A report surfaced back in January that Google had been hacked into their corporate site. The culprits were suspected to be from China. Since then Google has made firewall and Internet access control a bigger part of their internal security. Now they are taking a more dramatic step. Employees will no longer have access to Windows7 computers. Google is offering a choice to their staff to use Mac or Linux based systems.
According to employees: “Linux is open source and we feel good about it. Microsoft we don’t feel so good about.”
Windows is known to be more vulnerable to attacks than other operating systems, but this could be due to Windows7 being a bigger target for hackers and more susceptible to computer viruses than other operating systems. Were Linux or Max OS as large, undoubtedly they would have their hands full as well.
How serious is the move away from Windows at Google? Apparently you need CIO clearance for that. You must demonstrate the security features installed, the updates, and even provide information about why your preference for Windows7 is justified.
But maybe this has been coming for a while now. Google, will begin to ship out its own version of an operating system, Chrome, and it wants it own employees to back away from Windows. The move evidently is to have Google products used by Google employees. This will force people off Windows7 and remain with Mac or Linux, for the time being. But as the Chrome OS gains momentum, Linux and Mac will also drop out of site.
The big task remains for Google to produce a solid OS that is also secure and can withstand some of the attacks that were notorious on Windows 7. That is also the problem that Microsoft has gone after, and Microsoft has gone after pirates, hackers, and involved law enforcement agencies. Google may also have to something similar.
Source: Financial Times
Chrome OS is Linux… Though it would of course be natural for them to move to their own Linux distro.
hmm, so any software that Google releases from now on will not be tested on windows pc??
Google is a dangerous company, which is suspected to break people’s privacy, and access their data. We hear some problems that Google is facing nowadays, and that are from Chrome and Gmail. So what will happen if Google releases its new OS? I’m sure that these problems will be far worse than what we have heard. Google OS means you give them the full right to access your data, and for me I wont trust this company, and go back to their interview with BBC ‘ who’s watching you’ and will know what I’m writing about.
Moving away from Windows won’t solve any of their problem. The only problem they have is using outdated version of Windows. If they were smart they would be using Windows 7 not MAC or Linux as a alternative for they aren’t safe compare to Windows.
Josh is right. Google is using outdated version of Windows and that’s Windows XP. If they move to Windows 7 then that’s better. Google itself also have security problems. Google Chrome OS is still Linux. It’s only a motify version of Linux.
First, of course Windows has viruses. Windows get’s hacked and cracked and broken into. But of course if you use something 10 years old like XP, you’ll get hacked into way easier than the latest strongest windows, which is 7.
I’ve had Vista for TWO YEARS and haven’t had anything bad happen.
Macs will just limit their ability and force them to use ‘windows’ on their mac, linux is cool but they will end up using Wine.
See? It all goes down to Windows.
You can do almost anything with Linux a Windows PC or a Mac. The only thing is there are almost no games for Linux (though I don’t think Google care about that). In fact over half of the employee in Google is using their own modified version of Ubuntu (the most popular Linux distro) to get worked done. And Linux is just as secure as either Windows or Mac. And Google is not the only one watching you… Remember tracking cookies and stuff? You cannot do anything online without being traced. And The Microsoft and Apple license agreement gives them the right to take, look at and use your PC/Mac at any time. And Yes. Of course will things for Windows be tested on a Windows machine… You just got to have a special reason to use a Windows box.
Linux is OPEN SOURCE, meaning hackers could easily make viruses for Linux, because they can see what the operating system is doing. Mac is the same way. Windows is closed source, so it’s safer to use Windows than to use Mac or Linux.
That is so untrue. You obviously don’t follow any of the security vulnerabilities or bugtraq. Unless of course you were joking.