Wednesday, July 15th 2009
Gates Downplays Chrome OS
Google's recent announcement of the Chrome OS, a web-oriented operating system that aims to use practicality and speed as its USPs, created more than just a few waves in the IT world. The firm later added that Chrome was going to be a free software, and has the support of some of the biggest names in the industry. At the receiving end of a potential competitor both in the operating system and cloud computing businesses, undoubtedly is Microsoft.
In an interview with CNet's Ina Fried, Bill Gates took the liberty of commenting on this development and implied that the waves Chrome OS created, are but in a teacup. "There's many, many forms of Linux operating systems out there and packaged in different ways and booted in different ways," Gates said, "In some ways I am surprised people are acting like there's something new. I mean, you've got Android running on Netbooks. It's got a browser in it," he added.
Gates further went on to downplay Chrome OS saying that there's nothing much left to talk about it, since Google kept such a low profile on how it's going to implement the idea. "The more vague they are, the more interesting it is," he said. Google earlier announced that it wants its developer community to focus on web-based applications, rather than Linux-based ones, so the application has the broadest compatible platform base. Perhaps Chrome OS will then serve as the best client platform for these applications.
A similar statement came from Microsoft's CEO, Steve Ballmer, during Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference in New Orleans, who said that the Windows is the right approach, rather than a browser-centric OS such as Chrome. "We don't need a new operating system," said Ballmer. "What we do need to do is to continue to evolve Windows, Windows Applications, IE (Internet Explorer), the way IE works in totality with Windows and how we build applications like Office...and we need to make sure we can bring our customers and partners with us," he added. Both Ballmer and Gates stressed that having two major client operating systems isn't necessarily a positive thing. Google maintains that its Chrome OS will be consumer-ready by the second half of 2010.
Sources:
1, 2
In an interview with CNet's Ina Fried, Bill Gates took the liberty of commenting on this development and implied that the waves Chrome OS created, are but in a teacup. "There's many, many forms of Linux operating systems out there and packaged in different ways and booted in different ways," Gates said, "In some ways I am surprised people are acting like there's something new. I mean, you've got Android running on Netbooks. It's got a browser in it," he added.
Gates further went on to downplay Chrome OS saying that there's nothing much left to talk about it, since Google kept such a low profile on how it's going to implement the idea. "The more vague they are, the more interesting it is," he said. Google earlier announced that it wants its developer community to focus on web-based applications, rather than Linux-based ones, so the application has the broadest compatible platform base. Perhaps Chrome OS will then serve as the best client platform for these applications.
A similar statement came from Microsoft's CEO, Steve Ballmer, during Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference in New Orleans, who said that the Windows is the right approach, rather than a browser-centric OS such as Chrome. "We don't need a new operating system," said Ballmer. "What we do need to do is to continue to evolve Windows, Windows Applications, IE (Internet Explorer), the way IE works in totality with Windows and how we build applications like Office...and we need to make sure we can bring our customers and partners with us," he added. Both Ballmer and Gates stressed that having two major client operating systems isn't necessarily a positive thing. Google maintains that its Chrome OS will be consumer-ready by the second half of 2010.
134 Comments on Gates Downplays Chrome OS
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Employees: Microsoft employees gave $87.7 million to charity last year
Not only do I think that's not charity, but they're worse off for having Windows Vista. :laugh:To what charities? In what form, hard cash or in imaginary "deferred benefits" or some other such creative accounting? Convenient that the seattletimes article link wasn't working, too.
I thought I fixed the URL...try again:
blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/techtracks/2009/02/23/microsoft_employees_gave_877_million_to_charity_la.html
The 16-page PDF can be downloaded from that URL.
I tend to agree with him. It's mostly a publicity stunt, thus the relative lack of any kind of useful details about the OS. I don't like what I've read so far about it tho. I don't think Cloud is where we need to be focusing our efforts right now. Our infrastructure in most places isn't quite up to the task, not to mention the bandwidth caps the ISP are instilling.
Once somebody kicks the ISPs in the ass and gets them to update our infrastructure, and forces them to be up front about bandwidth caps, cloud computing will be much more viable.
On other hand, if Chrome OS is just a browser for a GUI and still has all the normal functions of a computer, its success will be restricted by hardware and software support (it has to change the Linux demographic).
At the same time, I don't see how having a browser for the GUI of a computer is in any way beneficial. In fact, it is riddled with disadvantages (e.g. it takes longer to render a web page than render a window thanks to hardware acceleration/GDI+). The only advantage is users can program their GUI with relative ease (layout, design, etc.) but I doubt many users actually care for this feature.
So yeah...another wait and see. :laugh:
as to the rest yeah they all need a kick in the nuts from the govt to get them to stop overselling their networks bandwidth, then trying to move to pay scale type plans......blah.
Let me know when ChromeOS starts to utilize directX, and the .net infrastructure, then well talk about ChromeOS's chances in the real world.
Why spend more when your not planning to game or use anything that really needs windows?
I know my aunt loves her laptop with desktop bsd on it, its got apps for all her needs and runs great, and no worries about spyware/malware/viruses/exct, it also cost her a good bit less because she didnt have to pay for windows+office software,exct, she was able to just load up and do what she wanted, IF she runs into a need for windows app support she can buy crossover and have an easy solution :)
with a presetup consumer linux you DONT NEED TO KNOW HOW TO USE IT, you just use it, same as with windows, If the gui's easy to use and its got the basic apps most people need per-installed, and it runs at a decent speed, they are happy.
a few years back, i would have said your comment was true about people not knowing how to use linux, and that being an issue, but anymore, a properly setup linux distro can be just as easy to use as windows, proof of this is that my father was using a system here at the office for 2 weeks b4 he figuared out it wasnt windows!!!!(vector linux 6 using the LXDE desktop)
Moreover, there is always a per-item production cost--nothing is free (see cost over value methodologies).
and there are alot of FAR BETTER distros around that are faster and easier to use.
When i first played with linux it was 98% command line with xorg running as a gui to make you feel like you where using a modern os, since then its gotten so that the avg joe can actualy open a pre-setup system running a decent distro and just do whatever, email, download porn, facebook, twitter, myspace, exct, most people dont game, they dont do any real demanding stuff with the system, they just want to get online and surf and beable to type something up if needed(openoffice or abiword cover that nicely)
anybody who cant use a modern user friendly linux should just give up and buy a mac OR not even bother with a computer.....because i hate to tell you this but windows enlarge isnt any easier to use for those same tasks, and in some cases is more hassle due to viruses/worms/exct.
On the other hand, the majority of people have never touched a Mac or Linux. They may have used Mac a school but most of those users walk away disgusted. Anyway, there is a learning curve with switching from a platform you encountered at least once in the past to a platform that you have never seen. Is it worth $90 to skip the learning curve? Most say yes. People tend to stick to what they know as people generally don't like change.
you click openoffice and choose writer or the like and theres ur office suit.
you click media and choose a player(all well labled) and theres your media player.
most people use the system in a way that means they arent gonna be doing anything diffrent when using linux then they would if they had windows installed, try it yourself,go here
vectorlinux.com/downloads
download a version, and test it, even my father(a true moron when it comes to computers) was able to use that without any help getting started from me, hell he didnt even realise it wasnt windows till weeks after he started using it for a couple hours each day...and then he was just suprised at how easy it was when he alwase thought linux/non-windows wasnt useable by normal people.
and vectors not built to be 100% noobie friendly(its damn easy tho if u got any long term windows experiance u can use it)
the main distro(6 standard) even has an easier then windows gui based installer!!!
they also have presetup virtualbox images you can get virtualbox here
www.virtualbox.org/
its free and will let you test any os you want without needing a 2nd computer or multi boot :D
With windows, most users can tell you exactly how to do those things...
Internet: Internet Explorer
Document: what you bought (if any)
Intall Printer: Put the disk in and click "install" then "OK" a few times.
Defrag: Hard drive properties
Resolution: Display properties
etc.
People have learned these things from previous exposure to the system.
I'm 100% happy with Windows, why would I use Linux/Mac? I have no problem spending $100-150 on an OS.
office=office, again this isnt anything u need to re-learn as even my father figuared it out without help and with no prior experiance with openoffice (or any office other then ms office for that matter)
printers in vector where simple and most printers are covered by the built in print daemon, those that arent are not to likely to be in most peoples homes.
many of these people your talking about cant do what you are talking about in windows, they just use whatever the settings on the system are when they get it and are "happy"
and unlike most people, you know what an OS is and CARE, most people JUST DONT CARE, if it works for their use they are happy period.