Google has officially given Windows operating systems the boot, on and off the California campus. Partially a lead-up to the Google Chrome OS and partially a reaction to Windows security breaks, this move has attracted international attention. Google employees will no longer be allowed to use Windows, however they will nevertheless be offered an option of operating systems.
Source for this article: Google bans Windows over security concerns
Google dumps Windows officially
The official policy of Google on Windows has been, until now, a lot more flexible. When a new employee starts at Google, they are given an option of which operating system they want to use. Google employees, to use Windows, now have to get official approval from the Google CIO. The Google Chrome OS, nevertheless in unofficial testing, is being offered as an alternative to Windows. This move was hastened by the recent hacking of Google’s China channels.
Windows security concerns cited by Google
About 80 percent of the computers in use today use the Windows operating system — everything from offices to credit counseling offices. This homogeneity across the system makes Windows an easy target for hackers and computer viruses. Google has moved to Mac and Linux operating systems because of this security hole. Google's developers design programs for use in "cloud computing" instead of a specific operating system, so this change shouldn't affect their uses much.
Google banning Windows a publicity stunt?
A couple of observers have suggested that Google kicking Windows out of its offices is more about publicity than security. Google has been creating a Chrome OS, a competitor to the Windows operating system. The first public release of this operating system was the Google Chrome web browser. Developers can be allowed to edit and alter the Google Chrome OS, because it is an open-source piece of programming. People used to assume that open-source operating systems were less secure, but experience with Linux and other large open-source projects have proved this theory incorrect. Yes, there will be a Google competitor to the Windows operating system, but that isn't entirely the reason Windows will no longer be used in the Google offices.
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