Are you ready for Google operating system?

The ubiquitus Google that we are so used to seeing in our daily lives has decided to come out with yet another product that will see it making deeper inroads into the lives of digital netizens. Google, for now has decided to come out with an operating system for the netbooks named chrome OS after its 30 million strong chrome browser. Google says that the OS is an extension of its browser. Also note that netbooks are being sold like hot cakes even in this time of recession and many feel that netbooks are the future.

Google has already developed an open-source operating system called Android that is used in mobile phones. It is too early to say anything about the software at this moment but it is being looked as a major alternative.

Chrome OS fits Google’s Internet-centric vision of computing. Google believes that software delivered over the Web will play an increasingly central role, replacing software programs that run on the desktop. In that world, applications run directly inside an Internet browser, rather than atop an operating system, the standard software that controls most of the operations of a PC. The world will belong to clud computing according to some.

Here's an entry from official google blog:
" Speed, simplicity and security are the key aspects of Google Chrome OS. We're designing the OS to be fast and lightweight, to start up and get you onto the web in a few seconds. The user interface is minimal to stay out of your way, and most of the user experience takes place on the web. And as we did for the Google Chrome browser, we are going back to the basics and completely redesigning the underlying security architecture of the OS so that users don't have to deal with viruses, malware and security updates."

All this is indeed a bad news for Microsoft. Microsoft's vista has been found wanting in netbooks, instead it prefers heavier systems to run. Intel is also said to be developing a linux based operating system named Moblin. And with chrome OS on anvil, things may start getting tougher for Microsoft.

I for even one moment do not doubt that microsoft will continue playing its role as the leading software manufacturer in the decades to come. Though it may goof up in identifying new markets ( a feat that should come naturally to them) like they did in the case of online search and netbooks, though it may not be very nimble on its feet, but it means business when it gets down to do anything. Hotmail and the new search engine Bing being a case in point. It is still being shiped in 90% of the computers being sold today. So in any case Microsoft is not going to go away rather we will see the market being fragmented into few other categories. Google will create its own market from the tech savvy geeks but it will find the road getting tougher. It should be like the search engine case in reverse with microsoft being the major player commanding a majority share and the rest of the spoils divided into the other contenders including google.

I base my fact on the simple assumption that whole world isn't going on the net anytime soon. Cloud computing may well be the future but it is not the present. The enablers & infrastructure are not in place. 2/3 rd of the world population can still be classified as living below digital line and this ain't gonna change anytime soon. Plus the future will see competition from palmtops with 3G technology playing a major role.( As one can proceed to the latest in technology without going thru the intermediate steps thereby saving some currency and time for the country).WE may very well live on the mobile world and have Android as our OS.

But till then microsoft would do!