More on Google's Linux Endeavours

Yesterday's news brought mention of a rumor of Google possibly planning their own release of a desktop linux distribution, something I said I would wholeheartedly welcome. But by days end, it was made well known that Google has no intention of doing any such thing and only uses Linux (and possibly Ubuntu) internally... at least that's what Google's Sonya Borälv had to say on the matter.

What's interesting, though, is an article I saw mentioned over at OSNews that says "Google's Dan Kegel will be keynoting at the 2006 Southern California Linux Expo on Feb 12th. He will be giving a presentation titled "Why doesn't Johnny run Linux? Or, Overcoming Desktop Obstacles". Dan will go over some of the main issues identified by the recent Desktop Linux Survey and Desktop Linux Architects' meeting at OSDL, as well as his own list of issues, and what's being done to solve them."

So if Google wants to squash our hopes of a solid, robust, Linux desktop release, then fine. But its interesting to realize that they are showing an interest in the Linux desktop in general; enough of an interest for one of their own to be doing the keynote. Looking back over the server landscape, we see that Linux made many in-roads into the market, but it wasn't until a combination of the IT boom and major OEMs (like Dell, HP, IBM, etc) pre-installing it that it took traction as a server. Hopefully as the UN-backed OLPC project gets under way, Linux will see an even greater boost (the OLPC project is to use RedHat linux).

-Andrew Davis, Associate Writer (Carlsbad, CA)