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Windows 8 is a "transition model"

I’m using Windows 8 now since a few days in real production use. I really like the new operating system, even if the mix of “tile environment” and the familiar Windows desktop is “something special”. Although I must say that I particularly “would” like to work with the tile surface very much! Would, because I spend 99% of the time on the classic desktop interface. And this for a good reason. All the applications I use are indeed started on the tiles, but then switch automatically to the desktop.

Main workspace: Browser

I work mainly in the browser. And also this automatically opens the Windows desktop, even the Internet Explorer. Self-critical as I am, I must admit, I have not trawl through the Windows Store for possible candidates. There are certainly one or the other treasure that can help me.

The use is a balancing act

However, the use of Windows 8 is a balancing act. On a tablet, the tiles and usability are very well done. I was able to test it extensively. With a mouse the feeling is not the same. On the other hand, not only for the old applications, the traditional desktop is needed. But using your fingers on a tablet here is no fun. Unless you have fingers like a chaffinch female. Here is a mouse advisable.

But basically I would recommend Windows 8.

Windows 8 can just be a “transition model”

Windows 8 is respectively can “just” be a transition model. This is not meant as negative as it may sounds. But Microsoft needed to find a way to deliver users and developers a hybrid model. With the upcoming version – Windows 9 or maybe even “Windows X” – the classic desktop will disappear completely. Respectively there will be just a narrow compatibility mode for the desktop to not completely lose all the stragglers.

Over time all software developers and vendors will either switch their solutions completely to the software-as-a-service (SaaS) model via browser or optimize their apps for the Windows tile surface to offer in the Windows Store.

When is the “Microsoft Cloudbook” coming?

However, an interesting question still remains. Will Microsoft go maybe the Google way in the future? Is there may soon be a Chromebook counterpart from Microsoft? As I metioned above, the browser is my main work area number one and I’m definitely not the only one. Furthermore more and more applications move to the cloud via SaaS. And not to forget, with the Windows Azure infrastructure Microsoft provides a fully developed and efficient cloud environment over which even Office 365 is deployed and also a “Microsoft Cloudbook” can be readily supplied with applications, etc. With Windows Azure, Office 365 (Office 2013), Outlook.com, SkyDrive, Skype, Windows Store, etc. Microsoft has created the necessary circumstances the recent months and years.

By Rene Buest

Rene Buest is Gartner Analyst covering Infrastructure Services & Digital Operations. Prior to that he was Director of Technology Research at Arago, Senior Analyst and Cloud Practice Lead at Crisp Research, Principal Analyst at New Age Disruption and member of the worldwide Gigaom Research Analyst Network. Rene is considered as top cloud computing analyst in Germany and one of the worldwide top analysts in this area. In addition, he is one of the world’s top cloud computing influencers and belongs to the top 100 cloud computing experts on Twitter and Google+. Since the mid-90s he is focused on the strategic use of information technology in businesses and the IT impact on our society as well as disruptive technologies.

Rene Buest is the author of numerous professional technology articles. He regularly writes for well-known IT publications like Computerwoche, CIO Magazin, LANline as well as Silicon.de and is cited in German and international media – including New York Times, Forbes Magazin, Handelsblatt, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Wirtschaftswoche, Computerwoche, CIO, Manager Magazin and Harvard Business Manager. Furthermore Rene Buest is speaker and participant of experts rounds. He is founder of CloudUser.de and writes about cloud computing, IT infrastructure, technologies, management and strategies. He holds a diploma in computer engineering from the Hochschule Bremen (Dipl.-Informatiker (FH)) as well as a M.Sc. in IT-Management and Information Systems from the FHDW Paderborn.

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