Google freeware mirrors Microsoft's Windows

[pcdoc]

Now this is interesting.

Google will on Monday launch an upgrade to "Desktop", its free software that allows users to launch programs on their PC, in its latest encroachment on Microsoft's ground.

The upgrade of the free software, which mirrors many of the functions of Microsoft's Windows, comes days after Wall Street's favourite internet stock said it would raise about $4bn on the eve of the first anniversary of its initial public offering.

what to to with $4 billion in new stock.

http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/pro...822&ID=5054265

[JamieC]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/08/22/google_sidebar/

For those interested

[Sharpseo]

Very interesting..

Unlike My Yahoo though, Sidebar does not require the user to select content relevant to them, rather it observes what kind of content the user is interested in and serves it up.

I wonder if there's some sort of filter on this. I'm not sure if my wife is, uhhh, interested in the same stuff I occasionally browse.

Seriously though, very interesting article. I wonder what affect this will have on the stock price once people start speculating about a Google Operating System.

[aeiouy]

I don't really get the comparison between the google desktop and microsoft windows.

They are not even close to being the same thing.

[JamieC]

Originally Posted by Sharpseo

I'm not sure if my wife is, uhhh, interested in the same stuff I occasionally browse.

heh heh, marriage - not the future :-D

Anyway, if I were google i'd link it all with the XP user accounts - let's hope for your sake that you've got seperate accounts (his 'n' hers) ;-)

[JamieC]

Originally Posted by aeiouy

I don't really get the comparison between the google desktop and microsoft windows.

They are not even close to being the same thing.

You're right - it's nothing to do with operating systems and everything to do with the user but the media love it. It's gotta be a headline ;-)

If you start talking device drivers and system stacks people get turned off...

Personally I don't think that Google will head in to the OS arena any time soon - so many people have been stung and there's no chance of actually making any money out of it.

Despite apperances, Google are generally very unwilling to push cash into a project unless there is the prospect of revenue in the long term (granted the VERY long term sometimes, but it's true)

[KW802]

Originally Posted by aeiouy

I don't really get the comparison between the google desktop and microsoft windows.

They are not even close to being the same thing.

Windows Vista will include a 'sidebar' type dock; the new version of Google Desktop allows itself to be docked as a sidebar now. But trying to say that Google Desktop "mirrors" Windows is a long shot because programs like Desktop Sidebar have been offering the same type of functionality for a long time now; if anything Google is just catching up to some of the other players in the desktop utility market.

Plus I'm sure Yahoo's acquisition of Konfabulator has spurred Google to look into desktop toys a little bit more.

[aeiouy]

Yeah that is more of what came to mind were all these desktop sidebars I have seen before (I ususally ended up with free copies at tradeshows for some reason), rather than an OS.

I guess it does make for better ad copy though to compare it to windows, instead of Johnny's SuperDesk Pro.

I wonder if Microsoft will be forced into offering alternative docking side-bars in vista.