The beginning of the end?

[FMCoug]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124702911173210237.html

Google has been an incredible success story ... yet they seem to be starting to exhibit some of the same characteristics of other tech companies that hit the top and couldn't figure out what to do next ... flailing around with stuff that are outside their core competencies.

Phones, browsers, the "we're scared of Bing" focus, and now this.

[JohnnyLingo]

Google owns me. I use them exclusively for web searching, Gmail for e-mail, Google Maps, Google Docs, Google Talk, etc. I've considered getting their phone, too. If the company is on the downswing, I don't see it.

[FMCoug]

Google owns me. I use them exclusively for web searching, Gmail for e-mail, Google Maps, Google Docs, Google Talk, etc. I've considered getting their phone, too. If the company is on the downswing, I don't see it.

I'm not saying they are on the downswing ... I'm saying that as a 20+ year industry veteran, I am seeing them start to do things that other companies have done just prior to the downswing.

[JohnnyLingo]

I'm not saying they are on the downswing ... I'm saying that as a 20+ year industry veteran, I am seeing them start to do things that other companies have done just prior to the downswing.

Fair enough. You're talking about overreaching, reacting to the competition, etc.?

[Tim]

I'm not saying they are on the downswing ... I'm saying that as a 20+ year industry veteran, I am seeing them start to do things that other companies have done just prior to the downswing.

I agree that Google is playing in spaces far from its core competencies, but if any company can afford to do that, it's Google. I wonder what they'll base their OS on. I'm sure it'll be a Linux variant -- the question is which. Google, of course, already runs their distro on their production servers, so they've got experience already in creating an operating system. Obviously, though, they're focusing here on radical changes to the desktop paradigm. We'll have to see how it works out.

Again, with the amount of surplus their core competencies provide them, they can afford to be progressive in their R&D... it's when they thin themselves out that it becomes an issue.

[FMCoug]

Again, with the amount of surplus their core competencies provide them, they can afford to be progressive in their R&D... it's when they thin themselves out that it becomes an issue.

It's a function of focus in my mind, not cash or other resources. When management becomes obsessed with coming up with the "next big thing" like "company x did" that's where it gets dangerous.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

It's a function of focus in my mind, not cash or other resources. When management becomes obsessed with coming up with the "next big thing" like "company x did" that's where it gets dangerous.

It's certainly a big risk for Google. But Microsoft has certainly provided an opening with its shoddy operating system. The potential money is too huge to pass up and Google is the first company in a long time that has the means and capability to actually push itself into this market.

How would someone go about getting Google's OS on their computer. Do you download it off the net from your PC with MS's OS and does the download wipe off Windows from your system and install itself? Will computers you buy from Dell, Gateway, etc. come preloaded with Google's OS? Will Google offer the softward on a CD/DVD Rom that you can just buy?

[beefytee]

To me it seems like most of the things they do is to facilitate more use of the web which drives their core business (online advertising).

I haven't seen them get too out of line so far.

One could argue that google docs could be too much of a defensive measure to try to not get locked out by Microsoft, but I don't think so.

My guess would be their next move would be the beginning of the end. Either their OS is a success and they start thinking they can put anything out there and therefore they do, or it is a failure and they get too worried and defensive and too reactive.

[Jarid in Cedar]

Fair enough. You're talking about overreaching, reacting to the competition, etc.?

That is how I read his thoughts.

[beefytee]

It's certainly a big risk for Google. But Microsoft has certainly provided an opening with its shoddy operating system. The potential money is too huge to pass up and Google is the first company in a long time that has the means and capability to actually push itself into this market.

How would someone go about getting Google's OS on their computer. Do you download it off the net from your PC with MS's OS and does the download wipe off Windows from your system and install itself? Will computers you buy from Dell, Gateway, etc. come preloaded with Google's OS? Will Google offer the softward on a CD/DVD Rom that you can just buy?

I understand that they will be focusing on OEM (pre-loaded) for netbooks.

There will definitely be means of downloading it as it is open source.

I'm not sure they will make much money on it, as it is open source.

Like I said it is all about driving people to the web as easily as possible and getting more ad revenue.

I wouldn't be surprised if they got in the ISP business since internet service is currently pretty high priced and a barrier to internet use. I think that is why they got involve with the spectrum auction (even though they never won any).