HP is tired of Vista hatred hurting its sales. Actually, it isn't just tired, it is doing something about it. According to Businessweek, HP is doing an end around of Windows by inventing its own OS. According to their sources, HP is basing the simpler OS on Linux:
Still, the sources say employees in HP's PC division are exploring the possibility of building a mass-market operating system. HP's software would be based on Linux, the open-source operating system that is already widely available, but it would be simpler and easier for mainstream users, the sources say. The goal may be to make HP less dependent on Windows and to strengthen HP's hand against Apple, which has gained market share in recent years by offering easy-to-use computers with its own operating system.
All HP is admitting to now is that they have a few guys working on some tools that work outside of Vista. Businessweek doesn't buy it. They contend:
At HP, there are competitive issues driving its software effort. One person who has advised HP executives on strategy says they are concerned that Apple could develop a notebook computer that would sell for less than $1,000. That's a fast-growing market HP depends on for sales where Apple has yet to compete. "Apple is a huge motivating factor," says the source.
Apple developing a low cost laptop? HP ain't dumb.
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HP should stop distributing
HP should stop distributing crapware with a Vista's PC
HP OS
If HP produces an OS with same the quality control that they use to produce their printer drivers then I would say Apple has nothing to worry about. I stopped buying HP printers years ago because their drivers are nothing but crap.
HP has a problem
HP. My favourite brand of calculators. Perfect hardware for printers. Hardware that lasts for years and years.
But then...
HP. The company that just doesn't know how to write software.
150MB for a printer driver that doesn't work? Their recent printer drivers are a bit better but I wouldn't recommend an HP printer that requires special drivers to anyone (their Postscript printers that only require a PPD file are OK though. Except for the colour ones that have built-in colour mismanagement that can not be turned off).
Create a perfect printer, then bundle it with terrible software. The weakest link makes that a terrible printer.
I actually feel sad for the hardware department.
And now they want to build an OS? Don't expect it to compete with Vista or any other OS for that matter.
Could be a bonehead move, but overall a wise one!
While I know that Apple still has the best OS around, I would still say that HP is making a move that could either bode well or be a total failure. Recently, we had to upgrade our HP printer because of a software failure. Now the other one will not scan to any computer in the household. Go figure. (My advice: Buy an Epson). To be truthful, however, we need more people like Apple that are making their own hardware and software. Windows may have done well with XP, but Vista really is a piece of crap - and even Jerry Seinfeld won't be able to salvage that. While this might take a while to catch on, decisions like HP's will really help get competition back into the marketplace, which by any means benefits the consumer.
Very interesting
They must be starting to hurt if this is what they're turning to. And I think they know that once someone buys a Mac it's very difficult to win that customer back.
HP Printers
For those that think HP printers last for years and year... well, they do because the print engines (the parts that do all the work) are all made by Canon. So, sadly, one of the two things that anyone is willing to admit that HP does well they don't really do at all.
HP, like Sony, is a once-powerhouse now struggling with it's own sense of identity... but at least, of those two, HP is faring better.
I think it would be good if
I think it would be good if PC manufacturers started moving away from a microsoft dependence. This is much more of a threat to microsoft than to apple. I applaud HP for attempting to think different if this is true.
Why Linux?
I don't have anything against linux but - linux is messy. X.Org and XFree86 are buggy. They should build a true x64 bit OS from scratch. Base it on QNX & FreeBSD and then write a GUI.
"Now, I don't want to get off on a rant here, but..." - Dennis Miller
?? Not a good idea!!
Who excatly would HP target with a "personalized" version of Linux? Surely not the mainstream users! Why? Because Linux currently lacks mainstream software which is available on other platforms.
Don't get me wrong, Linux offers perfect software in many domains, but most of it is "peculiar" to Linux and so might scare off the less tech savvy users.
HP faces a daunting task if they want to develop a new OS. Developing a new OS per se is not bad, on the opposite. More choice = more competition and better products in the end for all of us.
But developing a software is not what an "assembler" seems to have the know how to do. Even Google who has, by comparison, extensive software knowledge, seems to have issues when it comes to a smartphone OS...
Microsoft software, Adobe Software, Quark, CAD design software... GAMES!! All of these appeal to mainstream users, be it professionally or personally, and they all are missing currently on Linux. Sure, there are the alternatives, but changing an OS and then changing all the software and the way you interact with it is too much for the average user. Apple successfully made people switch not only because of simplicity, but also because of all the major software being available on that platform to. And what currentyl stops Apple from increasing market share even more is still the smaller availability of software (such as games, CAD (AutoCAD anyone??), etc).
I think a new OS needs a lot of time and effort and HP is not the best positioned company to have the know how about doing it properly. And Microsoft, as soon as it smells competition, will retaliate, increasing OEM prices or not providing Windows anymore, thus leaving HP in the cold with a half baked OS on their own.
Seems harsh? Well... It's just an opinion :-)
sounds interesting, if they
sounds interesting, if they could build in a reliable way of running existing windows pograms - but lets not forget that after over 10 years of development, wine still has problems running many applications....
Sounds more like a hidden threat to MS .. Just a way of having a better barganing position for the next round of negotiations with MS
Vista is so slow and very unreiable
VISTA IS TERRIBLE POOR AT EVERYTHING!!! SLOW, COMPLICATED, VERY ANNOYING SOUNDS, AND VERY TERRIBLY UNRIEALBLE!! WINDOWS VISTA SUCKS. GET WINDOWS XP. XP,XP,XP,XP,XP,XP!!!!!!!!!