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Is Microsoft Deliberately Trying to Rid Computers of Chrome?

Posted on 05. Oct, 2011 by Daniel Cawrey. 5 Comments

It seems unlikely, what I wrote in the title. But it’s still comical to witness the fact that Microsoft’s Security Essentials software is seemingly removing copies of Chrome on users’ computers. I must admit, I think that Security Essentials is actually a good piece of software. It’s a free virus scanning and protection program that the company offers to help thwart what has been some very bad publicity over malicious software through the years.

Could it be possible that Microsoft is purposely trying to hold down Chrome? While it’s hard to put it past them, one would think that the company should know better than to try and participate in anti-competitive practices that would threaten put them into a litigious situation. Even though they have been known to put themselves in that particular position in the past.

And while Microsoft is claiming that the issue is a bug, last week Google posted a blog article explaining the situation and how to reinstall Chrome without incident. Surprising to me that the removal of a competitor’s software could possibly be construed as a “bug” and identifying it as a piece of malware called “PWS:Win32/Zbot” but I guess anything is plausible in Microsoft-land.

Look, Microsoft has a hold of the enterprise market for the time being. And Security Essentials is aimed squarely at the consumer market. I could understand if Security Essentials caused Chrome not to run, but a complete removal of the software? Come on. While it may be problematic from Microsoft’s perspective that Chrome is installed in the user profile file structure, it is still under “Google” and then “Chrome”, causing the removal of “chrome.exe”. Is that an accident?

I’m just bringing up these questions. At the same time, as I’ve stated above, it would be extremely dumb for Microsoft to think that they would be able to get away with this. Of course, they used to think that all software must cost money, which doesn’t always seem to be the case these days.

via LA Times

Not Yet Out: Microsoft Reportedly Still Working on Chrome OS Rival

Posted on 28. Mar, 2011 by Daniel Cawrey. 3 Comments

Is it just me, or does it seem like a lot of companies are now talking about cloud operating systems? HP has one called WebOS. Motorola was reportedly working on one, and then says that they are not. Intel is working with a consortium on one. Google’s Chinese search rival Baidu is working on one. Am I missing any other companies?

Well, what about Microsoft?

It would make sense that Microsoft would try to develop their own cloud-based operating system. What’s the risk? They could just ship it with their own Windows product as a way to continue to reap licensing fees from it as a packaged whole. That actually sounds like a pretty smart idea.

The company is supposedly working on a project dubbed ServiceOS, which will make its debut after Windows 8. This actually sounds a lot like the strategy HP has been plotting whereby every machine the company sells with an HP logo will come with WebOS. Microsoft would be able to add their ServiceOS (formerly known as the Gazelle project) to pretty much every other manufacturer’s Windows-based device.

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thechromesource Daily: Links for 2/3/11

Posted on 03. Feb, 2011 by Daniel Cawrey. 1 Comments

Android Honeycomb versus Chrome OS: which one will prevail?

Instant searching has come to Gmail and Google Docs with CloudMagic.

Mistakes in the cloud can be costly for users, especially in this case involving Flickr.

Bad for future Cr-48 data? Verizon has changed its data bandwidth policy – it can now throttle users.

Google – with Apps and Chrome – would not be the first company trying take on Microsoft head-to-head.

thechromesource Daily: Links for 2/1/11

Posted on 01. Feb, 2011 by Daniel Cawrey. 0 Comments

Will Google launch their music service and web-based Android Market tomorrow?

The Dev Channel of Chrome browser has been updated with stability fixes and settings menu changes.

Here’s a guide to the password syncing feature that now comes in the newest Dev builds.

A loophole in Google Apps for Domains is allowing users to squat without proof of ownership.

Google and Microsoft are going toe to toe right in front of all of us to see.

Man Receives Chrome OS Laptop From Google Running Windows 7

Posted on 30. Dec, 2010 by Daniel Cawrey. 11 Comments

It’s surely a surprise for many to receive a Cr-48 at your door without warning. But it’s another thing when you get the machine, fire it up and find that it’s actually running Windows instead of Chrome OS.

This actually happened to a man who turned on his brand new Cr-48 only to find Microsoft’s PC operating system instead of Google’s. The laptop appears to be running a Chinese language version and was likely used as a testing device by the hardware manufacturer.

Google has said that their intention is to not position Chrome OS for dual-boot devices. However, it’s clear to anyone who has wondered about Windows on Chrome OS hardware that it can be done. Here are some pictures, and even a video.

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thechromesource Daily: Links for 12/22/10

Posted on 22. Dec, 2010 by Daniel Cawrey. 1 Comments

Google is certainly entering a new era: how are they going to be able to manage it?

Prominent social researcher Paul Adams has left Google for Facebook.

Google has made a major office space investment in New York, does this signal further advertising aspirations?

Until it becomes a reality, working offline in Google Docs with Chrome OS is still a problem.

The biggest fight that Google has is not against Facebook, but Microsoft.

Graph: Why Google is Trying to get into the PC Operating System Market

Posted on 14. Dec, 2010 by Daniel Cawrey. 1 Comments

Our friends at Business Insider have just posted up a key motivator for Google to push their own operating system for personal computing: the fact that Microsoft is getting half of their revenue from selling Windows. Despite Microsoft’s size, they make more money with one product than all the rest of the things that they do.

Once again I see why Google is competing with Microsoft using Chrome OS. Let Android eat up Windows Phone 7, and leave the PC battle to another division.