Slashdot Mirror
Slate Speculates on Internet Operating Systems
Slate features a discussion of possible internet operating systems, a Google OS foremost among the potential contenders. The author views the fledgling YouOS as a proof-of-concept that an Internet OS is feasible. He dismisses the idea of a Google-built thin client, arguing that Google would rather build a service available from any Internet-capable device. Google's already-fast service would theoretically translate easily to other web-based applications. From the article: Dollar for dollar, network-based computers are faster. Unless you're playing Grand Theft Auto or watching HDTV, your network isn't the slowest part of your setup. It's the consumer-grade Pentium and disk drive on your Dell, and the wimpy home data bus that connects them. Home computers are marketed with slogans like "Ultimate Performance," but the truth is they're engineered to run cool, quiet, and slow compared to commercial servers. The author compares Eric Schmidt's denials of a Google OS to Steve Jobs's denials of a video iPod. However, he notes that potential obstacles to a Google OS adoption include: the desire to own things; the requirement for fast, flawless networks; and, the trust-deficit when putting personal information on web-based applications.
So you can't see a distinction between a web page and a network booted operating system that may not even need a HDD to run?
You're a fucking idiot.
I hate printers.
With no documents stored locally, what chinese dissident will be able to print out newsletters? Or petitions? Or flyers for protests?
With centralized control of everyone's data, the chinese government officials will easily be able to search all citizens' hard drives. In fact, they will probably use Google desktop to do it!
What will Google think of next for the oppressive chinese government? How about a USB powered torture device. Plug one end into the computer, and the other end to your nuts. Then they don't have to connect a car battery to your nuts, they can shock you remotely. We'll call it the GBagger. How about it Larry and Sergei?
Slashdot is more than a web page. It is an Internet Application
Coughing up hyperbolic crap that sounds like marketing makes you sound stupider. Web apps are NOT what they mean when they talk about "software as a service". There's a big difference. Just so as you know, I'm the lead coder and system administrator on our company's unified internal management system, which is essentially a CSS/XHTML web app written in PHP back ended with PostgreSQL. Don't be telling me I don't know what a web app is.
Seeing as you still seem to think that Slashdot is some kind of application comparable to the "software as a service" they're talking about in this article, I'll go back to my initial retort:
I hate printers.