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This all feels like a race where the model companies try to solve doing work locally in a way that doesn't suck, before the major operating systems companies fi
by z2 4mo ago
This all feels like a race where the model companies try to solve doing work locally in a way that doesn't suck, before the major operating systems companies figure out AI integration into their OS that doesn't suck. It also makes me wonder why Google which has both Gemini and Android can't figure this out, and if there are lessons to draw from that.
- ls612 4mo agoThe only lesson I'm taking away is that we are still very early in the AI era. AI workflows look entirely different today than they did 18 months ago and I wouldn't bet on them looking the same in 18 months from now.
- ddarolfi 4mo agoThey are releasing AluminumOS with their Googlebooks, which is a AI forward OS. If its good or not we have yet to see.
- elxr 4mo agoIt's looking like a slightly updated reskin of chromeOS with gemini features built in. Definitely not a developer machine based on how they presented it in google IO. So if you write software, it's not looking like it'll be relevant whatsoever. I hope to be proven wrong.
- reactordev 4mo agoIf everything is in the cloud and you are just prompting agents to code for you, what exactly is “a developer machine”?
- elxr 4mo agoI'm obviously not just prompting agents for everything. What are you on about? Why would I build my little web-apps and backends in the cloud when I can run things faster locally?
- dotancohen 4mo ago> Why would I build my little web-apps and backends in the cloud when I can run things faster locally? Because the company that designed and built your Chromebook made that the easy path.
- wholinator2 4mo agoAnd one interesting aspect is the number of children getting these types of neutered machines as their first learning tool. I read another thread comment saying people that started with react actually feel that using straight html is more complicated. My professors say that the best textbook is the one you've read. The next generation is being indoctrinated into this way of thinking
- danudey 4mo agoUp until they stop subsidizing things and you have to pay what things actually cost.
- esseph 4mo ago> Why would I build my little web-apps and backends in the cloud when I can run things faster locally? Because in a lot of companies, your machine is actually just a portal to a remote desktop.
- reactordev 4mo agoThe Venn diagram of “Corporate” vs “Company” definitely has VDI and ServiceNow at the center of it.
- esseph 4mo agoOr shudder BMC Remedy
- elxr 4mo agoNot in my personal experience. Never been in that situation, and I've worked in full-stack, FE, and BE teams.
- geodel 4mo agoas AI native developer I need VS code forks for AI to be pre-installed. Also every single command or work need to be vetted by AI by default. I am going hardcore now.
- deleted 4mo ago[deleted]
- caycep 4mo ago"What do you mean, an Aluminum Falcon?!"
- drummojg 4mo ago"WHO'S 'THEY?????'"
- Melatonic 4mo agoGoogle is probably already doing and releasing the most actual research into this (like the work that went into Gemma 4)
- lloeki 4mo ago> why Google which has both Gemini and Android can't figure this out, Not the first time an incumbent has four aces in hand and appears to be entirely unable to make anything of it. > and if there are lessons to draw from that Lesson 1: doing shit is hard Lesson 2: money rules so milking the cow wins over taking the slightest risk
- newobj 4mo agoGoogle is historically terrible as a product company (and has succeeded in spite of that) As their technical innovations become less of a moat (we're already there) they won't be able to win on engineering alone (they are no longer winning on engineering alone)
- jstummbillig 4mo agoHow are Google products anything but outstanding in their categories? What are you comparing to?
- saltamimi 4mo agoThe Pixel series outside of security (to which their own flavor of Android doesn't even take advantage of like we see with GrapheneOS) doesn't have any particular outliers that would make it any more or less enticing than another company's phone. Their ChromeOS hardware was nice but had lackluster software and by the time it was EoL'd, never got the love of ChromeOS-present. Google TV generally gets outpaced by onn (Walmart's brand) on cost and value proposition. And also the fact they have shown time and time again that they just kill products over and over again.
- spott 4mo agoWhich products are outstanding in their categories? Gmail isn't outstanding, search isn't outstanding, maps isn't outstanding. They are all pretty par for the course. Google used to be outstanding... but I'm not sure of a single product they have that is outstanding (def: significantly better than the competition) anymore. On the other hand I rarely use any google products these days, so maybe I'm not the one to be judging.
- rbalicki 4mo agoFolks that are interested in a way of doing work locally that doesn't suck, but which integrates LLMs, may be interested in [Barnum](https://barnum-circus.github.io/ https://barnum-circus.github.io/). The TLDR is that it's a programming language whose frontend is a DSL in TypeScript that is well suited for managing async and parallel work, focused on control flow, from which it is easy to invoke LLMs, and which is easy for LLMs to write. I use it to autonomously ship a very large number of PRs.
- deleted 4mo ago[deleted]
- dist-epoch 4mo agoDon't you read HN? Nobody wants AI in their OS, especially in Windows. Common complaint that Microsoft is forcing AI into every corner of Windows.
- ericd 4mo agoI absolutely want AI in my OS. I just want it to be one I can trust to serve my interests, and not the company's. I'm literally in the middle of baking one in as I type this.
- Danox 4mo agoMicrosoft implementation of Copilot is bad. It’s like they’re trying too hard and the reason they’re probably trying too hard is that they have no real presence in mobile computing, like Intel they have a hard time competing when the playing field is level.
- danudey 4mo agoThey were too late to the party on music players (which people wanted), mobile devices being any good (which people wanted), and cloud services (which people wanted), so now they're going to be damned if they're going to be late to the party on AI (which nobody wants).
- uhhjkhgttgkjb 4mo agoYou can’t have one without the other. Sorry to be the one to break it to you, but any AI baked into the OS will be so in favour of the company, not you.
- ericd 4mo agoI'm running open models on my own hardware, on linux. So, I don't think so?
- snarfy 4mo agoMicrosoft has Copilot and Windows. Look what happened.
- sidewndr46 4mo agowould "before the major operating systems companies figure out AI integration into their OS that doesn't suck" including running a process with its own address space, like every other thing?
- mrandish 4mo agoRe: AI OS integration: I recently retired so most of my LLM use is just implementing and fixing fairly mundane OS and networking things along with light scripting for OS automation (AHK) and Home Assistant. So far, I just use web chat and cut-paste to the OS which is fine for little things but it starts to suck after the 15th round back and forth. For example, debugging intermittent Windows crash logs on my wife's laptop by doing multi-line PowerShell incantations from browser chat window, paste into PowerShell window. Cut multi-line error messages back to browser. Rinse / Repeat. I'm leery about just giving an LLM free run of my laptop, but with reasonable restrictions on which app(s) it can access and how many steps it can do before checking in, and maybe even a throttle on how fast it works, I'd be fine (I'm not in a hurry and I can learn by watching it work at double-speed). It doesn't have to be mil-spec locked down, it's not like I have production code accessible or millions in crypto keys, the biggest downside would be a few hours hosing out and restoring the laptop, which would be annoying but not the end of the world. I get those that say, "just spin up a VM and run it there", but I 'spin up a VM' rarely enough that the versions have changed and UXs drifted enough that it's exactly the kind of thing I'd actually want the LLMs help to do without me being a cut-paste bot. I'm mostly Windows at the moment and I don't understand why MSFT insists on spamming LLM features everywhere except the one place I'd not only use it, but pay for it. The usage model could be as simple and intuitive as a Zoom remote desktop share with a collaborator. That's already constrained and users have a mental model for the interaction pattern. I asked Gemini earlier today to search recent user reviews of the latest 'drive my Windows desktop for me' and it reported that the capability is still slow, expensive, and prone to getting lost navigating the interface or interpreting window boundaries etc. Anyone have any suggestions for my lightweight, casual use case?
- jondwillis 4mo agoYeah unironically just let an agent harness rip with full admin access without monitoring anything it does or using a VM. It’ll be fine, probably. “How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love the AgentDOS and Only Exfiltrate Secrets Occasionally”
- HeavyStorm 4mo agoScary that your first shot is Google with Gemini instead of copilot and Microsoft who are certainly in a better position to make this happen. I guess nobody escorts msft to lead anything anymore.
- z2 4mo agoI put Microsoft in the camp of operating system maker, as they are only able to run others' models. The "Give them three tries" meme can play out well for them yet!
- Bombthecat 4mo agoBecause the framework and base is and firmware is freaking huge? You would need any AI hook on every setting/ action. It seems easier to do just a screenshot and click.