Forget Windows 10, Windows 365 on the way!

Let me ask this: if we don't like windows 10, either due to pricing or other factors, what is the real alternative? And I don't mean the "open source, hack your kernel and compile your own drivers" alternative, I mean the "Grandma buys a new computer" or "someone buys a computer at WalMart". alternative.

IMO, The alternative is going to be either switch to Mac (OS X, more expensive), or custom-build with Linux.

Wait, we've had this "Microsoft alternative" discussion going on for Decades, has the landscape changed now?

- One step forward:
As opposed to the early 90's and most of 2000's, I think the real game-changer this time is that linux distro's like Ubuntu actually work out-of-the-box , and Steam games on Linux have come-along far enough that it's actually a viable 2nd alternative now.

- One step back:
Rumor was that UEFI is a sly method of choking-out Linux by denying access to the grub boot loader. It remains to be seen if the PC manufacturers and Firwmware writers are going to continue to support the UEFI keys, to allow GRUB in UEFI or be locked-in to Ms Windows at a Firmware level. It's up to the hardware manufacturers, and for workstations / home computers I almost never see "Linux compatibility" called out as a selling point, definitely Linux is never mentioned at a retail store.
The handheld/tablet market has already established that a vendor can sell a device that is locked-in with only their Operating System and Apps store , will that same trend work its way up to PC's also???


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Footnote: in this case I'm not counting Android as "Linux" since we're talking about Desktop/Laptops and not handhelds. but.....if Android were to grow into a Desktop/laptop segment That would be really interesting. The key would be if a big powerhouse like Google put their weight behind a Linux distro (eg like they did with Android) _and_ it was supported by Steam for a large library of games, that would be a winning combo. Ah, I can dream.

 

Regarding alternatives to Windows, they're few and far between for the average person. Apple only sells Mac OS on its own systems, which are too expensive for many people to buy. That means it won't ever have dominance as an operating system. Linux is just not well known or well publicized enough for most people to have even heard of it, let alone used it. And mobile OSes like iOS and Android are designed for touchscreens, not keyboard & mouse.

 

Repeating your opinions doesn't make them more true. Still speculation. Yes, office is sold by subscription now (you can also buy a regular license at retail too), so what?? It's not an OS, so it's apples and oranges.


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Grandma can also get a Chromebook (which happens to be a pre-built Linux environment, not that it matters) and forget about it.

While Mac is not the dominator in desktop/laptop land and doesn't look like one, its popularity is constantly on the rise and you do see them everywhere. If Apple wants to get a cheaper low spec option on the market, they can do it easily and sheep people would buy it in flocks.

 

IMHO most Chromebook machines are aimed just a bit too low end. If grandma and grandpa are storing pictures or need to do MM they need a bit more power and space. This too is my belief in the free Windows 10 version is to combat Chromebook machines as well.

 

The performance is more than enough for grandpa. Even ARM tablets can handle those just fine.
As for storage space, many Chromebooks do have SD card slots, and 256Gb or so should hold the photos just fine.

The only problem is grandpa might be very nervous seeing a new OS environment. But if one does make it pass that stage I think Chromebooks would have the least amount of trouble down the road.

But if grandpa does need Windows apps, cheap Win10 laptops would be the way to go.

 

One interesting avenue relates to how Windows 10 is supposed to be a base OS for the long-term. They have already indicated that the idea of releasing "new versions" of Windows on a long cycle is going to be a thing of the past.

http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2015/01/21/the-next-generation-of-windows-windows-10/

So Windows 10 will mark a possible beginning of a "rolling release" Windows, that adds stuff along the fast or whatever tracks. As such, calling it "Windows 10" five years from now seems silly. Windows 365 could indicate a future naming of Windows.

As well, if you want to play the "monthly subscription" card, you could say specific future features may be limited to subscribers. The whole OS itself doesn't cost, but being able to do Future Thing might be limited to whoever is paying. It's all guessing at this point.

And note as well, Office 365 is heavily marketed to businesses, which depending on their size are ALREADY paying a subscription fee for Windows. Simply re-branding that as Windows 365 for Enterprise would make perfect sense.