Google challenging Microsoft in the OS market

[Toby]

Google may want to believe they're going after Microsoft, but in reality they're only going to be taking market share from the other non-Windows OS's.

The only way it will take any significant market share from Windows is if it will run all Windows software right out of the box without the user needing to do anything extra.

I've been looking at netbooks, as a replacement for my aging and heavy laptop. The low cost is attractive, since I only use it when I travel, but I need to be able to run some of the same Windows apps that I use on my home desktop. A non-Windows OS isn't an option in that situation.

[Hell Puppy]

Originally Posted by Toby

Google may want to believe they're going after Microsoft, but in reality they're only going to be taking market share from the other non-Windows OS's.

The only way it will take any significant market share from Windows is if it will run all Windows software right out of the box without the user needing to do anything extra.

I've been looking at netbooks, as a replacement for my aging and heavy laptop. The low cost is attractive, since I only use it when I travel, but I need to be able to run some of the same Windows apps that I use on my home desktop. A non-Windows OS isn't an option in that situation.

Google's view of the future is that the desktop is irrelevent.

Everything is stored and run on the net or at worst via a thin client.

I could write several pages about this. And although I'm not entirely convinced there's no need for local applications for MOST people, I will say looking at my own usage I have fewer and fewer apps that I rely on running locally.

Email? Cant remember last time I fired up Eudora or Thunderbird. I use Gmail for everything.

Office? I use Google Docs. Haven't even loaded it on my most recent notebook that I've had for about 9 months now.

Anything that's databased is now an online app of some sort for me.

Simple photo management and storage? Again, lots of online tools. Only for heavy work do I go to Photoshop.

Really, video and design work are the only things that I cant easily do online. Those will probably stay that way. Though I could see a cloud type setup being used for rendering.