[jarcoal]

Think we'll ever see one?
Lots of cool things google could do with an operating system.

[ReggieX]

Originally Posted by jarcoal

Think we'll ever see one?

No.

[nredman]

No.

[SirCastor]

Why would anyone try to enter the OS market? Would you start with an existing base? Or try something brand new? And how would you convince software makers to code for yet another OS?

I'd have to say that Google couldn't do anything with an OS that MS or Apple isn't already doing or trying to do. (Maybe Sun too.)

[rickey939]

The opposite of yes.

[production_coordinator]

Originally Posted by SirCastor

Why would anyone try to enter the OS market? Would you start with an existing base? Or try something brand new? And how would you convince software makers to code for yet another OS?

I'd have to say that Google couldn't do anything with an OS that MS or Apple isn't already doing or trying to do. (Maybe Sun too.)

I agree unless they branded a version of Linux...

[Kerrigan]

I think Google's business tactics involve circumventing the OS, ie, creating web applications that do everything traditional applications do, but without the need to install them on your computer and run them on an operating system.

[MM-o4]

make more sense for them to bring out their own browser.

MM

[driven]

.... which is why they are such a big threat to Microsoft. They render the OS irrelivant.

[Millennium]

Technically there is a Google OS already: it's the custom-built stuff they use to power their servers. I don't think they have any intention of offering it for sale or download or otherwise outside the company, though.

[BasketofPuppies]

This thread reminds me of the Apple + Nintendo thread.

[Fred_Cokebottle]

This thread reminds me of lunch.

[besson3c]

At this point there is simply no point in competing with free, especially considering how Linux is on the up and up...

[Kerrigan]

What interests me about Google is that, since they have come along, interest in operating systems has really dimished as far as I can tell. People used to argue all the time on this forum about Windows & Linux & Mac, and which was best. Now it seems that the only app people use is their web browser, and the OS itself is irrelevant.

I consider myself a fairly capable computer user and yet I rarely ever use any apps beside Firefox and iTunes. I never mess around with the OS anymore, because everything I need to do to organize my life and find information can be done online.

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by Kerrigan

What interests me about Google is that, since they have come along, interest in operating systems has really dimished as far as I can tell. People used to argue all the time on this forum about Windows & Linux & Mac, and which was best. Now it seems that the only app people use is their web browser, and the OS itself is irrelevant.

I consider myself a fairly capable computer user and yet I rarely ever use any apps beside Firefox and iTunes. I never mess around with the OS anymore, because everything I need to do to organize my life and find information can be done online.

I think this is exactly why Microsoft Office will become more irrelevant, and why OpenOffice will become more and more viable with the room that is left for local/client office software.

However, while a lot of things can benefit from being migrated to the web, there is still use for some local applications.

[brapper]

Originally Posted by rickey939

The opposite of yes.

wait, I'm confused.

And no, I don't think it's about the OS anymore, it's about services on the web. And they're clearly focused on that.

[paul w]

Nintendo OS, that'd be awexome!!!

[driven]

Originally Posted by Kerrigan

What interests me about Google is that, since they have come along, interest in operating systems has really dimished as far as I can tell. People used to argue all the time on this forum about Windows & Linux & Mac, and which was best. Now it seems that the only app people use is their web browser, and the OS itself is irrelevant.

I consider myself a fairly capable computer user and yet I rarely ever use any apps beside Firefox and iTunes. I never mess around with the OS anymore, because everything I need to do to organize my life and find information can be done online.

I find that my appreciation for local applications increases more and more each time I don't have an internet connecton. (Such as when I'm sitting on an airplane <-- Where I spend about 60-80 hours per year.)

[DarwinX]

Originally Posted by BasketofPuppies

This thread reminds me of the Apple + Nintendo thread.

Oh man that was great. Nice memory! haha

[jarcoal]

you guys don't think that an OS that is built around search and smart folders wouldn't be kinda cool? imagine a smart folder that always contains the search results of a set query. or an rss feed contained in a folder. as some of you said, the browser is replacing the OS, but a browser is not nearly as user friendly as an OS, which makes me think that the OS won't move towards the browser, but vice versa.

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by jarcoal

you guys don't think that an OS that is built around search and smart folders wouldn't be kinda cool? imagine a smart folder that always contains the search results of a set query. or an rss feed contained in a folder. as some of you said, the browser is replacing the OS, but a browser is not nearly as user friendly as an OS, which makes me think that the OS won't move towards the browser, but vice versa.

What business incentive does Google have to put in the absolutely exhaustive effort it would require to come up with a new operating system?

I don't think you have a strong idea what goes into an operating system. A few interesting user features alone are probably not enough to inspire this effort.

[loki74]

for MOST people its about services and the web. I for one, am HIGHLY concerned with the OS, and how stable it is.

But I would most certainly not mind seeing an OS from Google, especially if it was specialized for servers. I highly doubt it will happen. But it would be cool.

[JoshuaZ]

Ha.... a Google OS....

Maybe it would have a good search function though.

[jarcoal]

i think i have a fairly good idea of what goes into OS's. i don't think google has any problem finding the people for the job.

i just think that a near completely online operating system would be pretty damn sweet.

[jarcoal]

"What business incentive does Google have to put in the absolutely exhaustive effort it would require to come up with a new operating system?"

i don't wanna have to quote john dvorak, but "a business plan will immerge"

[Kerrigan]

Despite what I said earlier about people not caring much about the OS, I still think it's possible Google may introduce some new type of OS.

There may be a lot of buzz around OSes next year during the Vista release, and who knows, Google may want a piece of it.

[::maroma::]

An operating system is the most complicated piece of software ever conceived. Its never been done right (without big problems). There are 3 big players in the OS market who've been playing for many many many years. Google can indeed attract talent, but the economic factors would keep them away from a project like this. Google has their hands in a ton of stuff right now, and taking on the creation of a new OS would just drain their resources resulting in lesser quality products.

This will never happen. Now, a partnership might be more feasible. If Google teamed up with, say Apple, then we might see some seriously revolutionary code.

[gururafiki]

Originally Posted by ::maroma::

An operating system is the most complicated piece of software ever conceived. Its never been done right (without big problems). There are 3 big players in the OS market who've been playing for many many many years. Google can indeed attract talent, but the economic factors would keep them away from a project like this. Google has their hands in a ton of stuff right now, and taking on the creation of a new OS would just drain their resources resulting in lesser quality products.

This will never happen. Now, a partnership might be more feasible. If Google teamed up with, say Apple, then we might see some seriously revolutionary code.

Agreed. Google is seems to be focusing more on information retrieval more than anything, and an OS would push Google in a whole new direction. Plus, I don't think Google could take on Microsoft, Apple, and Linux and succeed much...if at all.

[nonhuman]

An OS? Probably not.

A filesystem? Much more likely.

[drmcnutt]

Originally Posted by jarcoal

i think i have a fairly good idea of what goes into OS's. i don't think google has any problem finding the people for the job.

i just think that a near completely online operating system would be pretty damn sweet.

Completely online operating system?

I guess that's wonderful if you NEVER lose your connection. Even if you are online 99.9 percent of the time that small percentage will be time you can't use your system for productivity. That doesn't make sense to use something (or pay for something) you can't use due to outside interference (loss of internet access).

[Moderator]

Originally Posted by drmcnutt

Completely online operating system?

I guess that's wonderful if you NEVER lose your connection. Even if you are online 99.9 percent of the time that small percentage will be time you can't use your system for productivity. That doesn't make sense to use something (or pay for something) you can't use due to outside interference (loss of internet access).

The idea of "losing" an internet connection will sound quaint in a few years.

[Insurgent]

Might be cool if it runs on top of the OS (OS X, Windows, Linex, etc), and ties all its services together in a seamless way and with the OS.

[driven]

Originally Posted by Insurgent

Might be cool if it runs on top of the OS (OS X, Windows, Linex, etc), and ties all its services together in a seamless way and with the OS.

Would it really be an OS then, or an application framework?

[nonhuman]

Originally Posted by Moderator

The idea of "losing" an internet connection will sound quaint in a few years.

Not really. Even fiber lines go down occasionally. Power outages, fires, natural disasters happen. Redundancies fail, solar flares interfere with radio communications, basically there is no such thing as perfect reliability.

[ReggieX]

Originally Posted by Kerrigan

What interests me about Google is that, since they have come along, interest in operating systems has really dimished as far as I can tell. People used to argue all the time on this forum about Windows & Linux & Mac, and which was best. Now it seems that the only app people use is their web browser, and the OS itself is irrelevant.

I couldn't disagree more. There is only so much one can do in a web browser.

[drmcnutt]

Originally Posted by Moderator

The idea of "losing" an internet connection will sound quaint in a few years.

I'm still waiting for a crashless computer.

I disagree even "always on" connections lose connections from time to time. If you had to rely on something as vital as your OS imagine you couldn't do anything with your computer if say your router conks out or the weather is bad and your internet providers service is down. Plus being required to connect to the internet sounds like another way hackers could exploit you considering it will never be a closed system.

Imagine something like Katrina happens and you can't even boot your operating system to check your contacts for a phone number on your battery operated laptop. Even if it was free do you think people will want to be part-time users of their computer?

[drmcnutt]

Originally Posted by Moderator

The idea of "losing" an internet connection will sound quaint in a few years.

I'm still waiting for a crashless computer.

I disagree even "always on" connections lose connections from time to time. If you had to rely on something as vital as your OS imagine you couldn't do anything with your computer if say your router conks out or the weather is bad and your internet providers service is down. Plus being required to connect to the internet sounds like another way hackers could exploit you considering it will never be a closed system.

Imagine something like Katrina happens and you can't even boot your operating system to check your contacts for a phone number on your battery operated laptop. Even if it was free do you think people will want to be part-time users of their computer?

[drmcnutt]

<Double post due to non responsive browser how appropriate.>