Security concerns prompt Google to switch from Windows to Mac
A major security breach in which Google's Chinese operations were hacked could "effectively end" the presence of Microsoft Windows machines at the search giant, with most systems replaced by Macs.
According to the Financial Times, multiple Google employees said that the company is phasing out the use of machines running Microsoft Windows. Most of those systems will reportedly be replaced by hardware from Apple.
New hires at Google are given the choice of running a Mac, or a system running Linux. One employee remarked to the paper that the company feels "good" about using Linux, because it is open source. "Microsoft we don't feel so good about."
For those who wish to stick with Windows, sources told the Times that it's a tall order. One employee reportedly said that approval for machines running the Microsoft operating system must come from "senior levels," while another said it "requires CIO approval."
While Google is turning to the Mac for security, it is also looking to transition many of its devices to products made in-house. Among those is its own Chrome OS, expected to arrive on new netbooks by the end of 2010.
And while the report said some employees were upset by the banning of Windows, most were "relieved" they still had Apple hardware as an option. "It would have made more people upset if they banned Macs rather than Windows," one source reportedly said.
The details suggest that Google is still accepting of Apple's Mac hardware and Mac OS X operating system despite the bitter rivalry that has formed between the two companies. Apple co-founder Steve Jobs feels that Google betrayed Apple by producing cellphones that resemble the iPhone, and Google has compared Apple to an Orwellian "Big Brother."
Google's introduction of the Chrome OS was one of a number of reasons that its chief executive, Eric Schmidt, stepped down from the Apple Board of Directors last August. Despite all of the publicity surrounding the feud between the two companies, Jobs was spotted having coffee with Schmidt in March.
According to the Financial Times, multiple Google employees said that the company is phasing out the use of machines running Microsoft Windows. Most of those systems will reportedly be replaced by hardware from Apple.
New hires at Google are given the choice of running a Mac, or a system running Linux. One employee remarked to the paper that the company feels "good" about using Linux, because it is open source. "Microsoft we don't feel so good about."
For those who wish to stick with Windows, sources told the Times that it's a tall order. One employee reportedly said that approval for machines running the Microsoft operating system must come from "senior levels," while another said it "requires CIO approval."
While Google is turning to the Mac for security, it is also looking to transition many of its devices to products made in-house. Among those is its own Chrome OS, expected to arrive on new netbooks by the end of 2010.
And while the report said some employees were upset by the banning of Windows, most were "relieved" they still had Apple hardware as an option. "It would have made more people upset if they banned Macs rather than Windows," one source reportedly said.
The details suggest that Google is still accepting of Apple's Mac hardware and Mac OS X operating system despite the bitter rivalry that has formed between the two companies. Apple co-founder Steve Jobs feels that Google betrayed Apple by producing cellphones that resemble the iPhone, and Google has compared Apple to an Orwellian "Big Brother."
Google's introduction of the Chrome OS was one of a number of reasons that its chief executive, Eric Schmidt, stepped down from the Apple Board of Directors last August. Despite all of the publicity surrounding the feud between the two companies, Jobs was spotted having coffee with Schmidt in March.
Comments
While Google is turning to the Mac for security, it is also looking to transition many of its devices to products made in-house. Among those is its own Chrome OS, expected to arrive on new netbooks by the end of 2010.
I don't think too many developers at Google are going to be working on Chrome. On the other hand, I can't see that they have any use for Windows either, other than for testing. It would seem to make more sense to work on a Linux/Unix based system if that's what you're developing code to run on.
And while the report said some employees were upset by the banning of Windows, most were "relieved" they still had Apple hardware as an option. "It would have made more people upset if they banned Macs rather than Windows," one source reportedly said.
Actually the FT article said this:
The move created mild discontent among some Google employees, appreciative of the choice in operating systems granted to them - an unusual feature in large companies. But many employees were relieved they could still use Macs and Linux. “It would have made more people upset if they banned Macs rather than Windows,” he added.
I'm not buying the premise of this story. Google is windows centric, not apple. They always release their products for windows quicker and better. Just not buying this rumor.
why do you say its a "rumor" if it s reported by the Financial Times and sourced by google employees?
Seems like that would call for a much stronger word than "rumor"...
Just out of interest, can you develop software for Windows on a Mac?
Yes. Why not?
Heck, if you don't want to learn anything new, you can always fall back to Fusion or Parallels and create your software that way. But that's not the only way.
I'm not buying the premise of this story. Google is windows centric, not apple. They always release their products for windows quicker and better. Just not buying this rumor.
Adding to echosonic's post, Google's customer base mostly using Windows for their system-base consumer SW is irrelevant to Google trying to protect themselves from hackers. By your reckoning, Apple's largest piece of SW is iTunes on Windows so their employees should all be using Windows PCs for their day-to-day tasks.
Yes. Why not?
Heck, if you don't want to learn anything new, you can always fall back to Fusion or Parallels and create your software that way. But that's not the only way.
I assumed you would be able to, but what development tools are there for doing that (i.e. without using Parallels and using Visual Studio or something like that)?
What does this say about Chrome OS if it is true? It says Chrome OS can't do regular business computing. I've seen the demo's of Chrome OS and it seemed to work fine. It might be buggy right now but it could do word processing and e-mail. What specialized tasks do the Google business people do that requires OS X that can't be done with Chrome OS? I'm curious.
Yes. Why not?
Heck, if you don't want to learn anything new, you can always fall back to Fusion or Parallels and create your software that way. But that's not the only way.
There are no reasonable alternative tools to Visual Studio to create Windows applications although it could be possible in a very limited manner just to prove a point, but for all practical purposes, no you cannot. Unless you consider a Flash runtime executable software. That you can do with a Mac.
Ironically you can program Mac applications on Windows.
There are no reasonable alternative tools to Visual Studio to create Windows applications although it could be possible in a very limited manner just to prove a point, but for all practical purposes, no you cannot. Unless you consider a Flash runtime executable software. That you can do with a Mac.
Ironically you can program Mac applications on Windows.
Thanks for the helpful response.
Seems strange that nobody has gone after that market - I could imagine there being a number of people who have to write applications for Windows but prefer to use a Mac themselves.
"All the Android Apps are so lame," said one young man who refused to give his name. Another young woman, who was visibly upset, said, "It is so hard to upgrade the OS on my phone. Why can't Eric just let us use the iPhone? It is so cool. My boyfriend has it. Thank God, he does not work for Google."
The officers warned the Googlers that polluting the Pacific Ocean with Android phones was a crime worse than causing an oil spill. If convicted, a person could be sentenced to life imprisonment. Without any hope of parole.
LOL !!
why do you say its a "rumor" if it s reported by the Financial Times and sourced by google employees?
Seems like that would call for a much stronger word than "rumor"...
Its a rumor when google won't confirm, and they quote no google employee by name.
Steve and Eric may have been having coffee together but you know that Steve was giving Eric a verbal ass pounding.
I'm not buying the premise of this story. Google is windows centric, not apple. They always release their products for windows quicker and better. Just not buying this rumor.
Most of Google's software doesn't run on desktops, it runs on servers, and those servers don't run Windows.
Adding to echosonic's post, Google's customer base mostly using Windows for their system-base consumer SW is irrelevant to Google trying to protect themselves from hackers. By your reckoning, Apple's largest piece of SW is iTunes on Windows so their employees should all be using Windows PCs for their day-to-day tasks.
My point is the developers who develop these apps
http://www.google.com/intl/en/options/
Need to test on windows machines. Google apps are always bigger than better on windows than mac (if they release the mac version at all). That means a great many employees (especially developers) of google will need windows machines. This rumor does not pass the smell test.
Most of Google's software doesn't run on desktops, it runs on servers, and those servers don't run Windows.
True but Google Frame for IE, Sketch Up and Google Earth are widely used on Windows