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[AdmiralPain]

I wonder how companies like Autodesk or Adobe would react if Microsoft told them "hey guys, from now on you have to give us thirty percent of your profits".

I like Microsoft, I love the Xbox, but this is just wrong. Trying to lock out Steam from Windows is a really shitty thing to do.

 

[CecilRousso]

When this happens, and I will have to move on from Win7, I will just move to MacOs and/or Linux.

I will not go to Win8. I have to use it at work, and I wont use it at home.

 

[AbortedWalrusFetus]

I wonder how companies like Autodesk or Adobe would react if Microsoft told them "hey guys, from now on you have to give us thirty percent of your profits".

I like Microsoft, I love the Xbox, but this is just wrong. Trying to lock out Steam from Windows is a really shitty thing to do.

That's 30% of REVENUE (20% after a certain sales level), not profits. It could be the entire profit margin for some companies.

Not to mention the arbitrary rules against certain types of software.

 

[Alx]

I think we're still far from a full desktop removal, and there's no reason to do it right now. The desktop is still necessary for multi-tasking on a single screen, the screen splitting in Windows 8 is nice, but far from offering the same usability. Maybe once they solve that, they could offer similar functionality without a desktop.
Anyway since we still have the command consoles in our OS, I suppose a desktop mode will still be hidden somewhere for some time.

 

[Jabba]

Till they stop updating it. DirectX 12 for Win8 only, etc. They're very good at dragging people, kicking and screaming into their idea of the future.

I, for one, hope Valve and Steam make Linux viable in the next few years.

Please, I've been waiting for another viable Os since the amiga days. I'd love to see wins grip be loosened by almost anything.

 

[Herne]

What I wonder is, why people dislike the Metro-design from 8. If you get used to it, its just as fast and (I think) even more comfortable than before.

I just think people used the old-style far too long, so its hard for them to get used to a new one.

I think it'd be much, much better if they integrated the metro or whatever screen onto the desktop itself, and have an Android-like flipping of different desktops with different content. Much better than seperating the two, much less of a jarring leap and more a gentle introduction to the future of Windows. No stupid fullscreen apps, retain the desktop, everyone wins.

 

[thetrin]

Everyday office users out number >>>>>>>>> Gamer nerds.


Desktop is here to stay.

???

My office is all Win8 and Macs.

 

[The Maverick]

I'm very interested to see how Microsoft transitions in the next decade or so as the desktop becomes less and less important. A lot of their success is tied to the desktop, and they have yet to catch up with their competitors in the mobile space. Microsoft always seems to be late to every party, and behind on innovation. Kinect seems to be the best and most forward thinking piece of tech they've come out with as of late, and I think that's why they are riding it so hard, they plan for it to be a large part of their future.
With that said, I don't believe Microsoft is capable of competing against Google in the search engine space, Apple on the devices front, Sony in the games industry, and maintaining a healthy desktop environment all at the same time. Some thing has got to give. And I believe the Xbox brand is the most most expendable. .02

 

[itxaka]

My problem with this idea is that no suitable alternative for the OS Desktop currently exists. The functionality of mobile OSes like iOS and Android (can't speak for Windows 8s Metro yet) just doesn't not allow for the sort of complex usage that you need for productivity in a lot of fields.

A simple example of this is that you cannot really DEVELOP mobile applications on mobile OSes. Even if you dock your tablet to a keyboard and sent video out to a monitor. The OSes just don't have the functionality. It's similar for a lot of specific fields of work in other industries. Once a suitable replacement for the OS Desktop exists, that allows extremely fast context switching between applications, (practically) unlimited simultaneous execution of applications, and the ability to display multiple applications simultaneously, the OS Desktop isn't going anywhere. I'm not really a visionary on this sort of thing, but I can't see too much that would actually be a productivity improvement on this sort of thing either.

Ubuntu os? It has mobile and it has desktop when connected to a monitor. Best of both worlds.

 

[Game Guru]

I know the linux/opengl bit but I never heard anything about the ARM switch. I don't see why they would want to switch to ARM. The new consoles are x86 and all their catalog games are designed to be played on x86 hardware. Linux works with Intel/AMD cpus so why switch to ARM?

Isn't it obvious? Bringing a fully fledged Steam to Android.

 

[krumble]

DOS went away, Windows will go away, too. Progress demands sacrifice. Gaming will survive shifts in the popular platforms.

DOS is still there in some form
And we have powershell now also

I'm not sure if this article means the desktop pc
Or the windows desktop interface....

Very different repercussions

 

[mrklaw]

Thurrot is talking about the actual desktop in Windows, not the death of the desktop computer.

I tend to agree with him as far as consumption usage goes. I have a Win RT tablet and the only reason I use the desktop is that some sites crash in IE Modern.

I know. I don't mind live tiles as a quick way to see information and launch apps. But I *hate* the forced fullscreen crap of windows 8 apps. I hated it on OSX but at least it was an option there. Once full screen, I find it really difficult to see what I'm running and switch between apps - I just lose that situational awareness that a simple desktop with adjustable windows and a task bar gives me.

I wish MS would let is have both, because right now I jump straight to the desktop when my win8 PC boots up

 

[Soodanim]

I don't see it happening, because I don't think they will want to lose the entire gaming market to Linux, the design industry to Mac, and the office industry that relies on proprietary software made for desktop to say "XP 4 lyf" and never buy a new Windows if they can help it.

 

[The Dutch Slayer]

And that is why Valve wants to go linux for the long term future because windows is so unsure for the future.

 

[AdmiralPain]

Isn't it obvious? Bringing a fully fledged Steam to Android.

We're way too far from that happening, unless Valve is cooking up something big and isn't telling us.

 

[Guess Who]

Killing the desktop would make Windows irrelevant over night. Without support for all the desktop software people use, no one would have any reason to buy a Windows device over an iPad or Android device.

 

[Jezbollah]

???

My office is all Win8 and Macs.

I would suggest you are in the vast minority.

Many enterprises out there are only just migrating from Windows XP to Windows 7, because Vista was an uber bucket of shit. Hence MS' extended support of XP.

While there is enterprise demand, there will always be a desktop for Windows.

Gaming doesnt drive this.

 

[Jimrpg]

Maybe at home - but in the office? can't see it happening.

You can't type a document on a glass screen even if the OS is more intuitive.

Maybe Windows will get taken over by OSX, but i can't see the desktop leaving any time soon.

 

[Game Guru]

We're way too far from that happening, unless Valve is cooking up something big and isn't telling us.

Thus why it is planned for far into the future, as opposed to the here and now.

 

[kevm3]

This would be interesting in that if Microsoft is so gung-ho about going mobile, it could actually create a rift and finally displace Microsoft as king of the desktops.

 

[Billen]

All we need now is a good overview of your running applications, a way to easily position running apps any way you want, and some way to overview your applications.

You know, kind of like a desktop.

 

[mrklaw]

All we need now is a good overview of your running applications, a way to easily position running apps any way you want, and some way to overview your applications.

You know, kind of like a desktop.

I'd even be fine if MS wants to fuck about with it, to save face. Call it a 'metro station' or something equally tacky. Get rid of the task bar and put minimised apps on the right as live tiles. Don't care, just give me somewhere to run a few apps alongside each other, laid out to my preference

 

[slapnuts]

What I wonder is, why people dislike the Metro-design from 8. If you get used to it, its just as fast and (I think) even more comfortable than before.

I just think people used the old-style far too long, so its hard for them to get used to a new one.

Windows 8 isn't really that bad. You can basically ignore the existence of the start screen and it functions like a slightly better Windows 7. The kernel improvements are worth the upgrade.

agreed!

Author of article is seeking nothing but attention, take his opinion as just that, opinion !

 

[Dougald]

Microsoft really needs to quit chasing the consumer crap and focus on their core market. Which basically means, shut up, kill off the stupid infighting in their corporate structure, and do whatever the Office team tells you to do, as that's pretty much *the* reason companies stick with it.

For my part I only need exchange mail and an SSH terminal to do my job, so I could do it from a tablet. I'm only using windows because that's what my company provides, and I'm really not bothered enough to install Linux on my company laptop.

 

[ShadyJ]

Gabe brings out a steam console running Linux which is upgradeable etc.

Goodbye desktop hello laptop

 

[hooijdonk17]

Even the command line is not dead yet.

 

[Starbuck2907]

Microsoft keeps telling me what I need instead if asking me what I need.

I need a higher spec Xbox One without drm or Kinect.

I need Windows with a desktop. I routinely run multiple programs simultaneously in windowed mode across multiple monitors. I need to see a lot of data from different programs at once.

Microsoft needs me to get used to the Win 8 interface so I might find their tablets and phones more appealing.

Ironically, forcing Metro onto desktop has made me less like to purchase their products. They told me "screw you" by ditching traditional start menu and forcing boot to metro in Win 8.0. Now, I go out of my way to avoid surface and win phone, and may even switch to playstation this gen. I feel like they tried to force metro on me to further their business plans, not meet my needs as a customer. Just like the original drm on Xbox One.

I can't keep supporting a company that keeps ignoring what I want in order to promote their business strategy.

Metro is fine if you're doing simple bullshit like checking email. If you want a "real" productivity environment where you have multiple windows open and lots if data available simultaneously, desktop is a necessity.

To be clear, my household has 3 iOS devices, a surface (beta tester for work), 3 win 8 machines, 1 xp machine, and 3 win 7 machines. So it's not like I haven't given metro a shot.

 

[Yoshichan]

The desktop goes, I go. And I own a Mini (and iPhone 4).

 

[mcfishstick]

What I wonder is, why people dislike the Metro-design from 8. If you get used to it, its just as fast and (I think) even more comfortable than before.

I just think people used the old-style far too long, so its hard for them to get used to a new one.

I quite like windows 8. It is noticeably faster when booting up and does not have the ridiculous problems vista had.

However the metro-screen is useless. I think most people's problem with it is its restrictive nature. Why can it only open one app at a time? A lot of the time I'll have multiple windows open and can easily switch between them or have them open side-by-side. The Metro screen does not allow that and just feels restrictive and closed.

I think most people have the same problem with it, it feels like a step back from the desktop interface.

 

[careless mango]

The desktop will live on with users (using 'old' Windows) but MS will, as is the entire point of Thurrotts article, integrate all of the essential functionality from it into Metro and then amputate the desktop from future versions of Windows. It will be very interesting to see what happens and how people react. Not just the online forums (predictable outrage) but the 1 BILLLION people using Windows right now.

 

[Krilekk]

That's 30% of REVENUE (20% after a certain sales level), not profits. It could be the entire profit margin for some companies.

Not to mention the arbitrary rules against certain types of software.

Eh ... You typically price a product so you have the distribution margin and your profits included in the price.

 

[petran79]

what Desktop? Some companies even use MS-DOS applications.....

 

[Alx]

I quite like windows 8. It is noticeably faster when booting up and does not have the ridiculous problems vista had.

However the metro-screen is useless. I think most people's problem with it is its restrictive nature. Why can it only open one app at a time? A lot of the time I'll have multiple windows open and can easily switch between them or have them open side-by-side. The Metro screen does not allow that and just feels restrictive and closed.

I think most people have the same problem with it, it feels like a step back from the desktop interface.

I don't think it's a step back, only it doesn't cover all scenarios. That's why the desktop mode is still needed for multitasking scenarios. For daily casual use, "metro" mode can be more comfortable. I'd rather browse in metro (which I'm doing right now) but would only work in desktop mode.

 

[Dougald]

The desktop may die, but the web will still run on UNIX, and I'll still be managing it with tools conceived in the 70's

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[not_so_special]

I'm very interested to see how Microsoft transitions in the next decade or so as the desktop becomes less and less important. A lot of their success is tied to the desktop, and they have yet to catch up with their competitors in the mobile space. Microsoft always seems to be late to every party, and behind on innovation. Kinect seems to be the best and most forward thinking piece of tech they've come out with as of late, and I think that's why they are riding it so hard, they plan for it to be a large part of their future.
With that said, I don't believe Microsoft is capable of competing against Google in the search engine space, Apple on the devices front, Sony in the games industry, and maintaining a healthy desktop environment all at the same time. Some thing has got to give. And I believe the Xbox brand is the most most expendable. .02

kinect? are we serious here? kinect maybe its a nice tech,but i dont see kinect on any office or used as a pc tool

 

[Burai]

The desktop will live on with users (using 'old' Windows) but MS will, as is the entire point of Thurrotts article, integrate all of the essential functionality from it into Metro and then amputate the desktop from future versions of Windows. It will be very interesting to see what happens and how people react. Not just the online forums (predictable outrage) but the 1 BILLLION people using Windows right now.

Most people using Windows aren't using Windows to use Windows. They are using it to access the things they do.

Those who need access to legacy apps can stick with their legacy version of Windows, those who's apps have transitioned to the web can be platform agnostic and those that use their computers for web browsing and a bit of Skype are far better served by a tablet at the same price as their shitty, budget laptop.

I can see why Valve are throwing so much support behind Linux because it's pretty clear now that traditional gaming on a PC is about to get thrown under the bus by Microsoft as they push Xbox harder than ever and transition to Metro in the PC space.

 

[nickcv]

so what are we developers supposed to do?
there will be a windows developer edition in the future?

 

[careless mango]

Most people using Windows aren't using Windows to use Windows. They are using it to access the things they do.

Those who need access to legacy apps can stick with their legacy version of Windows, those who's apps have transitioned to the web can be platform agnostic and those that use their computers for web browsing and a bit of Skype are far better served by a tablet at the same price as their shitty, budget laptop.

I can see why Valve are throwing so much support behind Linux because it's pretty clear now that traditional gaming on a PC is about to get thrown under the bus by Microsoft as they push Xbox harder than ever and transition to Metro in the PC space.

You are absolutely correct. It has been shown by the success of iPad/Android Tablets that people can embrace new interfaces to perform the fundamentally same tasks as before. Communication (Email, messaging etc), internet browsing and (to a far lesser extent) productivity apps.

 

[6.8]

I'm pretty sure the desktop will end up in a VM sooner or later. It won't get much new dev but it needs to stay for a long time to keep businesses buying windows upgrades.

 

[Dougald]

so what are we developers supposed to do?
there will be a windows developer edition in the future?

There's always vim..


Though once you get used to the excellent autocomplete in Visual Studio I suppose it's hard to go back.

 

[Wiktor]

The day Microsoft drops desktop is the day they lose PC market or any market to be honest. Metro isn’t suited for mouse and KB. What’s worse, it’s completely closed off ecosystem and there are no signs that Microsoft has any intention of opening it up. Not to mention..Metro failed completely. Nobody is making any worthwhile software for it. While desktop still gets wide support, Metro is dead in the water.

The only reason why anyone would get PC these days is desktop. You remove it and sorry, but all your remaining users will either switch to Apple or Google offerings or choose other PC OS. I guess Valve is wise to start supporting Linux, considering that gamers (which are the only group of PC users that are still growing) will need someplace to switch to after Microsoft kills desktop.

After killing desktop the only big audience Microsoft will retain are people who will be riding Windows 7 and 8 for the next decade or two.

It's funny, because move like this is the very best chance Linux would ever had of beating Windows on PC market.

 

[Mael]

DOS is still there in some form
And we have powershell now also

I'm not sure if this article means the desktop pc
Or the windows desktop interface....

Very different repercussions

Yeah desktop interface is here to stay and the idea that windows or desktop environment (as in the multiples tabs or windows people switch to) is good to go everywhere are making a grevious mistake.
It's that line of thinking that made the latest windows server a complete joke.
If the devs decide that they can't work putting their tools on windows they'll go and with them the business using these tools.
No one gives a shit about gaming in this case, it stays it goes but that ain't gonna make the businesses switch back.

 

[The Bookerman]

Maybe I don't want the death of the desktop cause metro is such a piece of shit on computers?

 

[Wiktor]

It's probably the only thing that could really shatter PC gaming, at least for awhile before it reforms elsewhere, but I can't see it being as strong under Linux as it was under Windows.

Nah. As it has been shown before..Microsoft can't really force people to upgrade. 1/3 of pc users are still on XP. If they would kill desktop gamers would just stick to previous Windows for a decade or so and in such time somebody (Valve propably) would create one dominant Linux distro to take over when it's necessary.

 

[Jezbollah]

I'm pretty sure the desktop will end up in a VM sooner or later. It won't get much new dev but it needs to stay for a long time to keep businesses buying windows upgrades.

Desktops are already ending up in a VM - look at Citrix VDIs. Those VDIs still contain many instances of Windows XP.

The desktop isn't going away. Until you can do everything and anything on a different MS OS then it remains. The amount of times I still see companies running Windows 2000 server is unbelievable.

 

[Mael]

Desktops are already ending up in a VM - look at Citrix VDIs. Those VDIs still contain many instances of Windows XP.

The desktop isn't going away. Until you can do everything and anything on a different MS OS then it remains. The amount of times I still see companies running Windows 2000 server is unbelievable.

If MSFT is foolish enough to destroy its desktop market businesses will just switch to another desktop OS and put every MSFT bound applications in dedicated VMs.
It's happening already after all.
Heck the desktop paradigm is also pretty useful when dealing with servers, alas MSFT showed that they cared little and less about servers...

 

[Deleted member 1235]

Heck the desktop paradigm is also pretty useful when dealing with servers, alas MSFT showed that they cared little and less about servers...

what is this? MS is a powerhouse in the server area. I must be misunderstanding what you are meaning here.

Of course the desktop will eventually go away, however windows 8 metro screen isn't going to be the OS to do that. something that is clearly better has to replace it. Win8 is kind a of a messy middle step in that process.

I still don't think they can replace a taskbar. It's just such a logical thing and much more useful than the metro window switching. you need that visual indicator to remind you of your workflow sometimes.

 

[Wiktor]

This transition WILL happen. Is it a bad thing? That's still being hashed out..

I would say it definitely is. The generation that will grow with mobile tech will simply be considerably inferior when it comes to technology than the one that grew up with computers.

 

[AdmiralPain]

I'm pretty sure the desktop will end up in a VM sooner or later. It won't get much new dev but it needs to stay for a long time to keep businesses buying windows upgrades.

That won't be enough for games that require full access To the system's resources.

 

[rakkadakka]

I thought like this too but since my workplace upgraded to Win8 recently, I've found it's actually not that bad and I'm considering it for home use.

It's not bad at all.

MS isn't going to patch out the desktop from Windows 8.. what Thurott is talking about is going to come in Windows 10 (or 9 if they got some serious balls).