23 May 2011
The Chromebook is hogging the limelight in the technology world right now, but is it just destined to be a fad (Chrome OS: is it a serious alternative to Windows in the enterprise?)?
The product is innovative but it’s not a Windows killer. First, it will not appeal to users in the many developing countries where internet penetration remains abysmal.
Second, are we ready to let go of our data and store it all in the cloud in regions where always-on connectivity to the internet is feasible? I think the answer is a resounding “no”.
Third, what are users supposed to do when their work takes them to an area with patchy internet connection? Obviously, they will need to pack their old Windows laptop.
The fact is that enterprises are Windows-centric, and most enterprise applications have been designed to run on Windows. Having a “good product” is not sufficient to attract the masses: remember the Betamax and VHS battle of old.
People and firms require computers because of the applications – not the other way around.
Data theft, the immaturity of the cloud model (remember the recent Amazon EC2 outage and previous outages of the Gmail/Google Apps service), identity theft, SLAs and service availability are all concerns that Google needs to address.
How I wish there could be a server component, perhaps branded as the “Google Server”, for enterprises that might be interested in having a private or hybrid cloud which could offer something akin to Google Apps, but hosted locally. At least that would take away the concern around information security.
Femi Akinsola
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