Ballmer shrugs at Google's Chrome OS
Addressing Google's Chrome OS, Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer said Tuesday that the move leaves its rival with dual operating systems, something that Microsoft learned the hard way is not a good idea.
"I don't know if they can't make up their mind or what the problem is over there," Ballmer said in an onstage question-and-answer session following his speech at the company's Worldwide Partner Conference in New Orleans. "The last time I checked you don't need two client operating systems."
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer addresses a question about Google's Chrome OS during an onstage talk with Fortune's Geoff Colvin.
(Credit: Screenshot by Ina Fried/CNET)Microsoft, he noted, had separate business and consumer operating systems back in the days of Windows 95 and Windows NT. "It's good to have one."
He also noted, as Stephen Elop did in an interview with CNET News last week, that Microsoft really doesn't know what Chrome OS will look like.
"Who knows what this thing is?" Ballmer said during the talk, which was broadcast over the Web. "To me the Chrome OS thing is highly interesting--it won't happen for a year and a half and they already announced an operating system (Android)."
He rejected the idea that Microsoft needed to mimic Google's approach.
"We don't need a new operating system," Ballmer said. "What we do need to do is to continue to evolve Windows, Windows Applications, IE (Internet Explorer), the way IE works in totality with Windows, and how we build applications like Office... and we need to make sure we can bring our customers and partners with us."
Ballmer said that research data shows that at least 50 percent of the time people are using their PC they are doing something that is not in the browser. "Windows is the operating system for the job."
On the advertising front, Ballmer said Microsoft will continue its advertising that targets Apple. "We're going to continue to tell the story of the PC."
During her years at CNET News, Ina Fried has changed beats several times, changed genders once, and covered both of the Pirates of Silicon Valley. These days, most of her attention is focused on Microsoft. E-mail Ina. 
That aside, given that he also shrugged off iPhone as irrelevant, this speaks well for the future of Chrome OS.
Android could easily scale up to desktop, and Chrome down to what SmartPhones will be in 2 years. There isn't the clear split that you have with Windows (or even the flavors of OSX Apple uses )
And considering there is little more then a name and some scant rumors about ChromeOS, anyone with any sense will see it as irrelevant. You certainly can't base any action on what is now known about it.
Anyway, that makes it all the more interesting that Balmer said: "I don't know if they can't make up their mind or what the problem is over there, but the last time I checked, you don't need two client operating systems," said Ballmer. "It's good to have one."
Interesting because what I have read indicates that Microsof tis indeed doing jsut that; creating 2 seperate operating systems.
Outside of search, Google is yet to even come close to dominating any new new business they ever entered. Their Google Chrome , after getting massive shilling from CNET and other web tech sites, is getting nowhere fast.
Google Talk is a far distant also-run to Yahoo IM, and Microsoft's MSN IM in market share.
Andriod is far far far behind Blackbery, iPhone and Microsoft's Windows Mobile.
Meanwhile, Linux on netbooks, went from dominating netbooks last year, to getting annihilated by Windows XP (which grabbed over 90% of netbooks market share), this year. Chrome is merely yet another iteration of Linux, which is going to have to fight Ubuntu, rather than Windows.
And Google's "Google Docs", which launched to plenty of noise and what not, has made ZERO progress against Microsoft Office, which continues to totally dominate, and rake in huge profits.
From experience, we know that these funny "new product" Google annoucements, usualy have their biggest glory on annoucemnet day, then proceeed to slink down under, where they came from again.
"Rest in peace Microsoft. I will be glad to see you go. Amen "
With such insightful and useful comments like these, I dare say there are lot of readers on CNET that feel similarly about you. Hmm. I would strongly suggest you get a new schtick.
you have to remember Ballmer shrugged off the iPhone when it was $600 price tag at version 1.
any intelligent/business people would see it as a waste of money given that there other device can perform all the essential business function for around $100.
so, 2 years later, the iPhone now can be obtained for around $100 as well.
any business minded people would consider the iPhone as a toy being that it has no physical keyboard.
consider the HTC TOUCH PRO 2.
doesn't get much hype like the iPhone but then again....HTC is like the Blackberry...they know their customers.
and their customers don't have time to camp in front of the store.
what about email? and maps? given maps isn't too far from search but it's funny you mention google talk without mentioning gmail. also it's worth mentioning that android and chrome haven't yet failed, they're just still in their starting stages, android still only has one phone in the US market (on the smallest of the 4 carriers) and chrome doesn't even have extensions yet, look how long it took firefox to gain the market share it has. point is, google doesn't do everything really well but search isn't the only thing
as far as the 2 os comment, personally i think microsoft's just a little peeved that no one ever wanted to put their mobile os on a netbook because winmo isn't that great
Viruses will have a very small, very defensible target, and very little to get at of importance, since the important stuff (your data, and Google apps) will be on Page's cloud.
Brilliant. And if Page, et al, don't like what you say and do, they can log you off their mainframe in a few years. Or your gas-supplier's account of you, when your gas-supplier buys into Page's dumb-terminal architecture. And why not, if it's free?
George Orwell, anyone?
I didn't think there could be a worse future for the world than Microsoft.
--dan
Why is Linux still behind after 10+ years, why is OS X still behind ? It took years and years for people to build apps that run on Windows. And here just because you don't like Microsoft you are ready to say wow what a nice OS coming from Google. The day when all apps can be run off of Internet is not here yet and by that time even Microsoft can evolve windows to tackle it. Cloud thing is not Google's idea...Amazon already have one and Microsoft has its own version too.
Man, Chrome is not a kernel. The kernel is Linux, Chrome is just a GUI running on top of the Linux kernel.
The "Chrome o/s" will just be another Linux also-ran. Sure, more people might buy it just because it says Google on it, but as the saying goes "There's one born every minute".
I'd love to hear Ballmer explain the existence of WinMobile.
Honest to God, you write exactly like Ballmer sounds: pathetic.
Ballmer's comments were that the iPhone would find a niche. It has.
Chrome OS and Android actually share the kernel and the browser.
Besides, just because Microsoft can't get it together doesn't mean that Google won't be able to.
Does anyone actually talk like this, outside a Dilbert comic? Get this clown some pointy hair.
And as other have pointed out, Ballmer couldn't predict lunch that day, let alone what the market will look like in the future. He's so deep in the echo chambers of Microsoft he hasn't seen the light of day since the 80s.
You open source crazies just crack me up.
Kepp right on living in cloud cuckooland will ya?
Ummm..Windows dominates the world's desktops and laptops with over 90% market share, a bigger market share today, than when Google was even founded. I don't calll that "less and less of a requirement", do you?
What is Apple's worldwide deskop/laptop market share again?
But hey, don't let the facts get in the way of a nice little yarn will ya?
But different versions. Thanks for playing though!
Windows Mobile
Vista Home
Vista Business
So, this is Ballmer's official announcement that Windows Mobile is dead and Windows 7 will merge all versions? They may have exactly the same core unlike NT and 95, but they are separate operating systems.
"Ballmer said that research data shows that at least 50 percent of the time people are using their PC they are doing something that is not in the browser." Possible true (show me the data), but the other 50% of the work is based on something taken from the browser/email or is being done to produce something used with the browser/email. I swear that every time Steve Ballmer opens his mouth I am reassured in deciding not to have purchased MS stock.
Vista Home and Business run on the same hardware and are interchangable. They differ only in domain support. They are different flavors of the same thing.
Yes, Google does have 2 operating systems: Android for phones, and Chrome for PC's.
Balmer has the nerve to say that dual (that's TWO) operating systems is not a good idea, as if Microsoft no longer does that anymore. Let's see...Microsoft has: Server 2008, Vista, Windows Mobile. That makes THREE, plus the new Windows 7 coming soon, and the depricated Windows XP which still out numbers the other three . So that really makes FIVE.
Then there are the variants... Home Basic, Home Premium, Ultimate, etc...
Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Sounds like Stevie is starting the PR spin, in a pathetic attempt to prevent a mass exodus from Windows. Apple isn't a threat since you have to buy their Overpriced hardware, and Apple only has a 4% market share after 30 years in the market.
Finally, some real market competition that Miscrosoft can't buy or out spend.
Some people might buy devices that have Chrome installed, but as someone else has already mentioned most netbooks being sold right now have XP installed in them, what happened to Linux being the o/s of choice for netbooks? People want compatibility and familiarity, two things the Linux netbooks didn't have.
Same thing will happen to Chrome, especially once people realize it's just another flavor of Linux.
All you people who think Chrome is going to kill Microsoft are "dreaming in Technicolor"
Over time, the business model will die - high margin software is giving way to low margin services - and Steve B. and his crew will be little more than a footnote to history.
90's called they want their argument back.
Maybe this time they'll file criminal charges like they should've done the first time around.
Personally, I heard it was because Steve Jobs bought them off to stay in the forefront as the primary target of hackers. There IS the rumor of collusion between the alien Elvis clones and Bigfoot however, so your ideas might be right up there with those concepts.
You mean basic, home, business, professional and Ultimate are the SAME?!?!?
It's like a car with different trim levels.
Oh wait . . .
Apple is selling iPhones for $99 and Windows Mobile 7 is no where in sight because they keep having to retool the OS to compete with the iPhone. WinMo has lost ground and is unable to compete in the smartphone market with the likes of Android, iPhone and PalmPre.
He may shrug publicly but he is throwing chairs privately.
Oooo, apple added swipe and pinch...doesn't that make them the inventor.
"Unable to compete in the smartphone market"? What planet are you from? "They keep having to retool the OS to compete", you mean upgrading the o/s and NOT charging people for the upgrade is bad? PuLease...
how many of thoose windows mobile phones are touchscreens phones again ?
adding to that how many are priced as high as the iPhone ?
so stop with the apple to oranges comparison to make winMo look good
when in reality Microsft is scrambling to not only catch up to Apple but Android,RIM and a whole lot of others
if Windows mobile is as good as you say
companies dont need to build a custom GUI and apply lipstick to the pig
lets hope that WinMO 7 isnt dissapointment !
Practice using it in a sentence now: "Ballmer is bliss" or "You Ballmer fool, do you have any idea what you're saying?"
http://www.thinkgos.com/gos/
This and Chrome OS will make two OSes
- by smist08 July 14, 2009 1:00 PM PDT
- Seems like MS has a lot more than 2 operating systems. Windows (many variants), Windows Mobile, Windows CE, Zune OS, XBox OS, Azure and probably a bunch more kicking around. Anyone remember MS Xenix?
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- by Kwasiowusu July 14, 2009 1:13 PM PDT
- @smist08 July, this is the diufference:Windows Mobile, Windows CE, Zune OS, XBox OS, DON'T run on desktops/laptops/netbooks.
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- by Mergatroid Mania July 14, 2009 3:50 PM PDT
- The operative word here being "Windows", last time I looked all those operating systems you mentioned are just different versions of the same o/s.
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Showing 1 of 2 pages (75 Comments)Google Chrome/Andriod by contrast, will both run on netbooks.
The same way Chrome will just be a different version of Linux.