Billed as a Linux for the masses, gOS was supposed to revolutionize the low end of the PC market. Version 1 of the OS took Wal-Mart shoppers by storm last year and the big box retailer's stash of Everex gPCs running gOS was quickly depleted. Many are hoping for a repeat performance due to the gOS team announcing the launch of their next version, Rocket, at this week's CES show in Vegas.
Well, CES has started and no one has sighted Rocket as of yet. Visits to the thinkgOS.com home page imply that Rocket is here, but following download links brings us to the old version! Questions about the whereabouts of rocket go unanswered on the gOS support page (via faqly.com), both the official site and unofficial user forums offer little insight as to the whereabouts of the missing OS.
With the examples set by Microsoft, this should be no surprise. After all, how many of Microsoft's products have slipped past initial shipping dates? But, I think the situation is different here, gOS is trying to sell itself as an alternative to other (read Microsoft) operating systems and the powers behind gOS can't afford to start making any mistakes now.
Personally, I like what gOS is all about; it's a simple operating system alternative that runs on cheap hardware and leverages online apps (such as Google apps) to keep costs down and provide the programs that 70 plus percent of all users need. Version 2 of the OS is supposed to fine tune many of the offerings and add some more capabilities and I for one am dying to take a look at it.
Why? Simply put, gOS could be a catalyst for system builders all over the country. If the operating system can offer all the primary features needed, on cheap hardware, system builders can start to compete more effectively against the big box retailers and mail order houses, which are still bound to Microsoft operating systems and the costs associated. So, if anyone out there has an inside track on where to find Rocket, be sure to download it and give it a try!
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