Fair enough but I will pose one question. Do you think MS has failed to take note of earlier attempts with this type of scheme? I do not think they would be silly enough to retract user rights to installing their software on a HD. I imagine much of their drive will be toward business rather then individuals.
I do know that a lots of co-s are moving towards this type of set up internally in their business.
Employess only have access to dumb terminals instead of pc's should increase the users productivity, (less time spent surfing the net etc).
Also frees up IT techs time in setting up users as well as reducing the $ tied up in pc's as well as less down time and less upgrades
Not sure how this changes the MS licensing for the no- of users etc.
At least 15 ago someone who knows far more about IT than I insisted that web-apps were the way to go - once connection speeds are fast enough. We're still not there and even the present pie-in-the sky will still have copper into homes. So I doubt the practicability of the idea for home users in Australia within the next decade. On the other hand business is well down the centralised server/ thin client/ terminal road.
I'm sure the same bloke would agree with me that M$ are not the people to implement such a system - not for their softwares' faults and failings (not all gatesware is bad, much is quite OK) but for their way of doing business. They have a long tradition of using market share to stifle competition (eg use of closed proprietry standards and subversion of standard formats to prevent inter-operability). If I were to move to web-apps I want an interface that can use apps from any vendor or supplier. Would M$ do that?
In the meanwhile I also support the use of free opensource software. Ubuntu linux is easy to install (easier than windows with equivalent apps), comes with much of what you need and is easy to expand. You know it makes sense!
So Micro$oft is gonna create a new piece of crap for everyone to learn all over again.
Smoooooooooothhhh....
I've also heard that they are giving up on creating new versions of Flight Simulator...which admittedly was a very good product. Looks like FSX is the final version.
I think eventually there will be a pay per use system where applications will be solely available online to use. Only your data will be saved locally. Google is moving this way and expanding.
Gees Guys, I must be getting old, I have read all these posts and am still no wiser, I am thankful my machine keeps running, and it serves me well for what I want to do, isn't that what it is all about.
