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Although he has been a major critic of Google, Dave W has come up with some fairly credible info from time to time. The following is given without source, but if true (big IF - but we do know Dave has friends in low places...eg: Redmond), then we have some more evidence that Google is not messing around with a wimpy browser, but going for a bite, but it is going for the whole system:
Okay, we don't know for a fact that Google is working on an operating system, but the tea leaves are pretty damned clear. Why else would they have hired Microsoft's operating system architect, Mark Lucovsky [answers.com]? Surely not to write a spreadsheet or word processor.
Amongst his contributions to Windows NT, was an eighty-page manual he wrote with Steve Wood defining the Windows APIs that should be available to software developers working on the Windows NT platform. He also managed check-ins to the Windows NT source code, tracking each check-in and discussing it with the developer before allowing it to be committed.
[conferences.oreillynet.com...]
Mark Lucovsky
Mark is the Chief Software Architect for .NET My Services. He joined Microsoft in 1988 with Dave Cutler and others to form the Windows NT group. From 11/1988 - 7/2000, Mark was a Lead Architect and Developer designing and building the Windows NT executive, kernel, win32 runtime, and several other key areas of the system. In July 2000, Mark was asked to focus on .NET and design a programming model and architecture for a coherent set .NET Services. The result of this work is the project code-named "HailStorm", and now known as .NET My Services. Mark was recently named a Microsoft Distinguished Engineer in recognition of his contributions to Microsoft.
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Eweek Confirms Hiring:
[eweek.com...]
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"Linux is just now hitting consumer useable after more than 10 years"
In other words, Linux is just now starting to be a useable OS for some average users. Not all though, it's still more in the realm of power user, which is a good thing as far as I'm concerned.
I use Linux, don't get me wrong, if you start venting you'll be venting at the wrong person. I've seen the belly of the MS beast firsthand, I know how it works. But when it comes to consumer apps, GNU / Linux has some problems. When it comes to modems, and this is not Linux's fault, it's those damned winmodems, there are problems, wifi, some problems sometimes. But when I look at what I have to do day to day to solve problems, in most cases I couldn't justify getting non geeks to switch yet. Soon, not yet. Unless all they are going to do is surf, email, make office stuff.
It's just a matter of time though, things are moving very fast. KDE, my fave, needs to cut down on its menus a lot, way too confusing for average users, Gnome is what it is, you like it or you don't, I don't.
But those switchable workspaces, what can you say as you scroll through them with a mousewheel or ctrl+tab.
And then apt-get, makes Windows look down right pathetic, no doubt. Not to mention watching Linux chug away at huge problems without having much affect on the rest of your work, the kernel is solid. Try that on windows, set it to 100% processor useage task then try working at something else in the meantime...
Given the development times though of any of the major desktops out there, there's no way any company is going to start from scratch, so Google at best, if the idea that they are making a consumer OS is true, which I seriously doubt, would make a google distro. But there would be no reason for this, it would just be a headache and resource drain on them. They aren't stupid, they haven't made a major mistake yet, but if you start adding up the pieces of their recent cherry picking hires, the picture is definitely interesting.
Maybe interesting enough to distract MS from its anti freesoftware crusade?
Absinthe is the actual jewel, so is Absinthe, and the junk they are trying to sell and DO sell is M$ products.
So people when do get their hands on actual Absinthe they say is too hard, too "sophisticated"
I'll assume you get my point :)
It's good I didnt start venting since I do see I would be venting at a wrong person. Since we both stand at a pretty much same place, I'll go back to the topic.
And I'll use this opportunity to say that M$ users should try using Xandros distro, since it's way easy to use and it can also run some programs that are used on win platforms.
Back to the topic, yes this whole thing is simply ridiclious, of course Google wont spend their time and money making a Google OS. They should definetely stick to web search, well web in particular. They went far enough with Desktop Search which I didnt like one bit, and unninstall it after single query.
They are getting deconcentrated, so we might wintness their first big mistake. All I'm saying Google websearch isnt the way it used to be, back few years ago, it was an experience to use their websearch, and "competitors" search engines were an adventure.
Most of them are as equal as Google nowdays. To pack up, making Google OS could mean Google's end.
Maybe interesting enough to distract MS from its anti freesoftware crusade?
Heh, M$ and their crusades :rolleyes:
Can't say that was my reaction, it was more like, I'll take some more, luckily it was available from the corner liquor store for about $10 a bottle, not in the US obviously.
Great analogy though, spot on, first time I saw a real *nix guy at work I realized how much of the MS hype I'd fallen for. Mepis too might work well for Window's users, plus it has that great connection to the debian apt repositories.
But back to the more important matters: absinthe... it's been too long... shakes head, get back on topic, ok...
The recent google hires are interesting, browser expert, api expert, can't remember the other big MS guy they hired, does sort of suggest something though, like a bigger and better portal maybe? Google knows, or should know, that search can only take them so far, which is about as far as they are now. And that market share isn't guaranteed, although Yahoo certainly isn't putting much into their search, and MSN, well, why MS insists on releasing not ready for market beta products all the time, MSN isn't going to do much for a while, hard to say how long, but if it does, that's fewer eyeballs on google daily. Desktop search is a stupid idea, went over like a lead balloon in the security / corporate sector, never installed it, never considered it.
The recent google hires are interesting, browser expert, api expert, can't remember the other big MS guy they hired, does sort of suggest something though, like a bigger and better portal maybe?
Excatly! I can see it right now, Google just like Yahoo. Dont get my wrong, Gmail should get out of the beta testing any day now. Dont you think they are going to put "email" button on the main page? Cant you simply see it? Google logo, or something like it.
Since I dont think Google is going to put it just as they implemented AdSense/AdWords (Avertising Programs)
However it's their design that makes them different from the rest, something they didnt change much since 98, [web.archive.org...] remember? (Goole Nov11, 98)
Anyways if they go and make it bigger, I would like to see two versions of the site. The way it is now, and in "Yahoo" style or whatever style.
About the browser expert, this is not that mysterious. Why? Well the way I see it, Gmail! Why does Gmail constantly keeps on ditching Opera!? Frankly it pisses me off, more then 50% of Opera users are advanced users or people who are directly in IT bussines.
I simply do not understand this, 8beta1 worked just fine with Gmail it displayed it as just every "regular" browser. After Gmail released new features (html version) it would suddenly criple Gmail display with Opera. Same thing with 8beta 2, but if you access Gmail via [gmail.google.com...] everything will be displayed properly! Why do they keep doing this? And then people go off like mad dogs saying that Opera sux and it cant display sites right. It makes me mad since my default browser is Opera, I dont even have IE installed on my machine. If everything's working fine why do you keep cripling it?
Same thing happened with MSN who was cripling Opera users viewing MSN pages on purpose of course. But MSN had a reason, Firefox wasnt what it is today, and MSN was concerned that no of visitors viewing MSN pages with Opera is increasing! Isnt this cheap or what? In the end they got sued, and Opera won the law suit.
I just dont get it why would Google team do this? Cant figure it out.
And API fella, well I guess he's needed for Desktop Search. Mystery solved! :D
Google is a public company, Could anyone really imagine them loosing focus to this extent.. I mean an OS is not the same as developing a toolbar :) they get someone from Redmond , who knows the win32 API inside and out, thats what there after here. Not only that, but Im sure they hire a skill set, not just *A* person for specific tasks.
I coud imagine this guys first day at work. Ok Bob .. heres your cubicle; Now make us a better version of windows, but call it Gos pronounced "Geo's" the snack machine is around the corner and were having a picnic in an hour.
