Google CEO Eric Schmidt trash talks Windows 7

[Emil]

Google just took a jab at Microsoft. Oh, the search giant already did that last week, and it wasn't the first time? Yes, you're right, but now it's Google CEO Eric Schmidt targeting the software giant's biggest product, the latest version of which is particularly successful. Schmidt recently made comments about Windows 7 during a question and answer session at the 25th anniversary celebration of MIT's legendary Media Lab.

In a wide-ranging discussion with National Public Radio journalist John Hockenberry, Schmidt proclaimed that the goal of great technology is to get people to use computers less so they can be more productive. That's fine, but he didn't stop there. "The hours I spend reprogramming my PC in Windows 7 is not a very good use of my time," he told students in the MIT Media Lab auditorium according to CRN. "Why I choose to do that in the first place is a problem with judgment," he added.

We should expect more and more comments like this one from Google as the company readies its answer to Windows, dubbed Chrome OS. Schmidt has already talked about the OS before but now it's clear he's getting ready to start trash talking the competition as well. Chrome OS is slated to arrive before the end of the year. Just last week there was reason to believe that it was at the Release Candidate phase.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/40728-google-ceo-eric-schmidt-trash-talks-windows-7.html

 

[Regenweald]

Google is so two faced that it's actually funny. They don't see the need for a 'new' mobile platform in Windows Phone 7 seeing as Android is almighty now (meanwhile Pocket PC 2000 is almost older than google itself) , yet they launch a browser masquerading as an OS in a world that already has Win7, OSX, *.Linux, BSD, Solaris and even Haiku.

 

[bcronin]

I rather think this is true of most all modern operating systems and not just Windows 7. It will be fascinating to see if Chrome OS can do better (but color me skeptical, these are the same people who are behind Android, which is the single most you-gotta-tweak-an-endless-array-of-settings-to-get-the-thing-to-do-what-you-want OS I have ever dealt with, with Linux being a close second). Compared to those two, Windows 7 is a pleasure to use.

 

[Xero07]

I agree windows 7 is a breeze compared to linux operating systems in general. Most of the changes i make to windows up front deal with its security settings but those being enables to start kinda makes sense. Better to have to disable security then enable it.

The rest of the changes i make tend to be user preference based that windows couldn't possibly predict for each user.

 

[treeski]

Stop being evil Google. Don't stoop to Apple's level

 

[gwailo247]

Reprogramming what? Having to log onto various web sites and enter passwords? Having to reinstall software because you're using a new OS? Care to be more specific?

If your time is really that valuable, then hire someone (or order one of your minions) to set up a computer with all the programs you tell them to set up.

Simple tenet of economics, if your time is more valuable than the cost of paying someone to do the equivalent task, you pay someone to do the task.

Does he complain about how long it takes to vacuum his house, or how long it takes to wash all his clothes?

"Boy that Maytag...took me six hours to do all the laundry...can't they make a washing machine that does that quicker?"

Coming soon, Google Washer and Dryer: Open source, like your laundry likes it.

 

[mattfrompa]

Well, I suppose Chrome OS would have to take market share from somewhere...but I don't like this attitude from a company

 

[davimous]

gwailo247 said:

Does he complain about how long it takes to vacuum his house, or how long it takes to wash all his clothes?

"Boy that Maytag...took me six hours to do all the laundry...can't they make a washing machine that does that quicker?"

Coming soon, Google Washer and Dryer: Open source, like your laundry likes it.

You made my day sir.

 

[Guest]

+1 that was an outstanding post

I would shake your hand sir if I knew you...lol

 

[Xclusiveitalian]

Google are you kidding me? Windows 7 is the best OS since WIndows XP! It's never been easier to just "do stuff" on it...re-programming it? um, i dont think so.

 

[Guest]

The first thing you gotta do when you install Windows 7 is install anti virus software so that the software will keep working. The security issues alone with Windows should be enough to make most users try something else. But vast numbers of users accept this major inadequacy in Windows based software.

Hopefully a Google operating system will overcome this major weakness in Windows. It should if it's Linux based.

 

[Relic]

Seriously, out of everything he could have said he chose that? I guess he rather have all of us the "cloud" and not worry about anything. *rollseyes*

@gwailo +1

 

[Guest]

It looks like this is a quotation taken out of context from a presentation to students. The few sentences given don't really even make sense without their context so I definitely won't read much into this.

I think everyone who uses an operating system at all hates it at some point. I don't see this as news at all. He doesn't even try to say Android or Google OS is better.

 

[Lokalaskurar]

I prefer sticking to an old Windows rather than letting Google know how much mail I have, how much I browse the web, and exactly what I ate for breakfast. An OS that can do nothing but to browse the web using Chrome, check your mail using GMail and soon chat using "just some other" Google-option, is not exactly a free-for-all OS, but almost an "evil" OS like Apple's Macintosh.

Microsoft isn't exactly declared "Not Guilty" by the court either; they too seem to ruin everything creative with "Windows-options", examplary case in point, the Defragmenter (originally Norton's), the Search (also originally made by someone else) and so on. Come to think of it, how's the market-share for Outlook? How many people prefer Hotmail, Yahoo, (GMail), or just any option?

Apart from these, we have Linux as a great option... if you can live with the incompatibility with almost anything. Ubuntu's policy of "download-drivers-and-go!" doesn't actually help if Ubuntu lacks the drivers for your network-card...

So all-in-all, Windows is not such a bad option after all, but as the CEO apparently indicated, there is always room for improvement.

 

[Guest]

Don't forget your mission statement Google "Do no evil", its not just about dominating the world.......

Kel

 

[yukka]

Be interesting to see what chrome does that windows 7 does so badly. I have the impression its a dashboard for google apps and I will have to reprogramme steam and all my game library to be able to use it.

Agree about Android by the way. Lots of options once you find them and doesn't look as professional as other offerings. I have enough experience now to give it a miss for at least a few more versions.

 

[Zilpha]

Microsoft isn't exactly declared "Not Guilty" by the court either; they too seem to ruin everything creative with "Windows-options", examplary case in point, the Defragmenter (originally Norton's), the Search (also originally made by someone else) and so on. Come to think of it, how's the market-share for Outlook? How many people prefer Hotmail, Yahoo, (GMail), or just any option?

I don't really know what your first statement has to do with the other, but you are right that a lot of Microsoft's products weren't originally designed\created by BIll himself.

For your second statement: Outlook isn't an email provider - it's a front end like Thunderbird or Eudora. It's just a fetch client.

Yahoo mail, Windows Live Mail (Hotmail) and Gmail are competitors though. I used Gmail until they started making changes I didn't like and couldn't deactivate because they decided how I should view my mail. I've had enough of the new buzzword: Google. This is what happens when a company gets too big, too fast. They lose touch with why they became big in the first place, and eventually fall.

 

[LNCPapa]

I'm betting Steam won't run on it. I don't think this was a good choice of words for Google - I really hope this is a misquote or out of context.

 

[lawfer]

Am I the only one that notices this guy is really ugly?

Not really relevant, just point that out.

 

[9Nails]

Isn't this like Mario Andretti complaining about basic transportation because of all the tweaks and tuning that he needs to make the car go fast?

Windows 7 probably does come with a lot of cup holders, floor mats, and trunk space but for the average consumer it's just fine and fits the role of an operating system with ease. Compared to Linux (weak market support, but fantastic as an appliance-based OS) or Apple (similar issue to Linux) I'm happy with my choices.

 

[Guest]

That's funny guest

I haven't installed a virus scanner on my machine in over 5 years.

i've never had a virus!

You know why your computing habits are far more important!

 

[Flannelwarrior]

I believe it's poor journalism to insert as many opinions as Emil has into this article. He puts a bad spin on the statements Schmidt made, and like someone said above, quotes him out of context.

 

[Axiarus]

Guest said:
The first thing you gotta do when you install Windows 7 is install anti virus software so that the software will keep working. The security issues alone with Windows should be enough to make most users try something else. But vast numbers of users accept this major inadequacy in Windows based software.

Hopefully a Google operating system will overcome this major weakness in Windows. It should if it's Linux based.

I have never had problems with security. Maybe people just shouldn't go to websites they aren't supposed to be on.

 

[Archean]

I don't think that Emil is quoting him out of context, you need to consider that google people are trying to 'create a space' for their new baby by 'differentiating' their product on ill-conceived logic, to which many of the informed people have already pointed at, beside, they are just doing what they need to do to get public's attention. However, I am not sure there is a space for google in this area, but they can waste as much money as they can in this area and still come distant 'also ran'.

 

[tengeta]

Hey, we only invade your privacy twice as much. But you know, our system runs twice as fast while feeding off it.