Why the gOS Could Now Hurt Microsoft

The makers of the gOS, Linux-based desktop operating system may now find themselves at the right place at the right time. With a market that is anxiously sizing up the netbook platform - - driven in large part by Intel's low-cost Atom processors - - the gOS offers a simple proposition: A simple-to-install, free operating system integrated with Mozilla and Google technology for fun and productivity.

It's slick.

The CRN Test Center has taken a look at the gOS 3 Gadgets and compared it to other operating systems on a simulated netbook test bed. (You can take a look at the Test Center's netbook benchmarking results, comparing gOS to Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Ubuntu, right here.)

gOS was competitive on performance. But its clean, Mac-like task bar at the bottom of the user interface, its combination of both OpenOffice.org applications and Google apps, and its friendly, gadget-based look and feel seem almost tailor-made for small, often keyboard- and memory-challenged netbooks.

Good OS describes its operating system as "a full desktop operating system perfect for desktops and notebooks." That may be a stretch for all desktops and notebooks, but for the netbook platform it's hard to argue.

gOS launched first on the obscure Everex gPC - - shortly before a wave of Tier 1 manufacturers came to market with their own netbooks running mostly Windows XP or Ubuntu. But if the market is opening up, as it appears it may be, gOS may have the opening it needs to get another look.

In looking at gOS, you also get a good look at Mozilla's Prism software and Google's productivity applications, including Google Docs and Gmail. And you begin to see how possible it is to build a nice, productive interface without ever-expanding hardware requirements or licensing concerns. At a time when some in the market are more aggressively considering doing more with less compute power, and less cost, those are all technologies that could fit the bill.

For now, Windows XP remains the most popular operating system for business PCs and netbooks. But the world isn't standing still and Good OS and other vendors are in a better position than ever to get a good look.