Google Chrome OS – Less Browser, More Windows

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Here’s an interesting article on how Google’s Chrome OS has a major new update, named Aura, that makes the OS feel more like a Windows machine.

When Google first launched Chrome OS, the whole point was that everything ran from a browser. Seriously, that was the whole point. And now they’re getting away from that original premise. Google aimed Chrome OS at home users who didn’t want any complicated messy OS making their lives difficult. However, because of the generally techie way they deliver Chrome OS, it seemed to me the more likely audience would be people at home with the whole home brew way of doing things. I like to call those people Linux users. And the important thing about Linux users, the reason Chrome OS isn’t going to work with them, is that they are happy with Linux.

You probably think my whole argument collapses under the fact that Chrome OS is delivered preinstalled on computers from Samsung and Acer. I would agree. If I thought those machine were shipping in any particularly large numbers. I don’t. Don’t even have any concrete evidence to prove that statement. I could look on the net to find out if this is true, but I won’t. Why bother. I know I’m right here. Why ? Because have you seen any in the wild ? Ever touched one outside of a computer convention ? Did you even know who was building them before reading it above ? Nope, didn’t think so. That’s why I can say they aren’t selling well without looking this up. Google seems to think building something is all you need for it to be popular. Marketing, who needs that.

So nice try Google. Now man up and bury Chrome OS.

Steve Jobs – A less obvious observation

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Steve Jobs ran a huge company. And when huge company thinking was advantageous, he would use that to get what he needed for Apple.

But the thing Steve Jobs did well is ignore the fact Apple was a huge company every single time that thinking that way would be detrimental to Apple. And not just when it was hugely detrimental, but even when it was barely perceptible. In every single instance of needless corporate thinking, Steve Jobs made everyone around him act as if they were in a startup getting things done.

I think many of the biographies and reviews of his life have hinted at this. But I don’t think there has been enough appreciation of this approach. An approach that  to me was one of the most remarkable things about him. And it’s something I believe very few business people will ever be able to emulate.

Sherlock series 2 finale

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So the finale of Sherlock brought with it some confusion. If you haven’t seen the finale, look away now.

Still here ? OK, I take it you have seen the finale. So here goes.

Firstly, I have to say that I think Steven Moffat was probably the kind of boy who would peel open his Christmas presents days before Christmas. Then with great skill, reseal the present. Not knowing that his parents had him totally sussed out. The reason I say this is because not only could he personally not keep us guessing if there was to be another series (he tweeted within minutes of the show that there would be). But he also revealed Sherlock at the cemetery. Really ? That made the whole thing so anti-climactic.

We know Sherlock knew he was heading towards a showdown with Moriarty that could well mean his death. We know this from the conversation he had with the pathologist Molly Hooper. So it would make sense that Sherlock would set things up to make sure he in fact survived. Now there was definitely a body on the pavement. And some have surmised it was Moriarty. However they’ve come up with ideas like “Sherlock put a Sherlock mask on him”. Why a Sherlock mask ? Because the girl screamed at Sherlock when she saw him. Suggesting that Moriarty used a mask to further implicate Sherlock in the children’s kidnapping.

However, my theory is that Sherlock had dosed Watson with the drug from the previous Hound of the Baskervilles episode. If you remember correctly, it would make you see what you would truly fear. And the way Sherlock discussed his last words with Watson before jumping would have reenforced the idea in Watsons drugged mind that the man who leapt from the top of St Barts was in fact Sherlock and not Moriarty.

OK, so how come Moriarty wasn’t identified as the corpse during the autopsy. Again the indomitable Molly Harper comes to the rescue. She would confirm Sherlocks death as she would likely be the pathologist performing the autopsy. And why would she fake the autopsy ? Because at the end of her conversation with Sherlock, we see him ask her for a favour, but we don’t get to hear what that favour was.

Now I only have to wait a year to be proven right (or massively, massively wrong).