HP said to be considering making its own OS to counter Vista

HP unsurprisingly isn't ready to touch this one in any sort of official way just yet, but BusinessWeek is reporting that at least some folks at the company are "exploring the possibility of building a mass-market operating system," which would be positioned as an alternative to Vista. That OS, as you might have guessed, would be based on Linux, although BusinessWeek's sources say it "would be simpler and easier for mainstream users." By all indications, however, this so-called "skunk works team" within HP doesn't seem to have moved much beyond the brainstorming stage, and HP is sticking strictly to its official line that it is more interested in "innovating on top of Vista," with HP chief technology officer Phil McKinney even going so far as to say that the idea that it's funding a huge R&D team to go off and create an operating system "makes no sense."

[Via Electronista]

[Hellaphunt @ Sep 12th 2008 2:19PM]

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?!

[nerdtalker @ Sep 12th 2008 2:27PM]

Are they serious!?

In other news, HP reports that the OS will immediately lockup upon install of iTunes 8 since every version of the OS will ship with drivers for ALL their USB printers installed.

[Serial 8-Ball Mouse @ Sep 12th 2008 2:28PM]

Yeah man. The are just going to throw this into a box and charge $79.99 for it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HP-UX

Count me in!

[jaalin @ Sep 12th 2008 2:32PM]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0S5zS8jSE4

[iPhone @ Sep 12th 2008 2:41PM]

lol... NEXT!

[Flashpoint @ Sep 12th 2008 3:22PM]

I THINK ITS A BRILLIANT IDEA.

Once of the reasons APPLE has been so successful is that their machines and their software are tied together like a strand of DNA.
Their hardware and software work together in perfect unison. Across multiple platforms, the builds still remain the same from computer to computer, so , as they are using the same OS, it is simple to troubleshoot them, upgrade them and update them.


Microsoft makes an OS that can be used from the biggest desktop powerhouse on down to the average netbook. Hardware profiles are not the same, the building blocks of the computer vary from machine to machine. Therefore, Microsofts instability is a consequence of it having to be a "one size fits all" deal.

HP is the largest computer manufacturer. Therefore, if they implemented their own OS...like they've already hinted at with QUICKPLAY, they will have full control over their machines, their OS pricing and they will not have to give revenue to Microsoft since they won't have to license their OS. HP can make its printers, scanners, fax machines, desktops, notebooks and ipaqs work together in unison without having to continuously call MS for new licensing.

THIS IS A BRILLIANT MOVE FOR HP - cut out the middleman. Windows Operating systems probably add to HP's system failure rate due to OS lockups.

ITS A BAD MOVE FOR MICROSOFT - HP's laptops give Microsoft huge amounts of market penetration.

HP needs their own OS and their own WEB BROWSER. They've damn near got everything else.

[alexmueller @ Sep 12th 2008 3:44PM]

Is this the first time a flashpoint comment was highly ranked?

[josh G @ Sep 12th 2008 3:58PM]

I think they would be more successful making it based off Windows than Linux. I could just see it now, "Windows HP".

[raul @ Sep 12th 2008 4:15PM]

They will give you the OS for $9.99 and charge you $15 for your screen to turn back on after 30 minutes of use...

[sinai @ Sep 12th 2008 5:42PM]

and one of the reasons Apple purchasers get royally reamed is because the hardware and software are tied like DNA. imagine if all computers came in only a few variations, couldn't be easily user-upgraded and it all came from one company...

[Greg @ Sep 12th 2008 5:47PM]

Yeah, this would only push people away, towards a more mainstream, beloved OS: Mac OS.
HP needs to keep Vista, but maybe offer Linux and XP as an option.

[loosely_coupled @ Sep 12th 2008 6:12PM]

HP should just partner with Ubuntu since Canonical has already taken the concept so far. All they need is to get native drivers written for all HP components and you'd be set...

[Johan S @ Sep 12th 2008 7:26PM]

They can use Linux .. but they need to improve the look and feel of Nautilus (make some realistic newer icons in a professional 3D modeler/renderer). They also need someone to improve the look of the window manager -- window frames, scroll bar, buttons, overall texture.

[maveric101 @ Sep 12th 2008 8:37PM]

@ flashpoint

OSX crashes too...

[thedesolate1 @ Sep 12th 2008 9:58PM]

Not to mention it will be filled with bloatware. Just like they do to their windows boxes.

[Ras @ Sep 13th 2008 3:31AM]

I must admit: Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?!

HP ist that crappy company that can't even port a printer-driver from 32bit to 64bit (mine is lj 1010), so how are they going to create an operating system?

[buu700 @ Sep 15th 2008 7:30PM]

@Johan S

If that's the case, why use GNOME at all? It seems to me that if they wanted something polished, integrated, and full of eye candy, they would use KDE as soon as 4.2 rolls out (to compete with Apple of course, and it doesn't hurt that it's compatible with Dashboard widgets). Really, there's no reason for them to stick with GNOME unless they're going for rock-hard stability over polish and innovation (and besides, HP's printer GUIs already use Qt).

[NickTheRat @ Sep 12th 2008 2:21PM]

FhAILp.... if it is as reliable as their printers, we will be so lucky!

[MemphisNET @ Sep 12th 2008 3:09PM]

BAM - THAT JUST HAPPENED :D

Seriously... we hear this EVERYTIME a new or "in the spotlight" OS comes out.

Carmack, where's my gaming OS?

[Brad @ Sep 12th 2008 2:24PM]

This is quite possibly the worst idea I've ever heard of. Seriously, why would you bother trying to package linux as your own OS? All of HP's users that want windows WON'T switch, and those that don't want windows would rather have a real Linux OS, not some bizarre HP version. And the support cost for HP would skyrocket with very little profitable gain.

This is a bad idea. End of story.

[Hugh @ Sep 12th 2008 2:30PM]

Apple did it with UNIX, and its their best selling OS yet.

[Chris Macdonald @ Sep 17th 2008 4:18PM]

I think it's a brilliant idea as long as you still have the option to use Vista.. but then you look at hp's business model which would require every little staples store and best buy to stock computers with vista or the hp os. HP needs to make a viable online store before they can sell this OS.

[aaron @ Sep 12th 2008 2:25PM]

Really? Hahaaaa. As if Vista is a head turner.

[Serial 8-Ball Mouse @ Sep 12th 2008 2:26PM]

Hey. Engadget. I have a rumor, too. I heard that Microsoft is planning to make printers. PUBLISH MY STORY NOW!

[Wolfticket @ Sep 12th 2008 2:26PM]

LOL at Hewlett-Packard having a skunk works.

[absinthe party @ Sep 12th 2008 2:28PM]

I heard that HP was also getting into the space race, except their rockets would be much easier for normal consumers to navigate, unlike the Columbia.

Now go spread _that_ rumor, BusinessWeek. Silly bastards.

[HalfJoey @ Sep 12th 2008 2:29PM]

Please God, No. I've always had some kind of trouble with HP software for printers and scanners. I've owned and worked with many HP products for printing and scanning throughout the years and there are always problems. Whether its "power errors", software crashes, bloatware, driver support, the idea of HP making an entire OS just makes me sick to my stomach.

[jbodar @ Sep 12th 2008 9:15PM]

HPOS.

Too easy.

[Astrostream @ Sep 12th 2008 2:29PM]

Every Linux vendor says it's going to be a "User Friendly OS", but never delivers.
Why waist your time? It's only the interface over a very good core. how hard that can be!!

[Serial 8-Ball Mouse @ Sep 12th 2008 2:40PM]

"Why waist your time?"

It's like the perfect tag line for a health drink.

[Taylor @ Sep 12th 2008 3:35PM]

Well, that's not really true. I think most Linux vendors like Red Hat, etc are more worried about having a full feature set than being user-friendly, since those distros are made for knowledgeable professionals who are trying to do complex IT work - they don't need user-friendlyness like a consumer would.

I am all for more people trying to make user-friendly linux. Of course, i still think this article is BS and i doubt HP is going to do this.
-Taylor

[jmacman1 @ Sep 12th 2008 5:19PM]

Well...... Actually, if you take a look at the HP Touchsmart PCs (the newer IQ504/506), HP Added a Layer on top of Vista for the Touch screen interface which is quite easy to use and quick. So.... who knows, maybe testing the waters with that?

[Caleb @ Sep 13th 2008 2:35AM]

I just bought a IQ506 and love it! It's the first time in 15 years I've not built my own. I needed to get a new system and had looked at the price on a of a Wacom graphics tablet with built in LCD. $1100 and this was in the $1400 range with 22 inch screen. At first I was going to just uninstall the touch interface but I figgured I'd give it a try for a few days. I like it for certain things and for other tasks I don't like it. If I'm going to be working in Word or Photoshop or 3D Max etc it's in the way and a nuescene. However if I just leave the system running durring the day and want to check email, glance at weather and other info as I walk by etc, or play a touch based game like the included chess it's great. Idealy I'd like to see them inegrate it into the screen saver and the webcam, and have minimize as soon as I start to use the keyboard or mouse. Let it stay in the forground when it only gets touch or video input that way it gets uses for it's ideal tasks and goes away when you don't need it. It would be interesting to see a Linux OS by HP with the TouchSmart interface as part of the user interface but I shure would not want it to be the entire interface. Sure it's great for browsing your music or videos or playing chess (I do love the touch interface for chess. It lets me concentrate on the game.) but it's not suitable for a lot of other tasks. It would be interesting to see a video editing app with onscreen touch jog dials though. If HP does create an OS for home/office users it's really going to have to support all Win based games and business apps or it just will not sell for the average user. Personaly I've use everything from Dos, Linux, Mac OS to the BeOS and they all seem easy enuf to use for me (and probably a lot of the posters here) but most users are just going to want to be able to buy a program at OfficeMax, Best Buy, or WalMart for that matter and be able to install and run no questions asked.

On a side note. I've set up prebuilt systems for other people before and always noticed tons of bloatware installed. Supprisingly this HP Touch Smart IQ506 only had the Touch Smart interface, MS Works, Norton Security Suite, and HP Solution Center. There were 'links' to other software that was on the backup system image partition but they were not installed. Having that stuff as an option is much better then installing it. After backing up the image partition I wiped that out and put the space to better use. I din't have to uninstall anything. I hope this trend continues with all of HP's desktops.

[Caleb @ Sep 13th 2008 2:40AM]

I just bought a IQ506 and love it! It's the first time in 15 years I've not built my own. I needed to get a new system and had looked at the price on a of a Wacom graphics tablet with built in LCD. $1100 and this was in the $1400 range with 22 inch screen. At first I was going to just uninstall the touch interface but I figgured I'd give it a try for a few days. I like it for certain things and for other tasks I don't like it. If I'm going to be working in Word or Photoshop or 3D Max etc it's in the way and a nuescene. However if I just leave the system running durring the day and want to check email, glance at weather and other info as I walk by etc, or play a touch based game like the included chess it's great. Idealy I'd like to see them inegrate it into the screen saver and the webcam, and have minimize as soon as I start to use the keyboard or mouse. Let it stay in the forground when it only gets touch or video input that way it gets uses for it's ideal tasks and goes away when you don't need it. It would be interesting to see a Linux OS by HP with the TouchSmart interface as part of the user interface but I shure would not want it to be the entire interface. Sure it's great for browsing your music or videos or playing chess (I do love the touch interface for chess. It lets me concentrate on the game.) but it's not suitable for a lot of other tasks. It would be interesting to see a video editing app with onscreen touch jog dials though. If HP does create an OS for home/office users it's really going to have to support all Win based games and business apps or it just will not sell for the average user. Personaly I've use everything from Dos, Linux, Mac OS to the BeOS and they all seem easy enuf to use for me (and probably a lot of the posters here) but most users are just going to want to be able to buy a program at OfficeMax, Best Buy, or WalMart for that matter and be able to install and run no questions asked.

On a side note. I've set up prebuilt systems for other people before and always noticed tons of bloatware installed. Supprisingly this HP Touch Smart IQ506 only had the Touch Smart interface, MS Works, Norton Security Suite, and HP Solution Center. There were 'links' to other software that was on the backup system image partition but they were not installed. Having that stuff as an option is much better then installing it. After backing up the image partition I wiped that out and put the space to better use. I din't have to uninstall anything. I hope this trend continues with all of HP's desktops.

[Caleb @ Sep 13th 2008 2:44AM]

God I hate this comment system. Some times it doesn't reply correctly, sometimes it doesn't post at all, other times it posts twice and sometimes it doesn't show up for days. I've never seen another comment system this bad. What gives Engadget?????

[buu700 @ Sep 15th 2008 7:55PM]

@Caleb

Engadget is owned by AOL (I think that speaks for itself).

[Hugh @ Sep 12th 2008 2:29PM]

I think this is a good idea. As proven by Apple, integrated hardware and software can work really well. If HP can get even a 1 percent marketshare with their OS, it will develop even more as developers will get interested. Also proven by the Mac OS, you can make money rebranding and throwing a better application architecture on top of free software.

It may work, but may utterly fail.

[Dean @ Sep 12th 2008 2:29PM]

Oh noes, they're bringing back HP-UX!!!!11!

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HP-UX)

[Freakin Ijit @ Sep 12th 2008 2:31PM]

Oh! They can buy Palm and put them out of their misery!

Anyone high up at HP recently from Palm?

[Jake Tobak @ Sep 12th 2008 2:31PM]

Am I the only one who's extremely excited about this!?

[Zinger314 @ Sep 12th 2008 2:31PM]

The OS will

[TheAzureKnight @ Sep 12th 2008 2:33PM]

Like the rest of you all I can say is WHAT THE F*CK!?

Seriously though I don't know just how realistic it is for them to expect to succeed. I mean I can barely stand OS X and I've only heard about Ubuntu and Linux in the last few months.

I just don't think this is gonna work. Especially given HP's tendency to put a lot of bloatware on their computers and notebooks.

Still though they're more than welcome to try. I'd give it a look in a store and if they made a decent attempt I might dive in.

[Chad @ Sep 12th 2008 3:30PM]

So, um, because you are uninformed and have no idea what's going on in the world - that makes what HP (might be) doing a bad idea? I don't see how those two are related. And your opinion of Mac OS X has nothing to do with this story either. No one said HP's Linux based OS would be like Mac OS X other than a hardware company would be making its own OS.

[marc @ Sep 12th 2008 2:37PM]

The HP flavored Linux seems like a better idea to me. I could not believe how bad Vista was when I was helping a friend with their laptop. Almost everything you do requires clicks off to stop all of the warning messages, and only an Admin can fully uninstall a program, even when the computer is set up for a single user. Nice UI, but otherwise it's a clunky, annoying, bloat hog.

[216 @ Sep 12th 2008 2:44PM]

you do realize the probs that you just mentioned can be easily turned off by stopping the UAC?

[chefgon_ign @ Sep 12th 2008 2:48PM]

The optional features you describe can (and should) be disabled in a matter of seconds.

Annoying that you have to spend 10 seconds of your life changing that option upon a fresh install, but hardly a reason to switch operating systems and re-purchase all your software.

[Ignatius @ Sep 12th 2008 2:59PM]

I think administrative access should be required for modifying a system's programs. How would you like it if your child decided, hay, what's Add/Remove programs?! I can click them and they go away!

Fun little day for you, no?

[Rob @ Sep 12th 2008 2:40PM]

Is Carly still calling the shots at HP? I thought she got fired. Next thing we know, Micheal Dell is going to announce the same nonsense. I welcome all competition, but I don't see how HP expects to compete with Windows and OS-X. Oh well, it's their money I guess.

[chefgon_ign @ Sep 12th 2008 2:54PM]

If Windows wasn't preinstalled on all new PCs, Windows adoption would be hurt in a big way. I'm not saying that HP's operating system would be any good, because I don't believe it would be, but HP stands as one of the few companies in the world capable of putting a sizable dent in the Windows Empire.

[iPhone @ Sep 12th 2008 2:42PM]

we already have an amazing OS to counter it.

leopard FTW!!


Snow leopard for future win!!

:)