[Leaplist] Walmart gOS computers...

[Gavin Baker]

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> Date: Wed, 14 Nov 2007 23:52:24 -0500
> From: John Simpson <jms1 at jms1.net>
> Subject: Re: [Leaplist] Walmart gOS computers...
> 
> [...]
>> Software applications that appear in the task bar along the bottom of
>> the screen are as follows:
>>
>>   1. Firefox
>>   2. Google Mail
>>   3. Google News
>>   4. Google Calendar
>>   5. Google Maps
>>   6. Google Docs and Spreadsheets
>>   7. Google Product Search
>>   8. Blogger
>>   9. YouTube
>>  10. Facebook
>>  11. Faqly
>>  12. Meebo
>>  13. Rythmbox
>>  14. Skype
>>  15. Wikipedia
>>  16. Xine
> 
> and out of these 16 "applications", how many are actually  
> "applications" and how many are "web sites"? i count four real  
> applications (firefox, rhythmbox, skype, and xine), everything else is  
> a web site.
> 
> way to confuse people. we've all dealt with people who don't  
> understand the difference between a program and their filesystem- how  
> many people "store their files in word", and the only way they know to  
> find that file is to run word and use "file - open"? this is just  
> another symptom of the same problem- soon we'll have people who want  
> to "run their youtube" or "run blogger" or whatever the case may be...
> 
>> Other applications which are loaded include GIMP for photo editing,  
>> and
>> the excellent OpenOffice.org 2.2 office suite. The task bar is  
>> extremely
>> easy to use - simply click an icon and Firefox opens up the  
>> application
>> in most cases. The Google Toolbar is bundled with Firefox as well.
>>
>> 1 year of free 24×7 technical support comes with purchase of a gPC.
> 
> the one thing i find encouraging about this is that the hard drive can  
> be re-formatted, a new incarnation of linux can be installed, and all  
> of the google-ware can just sorta "not" be installed on the new OS.
> 
> at least that's possible for now.
> 
> http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/2007/pulpit_20071109_003391.html

These are important points and, IMHO, the biggest drawback of the Everex
PC. These Web apps are proprietary software, even if they don't run on
your machine. In fact, even your control over your own data is limited
to what the app allows you to export. (For Facebook, for instance,
that's close to zero, as I've painfully learned.) Not to mention the
privacy implications.

If you haven't, check out the Web site for gOS -- it's quite interesting:

http://www.thinkgos.com/

The conflict inherent in these statements is fascinating:

"Our dedicated team and passionate community of volunteers are commited
[sic.] to bringing our alternative OS to the masses... so people
everywhere can enjoy a third, more affordable and attractive choice when
shopping for a computer. To get ahead of ourselves, we're saying goodbye
to closed software and the digital divide."

But then:

"We'd like to welcome you to the idea that Google already _is_ your
'operating system.'"

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

- --
Gavin Baker
http://www.gavinbaker.com/
gavin at gavinbaker.com
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