As long anticipated in this very column, and as early as being discounted as "naive", I had humbly indicated my feeling that Google may had been working around the release of its own browser.

Please review my own original posts on the topic (see bottom of this article) before diving into the interesting discussion that Slashdot has unleashed on this New York Times news item today.

Here is the official news as published by the NYT:

"Based on the half-dozen hires in recent weeks, Google appears to be planning to launch its own Web browser and other software products to challenge Microsoft.

Google has wooed Joshua Bloch, one of the main developers of the Internet programming language Java, from Sun Microsystems. The company also hired four people who worked on Microsoft's Web browser, Internet Explorer, and later founded their own company. One of them, Adam Bosworth, is credited with being a driving force not only behind IE, but Microsoft's database-management program, Access.

Most recently, Google grabbed Joe Beda, the lead developer on Avalon, Microsoft's code name for the user interface that will part of the next version of Windows, called Longhorn.

...Neither Google nor the employees will comment on the hiring spree, but analysts note that the talent allows the company to challenge Microsoft on its own turf.

Stein said Google could — and probably is — working on almost everything.

...Other blogs and analysts believe Google is working on an instant-messaging program and a Web browser to challenge Internet Explorer."

My original takes on the Google Browser:

• November 8, 2003
  Google Launches Its Own Mini-Browser Under Disguise: The Google Deskbar
• July 3, 2004
  After IE Is Dead Is The Google Browser Next?

Other relevant stories about the Google Browser on the Web:

• John Battelle - Google Browser
• Jason Kottke - The Google Browser
• Nick Bradbury - The Google Browser
• Anil Dash - Upon the demise of Netscape
• Moving WebWord - Google 2.0
• Flex-mx - The Google Browser
• Techdirt - The return of the Google Browser Concept
• Future Salon - The Google Browser
• Simon Willison - The Google Browser
• Paolo Massa - Mozilla-based Google Browser