Google OS launched - everything changes?

Damn it, I knew I didn't need to upgrade to XP. If only I'd held out a little longer…

The cat very much amongst the pigeons

It will only become popular if they can get the developers of external applications to take it on, such as games, office suite software etc. Without that support, it will struggle.

The only thing that this really changes is that it reinforces the point that the monolithic approach to IR and forensic analysis needs to change, that's all. Remember, when Windows 2000, XP and Vista were launched respectively, the folks stuck in the realm of traditional, purist DOS-era techniques for forensic analysis were all up in arms, while the rest of us simply cracked the shell and dove in.

The XBox and gaming consoles are being analyzed, as are a variety of cell phones and mobile devices…this is no different. If all you have is a hammer in your toolbox, then everything's going to look like a nail…and that one technique of pounding nails isn't going to work for drilling wood screws or riveting/welding steel girders.

Improvise, overcome and adapt.

The only thing that this really changes is that it reinforces the point that the monolithic approach to IR and forensic analysis needs to change, that's all. Remember, when Windows 2000, XP and Vista were launched respectively, the folks stuck in the realm of traditional, purist DOS-era techniques for forensic analysis were all up in arms, while the rest of us simply cracked the shell and dove in.

The XBox and gaming consoles are being analyzed, as are a variety of cell phones and mobile devices…this is no different. If all you have is a hammer in your toolbox, then everything's going to look like a nail…and that one technique of pounding nails isn't going to work for drilling wood screws or riveting/welding steel girders.

Improvise, overcome and adapt.

I see this as a bigger step-change than from DOS to Windows where in both cases the artifacts were written to the local hard disk. With Google Chrome OS combined with HTML 5 the browser is the interface for everything; documents, video, pictures, gaming and other applications exist in the cloud. Add this to browser privacy mode and there's much less compelling evidence left to analyse and present.

Great points by each. The 'cloud' concerns me as well insofar as it will affect our respective abilities to harvest the artifacts necessary to produce quality evidence. For those of us in the corporate world and without any LE authority it is already difficult when in pursuit of evidence related to mobile phone or IP address records. Regardless, Jonathan is spot on when he writes … Improvise, overcome and adapt.

http//news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8139711.stm

For me Microsoft has being looking increasingly redundant. Monolithic, slow to react, anti-competitive and the least innovative of the big players. I would expect the Google OS to be free and to signal the end of the era of Microsoft domination.

Google launching it's own OS will have a huge impact, not least on forensic professionals.

I really dont think the beast of Redmond is that bothered.

Linux and Apple realy should have hit them fairly badly by now, but still PC World is still banging out Wintel box after box even with Vista doing marketing for the opposition.

That its a Google product doesnt really factor either, Chrome hasnt really taken over has it?

As for the Cloud there's a reason why Google released Gears.
The Cloud is grand in Mountain View with blanket coverage, but black spots are unavoidable, provisions will have to be made for that and this is where the artifacts of the future will be found.

I really dont think the beast of Redmond is that bothered.

That's always been their Achilles heel though; not bothering about things when really they should.

Linux and Apple realy should have hit them fairly badly by now, but still PC World is still banging out Wintel box after box even with Vista doing marketing for the opposition.

That its a Google product doesnt really factor either, Chrome hasnt really taken over has it?

Apple computers are too expensive for most peoples' purposes, and Linux despite pretty distros like Ubuntu are stuck with an image problem which says they are 'too difficult' to get to grips with. People do trust and like Google, some of their products like the Chrome browser haven't taken off though. Their OS will do well being both trusted and free.

As for the Cloud there's a reason why Google released Gears.
The Cloud is grand in Mountain View with blanket coverage, but black spots are unavoidable, provisions will have to be made for that and this is where the artifacts of the future will be found.

Agreed!

Which ever way you look at it - more computers = more users = work for us!! Hurrah for the future.

Improvise, overcome, adapt and get the tea on!

Jesterladd