Google Chrome OS

Google announced today, that they intend to release their own operating system, called Google Chrome OS. The announcement is commented everywhere on the web:

The new OS will be (of course) open sourced, will have enhanced security model and will emphasise on simplicity and speed. The first computers running it will be available in the second quarter of 2010 and will be netbooks.

On one hand, it is normal for Google to take advantage of the speed they gathered and grab a bite of Microsoft’s main course – the OS market. Especially since Microsoft are investing heavily in their new search engine, Bing, and are trying to attract Google users.

But on the other hand, the announcement is, least to say, surprising. Google already have their own operating system, Android, which picks up speed pretty fast and although designed for mobile devices, different people and companies are trying to adapt it to other devices for some time now, and netbooks in particular. Here are just a few examples:

So, why would Google want another operating system, if they already have one, which is becoming more and more popular and is attracting attention from the community? Is this about a new operating system or about different versions (Android and Chrome OS) of the same platform? We will have to wait until 2010 and see.

Geri’s Game

I recalled “Geri’s Game” today, the 5-minute Pixar movie, which won an Oscar for Best Short Animated Film in 1998. If you missed to watch it, take this chance to do it ;).

When I watched it i recalled something else. Notice how at the end of the game, Geri knocks down his King, which comes to tell, that he resigns. The same action can be observed in the following two scenes from “Searching for Bobby Fischer” (as well as in a bunch of other Holywood movies):

Remember this from me – chess is a game for gentlemen. If you ever play chess with somebody else (not like Geri, with himself ;)) and you happen to loose, be the first to shake your opponent’s hand and congratulate him with his victory. Because in order to learn how to win, you first have to learn how to loose with dignity. The handshake before and after the game is so important, that it is grounded in the rules of  FIDE – remember the scandal with Ivan Cheparinov last year:

Any player who does not shake hands with the opponent (or greets the opponent in a normal social manner in accordance with the conventional rules of their society) before the game starts in a FIDE tournament or during a FIDE match (and does not do it after being asked to do so by the arbiter) or deliberately insults his/her opponent or the officials of the event, will immediately and finally lose the relevant game.

In fact, the game was replayed, but this is not important for what I am trying to say.

As with knocking your king down, forget it – it’s a Holywood bullsh*t.

Joshua Waitzkin.

Joshua Waitzkin

Joshua Waitzkin is the prototype for the lead character in the movie “Searching for Bobby Fischer”. He is also the author of the tutorials for some versions of Chessmaster.

I haven’t heard about him for a long time – he used to be a very promising American chess player and somehow disappeared (from my sight at least). And recently I came across an interesting interview of his in Google. He talks about how he started playing chess, how he decided to give up chess (because he did not feel like becoming the best player) and how he not only started training martial arts, but became a Tai Chi world champion (if I understood correctly). A really interesting transformation – this explains to some extend the popularity of  chess-boxing ;)

I personally liked the interview – I hope you will enjoy it too.

Oracle to Buy SUN

If you missed to follow the news, here’s how I saw the events, chronologically:

  • 18 March 2009 – Rumor says, that IBM is looking to buy SUN. Both companies refused to comment the rumor.
  • 25 March 2009 – Paul Otellini, Intel’s CEO commented, that “Sun was shopped around the Valley and around the world in the last few months” and “A lot of companies got calls or visits on buying some or all the assets of the company ”, due to unfavorable financial prospects.
  • 02 April 2009 – Rumor says the price of the deal was set to around $7 billion, ($9.50 per share). For comparison, SUN was worthed $200 billion in 2001.
  • 05 April 2009 – The deal is off, after IBM tried to reduce the price to $9.40 per share, according to the rumors.
  • 09 April 2009 – Niel McAllister perspicaciously presumes what is about to happen.
  • 20 April 2009 – Without much noise and rumors both companies (Oracle and SUN) together issued press releases on their web sites: Oracle Buys Sun and Oracle to Buy Sun. They’ve reached a definitive agreement under which Oracle will acquire SUN. The deal is valued at approximately $7.4 billion (or $9.50 per share), which corresponds to IBM’s initial offer (see above). The contract is subject to Sun stockholder approval, certain regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.
  • 21 April 2009 – Steve Ballmer and (supposedly) IBM are very surprised by the deal. Rumor says, IBM wanted to reduce the price after the initial negotiations were closed.

In most comments over the acquisition SUN is categorized as a hardware (server) manufacturer, but in fact it is much more than that. This is the company that created the most popular programming language, Java Community Process, Open Office, Open Solaris, ZFS. The only thing that Oracle are famous about is their truly extraordinary database, but that is it. Well, also with their remarkable inability to provide good Java-based platform for software development. That is why I fully agree with Paul Otellini (see the link above):

I’d rather have Sun be independent I guess.