Five reasons why the Windows desktop isn't going away

At least Ed Bott is optimistic for the desktop, Ed Bott is a well respected journalist and he seems to be optimistic that the desktop is not going to disappear. That, at least, is comforting.


The speculation on the next version of Windows (code-named Blue) is getting out of hand. Based on a few screenshots and one offhand remark from a prominent Windows blogger, one of my colleagues is convinced that the Windows desktop is an endangered species. Nope. Not gonna happen.

Read more at source:
Five reasons why the Windows desktop isn't going away | ZDNet
 
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I don't think it it is going to be removed imminently.

It does look like MS are trying to keep the average consumer in metro as much as possible.

It means the advertising billboard and exhortations to the MS services will be as prominent as possible.
 

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Thanks for posting the link.

I think the Desktop will disappear when most of the "four million desktop apps" used (seems like a high figure to me) are written in the Modern interface. I'm guestimating five years. It will remain a portal to the Modern UI until then.

An organization, just like a living organism, needs to grow in order to survive. This is MS's dilemma -> Growth into the modern changing markets. Where one's target market (in MS's case the desktop PC) has flat lined, one must look for other markets to grow. It seems to me that touch-centric mobile devices are where it's at. It's all too bloody obvious.

This was the genius of Steve Jobs. It's not that he was so much a great salesman that so many report, but he was greater at market insight and innovation supplying needed mobile devices, such as the iPhone and iPad along with an app store. He knew his Mac and lappy market flat lined, so he diversified with other demanding and growing markets. He also knew he wasn't going to encroach into MS's turf of enterprise desktop PCs. (Keep in mind Google also) But, MS can certainly infringe onto their turf to diversify for growth and survival.

In being rather risky, MS is performing a high wire balancing act to fulfill everyone's needs in this crucial transitional period. We have enterprise with it's demands on one side for creation, whom, after all, made MS the successful corporation that it is. These are the ones that need the desktop the most, for as Bott states, "The four million desktop apps need to run somewhere".

On the other side we have Mr. and Mrs. Joe Consumer who are the ones buying up most of these mobile devices for consumption. They could care less if their app or program opens up on desktop or not, just as long as it opens and functions with what they are attempting to seek. Emails, social apps/sites, and news for the most part. They could care less if it was an app or an internet site. They could care less if it was Win32, RT, or full Modern/Metro, nor most likely would they know. All they want is their information and to post/share information in a timely matter.

Here's where the genius of MS's innovation comes in with 8, 8RT, the Surfaces, and Windows phone 8. An OS that runs on and across multiple devices to run the same apps no matter what type of device. When we think about it will be simplified for all, no matter who we are, no matter how much knowledge we have of computing devices, and/or whether we're using the device for creation or consumption. Kind of like a "unification". MS needed to create a store to sell apps, not only to bring about this "unification", but also to diversify for revenue. After all, it is a money maker for Apple, Google, and others.

Not sure, but I think Google's Play Store apps run across all their platforms, but I see there are two Apple app stores. One for apps to run on OSX and one for apps to run on iOS. I'm assuming they are not the same apps? If so, does that mean I have to buy an app twice if I want it on my other devices? Any which way, I know when I download a Microsoft Store app, whether free or bought, I can download it on all my devices. Simple.

Another crucial piece. Let's say one owns a desktop PC with Windows on it, an Apple laptop with OSX, and an Android OS phone. One then needs to learn and remember three different systems and ways of navigation. Let's say they update the Android or I need to get a new Android phone with the latest OS on it. I have to learn that system's changes. Then let's say they update Windows with an SP1. I have to learn that even if the changes are slight. Worse scenario is that all three update at the same time. I think you get the jest of where I'm heading. It may be fun for us techies/enthusiasts, but for Mr. and Mrs. Joe Consumer I would imagine it's no fun.

Would it not be more convenient if one OS ran across multiple devices with the same apps? Familiar no matter what device we pick up to use. Simple IMO. :)
 

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They are not running much of a risk.

This is aimed at the consumer.

MS can subsidise the oems and wait till the consumers have to buy something - unless they can afford a Mac - that something has 8 on it.

There is a slim chance of competition appearing, not very likely as the barriers are too great.
 

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The Desktop I do see being phased over this decade. Why? That's where the vast majority of Windows' issues lie in, winrot, system file corruptions, programs that get deeply embedded into the system and ends up screwing with everything else (chrome), and such. WinRT doesn't allow that.

But from how I see it, I bet the Desktop will remain a feature for Windows vVerFarNext Pro or Enterprise as well. For the general public, the modern UI will be and should be fine, that is if a lot of Desktop apps get built into a WinRT model. Once Office gets into a WinRT app, that should be the spark for third parties to make the shift to that. Also, once the WinRT apps in Windows become MUCH more useful, like a proper Desktop app in a modern package, that will also be part of the change over from legacy to modern. Of course, the WinRT app model needs to be tweaked to properly support better app snap, possibly a tiled window interface.

Right now, VLC Player is being ported over to WinRT, the beta should be released to the sponsors of the development project and should be released sometime April or May. What's special about that is they're developing the WinRT app to have EVERY bit of features that the Desktop counterpart has. They will also be bringing it to Windows Phone as the development is pretty simple from WinRT.

I would hate to see Microsoft taking the modern UI and the Desktop UI into simple and advanced modes. I don't want that to happen, I'd rather see simple AND advanced in a nice modern package versus two separate UIs. I still need to use the Desktop to change metadata on music files so they show up as I want in a metro app.
 

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This is MS's dilemma -> Growth into the modern changing markets. Where one's target market (in MS's case the desktop PC) has flat lined, one must look for other markets to grow. It seems to me that touch-centric mobile devices are where it's at. It's all too bloody obvious.
This is understood. But this was no reason to kill the desktop. The installer could very well generate a modern UI when it senses a touchscreen and a traditional UI when there is no touchscreen. That would have been a piece of cake to implement and over a billion PC users would have been happy.

They are able to make a differentiation when they sense a disk with zero rotation (SSD), so why not for screens with or without touch.
 

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They are able to make a differentiation when they sense a disk with zero rotation (SSD), so why not for screens with or without touch.

Because MS think it is to their advantage to do it this way.
 

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Would it not be more convenient if one OS ran across multiple devices with the same apps? Familiar no matter what device we pick up to use. Simple IMO. :)

Sure but, a desktop PC is not a tablet which is not a mobile phone. You interface with them differently. What MS did with Windows 8 is not working and they will totally mess things up with their plan for Metro tiles and advertising. That's going to be the stone around their necks that really hurts Windows 8 adoption.
 

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The desktop is not going to disapear, it's going to be rewritten into WinRT code. You can already see this in the W9 qkq Blue leaked snapshots. But it will take a while because they didn't start from the desktop patern but with a cellphone UI that they need to improve until it eventualy become a normal desktop.
Coke said:
Of course, the WinRT app model needs to be tweaked to properly support better app snap, possibly a tiled window interface.
Well, I hope that when it happens, we will find again all the features, ease of use and efficiency as on the old desktop.
That would be cool for exemple to have a condensate of all the app tiles resized and displaying on a column on the bottom left of the screen. You know what I mean.
The time when Metro will replace Desktop will be when it will allow to open, move and resize an infinite number of windows and a taskbar where you can get a glance at the open apps.
And of course with compatibility with ancient w32 software because not eerything will be ported to WinRT that fast.
HG said:
They could care less if it was Win32, RT, or full Modern/Metro,
Nor would I. Port the W7 desktop and all the softwares I currently use into Metro and I'll be happy.
 

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Nor would I. Port the W7 desktop and all the softwares I currently use into Metro and I'll be happy.


Port the desktop and kernal improvements from Win 8 into Win 7 and I'd be a darn sight happier... :)

Wenda.
 

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This is MS's dilemma -> Growth into the modern changing markets. Where one's target market (in MS's case the desktop PC) has flat lined, one must look for other markets to grow. It seems to me that touch-centric mobile devices are where it's at. It's all too bloody obvious.
This is understood. But this was no reason to kill the desktop. The installer could very well generate a modern UI when it senses a touchscreen and a traditional UI when there is no touchscreen. That would have been a piece of cake to implement and over a billion PC users would have been happy.

Things don't magically create themselves. To have a UI switcher like you say, it would take building and maintaining two distinctly different User Interfaces, which is a pita development-wise, especially as you add more stuff.

They are able to make a differentiation when they sense a disk with zero rotation (SSD), so why not for screens with or without touch.

What makes you think that? SSD should work no differently than an old-school IDE drive or a USB stick, just a lot faster due to not having a physical disk or not having to run through USB.

The entire point of a driver is to provide a common API on the front-end(i.e. file system access), while accessing wildly differing hardware on the backend, such that the software(Windows) cannot tell the difference. When Windows requests the device information from the driver, that information is where Windows gets told the specifics which get mirrored to the user if its requested.

Any 'differentiation' would simply be a request of a boolean variable in the driver.

Either way, this has nothing to do with UI.

Could what you suggest be done with split UI? Absolutely.

Will it. No. Maintaining two distinctly different interfaces is pointless, prone to bugs from split development, makes it harder to teach people the interface(depending on which), and in the end doesn't really provide a lot of value over just having one. You really do need to pick your poison and stick to it. Tech evolves. It happens.
 

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You have apparently never worked in an operating system development shop nor used an SSD. No use to discuss this any further.
 

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Reading the authors 'five reasons' doesn't really inspire confidence in his reasoning and in some ways he sounds a little unsure himself.

1. Why should Microsoft keep maintaining backwards compatibility? As great as that is, it's been one of the reasons why Windows has always been prone to malware, because it has required the retention of legacy code etc. Apple happily avoids backwards compatibility and doesn't suffer as a consequence.

2. Microsoft could easily continue support for corporate customers, as it has always done when Windows has been updated. From a consumer point of view, Microsoft wants them to buy new devices and, in turn, take on the new Windows etc. Realistically, the vast majority of consumers will accept what they get. Nothing lost, much to gain by Microsoft.

3. The author admits that existing functions are being ported to the MPI, with a commensurate lesser need top go to the desktop. He provides no evidence why the desktop won't go there as well (in this particular point).

4. The author gives no proof that it would be difficult to remove the desktop and gives spurious reasons why it can't be done. From what we have read, Microsoft appears well on the way to removing the desktop, as we know it. Why would Microsoft have spent so much effort developing a unified MPI, just to retain the legacy desktop environment?

5. The author admits that there is already a 'no desktop' option, but then uses nothing more than a sales comparison to prove that the desktop is here to stay. Clearly Windows 8 would have outsold RT, but that's because currently they are two separate platforms and one quite restricted in ability. But again, Microsoft is improving on that all the time and clearly moving everything to one platform, the MPI. It's just a matter of time.
 

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desktop will never be removed imo , it will be improved as always but never removed.

at least as long as people will use keyboard and mouse as interface, the desktop as to be there.
i agree with the metro direction windows is going for touch screen and even for kids or people that never used a computer it seams intuitive after you have learned the "corners"
now for old school people that manage the mouse and keyboard better then they walk .. desktop as to be there.
and why remove it if you can have both ? better to have the greeks and the trojans happy.
it was a bit hard to dive into windows 8 .. but not as hard as any mmorpg game out there ...
 

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Nor would I. Port the W7 desktop and all the softwares I currently use into Metro and I'll be happy.


Port the desktop and kernal improvements from Win 8 into Win 7 and I'd be a darn sight happier... :)

Wenda.

To port or not to port, that is the question :party: ...
 

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desktop will never be removed imo , it will be improved as always but never removed.

and why remove it if you can have both ? better to have the greeks and the trojans happy.

People have asked the same about the start button and direct access to the desktop, but both were removed.
 

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Just had a look at Iobit start menu for 8 (free) . It seems pretty good.

A lot of these type of things out there - just shows that nobody wants one. :sarc:
 

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People do not like change.

Wrong.

People do not like change for the worse.

People do not like change being forced on them - e.g in the workplace - they now have to make an effort instead of just carrying out their dreary task like automatons.

I think that may be where this myth comes from.

People do like change for the better. They like new things. That is why so much packaging carries the word "New".
 

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It's become symbolic of a problem that Microsoft doesn't seem to understand..
.

I think he is right with that bit.
 

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