Osx, Microsoft, and linux users are all too stubborn to change. It is what the undecided users will do that will make the difference. Maybe MS wants to eventually sell a web version that wants to run on a local web server. Traditional applications for local machines are on the way out. I know we use a web server for most of the programs we run. It enables us to re-purpose older machines and save money. If openoffice came out with a version for apache, I think things could get real interesting.

Personally, I would not trust MS or Google with my data files. If either MS or Google drops the ball with users data, I will suspect the one who fails will be history. Knowing MS track record for security, I am more leery of using a web based application from them. Google is not known to honor privacy, especially after the stunt they pulled with the original license agreement for the chrome browser. Both companies have major drawbacks.

There are already many excellent lightweight linux distributions. I do not think that chrome os will be a big deal except at first for people who have to have the latest new toy. I grew up professionally in a Microsoft world. I have since converted to linux business wise and personally. I would as soon use vim or zim than either msoffice or openoffice. There are a ton of workgroup apps that can be on a local server and save bandwidth costs. When companies and individuals see the bandwidth costs skyrocket, Online apps will suffer. I bet internet service providers can not wait to charge for the extra bandwidth. So online apps are not free!!

Maybe all the freedom software might hurt the computing industry where development is done in the short run, but I would think it would open up making money doing training, support, and developing specialty macros for office or other custom software. The software might not cost anything, but I am not free is the way to look at it. The less expensive software might help small struggling companies to survive and become profitable sooner. It is a double edged sword. RedHat linux seems to be doing ok. That is more than I can say for MS.