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Gates Downplays Chrome OS

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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.

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Bill Gates said:
There's many, many forms of Linux operating systems out there and packaged in different ways and booted in different ways. In some ways I am surprised people are acting like there's something new.

Indeed, but the majority of end-users have no idea what Linux is. When it comes to the masses things like brand familiarity come heavily into play. Many people don't know what the abbreviation O/S even stands for yet they've seen Google before. For the sheeple of the world it's all about hype, marketing and saturation. After that the product has to be simple and work, then everyone will jump on board. If it doesn't work people will go back to Windows whatever they were using previously.
 
Well, I actually agree with what Bill G. is saying -- Steve Ballmer, as usual, doesn't sound like he knows what he's talking about. IE's integration with the OS is a liability as far as I'm concerned.

Indeed, but the majority of end-users have no idea what Linux is. When it comes to the masses things like brand familiarity come heavily into play. Many people don't know what the abbreviation O/S even stands for yet they've seen Google before.

You have NO idea. Watch this -- it's a video Google made a while back:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3vv0_RNTM8


For the sheeple of the world it's all about hype, marketing and saturation. After that the product has to be simple and work, then everyone will jump on board. If it doesn't work people will go back to Windows whatever they were using previously.

I really don't think Google is going to compete with Windows directly. If so, it'll be one of the first mistakes they've made.
 
Well, I actually agree with what Bill G. is saying -- Steve Ballmer, as usual, doesn't sound like he knows what he's talking about. IE's integration with the OS is a liability as far as I'm concerned.



You have NO idea. Watch this -- it's a video Google made a while back:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3vv0_RNTM8




I really don't think Google is going to compete with Windows directly. If so, it'll be one of the first mistakes they've made.

Mr. Ballmer is just being the company man. I don't see Google's O/S competing either, I'm just referring to the hype.
 
It can't compete, but it will boost up Googles shares when it comes out for sure......
 
Mr. Ballmer is just being the company man. I don't see Google's O/S competing either, I'm just referring to the hype.

Now, don't get me wrong -- it's going to be competing, it's just not going to be competing directly.

For instance, you're not going to see this thing targeted towards desktops or even mainstream laptops. Hell, maybe not even netbooks.
 
so what is the target? cell phones? pocket pc's?
 
so what is the target? cell phones? pocket pc's?

Pocket PC's is pretty close -- either that or a new generation of pure-tablet PC's, like the rumored Apple Tablet or the Crunchpad or something. It has to be a market in which people don't expect Windows programs to work. (Basically, anything with a keyboard.)

cdba.jpg


I mean -- has to be, or else it's going to fail. Google seems like they know what they're doing, though.
 
It's hardly an OS lol all it's supposed to have on it is google chrome. Asus Express gate will have more functionality than this os.
 
It's hardly an OS lol all it's supposed to have on it is google chrome. Asus Express gate will have more functionality than this os.

not quite, google wants apps to beable to be run using the browser as the portal as it where, that dosnt mean that it cant have apps installed onboard, I would be willing to bet that google plans to allow/support most linux apps for example since the os will be based off a linux kernal.

as to most users not knowing what linux is, thats true, but they dont really know what windows is either, my own mother use to refer to office and windows as "windows" this isnt uncommon, most people just want it to work they really couldnt care less what OS or browser or wtfe is on the system, all they care about is that they can download porn, email, facebook, myspace, exct.
 
Gates needs to worry about his own OS...

Just today, the Autotrader rep for my dad's carlot came in and told us that Autotrader.com is backtracking... What do I mean by this? They are switching all of their computers/laptops back to XP from Vista. This isn't some article I'm reading on the internet, this is first hand real life.

What's more, this same trend is starting to become prevalent with Windows 7... Business is looking away from Microsoft's new releases.
 
Just because it uses a version of Linux kernel doesn't mean it will run apps out there....

Hackers are extremely creative. Especially when the FULL source is available.
 
Hackers are extremely creative. Especially when the FULL source is available.

OpenSolaris have a different kernel and it can still run many programs that also runs on Linux, BSD or whatever. It's things on top of the kernel that matter the most. A similar kernel doesn't magically make things work if ChromeOS greatly differs from the norm(like "a new windowing system").
 
OpenSolaris have a different kernel and it can still run many programs that also runs on Linux, BSD or whatever. It's things on top of the kernel that matter the most. A similar kernel doesn't magically make things work if ChromeOS greatly differs from the norm(like "a new windowing system").

Doesn't stop people from running Linux on Gameboys, Phones, Nintendo DS, Random Misc. Electronics, Toasters, refridgerators, cars, Xboxes, Playstations....

Since it'll be open source it'll either be easy to develop for, or google will release an SDK.

Have you ever jailbroken an iPhone, or modded an xbox?

Hackers are AMAZING. There are whole suites and repositorys dedicated to simple installation.

Use Cydia, Icy, or even Installous for iPhone. the iPhone has better package management tools than most Linux distros.

Chrome OS won't be an exception.
 
^ +1

though technically "crackers" :P, there's very little that can't be hacked software wise, and if it has a linux kernal you can bet money if google doesn't officially provide support for linux apps, which would be retarded as supporting them would further support their OS even more, that there will be something on the net to run apps on it. I mean shoot developers try to keep came encrypted to stop pirating but no success yet to stop it.
 
Doesn't stop people from running Linux on Gameboys, Phones, Nintendo DS, Random Misc. Electronics, Toasters, refridgerators, cars, Xboxes, Playstations....

Since it'll be open source it'll either be easy to develop for, or google will release an SDK.

Have you ever jailbroken an iPhone, or modded an xbox?

Hackers are AMAZING. There are whole suites and repositorys dedicated to simple installation.

Use Cydia, Icy, or even Installous for iPhone. the iPhone has better package management tools than most Linux distros.

Chrome OS won't be an exception.


What the hell are you on about? Did you even read my post?:rolleyes:
 
Doesn't stop people from running Linux on Gameboys, Phones, Nintendo DS, Random Misc. Electronics, Toasters, refridgerators, cars, Xboxes, Playstations....

Since it'll be open source it'll either be easy to develop for, or google will release an SDK.

Have you ever jailbroken an iPhone, or modded an xbox?

Hackers are AMAZING. There are whole suites and repositorys dedicated to simple installation.

Use Cydia, Icy, or even Installous for iPhone. the iPhone has better package management tools than most Linux distros.

Chrome OS won't be an exception.

I highely disagree package managment on linux OS's depending on what your using may suck but on better or more worked on distrobutions package managment is incredably easy and imo exactly the same as the iphone package managment system..the UI is pretty much the same some pretty effects but at the end of the day their is still a list of repositories you may need to edit...for linux maybe to get better apps same for iphone youve used Ultrasn0w im sure so you get it...but at the end of everything its a list of repo's and a big list of


games
educational
multimedia
video
music
etc...

just because the iphone and OSX dont really show you a cmd prompt or a scrolling list of what is happening (think cydia install screen) and instead using pretty loading bars and blinking icons doesnt mean its that much diffirent than linux mac products are closer to their linux cousins than windows is.
 
if this chrome OS is free.. wouldn't that be a good thing for people who use computers in developing countries and can't afford windows?
 
I use linux (slax) but i wonder why people think its gonna be different from any other linux distro.
 
if this chrome OS is free.. wouldn't that be a good thing for people who use computers in developing countries and can't afford windows?

Computers and developing, I find that rather conflicting in the first place. Often they are in need of clean water and food instead of computers. Other than that Microsoft pumps quite some money in such areas themselves. Besides, they'd require decent internet connections to use applications, I think that if they want a free OS they should go for Linux.
 
Computers and developing, I find that rather conflicting in the first place. Often they are in need of clean water and food instead of computers. Other than that Microsoft pumps quite some money in such areas themselves. Besides, they'd require decent internet connections to use applications, I think that if they want a free OS they should go for Linux.

aye.. aye.. good point
 
if this chrome OS is free.. wouldn't that be a good thing for people who use computers in developing countries and can't afford windows?

Computers and developing, I find that rather conflicting in the first place. Often they are in need of clean water and food instead of computers. Other than that Microsoft pumps quite some money in such areas themselves. Besides, they'd require decent internet connections to use applications, I think that if they want a free OS they should go for Linux.

I do know that Microsoft loves to give away tons of free copies of Windows in these countries and then claim it back as "charity" -- funny, since it's hardly costing them anything...
 
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