Comments on: For Microsoft and Google, Battleground Shifts to Web-Based Operating Systems

By: Eric Hawthorne

Eric Hawthorne — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 19:23:30 +0000

The significance of netbooks is the percentage of your waking life that you have them with you and ready to surf net.

For me:
iPhone: 95% (but incomplete web and app functionality)

Netbook: 75% (ok but not stellar web and app functionality) (if I had one).

Laptop: 20% (great web and app functionality)

Sweet spot is a thinner, lighter smaller netbook that somehow opens up to a bigger screen and full keyboard, so that the numbers start to look like:
UltraNetbook: 90% (great web and app functionality)

By: Inflecto Systems (Web Based Software)

Inflecto Systems (Web Based Software) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 15:11:15 +0000

I think net books definitely have there purpose especially in a world where more and more software is behind delivered using a SaaS model. I’m not surprised that Google are getting in on the action and am sure they will do a very good job. It will be interesting to see if we get any products from Microsoft or perhaps more interestingly from Apple to compete in this area.

For me the problem with netbooks is the screen size. I would like to see a slightly larger screen but in a package that is still much lighter than my laptop and doesn’t burn me when I try to use it on my lap!

By: Daniel

Daniel — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:07:10 +0000

Arguably Microsoft’s largest advantage is that their software is bundled with virtually every PC that’s sold. Most casual users don’t care too much about what OS. More advanced users are very particular about their OS because they’re used to a specific framework. So I don’t see the Chrome OS wiping anything out.

Some offline programs should work, since it’s built around Linux.

On the other hand, netbooks being virtually useless at the moment (how much convenience does the smaller size offer really, considering the functionality of a laptop?), I think this OS has some promise for netbook users (which is still a tiny percentage of overall computer users).

You can also see the more mainstream response at http://www.newsy.com/videos/google_gears_up_for_os, which seems to mostly agree with your response, Krishna.

By: Krishna Santani

Krishna Santani — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 20:31:09 +0000

Its groundbreaking idea from Google web OS and they are planning to wipe out Windows in a most strategic manner. Google clearly pointing to Microsoft when they say “The operating systems that browsers run were designed in an era where there was no web”. But there are few questions which are unanswered like what will happen when we will go offline in Chrome OS? Can we use offline applications like iTunes or Photoshop? Can we run third party applications? How they are going to make profit from it ? I am also bit concerned whether Chrome OS will be embraced by enterprises as it is open source and web based as there is always a security issue….Just wait another thought can Chrome OS will become a global hit especially in small countries where internet is very fickle. But leaving these things aside its going to be win-win situation for the users and it will be interesting to witness the war between giants.