Browsers are the new OS, says Google
By Chris Gaylord | 05.27.09
Windows Vista or OS X? Who cares, says Google. The future of software will transcend operating systems.
That was one of the main messages of the company’s I/O 2009 conference, which kicked off today in San Francisco. The two-day event brings together web developers to discuss, share, and encourage breakthroughs in online applications.
This morning, CNET’s Tom Krazit noticed both Google CEO Eric Schmidt and vice president of engineering Vic Gundotra hyping their vision of a post-OS future.
“It’s time for us to take advantage of the amazing opportunity that is before us,” said Google CEO Eric Schmidt … referring to the growing sense that the Internet and browsers–rather than a computer’s operating system–will be the future foundation for application development.
The notion takes a current Web trend to its logical conclusion. Unlike most of the software available on store shelves, Facebook will run on (pretty much) any computer. It doesn’t matter if you prefer Linux, or an older version of Windows, or even a cellphone. All Facebook needs is a browser. But on top of that, Facebook allows for third-party programmers to make applications designed to run in Facebook. This new level of app is now several times removed from the battle over which operating system is best.
Google’s I/O presentations imagine what will happen as this trend develops. The company showed off ways that browsers could soon adopt many of the features of traditional operating systems. Yet, as Krazit (and Google) points out:
The industry isn’t quite ready for that yet. Many of [the] applications demonstrated before the crowd of around 4,000 developers will require the widespread adoption of HTML 5 technologies, which are still under development by a consortium of companies and organizations.
Aspects of HTML 5 (the next upgrade of the Web’s base programming language) have seeped into current browsers – especially into Firefox, Opera, Apple’s Safari, and Google’s Chrome.
But even when HTML 5 is completed, Microsoft’s Internet Explorer could be a major roadblock. The browser, which enjoys 66 percent market share, has been slow to adopt new standards – thereby frustrating many forward-looking webpage designers. If Microsoft decides to tiptoe into HTML 5 – or worse, if few IE users bother to update their browsers, as is already the case – Google’s post-OS future could be a long time from now.
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2. Rob | 05.28.09
Although IE “enjoys” a 66% market share, this is down from 95% from just 4 years ago when Firefox was introduced, and IE continues to lose share almost every month. In some areas of Europe, IE has only 50%, so IE being the roadblock it once was is hopefully coming to an end.
What’s particularly sad about advancing web technologies, and HTML 5 in particular, is Microsoft is co-chair of the HTML 5 committee but participates poorly while other browser makers move forward.
3. G | 05.28.09
For the mainstream public, MS Windows is still the way to go. However, MS doesn’t have a monopoly on web browsers. It’s not a difficult thing for any web site to have a link saying “Hey, if you want to have a better experience with our web site, use FF, or Chrome, or Safari, or Opera.” Considering MS to be a show stopper in this case is really unnecessary.
4. Robert G | 05.28.09
Good Gravy, not THIS again…
Browsers are NOT operating systems. Browsers are APPLICATIONS that run on top of operating systems. An Operating system, by definition, is the program or collection of programs that control the hardware (CPU, video, DVD drive, etc) and enable it to be used by humans. A browser isn’t critical to an operating system and will never be. One can use a computer all day and never need a browser. You can use MS-Office and other productivity software that does not require a connection to the internet.
This was the old argument that Microsoft used back in the ’90s when they started pushing Software as a Service. That is, for a nominal fee, you can use our browser-based Office Suite and store ALL of your data online. The goal, while providing you with “convenience,” is to slowly milk micro-payments from your wallet FOREVER.
A browser is the WORST possible way to run an application. It contains menu items, icons and other visual features that clutter up the workspace. HTML/XML and client scripts are slow, bloated and don’t really deliver the richness and efficiency of a client-side application - and this is when BOTH are written well.
I’m sad to see that Google is starting to think this way. They DO contribute very positive things. But let’s be real: If you want to run a browser, you NEED a Windows, MacOS or Linux operating system to do it.
5. Rom | 05.28.09
Robert,
Googles suggestion isn’t that the browser replace the OS. Their suggestion is that browsers become the preferred platform for developers since they won’t need to have all the different ports you need now. It makes sense. Why on earth would you want to limit yourself to a certain OS market share. Google has shown at a very rudimentary level that you can do almost everything, store photos, use Office-like programs, have maps, in some way or the other on the internet. Of course you need a operating system to run a browser, but that doesn’t mean that developers wouldn’t necessarily want to bypass the OS in order to reach a wider market share.
As someone who has travelled significantly I also know that public computers are still how a large portion of the world computes. Currently, these consumers have much less control over what services they can use. Having a browser based software allows for a much broader market. Thats not even including all the mobile browsing that is about to explode on world smart phones. You should also note just how the increase in bandwidth is going to make internet products a more viable option. In short, Google’s judgement is pretty sound.
6. chris mckenzie | 05.28.09
The browser is a platform abstraction - kinda like Perl or Java or Python or APL or Tcl or Metatalk or REXX or VM/ESA or Ruby or Common Lisp or … this was called names like Tk/Wish in 1997 or BBS/doors in 1987 or various other things throughout the ages. There is nothing novel about it - except for the mis-attribution that some platform abstraction - such as the Java VM, for instance - does the memory management, interrupt scheduling, Disk I/O, graphics drivers, TCP stack, multi-I/O sound architecture, input device multiplexing, and the dozens upon dozens of other things that an operating system does. It’s careless.
7. dolphin guest house | 05.28.09
i think google make a mistake in google chrome, it’s not so great, (it come from safari), i wish google buy opera browser, this is the best browser.
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1. Berislav Lopac | 05.28.09
Actually, it’s the HTTP protocol which has all the trappings of an operating system: indexing, storage and retrieval of information. Browsers (or, rather, the whole bunch of front-end protocols such as (X)HTML, CSS, Javascript etc) are just an “eyes-oriented” interface to the actual OS, sorta like X Windows are related to Linux.