Google Granted Cloud OS Patent 143
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by
Soulskill
from the i-invented-the-raindrop dept.
from the i-invented-the-raindrop dept.
An anonymous reader writes "This week, Google was given approval of a network OS patent that it applied for back in 2009. The design of the OS is built for 'providing an operating system over a network to a local device' to provision new versions of operating systems onto hardware devices. Filed in March 2009, the idea for Chrome OS was protected by Google early in the development process of the OS, but it was hardly new and unique, given the general description of its features in the patent itself. It is the best sign yet that Google is working toward seamless hardware and software experiences."
Vs. Diskless boot? (Score:5, Informative)
Didn't Unix (specifically, NFS) have a diskless boot option decades ago? Between that and whatever VMWare's been doing (they must have a way of choosing which image you want to load onto your server, right?) how is this in any way an original, patent-able idea?
Prior art? (Score:5, Informative)
Re:specific claim (Score:4, Informative)
Definitely prior art then. I did this in 1992 when we booted our PLCs (their programs that is) off RS485 drops. When they were turned off the program memory was cleared.
In 1996 we did it with Solaris by mounting /usr/local and /opt off an NFS share with automount. When they were turned off, it dismounted.
In 2008 we did this with thin clients (which pull their OS and configuration from a TFTP server).
In 2011 we did this with Office using App-V (not an OS but the principle is the same).
More proof that patents are a load of shit.
Re:good, bad or the big gray between? (Score:4, Informative)
And perhaps they should. From the description it sounds like there's plenty of prior art, including Apple's netboot.
Here's how it's different (Score:5, Informative)
Did you read the patent? I'm guessing not, since you're asking how it's different than netboot.
Google's patent basically says:
The BIOS loads an image loader
The image loader downloads the OS image + a preferences image from a server
The image loader combines these two images to create the full version of the OS and loads the image on to the local device
When changes are made to the image on the local device (file change, settings, etc), these changes are kept in sync with the OS/preferences image server(s)
When the device is shutdown the image is removed from the device
The patent has more details.. but that's the basic idea (at least from my interpretation.. correct me if I'm wrong)
Re:These type of patents are bad (Score:5, Informative)
Google's been pretty friendly but we can't pretend it's always going to be.
Also, even if Google remains "friendly" regarding the patents it holds, there's no guarantee Google will be the one continuing to hold them. Patent war chests change hands with various sorts of mergers, splitoffs, lawsuits, stock deals, etc.
This is the reason benevolent dictatorship doesn't really exist: A benevolent leader would not subject his people to a dictatorship, especially as an entrenchment for those who would follow him. Like you say, just because the current state seems benevolent does not mean anything about how that power will be applied in the future.
Regardless, this thing should have died given netboot prior art.