How We Know Chrome OS Will Be A Hit: Steve Ballmer Doesn’t Think So

There are a lot of questions out there about Google's new Chrome OS . Since little is actually known about it, the most interesting questions right now tend to be about Google's overall strategy in making a new OS. And if such a strategy will actually work. We tend to think it will , and that belief got a huge boost in the arm today as Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has finally come out and mocked the idea. Okay, I'm being a bit facetious, but still it's worth noting this, for reasons I'll get into below. First, here's what Ballmer had to say about Chrome OS according to TechFlash : "The last time I checked you don't need two client operating systems. We tried it before. Windows 95 and Windows NT. It's good to have one. So I can't -- I don't really know what's up at Google." On the face of it, that doesn't sound like a bad point. And it's one that plenty of others are saying. But it's interesting that Ballmer is saying it because it's not like Microsoft doesn't also have a mobile OS (Windows Mobile) and a computer OS (Windows). And while yes, you can get Android to run on netbooks, I think Google realized that for most purposes, it was less than ideal.