There have been a lot of rumors that Google was developing a new desktop operating system. In the beginning many thought that all these rumors were confusing and were in fact referring to Google Android, which is Google's open source mobile system. The firm has confirmed, nonetheless, that in late 2010 they'll indeed launch a desktop operating system designed for netbook computers known as Google OS. Can Google OS indicate the end of Microsoft's real stranglehold over the desktop world?

Google OS is going to be based on Linux and created from the ground up to operate Google's already well-liked Chrome browser on netbooks. Google Chrome OS will depend heavily on web-based apps and cloud computing. Users will access web apps and will keep most of the files on the cloud.

Microsoft presently claims that 96% of netbooks run Windows XP. Windows XP is now more than 8 years old. In case Microsoft cannot develop the right user experience for netbook computers with Windows 7, Google OS can easily start eating into Microsoft's share of the netbook computer market.

The irony is that Microsoft has already done enough things to end their monopoly that Google really cannot beat. The way people use technology is going through some fundamental changes these days, and Microsoft has really done a very poor job of forecasting this shift or providing a cutting-edge product to address it. As people move a lot towards mobile gadgets, it is obvious that Microsoft has no real mobile plan. Windows Mobile has performed quite poorly in the marketplace. Whilst Microsoft has a remarkable market share within the netbook arena, it is a market portion under huge pressure from Apple's iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad as well as the rapid proliferation of Google Android based products.

As for the desktop, Linux and Apple's Mac have eaten into Microsoft's share of the market. The dramatic failure of Windows Vista provided a lot of folks a reason to move to Mac or even some other platforms. Microsoft's stronghold these days is in the enterprise, where Windows workstations and servers continue to rule. Open source carries on to make inroads within the enterprise marketplace, nevertheless, and Microsoft is under tremendous pressure in the server market from Linux based products.

While Chrome OS is an interesting foray into the operating system world for Google, it's barely a watershed moment in the decline of Windows. Microsoft has already done an excellent job of deteriorating their monopoly by missing emerging trends such as the quick adoption of portable devices. Nevertheless, Chrome will still be another blow to Microsoft because it takes into their share of the netbook marketplace. The real risk to Microsoft will be if enterprise users started to see the advantage of cloud computing.