- Image via Wikipedia
A highly debated topic in the future of computing is the creation of an Internet operating system, that is an operating system that runs exclusively online. For years it has been considered the natural progression of operating systems on computers. There have been rumors of software giants from Apple to Google having one in the works. But what if the Internet operating system is already here? Is the way we now access information online a clear representation of one? Or are we still years away from its official launch? The debate rages on, most recently started anew with an essay from technology whiz Tim O’Reilly. Needless to say, neither side has won, yet.
When you look at the Internet in the big picture it’s possible to make a strong case for the existence of an Internet operating system. When placed together, the functions of search engines, cloud computing, mobile browsers, GPS location-based utilities, to name a few, all seem to operate like components of an actual computer. Internet applications in themselves also offer tools associated with basic operating systems like chat capabilities, image editing and more. Add in the significant proliferation and reliance of mobile devices like smartphones for computing, which run the Web strictly with apps, and its hard to ignore the existence of the Internet operating system.
However, when one digs further it becomes more obvious that all that this conception of an Internet operating system is is nothing but a conglomeration of Internet applications that generally run in conjunction with the operating system on a computer. An operating system is supposed to be a whole entity that branches out into a network of computing capabilities, like a human backbone. That doesn’t seem to entirely be the case here. While many applications can be customized to run with each other, they have to be prompted. One thing the debate of the Internet operating system can assure is it will exist one day.
