[Wolves] Gmail & Google Talk

[Andy Wootton]

Alan Pope wrote:

>On 2/24/06, Andy Wootton <andy.wootton at wyrley.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>  
>
>>You know about Goobuntu? "For internal use". For now.
>>
>"I keep getting asked about Google's "distribution of Ubuntu", so
>perhaps this is a good place for me to say that as far as I'm aware
>there is absolutely no truth to the rumour that Google plans to
>distribute a derivative of Ubuntu as a Google OS. As exciting as that
>may be for Linux, it wouldn't make sense for Google, and so far
>they've been pretty sensible about their projects."
>
>http://www.markshuttleworth.com/archives/20
>
>I guess he would know.
>
>Cheers,
>Al.
>
Why? I doubt if he knows I use it.

The story was misinterpretted on Slashdot but a reply from someone at 
Google was more informative, saying that it existed but it was for 
internal use only. Wikipedia summarizes it quite well.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goobuntu

Google's model of computing is clearly based on web services. Google 
don't need an OS; just the cheapest possible browser that is easy to 
install on a multitude of devices. I'm sure this is only R&D at this 
stage. Google are "sensible" and wouldn't want to provoke Microsoft. Why 
fight them when you can subtly encourage their direct competitors?

Remember that Sun were able to beat IBM mainframes once people realised 
that "the network is the computer". Now 'the Internet is the computer'. 
Keep an eye on what Google, Yahoo and Murdoch's News Corporation are 
buying up. It isn't Microsoft shares.

The saddest thing was that the brand-hungry sheep who joined in the chat 
would clearly buy Ubuntu if it had a Google label and a price tag. Does 
this sound familiar Red Hat/Fedora users?

Woo