Google announcement may be the end of Microsoft
July 8th 2009 05:05
He built Microsoft, and it was bad. Not at first, perhaps, when it was all new and exciting. But after it became big and lots and lots of people got their fingers in the pie, Microsoft became the richest purveyor of the worst rubbish in the history of retailing.
And then came no-one. IBM tried to come back, but failed. Apple kept throwing good software at Microsoft's bad, but the House that Gates built had become too big and nothing, it seemed, could bring it down.
And then came Google. At first it didn't look like a competitor. Searching the Internet quickly and efficiently has little overlap with slow operating systems and crashing software.
But Google built on its efficiency, and built some more. And it became big and rumours started to be heard that, having come to dominate just about everything else, it was planning to launch an attack on Microsoft's home turf.
What a day that would be, said the many long-suffering users of Microsoft software, particularly the specially disadvantaged who are unfortunate enough to have a personal computer with Vista on it.
Bring on the day that Google takes on Microsoft, they said!
That day is today. The New York Times has just sent out a bulletin saying, "In a direct challenge to Microsoft, Google is expected to announce on Wednesday that it is developing an operating system for a personal computer based on its Chrome browser."
What a day this is.
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Comment by Elisabeth Fraser
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Chrome will just screw the brass handles on the coffin I think.
I wonder if we'll be able to partition and add. I was about to partition for Mac and XUbuntu, but I may wait a while.
An interesting post. I enjoyed it,
Thanks
Lis
Comment by Chris Champion
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The mess with IE8 security is just so typical, but Google must have been laughing when the latest foot-in-mouth announcement was made just a day before their own announcement.
I love the image of screwing the brass handles on the coffin.
Comment by Morgan Bell
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Comment by Chris Champion
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Nup, for once Microsoft would be outmuscled. Google is now that big.
Comment by Someone
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I didn't know anyone still used IE? I thought everyone had come to their senses and switched to firefox looong ago.
Comment by Elisabeth Fraser
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Firefox is for my general use - sites, surfing and such. Opera is for my research projects.
However, if Google's Chrome comes up trumps, I may consider bundling all my sites into one - it will be easier for me.
I may still think about partitioning, purely to avoid the 'crashes' which happen once in a while.
Chris, I'm going to click you for further developments, I like what you write.
Lis.
Comment by Janet Collins
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I am sure we will all still have to wade through the crap but for the moment at least, it is probably a good thing.
By the way, I keep getting the google chrome message and haven't taken it up. Is it a good thing?
Comment by RubySoho
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Comment by Jason King
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Comment by Chris Champion
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Hi Elisabeth, thank you. I got Chrome as soon as it came out and I'm comfortable with it.
Hi Janet, absolutely right, and I think there is every likelihood that Google will play the dominance leverage game. We can only hope ethics don't go right out the window; if they do, I suppose we at least have the consolation that Google products work.
Comment by Chris Champion
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Hi Jason, here's a scenario. Imagine a primary school class in about 30 years visiting the Museum of Internet Technology, and the tour guide says, "Now boys and girls, as surprising as it may sound, the Internet was not always dominated by Google. Once upon a time there was a company called Microsoft ... "
Comment by Elisabeth Fraser
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I'm wondering how Chrome will make the transition from Windows smoothly and easily for us.
I don't relish 'Cold Turkey' for breakfast.
Comment by Jason King
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Comment by Chris Champion
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Hi Ruby, I almost didn't notice you, but then Mac users are used to that aren't they?
Comment by Wilson Pon
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Congratulation Google for moving a step forward to the internet world!
Comment by Elisabeth Fraser
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Most of us have M/Soft Windows as Factory default, how would we clear our 'root' directories.
I've had to go in to 'Reged' a few times to adjust things - and it isn't for the 'faint-hearted' in there - you muck around with the BIOS system.
I think it'll be okay for those who can play with Linux, the rest of us will be navigating various Betas for a while.
I did a Firefox Beta a couple of years ago, and sent back info, that was okay.
Comment by Chris Champion
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Hi Elisabeth, I went into the BIOS system of my PC once. I still have bad dreams about it.
Comment by Dianna G
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The next super-geek-power.
I personally want a Mac, but I'm too poor for that.
(Well, my computer is broken so blah.)
~Dianna
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Comment by Elisabeth Fraser
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