back to article Imagine a ChromeOS-style Windows 10 ... oh wait, there it is and it's called Windows Cloud

Microsoft's latest Windows Insider build, released on Friday for participants in the software preview program, contains a reference to a new Windows SKU called Cloud. Microsoft declined to comment on what Windows Cloud might be, but after the name was spotted and revealed on Twitter, veteran Microsoft watcher Mary Jo Foley …

  1. bombastic bob Silver badge
    FAIL

    I.T. comes full circle, from timeshare to PC to... TIMESHARE!

    I knew this was dumb, back in the "noughties" when Micro-shaft introduced their ".Net initiative".

    The whole idea that the distributed processing horsepower of a PC on every desk (in lieu of a big-iron server in an air-conditioned room of its own) would be traded in for "light client heavy server" stuff just *irked* me, like an instinctive revulsion, or a foul stench.

    Well, here it is in its FULL GLORY! 'Windows Cloud'. Whee.

    Might as well use those old VT100 and HP smart terminals, too.

    subsequent note: this is me taking their name literally, because you KNOW it's what they want!

    1. TheVogon

      Re: I.T. comes full circle, from timeshare to PC to... TIMESHARE!

      "What's more, Google's G Suite for Education has been widely adopted by many school districts."

      No it hasn't. It's hardly used by anyone outside of a few school districts in the colonies. The link is to a 2 years old article, which says "Assuming the growth rate of 41% from 2010-2015 continues over the next five years" - which so far it hasn't.

      Office 365 for education (free) has pretty much wiped the floor with Google Apps - and that was already the case back in 2015 too. See for instance http://www.bitglass.com/press-releases/bitglass-report-microsoft-office-365-surges-ahead-of-google-apps

      1. ridley

        Re: I.T. comes full circle, from timeshare to PC to... TIMESHARE!

        Yes it has, there are approx 70million students using it everyday.

        TBH I have very rarely evaluated a product that has made me as enthusiastic as GSuite in a school setting. It is VERY VERY good and of course can save a school a fortune in IT costs.

        1. graeme leggett Silver badge

          Re: I.T. comes full circle, from timeshare to PC to... TIMESHARE!

          Just so long as they are not learning "Dinosaurs went on Noah's Ark" bollocks like this.

          https://twitter.com/kevinroose/status/826630781892251648

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: I.T. comes full circle, from timeshare to PC to... TIMESHARE!

          LOL. There are 1.2 billion Microsoft Office users.

          Parents want their children to learn stuff they will actually use in a future job...

          1. Richard Plinston

            Re: I.T. comes full circle, from timeshare to PC to... TIMESHARE!

            > Parents want their children to learn stuff they will actually use in a future job...

            The only people who say that are those that have never had a job and have a weird idea of what 'business' is. The vast majority of workers in industry and business that interact with computers do so with specific business applications such as SAP, BPCS, or the many in-house systems that handle all the business transactions.

            Teaching children to use MSOffice is like teaching 'domestic science' students how to order at Macdonalds. If you want to teach them about jobs then they should learn the difference between an invoice and a forward order, about how a warehouse works, about supply chains, because they won't be leaving school and be given a job as a financial analyst.

            1. TheVogon

              Re: I.T. comes full circle, from timeshare to PC to... TIMESHARE!

              "Teaching children to use MSOffice is like teaching 'domestic science' students how to order at Macdonalds."

              No it would be more like the equivalent of teaching them how to using the most common kitchen equipment...

              1. Richard Plinston

                Re: I.T. comes full circle, from timeshare to PC to... TIMESHARE!

                > No it would be more like the equivalent of teaching them how to using the most common kitchen equipment...

                ... rather than nutrition and actual cooking.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Google's G Suite for Education has been widely adopted by many school districts

        Wasn't the product that's under an Attorney scrutiny for gathering and using students data for marketing purposes?

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Google's G Suite for Education has been widely adopted by many school districts

          Msg, that was just clickbait, nothing ever came off it. Apple were just kicking off because ipad sales fell off a cliff, when the braindead idiots that ordered them eventually understood the limitations.

          Microsoft can go take a hike after their scroogled nonsense. They simply can't be trusted. All their FUD and now it's time for their chrome OS "me too", they want to pretend it didn't happen? Thankfully, we live in a post PC era, and Microsoft have nothing I need, let alone want anymore. Their existence has no relevance at all to me.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: Their existence has no relevance at all to me.

            Yeah right. So why are you down here hating on them then? Just to tell us how much you don't care? And AC so we can't see how often you make this "No relevance to me" claim?

            Posting nothing states that a little more clearly....

    2. ecofeco Silver badge

      Re: I.T. comes full circle, from timeshare to PC to... TIMESHARE!

      Some of us have been saying this for time now.

      MS is going service.

      Apple is going service.

      Adobe has already gone service.

      The whole idea of the PC was to get away from timeshare.

      Linux will eventually take the majority market share as it will be the only stand-alone install left.

      1. TVU Silver badge

        Re: I.T. comes full circle, from timeshare to PC to... TIMESHARE!

        "Linux will eventually take the majority market share as it will be the only stand-alone install left."

        Linux is already doing well as this article shows because the Chrome OS used on Chromebooks is a modified version of Gentoo Linux. Not only that, more conventional Linux distributions are also increasing their market share.

  2. Kaltern

    Soon... the burden of owning any software will soon be a thing of the past. Imagine a future, where you no longer 'load Windows', now you just 'log on to the cloud' and there is your virtual PC, ready and waiting, wit the latest hardware - as long as you can afford to pay the monthly fee. (no root/admin access - you don't need that any more).

    Upgrade online or downgrade (with a phonecall to a country 7000 miles from where you are) your package to suit your needs. Marvel at the absolute lack of any need to manage your new cloud based system, ready when you are.

    Until the system goes down. Or a security issue stops the entire cloud system from working. Or a patch breaks everything.

    Welcome to the future.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      > Until the system goes down. Or a security issue stops the entire cloud system from working. Or a patch breaks everything.

      I can't see there being a problem. IBM had this business model running really smoothly in the 1970s.

      I _also_ can't see being viable when most peoples' basic computing needs are met by their phone, and the desktop productivity stuff can be handled by whatever old PC happens to be lying around.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        "IBM had this business model running really smoothly in the 1970s."

        And there's a reason that business model was wiped out by the *Personal* Computer. That business model implied almost everything was rented, and yearly license fees for whatever you needed were not cheap.

        One of the reasons the PC took the place of the Unix workstation was the large availability of third party software users could buy instead of rent. That meant instead of using a computer for only a single or very few tasks tied to the expensive rented software, it was possible to use it for many different tasks thanks to the availability of many third party cheaper applications.

        Of course the far less competitive market of renting systems was far more remunerative than the far more competitive market of "open" platforms.

        Moreover less personal computer around (and more phones or very limited devices) will mean less people will become programmers and become more competition...

      2. CrazyOldCatMan Silver badge
        Stop

        > Until the system goes down. Or a security issue stops the entire cloud system from working. Or a patch breaks everything.

        I can't see there being a problem. IBM had this business model running really smoothly in the 1970s.

        Yeah - but (generally) IBM then knew what they were doing. And a properly-run mainframe doesn't stop just because of a small hardware failure[1].. Especially when done in proper clusters with redundant hardware and sysops who know what they are doing[2].

        [1] Software failures on the other hand. Well, lets just say that I once was a mainframe assembler programmer before I grew up and went into support.

        [2] And haven't just come back from the pub after an (entirely) liquid lunch.

      3. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        I can't see there being a problem. IBM had this business model running really smoothly in the 1970s.

        But back then we had the 70's IBM. And that's LONG gone, replaced by some employee-reduction company using the same three letters.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      ". Imagine a future, where you no longer 'load Windows', now you just 'log on to the cloud' and there is your virtual PC, ready and waiting, wit the latest hardware"

      Google has already done it. Chrome OS is still local, but it is really light weight and runs well on any PC made this century. Then all of the services are cloud based, automatically upgraded to the latest version, all data saved in the cloud automatically, etc.

      Microsoft cannot, really, go down the Google route though. Even if they could pull it off, they wouldn't want to pull it off. If they did, they would have to give away this light OS for free like Chrome OS... not going to kill the Windows' multi-billion dollar per year revenue stream. If every Office user moved to entirely browser and app versions, that would cost MSFT a ton of cash... and Google Apps are, I would argue, better if you remove the local MSFT installs so they would have that coming down on them too.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        But then if they give the OS away for free (they did it with 10).

        1. They would sell the hardware

        2. You would HAVE to use 365 as your office suite (so year on year money)

        3. Cortana and search would be tied to Bing

        4. Ad supported or paid for versions of many of your programes

        CapEx is old school. OpEx keeps the money rolling in year on year.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          But then if they give the OS away for free (they did it with 10). - They gave Windows 10 away to consumers, who don't buy very many Windows PCs anymore. They did not give it away to corporations, where the bulk of Windows revenue comes in.

          1. They would sell the hardware - Why? Google doesn't make their Chromebooks. OEMs do.

          2. You would HAVE to use 365 as your office suite (so year on year money) - Why? It would be a web browser. You could use Google G Suite. Also, the web based version of 365 costs about 40% less than the local installed version, E1 vs E3.

          3. Cortana and search would be tied to Bing - That's why people aren't going to want it... and Bing doesn't bring in anywhere near the revenue of Windows... and people would still likely change the default search to Google as they do with Windows today.

          4. Ad supported or paid for versions of many of your programes - Drop in the bucket as compared to the losses.

          1. Richard Plinston

            > But then if they give the OS away for free (they did it with 10). - They gave Windows 10 away to consumers,

            They only gave W10 'for free' to those who had already paid for Windows 7 or 8. They did not give it for free to OEMs for new machines (purchasers of new machines paid for it), nor to XP or Vista users.

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              ... or corporate users, which is where the vast majority of Windows revenue and profit comes in. They all still had the same Windows cost on their EA agreements.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Or the commoners will be used to talking about different types of loading screens and spinny thing because just like all new "as a service" it will first gives you 'Checking for Update" and "Updating".

      joke aside, if people no longer own any software, then they wouldn't need the hardware either (no i7 or things like that, just cheap tablet). Nor would they need to call to upgrade because the cloud company has full control to dictate the content and features they should have.

      These things sound awfully familiar to Google and MS...

      Welcome to the future, where the future is Today.

  3. Ben Boyle
    Windows

    Windows RT

    Wasn't one of the problems for RT that people saw "Windows" and got pissed that they couldn't run their normal apps on it? Won;t making Windows Cloud UWP only have a similar effect?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Windows RT

      You're assuming people will use this. And if they do, then you're assuming the interface will be coherent. And if it is, then you're assuming that it won't be so buggy that it makes people stop using it. And if it isn't, then you're assuming Microsoft would allow you to do anything with it. And if they do, it's just another Microsoft device you make fun of people for using.

      Microsoft might have a few hurdles to overcome in a race they've joined years late. But to answer your question, wait... Windows R what? Anyone remember?

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Windows RT

      Yeah, that's true. This is really a perplexing decision on Microsoft's behalf. What are they up to? They have been trying to pretend that Chrome OS isn't anything to worry about, you must have full local installs, etc... and then they come out with this thing, which validates Google's strategy... and they are supremely likely to lose as Google already has a head start and this OS will consist of a web browser (Chrome is massively preferred vs Edge), a search engine (Google vs Bing... enough said) and an app store (not even a competition, Play Store wins easily).

      1. Richard Plinston

        Re: Windows RT

        > and they are supremely likely to lose as Google already has a head start

        It is not about competing with Chromebook, it is about _killing_ Chromebooks made by the OEMs.

        Just as WoA/RT was used to kill WebOS and Dell's Android tablets by waving 'loyalty discounts', and XP was resurrected to kill Linux netbooks, and ultimately all netbooks, this will be used against Acer, Dell, ASUS, Lenovo, etc to stop them making Chromebooks, or pay retail price for all copies of Windows that they want.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Windows RT

          Possibly true. I think the difference this time is that they are not fighting with WebOS or Ubuntu, they are going up against Google. Google has their OSs on way more end user devices than Microsoft. The first Chromebook 2-1 built for Android apps came from Samsung. Samsung does tens of billions of business with Google OSs every year and tens of millions in business with Microsoft. If push comes to shove, they'll take Google and it isn't a difficult decision.... I don't think HP, Dell really care what MSFT does to them anymore. Not after Surface. They look at MSFT as a competitor and are looking for a way out. The OEMs get, I think, that Windows is a losing business model for them. It would be declining and low profit in any case, but on top of that MSFT has decided to directly compete with them.

          1. ThomH

            Re: Windows RT

            Google is also in the process of heading in the other direction. Per an announcement a couple of weeks ago, all Chromebooks launched in 2017 will run Android applications. How does the Universal Windows Application application library look next to Android's? Even if you keep only the applications that work well when scaled up and/or given a hardware keyboard?

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: Windows RT

              " all Chromebooks launched in 2017 will run Android applications"

              So basically proper laptops then unlike the current browsing limited Slurp issued Chromebook junk. Hopefully you can upgrade them to Windows 10 for reduced spyware (and run BlueStacks if you need the Android stuff)...

    3. stephanh

      Re: Windows RT

      Exactly. It is absolutely weird that Microsoft doesn't seem to understand that "Windows" means to its customers that it runs "Windows" apps. If it doesn't, it isn't "Windows"; that the kernel is the same is totally irrelevant.

      Apple understands this better. They don't call iOS "macOS Phone", even though the kernel is the same in iOS and macOS.

      1. Richard Plinston

        Re: Windows RT

        > "Windows" means to its customers that it runs "Windows" apps.

        While this "only runs UWPs", it seems that existing x86 Win32 'Windows programs' can be bundled into a UWP container that can be sold through the Store. Of course this will require the developers being bothered to do that for, initially at least, a tiny market where Microsoft grabs 30% of the revenue. OTOH the 30% is probably much less than is grabbed by the distributors and retailers. It also requires that Microsoft is prepared to accept the product into their Store (competitors and GPL software need not apply).

        Microsoft will claim that Store UWPs are safer than software from random download sites, and thus Windows CR is the safest operating system _ever_.

        I don't think that this will be tied into Ofice360. They will create Office Home and Student and full Office as UWP containers for sale through the Store, and possibly the individual programs. LibreOffice, Firefox, Chrome won't be there.

        Microsoft needs to increase its revenue each year. In a declining PC sales market where prices are also falling it needs to take revenue from other sources. In this case it wants to increase revenue from its Store and it will do that by taking software revenue from retail shops, OEMs, and other software sites.

        The Store will probably also offer a 'full Windows upgrade' for $199.99 so that a user can buy a CR(ap) PC that is locked down from an OEM or retail and then send money to Microsoft to unlock it when they discover its limitations.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Windows RT

        I think Windows to most people means - looks like XP. If it doesn't look like XP, they don't want it.... It doesn't seem like anyone really cares about locally installed apps. Everything runs via the browser anyway.

    4. Warm Braw

      Re: Windows RT

      The standout lesson of Windows 10 is that Microsoft has decided that if people "got pissed" then so be it.

    5. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Windows RT

      It's far easier to repackage a current Win32 application in a sort of UWP package (won't run on phones, but still can be delivered through the store), than porting it to WinRT.

      That's what MS is aiming for - see https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/appconsult/2016/10/13/desktop-bridge-the-bridge-between-win32-apps-and-the-universal-windows-platform/

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Windows RT

        The Win32 app thing is getting less and less important all the time too. Everything is moving to a sever side app run through any browser. There are a few legacy apps out there that require Windows, but very little that people actually care about.... If there are a few legacy apps, you can just XenApp them and run it through Chrome.

  4. Eddy Ito

    And you know the ISP guys are just licking their chops thinking about the data usage fees and insane bandwidth upgrades. What? Did you think unlimited plans will exist in the internet super tollway?

    Yep, that will be $200 per month for Win Cloud and the virtual hardware update to run your $75 per month game and I've gone ahead and ordered you the $150 per month Souparr-MBps service and the 2 TB data option at another $150 per month. Just be sure to call ahead if you get close to the data limit because there is a $1 per kB overage penalty so you want to be sure to buy the $50 for 500 GB bump up packs. Just sign right here. Lower cost option? But this is the lowest cost option.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Big Brother

    Funny that privacy isn't even mentioned as an issue here...

    Because I sure as heck don't wan't mr littlefingers rifling through my documents !

    1. mr. deadlift

      Re: Funny that privacy isn't even mentioned as an issue here...

      you mean those MS employees that check onedir for objectionable material?

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Funny that privacy isn't even mentioned as an issue here...

      Is that Google or MS?

      1. Paul Crawford Silver badge
        Big Brother

        Re: Is that Google or MS?

        They are both whoring your privacy now, its just that Google has a head start on MS.

        That aside, I have given a "technically challenged" friend a Chromebook and they love it as it is simple and has none of the pissing around with AV and Windows popping up warnings, etc. They know they are being whored by Google but are willing to trade it for the simplicity of something they have (almost) not broken yet.

  6. Dwarf

    The only cloud is the "Cloud cuckoo land" that the marketing people live in.

    I will have my stuff here, among the rest of the things I own - note the words own and here in that sentence.

    Luckily, I got out of the Microsoft dream world and never looked back.

  7. Lion

    Late or too late

    Yet another product/idea that Microsoft has decided to copy.

    Always late to the party.

    They are like the guest who shows up at your News Eve Party wearing a Halloween costume.

    1. TheVogon

      Re: Late or too late

      "Always late to the party."

      The most notable guests usually are...

      1. hplasm
        Devil

        Re: Late or too late

        "Always late to the party."

        The most noxious guests usually are...

        FTFY

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Late or too late

          "The most noxious guests usually are..."

          The most noxious by the end of the party are usually those that started earliest...

  8. Grease Monkey Silver badge

    "Microsoft for several years has been dismissive of Chromebooks, going so far as to run ads attacking the devices, from late 2012 into early 2015"

    If you run ads criticizing a competing product then it's pretty obvious that you are frightened of it. Why else would you spend money belittling that product?

    If you do it for the years then that means that, not only are you scared, but you aren't able to come up with something to complete.

    If you then launch something to compete it proves you think your competitor was right all along.

    The thing that gets me though is that where Google built something intentionally small and light to keep hardware costs down, it looks like Microsoft is launching a cut down version of Windows. Cutting down bloatware will never produce as lightweight a product as building for lightness in the first place. Ask Colin Chapman.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      "If you run ads criticizing a competing product then it's pretty obvious that you are frightened of it. Why else would you spend money belittling that product?"

      Because it looks like a proper laptop. People don't realise its just a web browser and would buy them on price when they really needed a proper laptop. Sensible arse covering move by Microsoft imo.

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Now all they have to do is convince people that they would rather use Bing, Edge and Windows Store instead of Google, Chrome and Play Store. Best of luck with that sale.

    MSFT keeps releasing these lighter weight versions of Windows, RT, 8, Mobile, etc. They always fail. The reason is that most people who are using Windows don't like change. They are often not into tech. They just want the same damn thing that they have had since the 90s without having to re-learn anything. They would have probably preferred that MSFT just kept making XP forever.

  10. inmypjs Silver badge

    "Windows 10 Cloud will ..

    supposedly be limited to Unified Windows Platform apps installed through the Windows Store. In that respect, it would be similar to Windows RT."

    So not windows then. Just some crap that people want as much as windows phones (i.e. not at all) and what they fucked up the real windows for.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: "Windows 10 Cloud will ..

      That is why I think this decision from MSFT doesn't make any sense. They don't have a winning product, but they are validating Google's model for corporate accounts. If MSFT goes in and pushes this Windows Cloud product... people will likely just go with Google Chrome as it is 1) the originator of the model. 2) It doesn't require a license, huge EA cost savings. 3) This is basically a browser, search engine and app store of an OS.... Google is the clear leader in all three of those categories.... They must have felt that people are moving to Chrome with or without their input so they are trying to get something out there.

  11. jason 7

    I bet...

    ...you'll still be seeing a lot of "Windows Updates are 100% Finished" for 10 minutes or more.

    A Chromebook can update in a four second reboot. Try that MS!

    1. kryptylomese

      Re: I bet...

      "4 seconds reboot" - This is not necessary anymore on Linux at all due to its a bility to be able to live patch the kernel without rebooting!

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: I bet...

        How many distro have live kernel patching enabled by default?

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: I bet...

          "How many distro have live kernel patching enabled by default?"

          Pretty sure that would only be Oracle as they own patents on that technology...

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Fcuk me, another me too!

    They're coming think and fast these days!

  13. Mikel

    The wailing and rending of garments notwithstanding

    It is long past time for Microsoft to concede that the software distribution model in Windows (download and install applications from anywhere) is a legacy of insecurity horrors best left behind.

    They won't get people to adopt it, obviously, but at least they've taken the time to read up on more sane methods.

  14. a_yank_lurker

    Bloat for the cloud

    ChromeOS is intended to be a lightweight OS with most of the work done in the cloud. This means the hardware requirements are lower. However, one loses power and control. The loss of power means one can not powerful apps locally and store the data locally - there some that will always need this and many who want this. If everything starts out local then one has control of the data and its location(s).

    I do not see that Slurp truly understands Chocolate Factory's strategy. Thus, they are aping a mirage.

    1. jason 7

      Re: Bloat for the cloud

      Hmm what is that 128GB of local storage on my Chromebook...

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Bloat for the cloud

      The apps thing is really not an issue. You can do anything on the cloud (cluster of servers) with the output being displayed on a local machine. Some apps, e.g. CAD, need to be redesigned to run on the server side, but definitely possible. Most apps already work that way, client is there to display output, which requires almost no local resources, and server side does the work. It also is infinitely better from a management, security, performance perspective.

  15. hplasm
    Facepalm

    MS moves beyond Cloud Computing...

    Into Cargo Cult Computing. Again.

  16. JLV

    wtf?

    So, all of the Windows hassles and un-intuitiveness and none of the power? Presumably with most of the petty licensing hassles? Minus viability in the absence of broadband. Minus the ability to install programs from where I see fit? Built-in monitoring. With the added benefit of an uncertain future - it's not like MS ever drops a product line when it gets bored, izzit?

    Sign me up. not.

    At the least the Surface makes sense. This doesn't. Or maybe it does, since they've royally screwed the pooch on mobile - so this is their new version of mobile? Plan D? F?

    p.s. one slight item in their defense - their recent work with stripping down Windows to Nano edition might have set the ground for an OK technical base to it.

  17. RonWheeler

    The things that make Chromebooks appealing

    1 Chrome

    2 See 1

    Can MS offer that?

    1. sabroni Silver badge
      WTF?

      Re: The things that make Chromebooks appealing

      You can run Chrome on Windows, and with it being open source there's no reason MS shouldn't offer it..... So 1 is sorted.

      Not sure about your second point.

      1. RonWheeler

        Re: The things that make Chromebooks appealing

        Not on RT it wasn't.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: The things that make Chromebooks appealing

        It isn't likely that this Windows Cloud thing will allow you to add Chrome instead of Edge... which will be a problem. No one wants Edge. The only thing that kept IE relevant were all of the legacy dependencies. Replace IE and people don't move to the next MSFT browser, they move to Chrome as they would have liked to do several years ago.

  18. GeezaGaz

    usr 33 teletype circa 1975 anyone?

  19. Carl Williams

    Win10 IOT

    Or just a subtle re-brand of something that's already there to align with direction and partnerships that were cemented last year? Win10 IOT was there for thin clients and re-branding it to Win10 Cloud could just align with the direction being taken with Azure and Citrix partnership. Win10 IOT Core could just become Win10 IOT.

    1. bombastic bob Silver badge
      Unhappy

      Re: Win10 IOT

      that's a bit too much market spin for my brain to handle... *URP* that was a close one!

  20. Jonathan 27

    Who wants to bet you'll be able to upgrade to Windows 10 standard for £40?

  21. Pirate Dave Silver badge
    Pirate

    "a simpler, lighter, allegedly safer, more affordable version of Windows 10."

    So, it's Windows 3.0 with no network stack? That would definitely hit the "simpler, lighter, allegedly safer" parts. Just make sure these new cloud-based Windows machines have a floppy drive...

  22. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Dear El Reg

    Please dont report shit like this. I live in a blissful Linux bubble.

    Reading the latest angle of attack on innocent peoples wallets brings my piss to a boil when I picture all the ill advised masses hoarding towards what they perceive as a dirt cheap piece of it.

    It happened to netbooks, it happened to chromebooks now Microsoft wants a piece of the "what the fuck is this, its not a laptop" market.

    To be fair to the Chromebook to those that "get it" its a powerful tool...but to Johnny "buy an i3 from Tesco" Smith this is yet another product he won't understand, need or ultimately want.

    Im assuming a cloud based Windows 10 wont have a native office install so for the customer facing people here its another few years of eye twitching when a C level exec sees £150 on the pricetag and he asks the (now age old and much derided) question you can't actually give a straight answer to because nobody on Earth knows what it actually means.

    "Will it run Office?"

    Windows in the cloud will spawn more celeron based, light weight, looks lime its cheap but is actually overpriced....crap.

    Seriously cloud os based devices are the landfill android of the PC world.

    Why do tech companies have to fuck you in the ass at the low end?

    Ugh. Just fuck off pedalling crap all of you. Stick to the middle and high end, ditch the low end whack Linux on it with an adblocner preinstalled and everyone will be better off.

    It'll be met with resistance at first but a bit of light beating and some mild torture we will get the human race there.

    If you think I'm wrong you're part of the problem.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      High horse

      You're on one. Get the fuck over yourself.

      Or at least get a slightly original point of view, this shit is so tired it's rip van fucking winkle.

      We get it, you only know linux and think it's the dog's bollocks. Those of us with experience of more than one OS know they're all shit in their own special way.

  23. geezerbutler

    "More recently, the company introduced Microsoft Intune for Education, a cloud-based application and device management service designed to make Windows devices more appealing in the education market."

    This idea is primarily about the education market. If so, they'd better have their act together on the device managment side.

  24. John Styles

    "imagine Chrome-Os Windows

    An easy thing to do

    No hell below us

    It's just like Win RT

    Imagine all the people

    Using Windows Store..... ah ah.."...

  25. sabroni Silver badge

    This is such a stupid idea!

    Also, chromebooks do it much better and are the bomb!

  26. Delbert Grady

    everything old is new again.

    Yes Microsoft, less *can* be more, but why didn't You get that years ago ?

    Musicians figured this idea out hundreds of years back, maybe because *their* code is open

    Microsoft.. Either way, they'll screw it up.

    I wish software developers thought 'less is more' - code bloat in general and OS bloat are the two big Fux ups that needs fixing in the IT world.. right after they get security done :)

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