Microsoft may be working on its own cloud-based desktop service according to sources speaking with ZDNet’s Mary Jo Foley. The rumored service codenamed “Mohoro” would build the Windows desktop SaaS (Software as a Service) solution on top of the company’s Windows Azure cloud computing platform. With Mohoro, Microsoft would provide Azure virtual machines running the Windows operating system. Users would then be able to remote into the desktop on any Internet connected computer or mobile device (with remote desktop support) and get access to their own desktop and applications.
The Windows desktop… coming soon to a cloud near you?
Windows Azure users can already run virtual machines with Linux or Windows OSes, but in the case of Windows Microsoft only allows server versions to be run. Incensing restrictions prevent users from loading consumer operating systems such as Windows XP, 7 or 8 onto the virtual machines. The rumored Mohoro service would apparently relax the licensing restrictions and allow businesses or consumers to deploy client operating systems running on the Azure VMs. It would basically take the need for enterprises to run their own hardware and move it to “the cloud” behind a Microsoft-run subscription service.
It is an interesting idea that I could see universities and businesses looking into. The Azure platform is actually pretty good, from what little testing I've done on it. However, I think that for many consumers a local install is preferable. Although syncing applications and files can be a pain if you have multiple machines, you retain control of your data and are not bound to needing an always-on Internet connection to access that data and run applications. Further, latency issues and bandwidth caps with home Internet connections make a paid-for Azure desktop less appealing to home users. I think Microsoft would have a hard-enough time selling users a subsciption for a local/traditional Windows installation, much less a subscription for an OS requiring an always-on Internet connection to use their computer.
Would you use an Azure-powered desktop as your main OS?
Windows Blue
Windows Blue subscriptions,…….?
I haven’t seen any confirmation that Windows Blue would be subscription based.
Ah, I thought that was the
Ah, I thought that was the point of Blue–to be a subscription though maybe those rumors were invalidated by new rumors? heh.
Just one more reason to stay
Just one more reason to stay with windows 7, and prepare to switch to Linux! M$ is aiming for byond the Apple ecosystem,
and having a desktop in the M$ cloud is for the birds, this may be of some small use for enterprises, but for the home user and gamers, I just do not see any other choice but to eventually migrate to Linux, and let M$ go the way of the DODO! M$’s ploy with its “Blue” release is just to add a start button to nowhere, and that nowhere will lead to the Metro start screen! M$ wants to force everyone to take a trip through the isles of their App store, each and every time we need to switch from one task to another, see the flashing tiles with their flashing ads, M$ Blue light special, get your crappy apps while it flashes!!
What a sore loser, who only
What a sore loser, who only wants to be in Microsoft’s position with the not-ready-for-prime-time Linux operating system after more than ten years of various distributions that cannot garner wide-spread desktop adoption. Hahaha.
> prepare to switch to
> prepare to switch to Linux
go and f@ck yourself
Metro, It just SUCKS! Just
Metro, It just SUCKS! Just Like You! M$ spinion!
I have just in the last
I have just in the last couple of days switched to windows 7 I was hanging onto XP for as long as possible and I would have done so for longer if it had not been for Microsoft withdrawing updates to XP in October 2012 because they were reportedly crashing peoples computers, Microsoft made enough money out of XP it was very popular why couldn’t they stick with that platform and build decent support for 64 bit processors? windows seven is a bit of a cop out from Xp you can’t even network an XP pc to a windows 7 pc and windows 8 is meant for mobiles not desktops the future with Microsoft looks bleak and the only other option will be to move to Linux based OS if people can be bothered to learn a little bit of code. Cloud based just means Microsoft getting its grubby hands on your personal information with which to send you lots of spam emails for advertising purposes, yes it may be good for smaller systems with less processing power than a gamming desktop but at what cost to the user once again they are rubbing their grubby little hands together thinking $$$$$$,anyone would think the second richest man in the world was skint, they wont remember him for windows 8 for certain.