Who thinks Google will eventually come out with a OS?

I know they have Android coming out on mobile devices, but who thinks they will eventually make a OS for computers? If so, Open Source or Closed Source?

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Permalink Reply by Daniel Vining on September 5, 2008 at 2:31pm: Not only do I envision a Google OS, I can see the day when Google releases desktops and laptops. It's only a matter of time. Google is so much more than a search engine now, and has grown to the point of almost impirial (spell?) rule over the web-based app market. Can you imagine a Google PC?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Brendan Mclaughlin on September 15, 2008 at 8:18am: I could see this happening, i can't see why it wouldn't, they are starting to have various desktop apps that would just come defualt.
I keep thinking google will take over the world, bringing out something for everything, Chrome for example, they are in a partnership with firfox, yet they brought out their own browser, despite this, i still love chrome, has a bit of work before i think about fully replacing firefox with it but aye.
I reckon if they bring an OS out, it will be amazing, they seem to know how to make things work well, can't argue with that really.
To answer the other question, Open source i reckon. They seem to be putting a big hand in open source stuff so my thoughts would be an open source os.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by iPhone on September 30, 2008 at 9:49am: definitely. open source.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Liyan on October 10, 2008 at 2:34pm: I so see this happening! Just imagine the boot screen! Google OS 1. That would just be pure sweetness!
Open Source too! That......... Would - Just - be awsome!!!!!!!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by defaultguy on October 11, 2008 at 7:34am: Don't forget, Chrome is Google's first attempt at a mainstream OS. Half of what people do (if not all of it) on computers today can be done inside a browser. Google docs? Embedded players? Like a zillion plug-ins for your browser? An internet enabled BIOS? (from asus) It all points to the browser being the most important OS one can have.

Think about it. Today, once your connected to Google, your connected to everything. It barely matters what OS you use. Tomorrow once your connected to Google, you will have full apps running independent of the OS and what OS your using simply will not matter outside managing hardware.

Don't get me wrong, Google will release its full blown hardware managing OS later on, but by that point Chrome will have taken the role of managing nearly if not all user applications. Open source all the way. Inconceivable that Google wouldn't release the source code for their OS. Chrome is open source. ~desu; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by kylemcintosh on October 11, 2008 at 10:10am: I think that Android shows that Google is going to attempt an OS, they are just starting off small.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Karsten on October 13, 2008 at 10:53am: I wouldnt be surpriced if they do.

I think or hope that if they do it will be open source as it is the "google spirit"; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Netvalar on October 16, 2008 at 7:15am: If Google did come out with a OS I think it would basically be a computer start up and go direct to browser.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Tony on October 16, 2008 at 9:14am: If they ever do, I'm sure it would be a linux distribution with their own software, themes, etc.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by randy_nacol2002 on October 20, 2008 at 2:30am: Google with their marketing an OS is the next Evolution for them. If it comes out like Chrome it will surpass Microsoft Windows and we can put them in their place. Microsoft and OS X has the market. Linux is a great system and in the future will be even stronger. But Google will be the first online OS.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Marc Solomon on October 22, 2008 at 11:53am: Would you consider Google Android an OS? According to their own hype Android is a software stack for mobile devices that includes an operating syst.... Sounds like just what you would expect from a company releasing an OS, no? Oh, and it is open source.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Flimmer Skjerm on October 25, 2008 at 6:23pm: Google OS is not a new concept. There exists already a number of virtual OS you already can use - youos.com probably is probably among the more wellknown of these. Truth to be told, I do not really think the next step being an OS in the normal sense of the word - but more like a cloud based service of some kind. Most likely it will be just one of many virtual computers you can access over the net.

Having said this, I agree that some of the efforts Google has put into Android can be seen as a kind of OS. It certainly serves the same purpose, and who cares if Android really is just an application stack. My own very personal guess is that if we ever will see a true Google OS, then it will be a service that is modelled on top of something similar to Android - but there are a number of reasons against such an effort. Not at least the number of programs that already exists for the different platforms and architectures.

It would make more sense for Google to instead include their own virtual machine as a service or widget in Android where it would be possible to run Windows, Mac and GNU/Linux/Unix applications instead. This is the approach both Microsoft and Apple have used lately, and I think they may be onto something there.; ▶ Reply to This