Google shuts Windows out

Google is moving to ban the use of Microsoft Windows software on internal computers due to security concerns, according to a report Tuesday.

Unnamed Google Inc. employees who spoke to the Financial Times saidthe search giant has been phasing out the use of the ubiquitous software on the computers its 10,000 worldwide employees use since January, when Google alleges Chinese government agents hacked into the company's Chinese operations, causing them to pull out of the country.

"Were not doing any more Windows. It is a security effort," one employee of the Mountain View, Calif.-based company said.

"We're always working to improve the efficiency of our business, but we do not comment on specific operational matters," Google said in a statement.

Microsoft has declined to comment on the story.

Employees are being given the option of using Mac computers or Linux-based PCs because, Google says, Microsoft's products are more vulnerable to malicious hacker attacks.

Google is set to unveilits own operating system, Google Chrome, at some point this year. Google and Microsoft compete on many fronts, with Microsoft dominating the personal computer software space, but Google claiming the vast majority of online searches.

"A lot of it is an effort to run things on Google product," the employee was quoted as saying. "They want to run things on Chrome."