Technology

Microsoft isn't going to be replacing desktop Windows installations with cloud installations, and nowhere in the article does it suggest it is.

I'd say Microsoft's long term needle-moving strategy including the bullet point "Move Windows 11 increasingly to the cloud" suggests it pretty strongly. Calling it "needle-moving" says to me that they want the cloud to be more and more the expected default, rather than an option that exists alongside desktop installs.

How might it be different from something like Citrix? Just an official way to do it? Maybe some integration with hosting?

Microsoft still sells single, non subscription licenses for Office. I think Windows is safe for the forseeable future, especially since they sell it to OEMs...

This was to be expected... But eventually.. Microsoft will force people to the cloud.. I just feel it.. it's happening..

Microsoft isn't going to stop selling installable copies of Windows.

I agree with most of your comment, but I bet Microsoft will what do whatever the market says will be most profitable, so nothing is off the table.

I would assume it's companies that are running computer kiosks, point-of-sale systems, or systems that would otherwise be extremely locked-down (like bank teller systems).

As an example, we're currently evaluating it as an option for doctors to access certain EMRs offsite where it doesn't make sense to provide them an entire workstation, e.g., community doctors working from their private practices.

My 1050ti had no problems on Ubuntu 20.04lts. I know if you want all the new bells and whistles on the new Nvidia cards that will be a disappointment. I think Nvidia has issues with Wayland, but X11 works

How does Proton work? Is it another application like wine?

I would love to use linux for everything I do on my computer but there are too many games I play that use anticheat that isn't supported sadly. The use of intrusive kernel level anticheat will hopefully be killed off soon -- but for now I have to keep a windows install so I can boot into it for those games.

Come to the dark side, Luke! Well, actually you're on the dark side already. So how about trying to the light side for a change?

In an internal “state of the business” Microsoft presentation from June 2022, Microsoft discuses building on “Windows 365 to enable a full Windows operating system streamed from the cloud to any device.”

I'd dare to say people don't choose Windows, it is forced on them by having it preinstalled and that seals the deal for most. Your average Joe Sixpack would likely not even notice they are using Linux, since most just browse the internet and the major browsers are the same for both.

Until Linux can just let users double click and install .exe files from Windows.

Zorin OS allows to do that, and iirc you can do that with Wine on any other distro

Which is hilarious to me because how Linux handles application installations/updates though package management is so much easier than anything on the Microsoft side. No muss, no fuss, no chasing down dependencies, just "install X" and X is now cleanly installed on your system as well as everything it needs to run.

How are you having issues with getting a local account? It's pretty straightforward to get one.

Worst case just disconnect the computer when you are installing Windows and it'll force a local account...

People have been saying linux 'just works' for over a decade.

This simply isn't true for the average user.

I mean, most installs start by asking you to burn an ISO to a USB. How do I format a usb stick? What's NTFS? My USB stick is full, how do I empty it? Where do I put the thousands of pictures of my cat? Then you're not unlikely to need to change settings in your bios, some versions don't support secure boot. What's a BIOS? How do I enter the bios? Do I need to open the computer? Is there a secret button or an app for that? Sometimes you get error codes. They don't know how to google a fix. Then users have to relearn all the windows apps they're used to. Then users have to install the linux equivalent of the apps they're used to, and start learning all the differences. Then someone sends them a file in a proprietary office format and the formatting's off. They'll google excel, download the windows 'app', and become frustrated when it won't install properly.

We're talking about average users. Not people who've built their own pc. Average users are people who increasingly have trouble using a mouse, don't get how directory structures work, and mainly use apps on their phone.

It's a bit like car guys going on about how easy it is to change your own oil, to someone who's never changed a tyre and doesn't even know how to refill their windscreen washer fluid.

plus there's many options for both on linux

I think we're almost there, really. A lot of places already have what is basically the terminal of today for users to use. It's just a little box with keyboard, mouse, and monitor, and maybe some USB ports, and it connects the user to a virtual machine running on a server in the building somewhere.