A subject that always interests me...
Google are to release a new operating system called Chrome, which is lined up to take on Microsoft Windows as direct competition. Already announced are a wealth of amazing security features, great usability, and (out of nowhere) a whole list of third party hardware support.
Many of you know that I'm a resolute Microsoft hater and this is very welcome news. Apart from Apple and a few Linux users hovering on the fringes, Microsoft has never had any real competition to speak of in the PC world. Apple doesn't count, as the Mac OS only works on the Mac, so in truth it's been Microsoft vs. Linux. Zero competition in other words.
I believe that Google have been developing their Chrome for quite some time now, and if you ask me they've waited for the right moment to pounce. I believe that moment is Windows 7. Not even on public release yet, Windows 7 is already being slammed as a cheap con re-release of Vista with the bugs fixed. Sound familiar? Yep, the previous 6 versions of Windows are just big bug fixes.
It's always been a pretty interesting battle between Google and Microsoft. Their fight to dominate search technology has always been bloody and bitter, but as we all know Google have it in the bag. Can they do the same with their new operating system? Can this be game over for Windows? Will the landscape change from "Mac or Windows" to "Mac or Chrome"?
The prospect of Google dominating the OS market does bother me though. They already dominate the online world with their search engine, and if they dominate the desktop as well then they could potentially be bigger and worse than Microsoft. I get the sense that you will be hooked into Google servers all the time, even when you're typing a simple letter, with keyword activated ads popping up to bother you. I predict big spyware problems and dodgy privacy terms. Google are well known for being the biggest harvester of data and having utter disrespect for our privacy. We'll all have to get into G-Mail, Google search will be built-in limiting our choices, and all of our online (and indeed offline) activity will be logged, stored, and processed for advertiser's benefits.
So, while it is very welcome news that Windows finally has real competition - serious enough to blow a hole in its hull - I do sense it is a case of "out of the frying pan into the fire". I won't be leaving Mac for a while. I'll be watching with interest...
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
interesting stuff there rick, a lot of the technical stuff goes over my head, however you seem to be saying that whoever wins will have control over a lot of personal information.
the impression that i have got over the last 5 or so years is that microsoft have fallen badly behind, failed to innovate and have used various methods to retain power.
you appear to be saying that google, whilst being more "on the ball", are likely to abuse their new powers.
this is a big worry, many people are concerned about this new "google earth" thing.
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,698
MS has competition from a number of areas and I think you do the various consumer Linux distros a disservice as well as understating the growth of Macs.
Yes MS is still the dominant force but that is constantly being chipped away at by the likes of Ubuntu, Suse, Mandrake, Red Hat, Mac and now Google.
I do however share your concerns over the Google
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Guest 686- Registered: 5 May 2009
- Posts: 556
I heartily agree Rick's sentiments about Google becoming as bad, or worse, than Microsoft when it comes to illicit data collection. However, I feel that we're going to be stuck with MS for quite a while yet because they have such a hold on the market. Neither business nor personal computer users will want, or be able, to make such a drastic change. And it would be a drastic change because it is not only the OS that would have to go. As far as I know it is virtually impossible to run other MS products on a non-MS operating system. There is also a great deal of mainstream non-MS software that wouldn't work either.
I quite like the idea of going over to Linux in one form or another. It's usually blindingly fast, requires far less space to work in, uses fewer machine resources and best of all it's free!
So has anyone got any recommendations for a good Linux distro that I can duel-boot on a Vista machine?
Phil West
If at first you don't succeed, use a BIGGER hammer!!
Ross Miller- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,698
Phil try either Ubuntu or Mandriva one
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Guest 671- Registered: 4 May 2008
- Posts: 2,095
Rick,
I am confused with your thread, you obviously hate MS, I get that, but you state
you are happy that Google is having a crack at MS "serious enough to blow a hole in its hull" but then go on to state you fear Google will end up worse than MS. So why welcome it?
Google is by far the best SE around and in my opining that's what they should stick to. As Ross as stated, there are several other O/S options out there, nipping at MS's heels, giving the public other choice's. Just because Google are a good search engine does not mean they will produce a better O/S. In my opinion that is.
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"
Guest 668- Registered: 13 Apr 2008
- Posts: 91
Google already have a good O/S out, it's called Android. Their new O/S will be browser based, with the applications probably being hosted on thier servers. Not only will they have a copy of every web page on the internet, BUT they'll have your data stored locally.
Ubuntu is the best linux based distro floating around, schools are picking it up as are businesses.
Guest 668- Registered: 13 Apr 2008
- Posts: 91
Guest 686- Registered: 5 May 2009
- Posts: 556
As per several suggestions I have been trying Ubuntu (Version 9.04) and it appears to be fairly stable. It was even a doddle to set it up to dual-boot with Vista! More to the point, perhaps, it was also fairly easy to uninstall. The only real problem I had was persuading Ubuntu to configure two displays! While I did get it working after a fashion it wouldn't let me set each screen resolution quite as high as I am used to - probably a driver problem. I'm not entirely sure it liked my quad-core processor either!
One of the best things about it, though, is that you can actually test it out without installing it as the distro is a Live-CD; in other words you can boot into Linux from the CD and play with it that way.
Right now I could not go over to Ubuntu full time as there are too many things that I couldn't do with it, at least not without taking a lot of time over it; time that I don't have at the moment. There are several software packages I use that do not have an equivelent for Linux - a specific accounting package for example.
Still, I would recommend giving it a look if you have the time.
Phil West
If at first you don't succeed, use a BIGGER hammer!!
...or Apple Mac! Highly recommended too!!!
