If Linux can't make a dent in M$ hegemony targets why should any or all apps be made alternatively compatible with as many OS'es as browsing or search engines.

Boot me an offline gimmick once more and i'll slap restrictions in microchip sizes pipelined to detect an industrial standard complex enough to feed through monitored connections; next thing you know, they'll track and trace your files for a fee.

Google doesn't manufacture CPU & Drives... nevertheless, find a PC user which wouldn't pay for stable performance unless looped out of capacity by invasion of privacy or sabotage attempts -- multiplied by double-deck (na, more like quadruplexed) functions of hardware.

Genuine support included, btw.

Yeah really... What’s the surprise...  an operating system meant to be simple, lightweight, fast and to better with web applications will be like any other OS that’s not Windows but do get your hopes with skinning it with Window blinds...?  This OS will be no different than Ubuntu or Mandriva...

They haven't broke a sweat since 3.1 and they won't for a long time.  The only way they will sweat is when someone creates an OS that is Windows 100% compatible.  So I don't think anyone is going to anytime soon

Agreed, even MAC hasn't been able to any real damage to MS even after MS screwed itself with Vista's bad rap.

Really, this is like my kids lemonade stand compared to "Country Time"

Yeah really, Google apps have not made MS worry about market share and nor has the uprising popularity of some Linux distros...

1. Security is a concern: Google will harvest data. Count on it. Will the OS be less needy in patches? Who knows.

2. Competition is a good thing. Agreed...if the end products are better and cheaper. Remains to be seen.

3. In any case, I can't see a Google OS taking a huge market share from Windows anytime soon, either.


Agreed, even MAC hasn't been able to any real damage to MS even after MS screwed itself with Vista's bad rap.

Agreed, but we haven't seen what Google will put out...no amount of predicting results will stop what shows up. Wait and see. You've gotta pass the time anyway right? 

If it turns out not so great...agreed. If it turns out to be unskinnable like the browser...I know a few folks here who won't be interested.

This is a hype. Linux had a competitive browser since about the year 1997. If it is so easy to defeat Microsoft that you only need to have a system that can run a browser, Microsoft would have been beaten by Linux long ago.

Winning the desktop is complicated, you need compatibility with existing software and documents, allow users to seemlessly migrate settings & documents. In addition, people are resistant to change. No, it won't be easier for Google than for other Linux distrributors.

Still... it's one more big player in the Linux desktop market.

As long as their market is only netbooks they may do OK.  But as soon as you start wanting to run apps that need "uumph" it will fail.

Processing video, playing games,  .  . any thing that needs heavy lifting will need an OS . .  not a browser.

That's called a Monopoly, and in the 1830's-early 1900s, it was proven to be an extremely dangerous thing.

However, it's as Zubaz has already said. This is going to be a lot of filler, and a little fraction of cake.

Linux with a lot of the functionality stripped out and Google's expertise in usability could certainly find a niche - there is a lot of demand for thin clients. I hear their major contribution is a new window manager.

I suppose it could find an audience, but it certainly wouldn't be viable for any of us who are, say, into playing Demigod.

PS: Love the Calvin and Hobbes Avatar. That brings me back...

Well, I wish them good luck, but I doubt it will fly.

We all know that MS OSes phone home with system related data, but the question on everybody's lips here should be: "What sorts of system AND personal data would a Google OS phone home for them to target me with ads?"  Given that Google's entire business is based around advertising and funded by advertising revenue, this should be of concern to anyone contemplating using this greedy grab at another piece of pie.

The other question should be: "Does this Google OS put me on-line from the moment I boot up?"  In other words, do I need to open a browser or an email client for them to to be able spy on my PC/browsing/email activities?  The answer here is no, the mechanisms to do this will be already incorporated into the OS itself... meaning you'd be an open source of data for Google to exploit every moment the OS is active.

Advertisers are ruthless bastards and will use any/every spare millimetre to post a slogan or billboard to promote products, and one should not expect a Google OS to be any different... IF the GUI isn't hard coded with ads, then users would somehow be targeted in other sneaky and inventive ways... like you couldn't put it past the bastards to not covertly use subliminal advertising that gives users the impression they're in control, but sub-consciously are getting their arms twisted to buy this or that product.

Nope, don't use Google's search engine, don't use any of its software, either.... certainly won't be using their wannabe OS.

BTW, did anyone else notice that the Google Chrome browser was a non-opt out inclusion with the DivX Player installation a while back?  They obviously got some negative feedback (a lot of it from me) about that, cos the latest DivX update is Chrome-free, thank goodness... don't want that crap on my rig.

Might be something like gOS, http://www.thinkgos.com/index.html

For what it is worth, I would like ot see M$ get some comp. It has been the king for to long and simply sits on its ass now and charges outrageous prices for the basically the same tuff repackaged and forgets small things. For example, ever try to back up your Outlook files? Cant with the MS backup program. How many years has Office been out? It is really sad that I have to pay nearly $40 to a third party developer for the simple one click backup option.

google vs. microsoft is like bad vs. bad. google the purveyor of advertisements and collector of personal data against microsoft, the block bully.

if I read this all correctly, this google os is for those that spend most of their time on the web and would be able to access various productivity programs via the google site. (no database was referenced within the article). I guess that one would be able to save the files to their own computer or probably leave them on-line???

who in their right mind would give google (or any other company) access to business sensitive material and/or inadvertent personal data. google spys on it's customers.

how about support? google has NO support! ms support, obnoxious as it is, is far superior.

little unfair and mixing apples with oranges. been tempted to use outlook but never have but office has greatly improved. was using office 2000 and had to upgrade when we bought new computers as we misplaced the key. while I find myself adding functions to the customized toolbar (the layout is not intuitive) I am impressed by the improvements.

I suppose Google is expecting a big trend toward 'cloud' computing, which is quite possibly the scariest thought I've had all month.

As long as it's skinnable!

But given Google's history with prehistoric interface design, somehow I doubt it...