Well, Google looks like it may actually be working on some Linux applications. Google Labs has just released a Linux version of Google’s photo-organizer application, Picasa. While this sounds good on the surface, after digging a little bit it seems that this may be a mostly-standard Windows version that’s Linux-enabled using some form of WINE technology.

While this certainly doesn’t suck by any stretch of the word, I don’t think it’s a real competitor to F-Spot. F-Spot’s a native Linux app (while it is written in Mono), and F-Spot seems faster. I haven’t spent much time mucking with Picasa, but it does seem to be functional. It’s Windows-y feel puts me off however, it doesn’t “look” like it belongs on my Ubuntu Desktop. I do appreciate Google making it available, though – hopefully this is a harbinger to other applications (Google Earth, pls k thx bye!) Here’s a screenshot or two - in the end, you be the judge. I’ll try and spend a little more time with this package and give a more fair review of it in the next day or so.