Talk about a slap in the face for Microsoft, Google Inc. has decided to phase out the use of Windows on it’s internal computers due to security concerns. This decision comes after the Chinese hacking incident earlier this year.
This doesn’t have anything to due with Google developing it’s own operating system based on Linux and the Chrome browser. That operating system is actually being developed for Netbooks and low speck laptops. It is not a full fledged desktop system for major applications. Actually Google is currently looking into Apple’s OS X or Linux as a replacement for their internal machines.
McAfee Inc. (the internet security company) has stated that the hacks on Google were possible because of flaws in Internet Explorer, Microsoft’s browser. One employee of Google said “We’re not doing any more Windows. It is a security effort.” These are condemning words indeed against Microsoft which has been plagued by security issues for years. Microsoft’s security problems are not entirely their fault, they are mostly targeted by malicious hackers due to the sheer number of Windows computers in use. Approximately nine in ten personal computers today are running some form of Windows.
Google didn’t officially say much about this issue, except, “We’re always working to improve the efficiency of our business, but we do not comment on specific operational matters.” Way to say no comment Google.
My personal take on this is that we may eventually see Windows lose it’s current dominance of the PC world as more and more people start to look for alternate systems that allow them to enjoy rather than fix their computers. I know that is why I changed my two main production machines to Macs. I love Windows 7 and I have been a Windows user for many, many years but I just don’t trust Windows enough anymore to go back to that world full time. I just wanted computers that worked.
Source: Reuters
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