Google already have a filesystem, a calendar app, a spreadsheet app and a word processor. They're already in the process of moving features *away* from the desktop and onto the web - why on earth would they need to develop a desktop OS?
My bet is we will see some kind of integration of Google products and desktop apps, like a "save your Word document directly to Google Docs" or the like - thus making any desktop OS less relevant. Or offer offline versions of their apps: http://startupsquad.com/2006/11/17/writely-in-offl ine-mode/
An irritating fad in internet advertising is to have some kind of "audio branding" attached to pop-up/pop-over ads. I mute my computer speaker when surfing for this reason.
Most of the examples shown were "Yahoo" with the ability to drag stuff around and edit-in-pace. Wow. Color me... unimpressed.
Well, that's the point. The advantages of a web based desktop should be obvious - you can access it from anywhere in the world. The main drawback for web desktops so far, has been limitations on the user interface. Now, with AJAX and related technologies, you can develop a quite nice user interface that runs through a browser.
Just look at Gmail - most of the time I find it easier to compose, read and search my email through Gmail's web interface, than through my desktop client.
The network is finally beginning to look like a computer.
I can't imagine Google acquiring Skype. They seem to have way too different cultures.
Why Google didn't buy Flickr, on the other hand, is a mystery to me. Flickr would have been a perfect match to Google Picasa, not to mention Google Maps - imagine clicking on a location on the map and seeing user-submitted images from there.
Anyway, it's too late now, let's see how Yahoo! screws! this! one! up!.
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Google already have a filesystem, a calendar app, a spreadsheet app and a word processor. They're already in the process of moving features *away* from the desktop and onto the web - why on earth would they need to develop a desktop OS?
l ine-mode/
My bet is we will see some kind of integration of Google products and desktop apps, like a "save your Word document directly to Google Docs" or the like - thus making any desktop OS less relevant.
Or offer offline versions of their apps: http://startupsquad.com/2006/11/17/writely-in-off
I might be mistaken here, but isn't "open sourcing Java" meaningless?
Java is an open standard already.
What I believe is being discussed, is whether Sun should open source their Java Virtual Machine (JVM) - Sun's implementation of the Java standard.
FTP anyone? There are several utilities out there that let you use an FTP account as a drive on your system.
Well, could be, but the fact that Gmail's web interface does NOT turn me off, is the key here.
Well, that's the point. The advantages of a web based desktop should be obvious - you can access it from anywhere in the world. The main drawback for web desktops so far, has been limitations on the user interface. Now, with AJAX and related technologies, you can develop a quite nice user interface that runs through a browser.
Just look at Gmail - most of the time I find it easier to compose, read and search my email through Gmail's web interface, than through my desktop client.
The network is finally beginning to look like a computer.
I can't imagine Google acquiring Skype. They seem to have way too different cultures. Why Google didn't buy Flickr, on the other hand, is a mystery to me. Flickr would have been a perfect match to Google Picasa, not to mention Google Maps - imagine clicking on a location on the map and seeing user-submitted images from there. Anyway, it's too late now, let's see how Yahoo! screws! this! one! up!.