC" Rap Music Video - Mac vs PC (Normal Quality)

Wow. There's someone with too much time on their hands.

[Ganceann]

I bet it's full of spying applications.

They will soon know everything about us, not just what we search for, but what we talk about, and what we set our wallpaper too.

Great for marketers, because we have extra demographics.

I won't be using it though, I like my data safe(ish).

LOL - I had to laugh at you saying you like your data safe(ish) and then have a FaceBook profile in your signature - quite ironic

But I do agree that msn, yahoo, facebook, myspace, google, twitter and any other "commercial entity" is not about providing people with useful things for free. In this instance, free means lack of privacy. It is all about information gathering so they can make money through behavioral targeted advertising.

I am not against the idea of that type of advertising, but a line must be drawn where people have the option to decline it from constantly monitoring activity. Instead of having an obscure opt-out system it should be an obvious opt-in system rather than being evil, sneaky and conniving by slipping monitoring activity in through every piece of software possible.

[Alan]

Don't know about you but for me Google is getting too much data from us, and that's not a good thing IMHO. They're lanching a new OS, but I think lots of years have to pass before they can even compete against the big 3 out there. I like Windows 7, just a bit pricey in my opinion, I love Mac OS X and Linux is not for me ^^

[SirKhan]

Win7 is my new friend. All my applications are running fine, I don't play any games (so I don't know how they perform XP vs 7), it's stable, fast and looks good. Most of my applications are not available for Mac, and why run Parallels or anything other when you can have a native Windows
And about the privacy question: I really don't care. They can do with my browsing behaviors whatever they'd like to.