I have a theory. Imagine a Google Operating System -
GoogleOS.
I don't think anyone is going to release an OS that runs on an end user computer that will take the place of Windows anytime soon. Even given all of the criticism surrounding Windows Vista, and Microsoft's recent decision to extend the availability of Windows
XP - realistically I do not see
Ubuntu,
Novell Desktop, or even Mac making a huge dent in the market share of Microsoft's Giant, Windows. Microsoft Windows is too entrenched in to the corporate and home markets and even if Apple is making great progress in to the home market, they have big time difficulties with the business environment.
The answer is you need a paradigm changing technology - a structured technology solution that offers benefits in the form of lower cost of ownership and ease of use. This is where I think the "
GoogleOS" will become the Giant Killer.
The proliferation of high speed access across the world has exposed us to possibilities never available before. So what is the next step? Hosted Operating Systems.
With all of
Google's online applications - currently offered free of charge - it is easy to see the foreshadowing of hosted solutions to be offered by Google. Instead of offering free, online version of applications, like a word processor, spreadsheet, calendar and email - how about offering the whole package online? How about a hosted Operating System?
This, of course, is pure speculation, but I think it makes logical sense in terms of the next evolution of computing and if Microsoft's Jolly Giant, Windows, is to be taken down then it will have to be done by changing the landscape of typical computing.
