Microsoft Windows 7 vs Google Chrome OS et al - 300 and Quo Vadis Dominae

When Liberty is gone,

Life grown insipid and has lost its relish.

Addison, Cato, II, 3

The recent surprise news of Microsoft now canceling its Office Genuine Advantage (OGA) program as of Thursday, December 16^th 2010 AD (yes it is THAT kind of announcement!) has caught many by surprise – and has people like me downloading Office templates in a hurry, lest Microsoft changes their mind!

The article by ZDNet Reporter Ed Bott entitled “Microsoft quietly shuts down Office Genuine Advantage program”, by Ed Bott December 19, 2010, 2:25pm PST, Ed Bott's Microsoft Report -ZDNet caught many by surprise, as I saw it on my FB Page, but did not believe it, so I tried it out.

What could have prompted such an abrupt change of strategy? Google Chrome OS and the new Cr-48 laptops of course!! Not only is this a debut of the power of Open Source and Cloud Computing, effectively a NC (Network Computer) as per my blog article entitled “Google Chrome OS and Open Source - Star Wars A New Hope” but is also bodes well for the concept of free productivity software, such as Gmail and Google being accessible via the Cloud [American colloquial: Internet].

Great news for International Reporters with an Apple iPad wanting to blog or send in reports as the action happens – provided they have Wireless Internet Access handy. However, this is bad news for Microsoft and their proprietary Microsoft Office, which is apparently running scared of Open Source and free (Oh yes! Download Open Office Here !) based on recent attack ads against Open Office as opined by PCWorld Correspondent Katherine Noyes in her article entitled “Why is Microsoft so scared of OpenOffice?”, published Oct 14, 2010 1:02 PM by Katherine Noyes, PCWorld.

Worse, OpenOffice.org, the Open Source Developers Group for Open Office and upon which I am typing this article as a Jamaican in the Third World, has mended fences with Oracle, the owner and creator of Oracle DBA (Database Administration) Software and its other tools and well as owners lock, stock and barrel of Sun Microsystems

This signals a future push into Cloud Based Productivity Database Products based on Open Office Open Source Code as Client Platform – or at least that is my view of the relevance of this partnership as per the article “Oracle pledges support for OpenOffice.org”, published Oct 13, 2010 7:40 AM by Chris Kanaracus, IDG News, PCWorld.

Oracle just tinkering with Open Office just to make Microsoft CEO Bill Gates mad makes no sense, as Oracle CEO Larry Ellison spends too much time waxing his yatch for the next Ryder Cup to be bothered with such things.

The signs are clear: Oracle is powering up for major push into Office Productivity, using the OpenOffice Open Source as a Cloud Based Platform to deliver an integrate Open Office or LibreOffice Platform with integrated VoIP Calling and email, all in one smooth streamlined interface

Meanwhile the Greek army march on, having secure a prior victory against Persians a la Microsoft by securing a US$6.7 billion contract to provide Gmail and Google Voice and Google Docs services to the General Services Administration (GSA) as stated in the article “Google scores big federal Government contract”, published December 2, 2010 9:07 AM PST by Lance Whitney, CNET News - Digital Media.

This was mere five (5) days before the Google Chrome OS and Cr-48 announcement on Tuesday December 7^th 2010, thus a strong indication of the coming possibility of Google Chrome OS also coming to PC as well.

That may well be the case, as being that everything is on shielded servers run by Google, there is no need to install software, as it all runs from within the web browser, a major, if not ironic battle strategy that could see Chrome OS on ANY machine that chooses to run Google Chrome OS, switching productivity from Local based servers and hard drives to Cloud based servers.

Network Administrators are already working with Google to make this a possibility as per the article “IT Controls configure Browser for Enterprises”, published Wednesday December 15, 2010 5:03 pm ET by Mark Long, newsfactor.com, Yahoo News.

Sure does explain Google’s push into Telecoms with Google Voice and now Google Voice integration into Gmail as per my blog article entitled “Google and Google Voice - The World is Not Enough”. Recent tweaks to Google Docs to make it more compatible with Microsoft Word were also a clue.

But possibly the biggest and most dangerous sign is number four (4) computer maker’s announcement of the acquisition of Compellent Technologies by Dell for US$250 million, a oversized (and overpriced!) Data Center.

Possibly with an eye to provide similar services to Cloud Based Google’s Chrome OS Platform as per the article “Dell will buy Enterprise Storage Provider Compellent”, published Monday December 13, 2010 2:22 pm ET by Barry Levine, newsfactor.com, Yahoo News.

Dell, apparently taking no chances after being caught off guard with the Apple iPad and the now ongoing Tablet War as per my blog article entitled “Apple iPad vs HP Slate 500  - The Force Unleashed in the Tablet Wars”, is making what appears to be decisive push towards what increasing appears to be a Cloud Based Open Source future.

So it seems that the cracks are finally beginning to show in the once great and might Persian Empire that was Microsoft. Microsoft’s only major growth area, despite their earned billions in productivity and OS, was really in the Xbox Division, specifically Halo Reach for the year 2010 AD

Microsoft plans to make a yearly release despite the appearance of taking advantage of fan loyalty as opined in the article “New Halo games coming every year from now on?”, published September 22, 2010 12:51 PM PDT by Don Reisinger, CNET News - The Digital Home.

The profit numbers satisfy the pundits on Wall Street, but it speaks volumes for the future viability of a company that makes software purportedly for Business Clients yet issues updates on such a frequent basis for effectively what is a galleon ship with too many creaking holes and sprung leaks. 

But the same Reporter, Ed Bott, noted earlier that Microsoft was slowly losing its market share to Apple and its tightly managed iOS Ecosystem of devices connected via iTunes, with Mobility on better hardware (Hint: Apple iPad Effect!) being the main desire among Consumers as per his article “Microsoft vs Apple: Who's winning? The numbers don't lie”, published October 24, 2010, 6:00pm PDT by Ed Bott, ZDNet.

I say “ironic” earlier, as it was Microsoft CEO Bill Gates who first used this strategy to defeat then entrenched and price Netscape Navigator Brower during the Browser wars in the late 90’s that saw the defeat of paid Netscape Browser by bundled Internet Explorer, now the major browser platform in use and still the number one Browser.

If this general trend follows, then this army of 300 (2006) as per the movie and the graphic novel, will surely fall as the first wave of attack by Open Source and Cloud based computing, led by Google CEO Eric Schmidt, Oracle CEO Larry Ellison and Dell CEO Michael S. Dell, and the Spartans rise against the mighty Persian Army [Microsoft] in a massive Open Source Wave.

Significant for Jamaica as Local Telecom Providers are ramping up their Wired and Wireless Broadband offerings as per my blog article entitled “LIME vs Digicel - The Truth About Charlie”.

Telecom Provider Digicel already has a DataCenter as stated in the article “Digicel diversifies - US$500 Data Center opens November”, published Friday August 28, 2009 by Mark Titus, Business Reporter, The Jamaica Gleaner, albeit for Static Data Storage (Data Backup) facilities but upgradeable to Dynamic Data Storage Services (Dynamic).

Triple Play Provider FLOW also has a Data Centre offshore in the Cayman Islands as per the article “FLOW launches Data Storage, other Services”, published Friday July 23, 2010, The Jamaica Gleaner. This is confirmed in the article “FLOW unveils Hi-Tech Offshore Data Storage Facility at CTIO”, published Friday, July 23, 2010, BUSINESS, The Jamaica Observer.

With the possible cost savings of Cloud Computing and the mobility of tablets, and, people, note, I am going out on a very large limb here folks, look for the Corporate Community aka New Kingston, playground of the Young and The Restless in Jamaica to be the initial users of Tablets as per my blog article entitled “Motorola, RIM and the Tablet - Indiana Jones and the Palace of Doom”.

Extinction of the PC an by extension Windows may just be coming to Jamaica early after all, a country long esteemed secretly in the eyes of Silicon Valley as a bellweather as to whether technology developed for Developed Countries aka the USA will catch on in the Developed World aka Jamaica et al. Guess the Deejays needed to pimp the product are not necessary – its cost saving capability of Open Source and Cloud Computing is “bling” enough!

Microsoft COO Steve Ballmer, the question now begs: Quo Vadis Dominae.