[olug] Google's Secret OS

[T. J. Brumfield]

BTW: I tried sending this the other day, and it bounced.  In fact, I
sent two message to olug and they both bounced.

I presume many here read linuxtoday.com and already saw this article:

http://www.internetnews.com/software/article.php/3788821/Does+Google+Have+a+Secret+OS.htm

I'm sending out an email not to bring attention to the article, but
rather provoke discussion on it.

Google denied making a browser while secretly developing one for
years.  Google denied jumping in the cell phone pool while secretly
working on it.  Is it possible Google is developing a new OS?

Mom and Pop, Inc. could never launch a new OS and hope to attract
developers or apps to compete with Microsoft.  They couldn't get OEM
deals to preinstall their OS.  And Google isn't stupid enough to
create a brand new OS with no apps and start from scratch.  You can do
that in the cell phone market and compete with another new platform
like the iPhone, but they can't try to fight Windows without an
existing bevy of apps.

It only makes sense that anything they might push or develop would be
Linux based, and they can tout the large collection of mature Linux
apps for a full platform.  Why would Google bother pushing Linux?  Why
get in the battle in the first place?  Well, I don't think they want
to be Red Hat or Novell.  They won't try to sell the OS (or support
for it).  Google will invent a new business model and a new platform.
Why should a company switch to Linux when they're scared and they want
to trust a large company like Dell or Microsoft that reassures them?
Google branding will be a part of it, as will cost savings.

Imagine Google offering the OS for free, AND support for free.  No ads
in your OS either.  The OS however will pre-bundle Google Gears, and
work as a stepping stone for selling cloud services.  The big scary
aspect of running your business on the cloud is what happens if you
lose your net connection.  What if you have a live backup at your shop
running Google/Linux OS with Google Gears from your shop?

Thoughts?

-- T. J.
"In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of
people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move."
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"Nihilism makes me smile."
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