Quote:
Originally Posted by Hitman
The funny thing is that cloud computing could actually KILL Microsoft's business.
Windows is a program destined to work in your personal computer and be flexible for most things you want to do, presenting them in easily accesible windows that can be opened/closed/moved, etc.
But if you enter the world of cloud computing, then you might as well have a very simplified form of basic interface in your desktop, while everything else you execute is in the remote server and owned by the creator. Once you start using that remote server, you can move to their interface, etc. (Because the program owner can create it directly in C++ or whatever language and remotely install the libraries in your PC, or simply run it fully there and let you just "see" it, i.e. your PC is nothing but a window to their desktop. And as such, he doesn't need MS windows at all) so the only thing for which you really need software on your desktop is to connect to the internet. Which renders Windows mostly useless  |
I disagree, but not entirely. You still need to have software on the server and there is nothing to say that per user charging is going away, in fact it is the model cloud computing is based on. Licenses for each user will still get charged but the real saving for businesses comes from reduction in support costs not in licenses.
With solid state hardware on the desktop with no moving parts and only centralised server's holding software installs the servicing costs of distriburint computing can be almost halved.
My company is currently going through an excersise to move our desktop environment into this mode of operation and our conservative saving estimates show a minimum of 46%! Mind you we are only planning to us MS for the OS and browser not the office suite or database software.
So in that aspect they will be losing some business.
Our MS rep is working hard to compete but TBH they are not getting too far as they still don't have a workable online office productivity suite yet that does not require something like Citrix.