Google and SaaS Stack Vendor

Following my earlier blog about Google as an SaaS stack vendor , I started thinking about what is next for google to complete its stack.

Prediction : Google will come out with a Hosting Service in an years time

This hosting service will probably be very different from Yahoo or Go Daddy . It will be something that will have a built in IDE option (like MashupEditor ) and will have native support for things like GWT . It will be an environment where you can pick and choose the Google out of box services , can create your Services and will be integrated with Google Apps. It could be based on Java Runtime Environment (because of GWT) but I would be surprised if Google would expose the J2EE directory structure to the consumer.

The big question I do not have an answer to is what would be the Database option. Giving a plain old mySql connection does not seem to be the style for Google. Mybe they will come up with their own DB ?

UPDATE: It is 4/7/08 - less than an year from the prediction. My prediction has come true . check out. http://appengine.google.com/

They have exposed BigTable , GFS and made python to be their development platform. I am waiting to see GWT and Java getting exposed as well.