Google phases out Windows for OS X/Linux
Google Phases out Microsoft Windows Use
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=10793367
I'm quite surprised Google didn't switch to *nix based operating systems long ago.
Perhaps they thought they could have their Chrome OS up and running internally, but likely it's taking longer than they thought because it's more complicated than they realized and/or they would have to develop all their software as well.
Running Chrome OS in VM, it doesn't strike me as a very versatile or powerful OS, just a glorified web browser it seems.
Abundant third party software choice is what keeps Windows on top unfortunately, along with the OEMs and cheap hardware. Everyone wants to work with the largest market share, the customers, the hardware makers and the developers, it's a never ending cycle that reinforces itself to keep Microsoft on top.
So for Google to get any decent amount of third party software, they are going to have to use OS X for the rank and file machines, likely the Chrome browser as it hasn't been successfully hacked yet and they need to pump it anyway. Servers and the like would probably go Linux, as it's highly customizable OS being Open Source. They can tweak it to their hearts content and make it more (or less) secure depending upon their technical ability.
As a OS X user on my powerful machines and a Ubuntu Linux user on my netbooks, I welcome this news from Google, because Microsoft has totally sucked for decades now and they need the market to eliminate them.
Quote:
Citing several Google employees, the FT said the decision to move to other operating systems including Apple Inc's Mac OS and open-source Linux began in earnest in January after Google's Chinese operations were hacked.
Citing several Google employees, the FT said the decision to move to other operating systems including Apple Inc's Mac OS and open-source Linux began in earnest in January after Google's Chinese operations were hacked.
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=10793367
I'm quite surprised Google didn't switch to *nix based operating systems long ago.
Perhaps they thought they could have their Chrome OS up and running internally, but likely it's taking longer than they thought because it's more complicated than they realized and/or they would have to develop all their software as well.
Running Chrome OS in VM, it doesn't strike me as a very versatile or powerful OS, just a glorified web browser it seems.
Abundant third party software choice is what keeps Windows on top unfortunately, along with the OEMs and cheap hardware. Everyone wants to work with the largest market share, the customers, the hardware makers and the developers, it's a never ending cycle that reinforces itself to keep Microsoft on top.
So for Google to get any decent amount of third party software, they are going to have to use OS X for the rank and file machines, likely the Chrome browser as it hasn't been successfully hacked yet and they need to pump it anyway. Servers and the like would probably go Linux, as it's highly customizable OS being Open Source. They can tweak it to their hearts content and make it more (or less) secure depending upon their technical ability.
As a OS X user on my powerful machines and a Ubuntu Linux user on my netbooks, I welcome this news from Google, because Microsoft has totally sucked for decades now and they need the market to eliminate them.
Comments
Perhaps they thought they could have their Chrome OS up and running internally, but likely it's taking longer than they thought because it's more complicated than they realized and/or they would have to develop all their software as well.
Running Chrome OS in VM, it doesn't strike me as a very versatile or powerful OS, just a glorified web browser it seems.
I don't know why they don't expand on Android. Chrome OS seems too limited. I know Android is a mobile OS like iPhone OS and Chrome is being designed more for the desktop but there's no sense in making the desktop OS less functional than the mobile OS. They basically took Chrome, ran it on top of a reduced Linux OS and expect people to run webapps.
I can see that working in certain work environments like a call center that needs to run loads of computers very cheaply and securely or even bank teller computers. For people managing content, syncing devices, using printers, setting up multiple accounts, listening to music, watching movies and so on, it's never going to take off, especially when people have to write apps all over again for it.
As a OS X user on my powerful machines and a Ubuntu Linux user on my netbooks, I welcome this news from Google, because Microsoft has totally sucked for decades now and they need the market to eliminate them.
It's funny because I even see die hard Windows users turning against it. Between Vista, WinMo 6.5 and Internet Explorer their reputation is in tatters. They are trying to claw their way back with Win 7, Win Phone 7 and IE 9 but it's going to be tough. Windows 7 is pretty much a pariah now in the tablet space where it was once hailed as the iPad killing feature - I still think it could work but the majority seems to have turned away from it and are sticking with Android.