Wishful thinking? Yes, but let's consider the possibilities. The last couple years have seen significant advances in hardware production and design. One of the more interesting (and potentially revolutionary) developments to take place this past year is the announcement of a new CPU, the STI (Sony, Toshiba, IBM) Cell processor.
Acting like several CPUs in one, the Cell will be able to power multiple operating systems at once, as well as bear the heavy computing load that a single system can place on the CPU. These past couple years have also seen significant shifts in the direction that computers and their operating systems are to take. Phones, computers, gaming systems, and entertainment centers are becoming more complex, more integrated with each other and the distinction between these devices are becoming more and more blurred. Modern operating systems are reflecting this shift as well, supporting VoiP, integrating audio and video with IM and email, etc. With the maturity of the cell processor, tech manufacturers have the opportunity to combine these functions completely on a single home machine, with dedicated processors or cores for each task, and perhaps dedicated operating systems--or environments--to enhance task performance and simplify the interface.
As hardware complexity increases, a simpler, more elegant and straightforward computing interface will likely emerge, separating media from computing, design and multimedia work from office work, with all tied to the Web. With multimedia and gaming relegated to their own places--all of which can operate simultaneously without interfering with one another (thanks to Cell)--there is no need for one beastly, complicated interface to control them all. Each environment can have its own simple, straightforward interface, and the Cell will ensure ease of mobility between environments without disturbing the workflow of any particular environment.
Enter Google
This is Google's specialty: a simple, easy to use interface, accessible to all levels of users. Though there is no indication that anything like this is in the works, one can easily imagine a streamlined Google OS on its own hard disk partition, separated from the entertainment, gaming, and media production environments. In addition to Google's signature services—a high-powered internet, media, and local disk search engine—it would likely consist of an office suite, a lean web browser, and various other applications and utilities. Consider the technology already at Google's disposal. Start with the world's best search engine with access to the largest body of searchable information and media. Add Gmail: a clean, JavaScript-based application, stored on a server, accessed via the internet, from which a user can not only compose, read, organize, and search their email, but also quickly access Google's search and other services. Now, look at Google News: a world of online news sources, which can be customized to an individual users preferences. Throw in Google's desktop search, the Picasa photo software, and Firefox (Mozilla and Google have significant overlap in their employed workforces) with live bookmarks, and cool research extensions such as dictionary and thesaurus lookup, linky, launchy, and the like. Extend all of this technology to typical desktop applications like office software, then combine them all into one interface and bundle the OS. Simple, powerful, and totally Google.
Let's take it one step further. Imagine that all of this software—like the Google search engine, Gmail, etc.—is stored on Google's notoriously well-backed-up servers and operates at relatively high speed with any internet connection, thanks to its simplicity and javascript code base. Supported by unobtrusive (sometimes even helpful) ads, and hosted on a distant server, this is free, convenient, and accessible from ANY computer, anywhere, anytime. Additionally, you have the world's best IT department working on your behalf to protect your software, its accessibility, and its security. No viruses, no worms, no corrupted disks.
Let's say they go even further: Google gives you, say, 1000GB on their servers, hosts all your data (with multiple levels of permissions), and provides everything mentioned above, and extends their video search (currently in beta) to provide access to a wealth of streaming audio (like iTunes radio) and video. All of it is free, all of it is easily accessible through a powerful, extensible web browser, and all of it simple and easy to use (it's still Google, remember). What are the implications of such a system? First, no more purchasing software (at least not the consumer grade applications hosted on the server); second, companies actually competing for your business (Google would surely be followed by the other major players); third, your work is finally mobile.
Students can more comfortably use computer labs, knowing that everything will be right where they left it, no matter what machine they use. You can replace a machine without copying and reconfiguring everything. Any web-enabled computer can handle most home users' desktop computing needs with relative consistency. You can experiment with or switch to a new operating system (Yahoo, MSN, .Mac) without buying a new machine or partitioning your hard drive. Ads--not consumers--pay for consumer-grade software, and since more apps will be web-based, you can try out these proprietary programs on any machine at no cost, and without the process of downloading and installing. And, as creepy as it may sound to leave your data permanently on a server, this would actually be more secure than the data on many computers out there today.
Now for the fun. Right now, open source programs like Firefox boast some killer extensions that make browsing a lot more fun and a lot more productive. Imagine the kinds of plug-ins and extensions one could write for this Google OS, were it based on open standards (this past week, Google released much of its code as open source, and posted some key APIs at code.google.com). Perhaps you mouse over a URL, and a preview of the page pops up in the corner. A couple mouse clicks or a keyboard shortcut puts a graphic or media clip from the web right into your slide presentation. When working on a research project, you can bookmark sites of interest right into the outline of your paper. Or imagine a database of freely-downloadable music, from top artists, television shows, news videos, etc., paid for by inconspicuous Google text ads.
Every user could have a personal database where you can put information about yourself, with varying permission levels. Anytime your screen name shows up in an email, a letter, a website, mousing over it will preview your data. If someone not in your access list does this, it merely shows a link to your home page. For those in your address book, it shows your full name, location, a flattering picture (maybe it's even one of you!), and links to your blog and your favorite websites and activities. For certain close friends and family members, your phone number, IM account, and email address popup, so they can communicate with you instantly with one click. Any document you create can be instantly uploaded to a community database, indexed by Google, and accessed by anyone, or only those of your choosing. And not just text documents and spreadsheets. Oh, no. Posters, magazines, songs, animated shorts, even feature-length movies! All powered by software hosted on the servers, paid for by ads just like the ones you already have in your Gmail account and your Google searches. And for projects requiring professional software running on a studio machine, the server can still act as a central storage area—tied to a webpage outlining the project details and timeline—where files can be checked in and out as various project members work on them.
