I'm David, but you can call me Google

David knocked down Goliath. Can Google knock down Windows?

Last year, the Internet search giant announced that it would be releasing Chrome OS, a platform that hopes to challenge Windows. At first glance, the comparison is like a marshmallow trying to survive a charging elephant; the logistics of it enhance the image. Windows runs most of the world's computers, and Google's field is in its search engine. Expecting it to best one of the OS giants can seem impossible.

But is it?

Google's marketing plan ties into its business practices. It earns most of its money through advertisement, and with the Chrome OS gaining interest, Google will have more opportunities to place ads. An operating system designed by the world's largest search engine will generate publicity, which will increase revenue. Even if people never buy netbooks that run on Chrome, the advertisement and attention to Google are enough.

But Google's challenger has more than twenty-five years of experience behind it. After more than two decades of development and debugging, Windows runs most of the world's computers and handles most applications. Users need an incentive to seriously consider Chrome OS. So far, it touts a more streamlined operating system; it doesn't necessarily mean that it's faster or more versatile than Windows. Even Windows at its worst allows users to do more. Chrome OS has to fill a need that Windows can't.

On the other hand, if Chrome OS is simply built upon everything that's been written (as opposed to starting from scratch), then Google can focus on meeting the needs of consumers by streamlining and making the OS more versatile.

With the OS coming soon to netbooks, the first true test will come; if Chrome performs better than Windows in this small arena, it could pose a challenge to Windows in the long run. Still, with Windows boasting twenty-five years of experience and success, David will have a formidable Goliath to knock down.