My feeling is that Windows 10 (which does not make me happy as a name) will likely be a make it or break it moment for Windows. Mac OSX and Linux are taking Windows to task big time but people are mostly playing a waiting game to see what Microsoft will do with their upcoming release. They are giving them a chance to course correct now that Ballmer is out on his ear. Can Microsoft turn things around with someone new at the helm? Or will they continue to steer into the iceberg?

Windows 10 appears to be well situated to have a good recovery trajectory for Microsoft. But we will just have to wait and see. If they botch this like they did with Windows 8, they are going to lose market share very quickly. I think that they have to make this work.

@Joyfano said:

@nadnerB said:

Looks like a mix of Windows 7, 8 and Linux.

I hope they rename it in Australia to Windows Mongrel.

Hmm why Mongrel Sir?

Mongrel
A mongrel or mutt is a dog that is not the result of breeding and belongs to no breed. Wikipedia

Well, windows can be a bit of a dog. Windows 9 is from such a mixed background, it going to have an identity crisis. It seems to be random parts of other OS's slapped together. However, in saying that, no one will really know until the official announcement event comes around when there will be better information.

It may lose mongrel status but Microsoft have to be 100% sure of their direction AND stick to it

@scottalanmiller said:

@JaredBusch said:

@scottalanmiller I don't use Imaging.
I guess I should break down the costs of buying the box without windows and using VL instead. probably a decently close comparison.

VL is upgrade only. It can't be used on a machine without OEM. You buy one VL license to get imaging rights so you don't need to track OEMs. Buying more VLs is for upgrades.

Exactly - Imaging rights is about the only nice/gime that MS has done with their licensing.

You buy ONE VL upgrade and you can apply imaging rights to all computers in your company with that exact same version. I.E. If you OEM licenses are all Windows 7, and you buy the VL upgrade for one of them, you can use the Windows 7 VL media to image every one of them.

There's no point in buying VL for the rest of the computers unless you plan to upgrade them to the next OS. (yeah I know this is the long winded way to say what Scott just said)

Good article...goes along with our other discussions. And yes, I do like Windows 8 but I do believe it does make sense to let it morph to the platform it is on. I'd to believe I (well my workplace) I invested heavily into the Surface Pro 3 just to hear that the "modern" may be downplayed. The latest reports on what they may do restores my faith it may be the "hit" they need.