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43 Comments
- jjarmoc, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Actually, they did write a custom filesystem. They call it GFS.
http://labs.google.com/papers/gfs.html - jonathanex, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Oh god, this is going to lead to more ***** stories that Google will release a mass-market OS, I just know it...
- jjarmoc, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Ohh, and a process management system of sorts - MapReduce
http://labs.google.com/papers/mapreduce.html - holzp, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Yeah, its called Skynet.
- skydivingdutch, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2This isn't really news. Also a system like that is useless for a home desktop machine, its meant for large scale distributed work.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Dug anyhow, even though "created their own operating system" is misleading. Actually they hacked an existing kernel that lots and lots of people use to hell and back, and wrote a bunch of libraries that take advantage of mostly pre-existing APIs. But it's not like they wrote a custom filesystem or mem/proc management system, or ring structure.
- tgraham, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1It's called linux - how is this new?
- mlingojones, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Dude, EVERYONE KNOWS that Google uses their own OS internally. No digg. And no, frankiefrankie, they are NOT (thank God) using Windows XP, and I apologize if you were being sarcastic and I didn't detect it.
- agiletech, on 11/14/2007, -1/+2Anyone can make their own Linux distribution.
http://librenix.com/?inode=96
Creating a new file system or process management system might be a little bit more entailed but can be done by any decent group of programmers (even one if given enough time) - but Google did this out of necessity, not because they decided to make their own OS. It's obvious they don't want to worry about it anymore either judging from the article. - nuxx, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1ok, will someone tell me just WHEN are people gonna stop wanking over the thought of Google releasing an Operating System???
- dhasenan, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1>> afaik the gpl prohibts linking proprietary code with gpl code
No, it specifically does not. For a library, using a function is invoking a particular part of the Work; thus it follows under the following clause:
"Activities other than copying, distribution and modification are not covered by this License; they are outside its scope. The act of running the Program is not restricted, and the output from the Program is covered only if its contents constitute a work based on the Program (independent of having been made by running the Program)." (GPL, section 0, para 2)
So, a GPL quine's output is covered by the GPL, as is a self-modifying GPL program. But a library's output isn't--and this makes sense. An array can't be copyrighted, nor can an integer or a string or a floating point value.
If this isn't convincing enough, take a look at VMWare, Crossover Office, Cedega, and Sun's SSH. All of those applications run on Linux, linking against GPL libraries; they also have commercial licenses. I am pretty sure that their respective corporations would have been sued long since if that were a GPL violation. - vuke69, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"Aint they supposed to release gfs to public under gpl if they use it with linux?"
NO
They can use whatever they want internally, and never have to release a single line of code.
And for any new works that they create, and choose to release, can be under any licence they see fit to use.
Changes to old works that they choose to release is they only place where licencing becomes complicated. - sghost, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1They have had this since practically since day 1. Somewhere on the net I read an article on why they had to do it and it made total sense (sorry for lack of a link). It has nothing to do with them wanting to move into the OS market.
- npodges, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I hope everyone doesnt think that is too wierd. Most big companies run some form of their own operating systems for company use, or else just a toolkit with programs that runs over some other OS.
- inerte, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Googles' "own" operating system runs on servers. They are optimized for a distributed database, fault-tolerant nodes, and "plug and server".
Yeah, makes one wonder about "loftier goals" when the OS probably doesn't even have a GUI. - agiletech, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Here's a better link on building your own distribution
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/library/os-lfs/ - jpyun, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"""Aint they supposed to release gfs to public under gpl if they use it with linux?"""
I hope you're joking. - trafnar, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Yeah, I think they are reffering to GFS, the google file system, which makes use of consumer computer hardware, and anticipates a ceartain amount of failure among machines, so it stores everyhting in at least 3 places and when one computer goes down, one of the remaining two creates a third copy.
- halc5s, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Umm hasn't it been that way for YEARS????? No Digg.
All the world needs is another *nix distro - Vaelan, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0You can read more about it's OS and File System here:
http://blog.topix.net/archives/000016.html - invader, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0>>"""Aint they supposed to release gfs to public under gpl if they use it with linux?"""
>I hope you're joking.
i hope YOU're joking. it should be common knowledge that the general population consists of borderline brain dead. if you're in any way surprised that one of these can post on digg, you aren't too far from them - mesohorny, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0This is google the business and company. They will never release anything to the public that they have created for competitive reasons. If it is only internal today, it will never be public tomorrow. Being competitive is what business is all about, don't fool yourself into thinking google is beyond that.
If they release anything that keeps them competitive their stock would be $1 the next day. - sosuke, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Symblized - THANK YOU so much for NOT using the original new items title, it was false, John Loiacono, Sun's software chief had suggested that Google outsource.
- spodkowinski, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Aint they supposed to release gfs to public under gpl if they use it with linux?
- isakn, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0old news :|
- vwnlinux, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Old news.
- dkarlson, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0anyone else's head asplode from the first paragraph?
"Sun's software is the way it sells hardware and it is the hardware that is very interesting because Sun is very focused on lowering electric power consumption in the huge data centers of tomorrow, which will have hundreds of thousands of servers."
obligatory link: http://www.google.com/technology/pigeonrank.html - grelmar, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Dig. But not because it's news that G has it's own OS (not news), but it is news that Sun is pitching for G to outsource its data centers.
Also interesting to read in the related article about Sun's overall Grid computing strategy. - spodkowinski, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0>> "Aint they supposed to release gfs to public under gpl if they use it with linux?"
> NO
> They can use whatever they want internally, and never have to release a single line of code.
afaik the gpl prohibts linking proprietary code with gpl code. i'm not a kernel developer, but i guess it applies to linux kernel modules as well. isnt that exactly why the gpl is created for; protecting work from being extended by billion-$ companies that wont give anything in return - MoeB, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0does the OS come with firefox with the google toolbar? and the google pack? gtalk? gGarbage?
- buddyglass, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0The Sun grid computing story it links too; is actually more interesting.
- jaknet, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Some company uses an OS that is designed for what it does !!!!!!!!!!!!! shock horror
OH it's Google.... Right lets post it everywhere
I'm sure the postal service (first thing that came to mind...sad eh) uses an OS that is designed for what it does.......... Shall we a post on each one of these
I like google... I even use some google software at times...... BUT I can go 2 hours without having to post the name Google everywhere about anything and call it news.
What will be next "Google staff use a front door to go to work "
get a grip please - kristin364, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0This is dumb. A lot of tech. companies implement their own internal OS.
- oyourmom, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0*cough* linux with googles name *cough*
- gwash, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0no digg, lame actually
- v3xt0r, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0NSS (No ***** Sherlock!)
- nano, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0>> afaik the gpl prohibts linking proprietary code with gpl code
No, it's only if you redistribute the changes. You need to redistribute your own source code along with GPL code you've linked to or used. If you don't redistribute, you don't have to open up the code. - kronzdigg, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0Wow I like googles.
- frankiefrankie, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0So, they are not using Windows XP?!?!?
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0Wot? google isn't running Windows? ;0
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0The dignificant thing about this story is the hype about release their OS to the rest of the world...
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http://www.gfx.com - leftfoot, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0I would STOP using google forever if their mainframe ran Windows XP.
- santiago1, on 10/12/2007, -3/+0 ALL bow before your new Google Overlord!!
HAIL GOOGLE!!! ALL HAIL GOOGLE!!
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