Everyone wants to make an Operating System Now

If you thought having Microsoft's Windows, Apple's Mac OS X, and Linux for operating systems was enough, you were wrong. So now it seems like everyone wants their own operating system. Google has Android and now Chromium (which uses the linux kernel as its core). On the handheld and mobile phone side, Samsung has their BaDA operating system.

To make things even more confusing (and nerve-wracking for both developers and consumers), now Mozilla is looking into making an operating system for mobile phones and tablets. Word has it that for this new operating system, Mozilla has decided to use Android's kernel and drivers as its base instead of Linux kernel and drivers as its base.

As a developer, this makes trying to make a program that will have a version for every mobile (and perhaps desktop too) operating system more of a pain. Personally, I like Firefox, but I think Mozilla should just work on trying to perfect Firefox more (especially in the "ram used" area) before trying to venture in the world of operating systems.

From a consumer's standpoint, this makes things complicated. Do I want a tablet running Windows, mobile Mac OS X (a la iPad), Android, or Mozilla's new os? Do I want a phone which runs Windows Phone, Android, mobile Mac OS X (iPhone), BaDA, or Mozilla's new os? This also has the potential for the many who do not do their homework before buying an expensive item like a laptop, a tablet or netbook, or a mobile phone to buy something they doesn't fit their needs and/or something they later regret buying.

Now I'm not totally opposed to Mozilla making an operating system, but I do think this is a bad time to do so. If Mozilla does go through with making an operating system, as soon as they release something like an alpha or beta version, expect the patent war to begin again and for all of the patent lawyers to start a suing frenzy, which brings me to another point.

In the world of user interfaces, it is certainly possible, but I don't thing you can make a graphical user interface shell these days without running into a patent issue. It seems like many of those companies (yes, I especially mean you, Apple) will file a patent for just about anything. When another company builds on what that patent entails and either creates something similar, but different or creates something better, the patent hounds are released and they go to war with each other. I know that companies want to protect their intellectual property, but if anyone from said companies are watching, please consider which patent lawsuits are worthwhile to pursue and which ones are not worthwhile to pursue. Frivolous patent lawsuits clog up the courts and waste hard-earned time and money.

That's all I have to say on the issue of operating systems for now. If you have any thoughts, comments, or questions on this whole operating system mess, please make them known via the comment box below. You can also follow me on Twitter as well (username is @rctechgeek).

What if Microsoft made a Linux Distribution?

My how much operating systems have progressed. Around the start of June, the first release candidate of version 3.0 of the Linux kernel was released. We all know that Windows has been around since the 80s. With Linux as one of Microsoft's great adversaries, I thought it would be fun to try to visualize what would happen if Microsoft did a complete 180° turn on Linux and made its own distribution of Linux.

For one, Microsoft would probably have the whole explorer shell as its desktop environment. Since it is Linux, the customization options here would be a little looser, but Microsoft would probably make it difficult for users to install another desktop environment or window manager, although the use of the console would not be limited in this way. Microsoft would probably modify the kernel to include (and also build, as kernel modules) some drivers that would normally not be included in a Linux distribution by default.

For the package manager, Microsoft would have it's own proprietary package manger + package type. This would, no doubt, tied into some online store that you would use to get programs. However, Microsoft would probably have some sort of way of installing packages locally. If you wanted to use packages for existing systems like rpm or deb, you would probably be out of luck because Microsoft would most likely tweak the system so that only packages in its proprietary format can be installed (but someone would eventually make something like the utility called Alien, which lets you convert packages from one format to another, like from deb to rpm).

For programs that would come with it, Microsoft Office would probably either not be bundled by default or have some sort of basic version of Microsoft Office bundled. If you wanted the full version, you would probably buy it through the online store and have to download it. Other programs, like paint or notepad, would probably be included, but would either be made totally by Microsoft or have Microsoft branding on it.

For those of you who like to use WINE to run your Windows programs under Linux, Microsoft would probably come out with something that serves the same purpose that would blow WINE (and also Cedega Crossover Office, the "paid, with support" version of WINE) out of the water.

Since the Zune player and Windows Phone 7 devices are so popular right now, Microsoft would include (or free download from online store) a Zune client that could interface with the Zune player and Windows Phone 7 to modify your mobile media library with few problems. Xbox Live would probably make a debut on the Linux platform as well.

Internet Explorer would get a native port to Linux, with all (or most) of the features that you would find on the Windows version. Windows Live would also get full Linux support as well. Samba support would be native, with Microsoft coming up with it's own version/implementation of SMB/CIFS (and NETBIOS too?).

There's probably a whole lot more that can be said about this. However, this is all that I could come up with for now. If you can think of some more things that weren't mentioned that would happen if Microsoft made it's own distribution, I would love to hear about it. If you have any other comments about this, make your thoughts known via the comment box, or on Twitter (username is @rctechgeek).