Google and Linux

Doc is right. Even though Google probably has the largest Linux backend in the world, they're a Windows company. Despite the benefits Linux gives them, not a single one of their apps (Desktop search, the Toolbar, Picasa and now Google Earth) run on a non-Windows platform. The ironic part, of course, is that Microsoft is one of their biggest competitors. Now, of course, Windows has the vast majority of desktop machines – but it's Google's Linux infrastructure that allows them to offer these apps in the first place. I'd really like to see them commit to running apps on Linux (and Mac, ideally). As Doc says, “Yes, I know that it only makes sense to make client software first for the platform with nine out of the ten slices in the market's pie. But it's that tenth slice that keeps the company making the other nine from enjoying a monopoly. At fighting Microsoft's client monopoly, Google isn't helping much. Quite the contrary, in fact.“. I wonder what Chris would say about this.
–jeremy
Update: I've met Chris a couple of times before (and ate dinner with him at the LWE .org Google party last year – thanks Google!), so I figured I'd ask him what he thought, instead of wondering. If he responds, I'll post an update.