Ron Schenone

Google Dumps Windows – Publicity Stunt Or A Real Security Concern?

Posted by on Jun 1, 2010 | 11 Comments

What was interesting about this mornings article about Google dumping Windows, was the fact that so many of the most regarded web sites, picked up on the news. My antenna went went up for a few reasons. It was always my understanding that Google had employees on-board that wrote their own code using Linux. Next there were some clues in the story itself that were a little hard to digest:

New hires are now given the option of using Apple’s Mac computers or PCs running the Linux operating system. “Linux is open source and we feel good about it,” said one employee. “Microsoft we don’t feel so good about.”

I would guess that Google would feel good about using Linux since their new Google Chrome OS is Linux based.

Windows is known for being more vulnerable to attacks by hackers and more susceptible to computer viruses than other operating systems. The greater number of attacks on Windows has much to do with its prevalence, which has made it a bigger target for attackers.

I find it hard to believe that Google just became aware of this fact.  The article went on to state that this was being done after the attack from China that infiltrated Google’s computers. Strange. I would find it hard to believe that Google servers were running Windows. Or am I missing something?

Employees said it was also an effort to run the company on Google’s own products, including its forthcoming Chrome OS, which will compete with Windows. “A lot of it is an effort to run things on Google product,” the employee said. “They want to run things on Chrome.”

This seems like the real reason for the change. Google wants everyone in their organization to use a Linux based system, especially since their new OS is coming soon. There is also another issue that could of contributed to the change. Microsoft wanted their employees to stop using anything Apple including the iPhone.

So is this a publicity stunt? I personally believe it is. Google is going to get a lot of press from this as well as free advertising for their new Chrome OS.

What do you think?

Comments welcome.

Source – Financial Times

  • Dick

    Would like to see the source for this information. So far as I’ve been able to find out, only one Google employee is the source. Anyone know more?

  • Levi

    If the popularity of Windows is the reason for the greater amount of attacks, and Linux and Mac OS X are supposed to be less vulnerable and they are being adopted by a big name company like Google…then won’t this give bad people a reason to step up their attacks on the other systems?

    But I agree it’s a publicity stunt. Who cares if Google is moving away from Windows? I don’t get the significance of it at all. Unless Google plans on not releasing any more software that can run on Windows systems. I mean unless they have platform independent programs they still need some Windows machines to develop on right? It just doesn’t make sense to have a big deal made over such a tiny change.

    Now if Dick is correct and it’s only one Google employee then it’s not a stunt, it’s just one guy who let information out and the Media is turning it into a stunt. Okay admittedly Google could have gotten one guy to leak the info as a publicity stunt but I prefer to remain on the positive side of things.

    • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

      Hi Levi
      ‘I prefer to remain on the positive side of things.’
      So do I.

  • http://www.gavinstipsandtricks.co.nr/ Gavin Roskamp

    I think it’s wonderful and all that they are dumping Windows, but they need to make sure they have enough Windows-based PCs to test on. If they don’t have enough to test on, their Windows-based software will become really crappy.

    Of course, they could just run Windows on their Macs in Boot Camp or a virtualization software.

    Oh and I, being the PUGS policeman I am, would like to point out it is would HAVE, not would OF. Check the paragraph after the last quote. :)

    • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

      Thank you Gavin

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  • http://n/a matt

    yes, its all about as old as this journalists skills.

    Because as we all know Chrome was going to be an o/s with a browser interface, replacing windows period.

    We all know by extrapolation google would endorse and probably have a linux server version called funnily enough googlelux in the future once it likes linux enough. Perhaps even a bar of soap too.

    We know they like open source, we know they like linux, we know they are more open and more trustworthy than microsoft. We know their products are faster, smarter, and smaller.

    Tell us something we dont know.

    In no way is google dropping microsoft….its replacing it, has been, will do. Nothing new here (we arent the people your looking for)…move along.

    The journalist is just re-doing an old story.

    • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

      Hello Matt,
      Since you have so much more knowledge than the rest of us, may I invite you as a guest blogger.

  • Ted

    Just a moment’s reflection, even by a non-geek such as I, would tend to reject use of the fact that Windows is the most attacked system as reason to abandon it. More flies are attracted to a pool of honey than to a drop of sugar. Of course more attacks are going to be made on the biggest player. That doesn’t make them less attractive.

  • Ryan

    If you’re going to be using an OS that could infect the company’s network or get taken over by a botnet and crapflood the network, then yes you should have to go give the CIO him/herself a damned good reason.

    There’s nothing that a Google employee will need to do with Windows other than make sure their Windows software works on Windows. They don’t even need to compile anything on Windows as GCC has a cross compiler. (VLC for Windows is build on Fedora Linux for example).

    Purging Windows will get rid of a powderkeg and a whole lot of unnecessary license costs.

  • Gibson

    I personally don’t think google is leaving everybody, but i can understand why their going to be liking Linux, As it’s “OPEN SOURCE” and windows is not, though i must say windows is alot less prepriatary wise then Apple, if they don’t like Windows, then they don’t like Apple any better that’s a fact.

    Google isn’t ditching anybody in terms of the internet, google products will remain available available for all platforms.