Google to launch operating system

[reverse_swing]

By Maggie Shiels
Technology reporter, BBC News, Silicon Valley
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 small, low-cost netbooks, but will eventually be used on PCs as well.
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," the firm said in its official blog.
The operating system, which will run on an open source license, was a "natural extension" of its Chrome browser, the firm said.
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.
Out of beta
In a separate announcement Google also revealed that many of its most popular applications had finally moved out of trial, or beta, phase.
Gmail, for example, has worn the beta tag for five years.
"We realise this situation puzzles some people, particularly those who subscribe to the traditional definition of beta software as being not yet ready for prime time," wrote Matthew Glotzbach, the director of product management in the official Google blog.
The decision to ditch the beta tag was taken because the apps had finally reached the "high bar" mark, he wrote.
More than 1.75 million companies use Google apps, according to the firm.

Source: BBC >>

[billah]

Chrome has been around for a while now, hasn't it?

[reverse_swing]

Well, Chorme web browser was released September last year but now Google plans to launch the Google Chrome OS, an operating system designed from the ground up to run the Chrome web browser on netbooks.

[Tokai]

I personally think its a wrong move. If they target it only for browser, it not going to sale, people wants to do other things with their computer as well. Not too many programmers will be willing to support another platform.

Trying to enhance Linux would have been a better approach to take on Winblows.

[ialbd]

long wayy to go before getting all jumpy & excited ....

i was hoping google to invest heavily on mobile technologies as in be the microsoft of the mobile industry. They still need to keep their feet on the gas pedal for Android development to reach there...

i wonder why google is never interested in the Enterprise solution market...

[Kabir]

Originally Posted by ialbd
i was hoping google to invest heavily on mobile technologies as in be the microsoft of the mobile industry. They still need to keep their feet on the gas pedal for Android development to reach there...

Yes, but you have to understand that Google is not yet in that market with a lot of products.

I think what Google is trying to do is put the pieces of the puzzle together. First came Google search engine, and then Desktop Search, and then Email, then Google Docs, Earth/Map, then Chrome Browser, and now the Chrome OS. So I think what they are building towards is a virtual machine kinda concept, except that this virtual machine will be based on the internet technologies completely. That is, if you've got a fast internet, you're off the hook. If you don't have it, you got none of these to brag about. They seemed to have been building towards it from get go. Now with the addition of Netbooks, this is a perfect area to focus. This will mean that computing technologies are going to see a massive drop in prices yet again...and low-power processors such as Atom will be able to rule the market.

I guess we just have to wait for the right time.

[Akib]

Well its aimed for at netbooks.


I doubt I'd use it since I plan on doing Win7 + Ubuntu, but we'll see.

[Rabz]

Ah, not for those of us living in Bangladesh.
Web based OS where we still talk in kilo bits/bytes, it seems like a fairytale.

[One World]

Originally Posted by Tokai
I personally think its a wrong move. If they target it only for browser, it not going to sale, people wants to do other things with their computer as well. Not too many programmers will be willing to support another platform.

Trying to enhance Linux would have been a better approach to take on Winblows.

Its not wrong but calculated move. The ROI is so high that Google need to do risk assessment as it has to be continuously on it's toes to ensure that IE or FIrefox fails to take over perennial control on its engine. As MSoft tried to give an scare introducing bing Google had to give an scare with this announcement. It also introduced Android just to legitimately stand as a giant on top of RIM and others.

The bottom line is nothing but Web Imperialism.

[ammark]

Originally Posted by Tokai
Trying to enhance Linux would have been a better approach to take on Winblows.

Tokai bhai, the googleblog has said that the OS will be built on a linux kernel, with a custom window manager... and it'll be optimised for the internet.