Beginning from Windows 8 Microsoft has begun moving towards cloud based software and making its own hardware. In an interview to the Seattle Times Microsoft's CEO Steve Ballmer indicated that Microsoft would move away from traditional software towards cloud based software delivery model as well as Microsoft would make their own hardware. Following are his related answer as well as the link:
"Q: Where do you see Microsoft's position in five years, 10 years?
A: First of all, I'd say: pre-eminent technology company. I think that in a back-looking view, people would say we were a software company. That's kind of how we were born.
I think when you look forward, our core capability will be software, (but) you'll probably think of us more as a devices-and-services company. Which is a little different. Software powers devices and software powers these cloud services, but it's a different form of delivery....
Doesn't mean we have to make every device. I don't want you to leap to that conclusion. We'll have partners who make devices with our software in it and our services built in. ... We're going to be a leader at that."
Ballmer trumpets Microsoft's 'epic year' | Business & Technology | The Seattle Times
That means a lot of drastic changes in Microsoft's policies which would impact us all. As far as I can think, according to my limited knowledge, there would be the following changes:
1- Microsoft would slowly strip down Windows from being a full fledged operating system to a browser based (cloud based) operating system, just like Google's Chrome OS.
Xbox, Not Windows, Is The Future Of Microsoft - Says Steve Ballmer
2- Local storage based software, games would be replaced by cloud based software, games.
(Microsoft has teamed up with Agawi, a cloud based gaming company which has adopted Microsoft’s Windows Azure cloud hosting to stream games to Windows 8 devices as well as upcoming Xbox 720.)
Agawi to use Microsoft’s Windows Azure to bring cloud-gaming services to Windows 8 | VentureBeat
Microsoft, Agawi Team Up For Cloud Gaming On Windows 8; Is Xbox 720 Next? - Forbes
Windows 8 gets cloud gaming with Agawi partnership - National Console Gaming | Examiner.com
3- Microsoft is planning to become a big hardware player like Apple. However it would keep its OEM partners with it. Divices with MS services would be sold.
4- The biggest losers would be us. The consumers. Microsoft's cloud based model would put an end to our independence and we would be completely dependent on MS for everything. MS won't sell us the software, games etc. they would rent us their software, games etc.
5- This would also be a huge loss to the enthusiasts who build their own PCs. As because of all the above there would only be compact devices available everywhere and there would no longer be a place for full fledged desktop or full fledged notebook PCs. So desktops and notebooks would vanish. Therefore the parts to build your own PCs would no longer be available in the market.
All this could only change if some Linux distro successfully enters the market. As Valve/Steam are trying to port their games to Linux it could be a possibility. Also it would be a good omen for Microsoft;s OEM partners who must be desperate for an alternative to MS Windows and are fed up of MS policies.
"Q: Where do you see Microsoft's position in five years, 10 years?
A: First of all, I'd say: pre-eminent technology company. I think that in a back-looking view, people would say we were a software company. That's kind of how we were born.
I think when you look forward, our core capability will be software, (but) you'll probably think of us more as a devices-and-services company. Which is a little different. Software powers devices and software powers these cloud services, but it's a different form of delivery....
Doesn't mean we have to make every device. I don't want you to leap to that conclusion. We'll have partners who make devices with our software in it and our services built in. ... We're going to be a leader at that."
Ballmer trumpets Microsoft's 'epic year' | Business & Technology | The Seattle Times
That means a lot of drastic changes in Microsoft's policies which would impact us all. As far as I can think, according to my limited knowledge, there would be the following changes:
1- Microsoft would slowly strip down Windows from being a full fledged operating system to a browser based (cloud based) operating system, just like Google's Chrome OS.
Xbox, Not Windows, Is The Future Of Microsoft - Says Steve Ballmer
2- Local storage based software, games would be replaced by cloud based software, games.
(Microsoft has teamed up with Agawi, a cloud based gaming company which has adopted Microsoft’s Windows Azure cloud hosting to stream games to Windows 8 devices as well as upcoming Xbox 720.)
Agawi to use Microsoft’s Windows Azure to bring cloud-gaming services to Windows 8 | VentureBeat
Microsoft, Agawi Team Up For Cloud Gaming On Windows 8; Is Xbox 720 Next? - Forbes
Windows 8 gets cloud gaming with Agawi partnership - National Console Gaming | Examiner.com
3- Microsoft is planning to become a big hardware player like Apple. However it would keep its OEM partners with it. Divices with MS services would be sold.
4- The biggest losers would be us. The consumers. Microsoft's cloud based model would put an end to our independence and we would be completely dependent on MS for everything. MS won't sell us the software, games etc. they would rent us their software, games etc.
5- This would also be a huge loss to the enthusiasts who build their own PCs. As because of all the above there would only be compact devices available everywhere and there would no longer be a place for full fledged desktop or full fledged notebook PCs. So desktops and notebooks would vanish. Therefore the parts to build your own PCs would no longer be available in the market.
All this could only change if some Linux distro successfully enters the market. As Valve/Steam are trying to port their games to Linux it could be a possibility. Also it would be a good omen for Microsoft;s OEM partners who must be desperate for an alternative to MS Windows and are fed up of MS policies.
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