Last week, Eric Schmidt told investors that applications have joined search and advertising to become the third component in Google's big picture strategy, and essentially admitted that Microsoft is now a primary competitor.
With this move, Google is officially making a run at dethroning Microsoft Office. Is this a prelude to a showdown with Windows, using the long-rumored Google OS? Could Apple get involved in the fracas?
You can read my opinion here:
http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/hiner/?p=465
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?I was wrong,? Schmidt admitted in his keynote last month at the Web 2.0 Expo. However, at that event Schmidt also revealed that Google was preparing to launch an online presentation application. That, in combination with Google?s mail, word processing, and spreadsheet apps, meant that Google was going to offer the four foundation applications that make up the world?s incumbent software suite, Microsoft Office. Nevertheless, Schmidt denied that the product was aimed at stealing market share from Microsoft?s cash cow.
?We don?t think it?s a competitor,? Schmidt said. ?It doesn?t have all the functionality, nor will it ever have all the functionality, of products like Microsoft Office.?
I think Schmidt was saying, very cunningly, that Microsoft Office will not be a competitor, when his office suite is released, because his program will include only productive "productivity applications", ie, it will not "ever have all the functionality (translation: malfunctionality) of products like Microsoft Office.?
then two weeks later he admitted to investors that Google was planning to become a big player in "apps," including office productivity apps. That's the point I was trying to make when I mentioned Schmidt's comments at the May 10 investors' meeting -- Google is now admitting that it's competing with Microsoft on apps.
Because that investor's meeting was just two weeks ago, I'm sure that's probably why Schmidt was so evasive about the situation at the Web 2.0 Expo when he announced Google's forthcoming presentation application (a.k.a. PowerPoint competitor).
Because that investor's meeting was just two weeks ago, I'm sure that's probably why Schmidt was so evasive about the situation at the Web 2.0 Expo when he announced Google's forthcoming presentation application (a.k.a. PowerPoint competitor).
I won't ask "what lack of applications" because I'm not trolling. The newest release of Debian offers me 18165 applications, including functional equivalents of every program I used in Windows, when I used Windows. If this selection, provided by the extended open source community, is not vast enough, I think the single entity "Google" will have a difficult time providing any more applications, in the near future. So, my question to you is, which applications, or what type, are lacking in Linux? I ask because I'd really like to see a company give Microsoft a run for their money, and Google seems one of a very few likely candidates.
Despite a lot of enthusiasm and expectations, the Linux desktop has been treading water for years. I have personally tried desktop Linux so many times and used so many different distros that I?ve lost count of both numbers. It works fine and it?s stable, but the lack of the applications has always limited its appeal.
Despite a lot of enthusiasm and expectations, the Linux desktop has been treading water for years. I have personally tried desktop Linux so many times and used so many different distros that I?ve lost count of both numbers. It works fine and it?s stable, but the lack of the applications has always limited its appeal.
The "lack" of applications is probably not the issue. You're right about that and I'm glad you pointed it out. As you said, there are gazillions of applications in most Linux distros, especially Debian and SuSE.
The problem isn't quantity or breadth of apps. It's more a problem of compatibility, consistency, and quality. Many of the Linux apps -- especially the GUI ones that it has to compete with against Windows -- simply aren't as good. Or, in some cases, they may be as good but there isn't enough of a difference to prompt a platform change, unless you are changing for other reasons. And even then, you often have to give up something if you're an end user.
Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of applications on Linux that are better than their Windows counterparts, but most of them are administrator tools like Kismet.
Desktop Linux will never take off until there is a consistent set of standard software for end users. And that software needs to have some advantage over Windows apps in order to prompt migration. Google might be able to pull that off with software that is easier to ease and significantly cheaper, even if it gives up some advanced features.
If that happens, Google could potentially carve out the lion's share of the market for itself and turn Microsoft into a premium player that can only sell its wares to users that need advanced functionality. But we're still a long way away from that, and you and I both know that if Microsoft saw that happening then it would likely respond in creative ways to undermine the loss of its user base.
Should be interesting to watch in the coming years, and hopefully it will result in better and cheaper software for us all.
The problem isn't quantity or breadth of apps. It's more a problem of compatibility, consistency, and quality. Many of the Linux apps -- especially the GUI ones that it has to compete with against Windows -- simply aren't as good. Or, in some cases, they may be as good but there isn't enough of a difference to prompt a platform change, unless you are changing for other reasons. And even then, you often have to give up something if you're an end user.
Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of applications on Linux that are better than their Windows counterparts, but most of them are administrator tools like Kismet.
Desktop Linux will never take off until there is a consistent set of standard software for end users. And that software needs to have some advantage over Windows apps in order to prompt migration. Google might be able to pull that off with software that is easier to ease and significantly cheaper, even if it gives up some advanced features.
If that happens, Google could potentially carve out the lion's share of the market for itself and turn Microsoft into a premium player that can only sell its wares to users that need advanced functionality. But we're still a long way away from that, and you and I both know that if Microsoft saw that happening then it would likely respond in creative ways to undermine the loss of its user base.
Should be interesting to watch in the coming years, and hopefully it will result in better and cheaper software for us all.
There is only one app I am lacking to make my conversion totally over to Linux - AutoCAD, and associated land surveying programs and coordinate geometry. If one company could make a good CAD program for Linux, then you'd feel the wind from the mighty SWOOSH of people heading over to Linux
please start a discussion or blog about it, OK?
Install VMWare Server and build yourself a custom Windows install tweaked to your AutoCAD needs. There are Linux native CAD (there must be at least one) but if that's the tool you need then it's worth the VM. Windows comes in handy sometimes and since you already own the license; give it a look.
I think there is also a recommendation to use WINE so I won't add to that for now.
I think there is also a recommendation to use WINE so I won't add to that for now.
Should be interesting to watch in the coming years, and hopefully it will result in better and cheaper software for us all.
Well, it sure can't get any ...
Nope, not gonna say it! It looks like all the expert readers are playing their hands close, but I'm guessing a lot of them are very interested in this topic, even though they aren't interested in opining publicly, yet.
Well, it sure can't get any ...
Nope, not gonna say it! It looks like all the expert readers are playing their hands close, but I'm guessing a lot of them are very interested in this topic, even though they aren't interested in opining publicly, yet.
here are a few:
WGA
DRM
VISTA
SPP
money
and a small correction Jason, your article mentions Eric Raymond as being on Apples board, surely you meant Eric Schmidt?
WGA
DRM
VISTA
SPP
money
and a small correction Jason, your article mentions Eric Raymond as being on Apples board, surely you meant Eric Schmidt?
Thank you for noting that. I made the correction.
Jason
Jason
> The "lack" of applications is probably not the issue
I was surprised at your small kick at Linux because it certainly was not the issue but it does help to wind up the Linux denizens around here.
Your original point was that, despite disclaimers, Google is about to offer an Office Application to compete with Microsoft Office. Since versions of MSOffice before 2007 will not work with Vista manufacturers, like Toshiba, are generously bundling OpenOffice with their machines. This could be the double-wammy.
> It's more a problem of compatibility, consistency, and quality
Certainly with Microsoft products but they don?t seem to have suffered as a result. The fact is that most computer users don?t really comprehend these things. They just want stuff to work as they expect it to.
> Desktop Linux will never take off until there is a consistent set of standard software for end users.
I disagree. As I?ve said before, Linux will only expand when manufacturers have the courage to offer it pre-installed. People want computers that work for them ?out of the box?. Dell seems inclined to try again. We shall have to wait and see.
As for a war between Microsoft and Google? I doubt it. They?ll blow hot and cold, giving journalists something to blather about, but in the end, like AOL, they?ll make a deal that?ll stitch up the ordinary punter. That?s business!
I was surprised at your small kick at Linux because it certainly was not the issue but it does help to wind up the Linux denizens around here.
Your original point was that, despite disclaimers, Google is about to offer an Office Application to compete with Microsoft Office. Since versions of MSOffice before 2007 will not work with Vista manufacturers, like Toshiba, are generously bundling OpenOffice with their machines. This could be the double-wammy.
> It's more a problem of compatibility, consistency, and quality
Certainly with Microsoft products but they don?t seem to have suffered as a result. The fact is that most computer users don?t really comprehend these things. They just want stuff to work as they expect it to.
> Desktop Linux will never take off until there is a consistent set of standard software for end users.
I disagree. As I?ve said before, Linux will only expand when manufacturers have the courage to offer it pre-installed. People want computers that work for them ?out of the box?. Dell seems inclined to try again. We shall have to wait and see.
As for a war between Microsoft and Google? I doubt it. They?ll blow hot and cold, giving journalists something to blather about, but in the end, like AOL, they?ll make a deal that?ll stitch up the ordinary punter. That?s business!
I was very disappointed with the release of IE7, and Firefox has its flaws too. I'd love to see Google offer a browser, they seem to think like a user and get things right.
A Google browser has been rumored just as much as a Google OS and Google PC. I think the Google OS/PC would naturally include a Linux-based Google browser. The question would be whether the Google browser would also be developed for PC and Mac (I would assume so).
If Google wants to go in that direction, I think they should just buy Flock and turn that into the Google browser.
If Google wants to go in that direction, I think they should just buy Flock and turn that into the Google browser.
So things would not really be much different. Why don't they just buy a current OS and re-brand if this is the case???
I think they'd simply want to build a stripped-down, easy-to-us OS/PC Web-surfing appliance for the masses. But that's just how I read the tea leaves in looking at Google's current strategies.
Who knows what further information they would mine and the advertising they would show from having an OS!!!!!
No 1 Search Engine and an OS would lock the search results with companies having to pay megabucks to be seen!
We don't need another monster!
No 1 Search Engine and an OS would lock the search results with companies having to pay megabucks to be seen!
We don't need another monster!
I wish the standard OS and apps were better tahn MS, but there??s a long way to change the trends.
I wish the standard OS and apps were better than MS, but there??s a long way to change the trends.
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