[clug] Linux Google OS coming..

steve jenkin sjenkin at canb.auug.org.au
Wed Jul 8 01:23:44 MDT 2009


Hal Ashburner wrote on 9/7/09 2:47 AM:

> Also worth mentioning as a google apps user that having all of your data
> indexed by google might not be a great thing.

> Unexpected stuff happens.
> Systems of government fall, countries get invaded, let's hope it never
> happens here but it might.

> You're not just trusting google as they are
> now, but as they might be in the future controlled by someone or
> something you hate. 

> "Don't be Evil" is a fine ideal and I agree with it,
> but it's a philosophical discussion for google employees, not something
> that offers a consumer any real protection at all.


Hal,

Good points and mistrust/scepticism deservedly built from history.

Microsoft was never about anything *but* making money and dominating the
market. Their address says it all: One Microsoft Way.

Google started from a very different place and has at least espoused
some high ideals. You rightly point out that gives no consumer
protection and especially isn't future proof. (Adolf Hitler's reign was
just one year longer than John Howard's. The Berlin Wall came down
within 8 months of Tiananmen Square and 'Solidarity' was in power in
Poland just a year later. Yes, national politics can 'turn on a dime')

You didn't raise how search engines, Google included, bow to political
pressure and 'adapt' their searches in different countries. Like behind
The Great Firewall of China...

Google is too good to *not* use, but what happens if this all turns out
to be a giant "bait and switch". If in 10 or 20 years they pull a
Microsoft & price gouge, what do we all do??
Hope there's alternatives & competitors then, we can't do anything now...

On monetising an O/S: they are playing at a lot of levels.
It costs them very little to develop & release software compared to
their infrastructure costs. If they stymie Microsoft, that's a bonus.

For $1-5M/year they can run an interesting branding & marketing
experiment. It might lead to a paid product, it might not. That's been
one of the big learning of The Internet - it's really hard to pick
winners and harder to pick 'enabling technologies' and spin-offs...

If their O/S increases Brand Awareness of 'google', does that increase
"Intangibles" and make it worthwhile? Fairfax Media lists $8B of assets,
$6B of which are "intangibles" - Goodwill and value of Mastheads...

BTW, an increase in asset value is considered 'income'. It wouldn't take
much for a "free" O/S to actual contribute nicely to profits without any
cash flow. Accounting weirdness, but good for stockholders :-(

cheers
steve

-- 
Steve Jenkin, Info Tech, Systems and Design Specialist.
0412 786 915 (+61 412 786 915)
PO Box 48, Kippax ACT 2615, AUSTRALIA

sjenkin at canb.auug.org.au http://members.tip.net.au/~sjenkin


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