Google is Indecisive, Says Microsoft CEO

By Jane McEntegart
published

With Microsoft's Partner Conference taking place this week in New Orleans, there was bound to be questions about Google's decision to launch a Chrome operating system.

Steve Ballmer yesterday said that Google's attempt at entering the OS market was, "interesting." When the audience laughed, Ballmer insisted that he would be respectful of Google's efforts and said that the Chrome OS was "highly interesting" but went on to point out that Google already has an OS on the market (referring to Android).

"Who knows what this thing is? To me, the Chrome OS thing is highly interesting," Ballmer said, according to Reuters. "It won't happen for a year and a half and they already announced an operating system," he said, adding, "I don't know if they can't make up their mind or what the problem is over there, but the last time I checked, you don't need two client operating systems. It's good to have one."

As much as Ballmer is trying to laugh all this off, we're not sure he's right on the whole one operating system thing. Android is, after all, a mobile operating system for phones and Microsoft has Windows Mobile as well as Windows.

Check out the full story on Reuters.

Jane McEntegart
Topics
Software
30 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Parrdacc
    I use more than one OS. Windows for gaming and work. Linux for everything else that Windows can't do or won't do. Linux has come to the rescue so many times I just can't do without it.
    Reply
  • freak77power
    And what Linux can do and Windows can't. I can give list of 100s things Linux can't do that i can do under Windows.
    Reply
  • brendano257
    LOL Companies should only have one OS, and Microsoft has XP, Vista, and now Windows 7, all of them with 3 or more SKU's. He is not one to talk, he's most likely scared of how much they stand to use in the Netbook market if Chrome is more practical and better performing than Windows, which I find to be QUITE likely.
    Reply
  • norbs
    This is all fear, they have no idea what to expect. They release Bing and google did not say a thing.
    Reply
  • doomtomb
    freak77powerAnd what Linux can do and Windows can't. I can give list of 100s things Linux can't do that i can do under Windows.Agreed. I can think of alot more things Windows can do that Linux can't vs. the other way around.
    Reply
  • lifelesspoet
    Dos, windows 3.1 and windows nt, hmmmm, is that hypocracy I smell?
    Reply
  • norbs
    doomtombAgreed. I can think of alot more things Windows can do that Linux can't vs. the other way around.Yes, you actually have to know how to use an OS to be able to "do things" with it.
    Reply
  • zak_mckraken
    norbsYes, you actually have to know how to use an OS to be able to "do things" with it.
    Actually, it's quite the opposite. You shouldn't have to know how to use an OS, you should know how to use the software you need. I shouldn't need to "know" Windows to do Photoshop, I should know how to do photo editing. I shouldn't need to "know" OSX to do Final Cut, I should know how to do video editing. A good OS lets you do the things you really need to do without you thinking about the OS.
    Reply
  • duckmanx88
    O_o it's never a good sign when CEO's don't take competition seriously. i mean IE8 is a joke compared to chrome and FF.
    Reply
  • stradric
    I don't know how some of you people managed to work out a windows vs linux debate from this article talking about Chrome OS.

    Anyway, Ballmer is awesome at putting his foot in his mouth. Google is not allowed to have more than one OS all because they don't share a common name like "Windows"? That's ridiculous. Microsoft has 5 versions of Vista: Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, Enterprise and Ultimate. What does he have to say about that? Haha, this guy cracks me up.
    Reply