I think it would be sweet to have a Google operating system. I searched google for it, and all that I could find was a bunch of people with the idea for them to make one.

I think they'd be able to make it run all the programs we have already for Windows, Linux, and Mac, and make it a lot better. They could integrate it with the internet a lot better that other OS's.

So, do you think they should make one, or that they ever will?

the Problem with creating operating system though is what you just mention it has to full integrated all the major OS's in someway, and financially they won't be able to pull that off until they get some more age into them. Of course they have the programming power and experience to pull it off but still to build an operating system this late in the game would seem impractical and in away could ruin google if it flops on them. Look at the price tag for Vista I would say google would have to spend maybe 4 times that just be to able to integrate into any type of market and of course combine both Open Source and the Microsoft way and other things such as making it as hacker proof as possible so the updates will stay low and other things.

So the questions should be can they do it? If so how much will it cost and how long would it take to program? would it be marketable? And what would of set back will it be if it flops?

This post has been edited by Saint_Michael: Jan 17 2008, 02:58 AM

It is has been known for a while now that Google uses a modified version of Ubuntu known as Goobuntu. Google has said that they will not release this distro out to the public. But it's interesting to hear that Google has been helping out Ubuntu's development.

It would be sweet if google made an operating system, I would definitly buy it. I'm sure they could make a OS much more function and reliable than any Microsoft product, it would also be heavily integrated with the internet. Unfortunatly, I highly doubt Google would ever produce an Operating System for the home user just because it would be almost impossible to penetrate the market now. Linux has been around for ages and is now starting to make slight gain. Microsoft just makes it too hard to move to a different OS. Google would have a hard time creating an OS that can run windows and apple programs due to copywrights and things of the like (Linux is getting sued by Microsoft due to patents that let it run software meant for windows). I do wish they would make an OS though.

Google should have its own distribution of linux and they need to concentrate a lot of their resources on it.

I can definately see Google making their own OS one of these days, and I think they should do it, too. But I don't think it should be done yet.

Google has some useful tools that could play very well in creating their own OS - Google Docs, Google Calendar, Google Mail, Google Notebook and the Google Pack to name a few. What's more, they have been developing offline versions for Businesses, so it is possible for them to make an OS that doesn't require an internet connection to use.

However, Google do not have much expirience in actual software yet - their whole business resides around Ajax-based on-the-web tools, and only Google Talk and Google Notebook are currently publicly available as software. Also, making an OS can cost a fair deal of money, and while Google does have a lot of money, one can only wonder if it will be enough - especially if it should fail. Not to mention the fierce competition they'd get with Microsoft, which is ALREADY becoming a problem with many of their tools...

One day, but not yet, I'd like to think that it will happen. And if it ever does, I guarantee that they'll have my full support - I trust Google so much these days, and I hate Microsoft so much, that for Google to release an OS would be heaven for me, and I would buy it without even a single thought.

Yes, it does seem like the next step for google seeing as they've already began to develop software, (I.E. going out of just internet apps and moving over to computers themselves), and it does seem like a good idea, i mean everything else they've done is great. But the last thing i'd like to see is relevant text ads on my desktop

I hope that Google does NOT work on releasing an operating system, mainly because of the fact that it is a commercial enterprise and would be marketing advertisement somehow if they decide to make the OS free, or make it closed (as opposed to open-source) and release it as a commercial product. It is not Google's forte to be creating operating systems... it is in their forte to provide a working search engine and complimentary applications and programs that make life a lot easier. They would be more successful in continuing their advances in providing applications that are tailored towards utilizing the Internet for communication and information.

What they CAN do, however, is put some effort towards bettering Linux with these applications and maybe even developing programs specifically for a freely-distributed operating system like Linux. It will help out the Linux community in expanding knowledge and even use of the OS's distributions and shed some light on its potential as an alternative to the market dominated by Microsoft Windows and Apple OSX/Leopard.

It's a win-win. We, the consumers, get stuff for free, and the developers and Google get even more recognition and spread their name globally. For example, Ubuntu is gaining a foothold as a recognized operating system and not just "something that geeks use." I'm sure that in the future we may see more frequent instances of Kubuntu in schools and a variety of Linux distributions depending on the application. I believe the PS3 has Yellow Dog as its 'Nix OS, and we may see other companies running Ubuntu Studios for multimedia productions, etc.