Jul 31, 2008
End of Windows? Yeah, right
By: Kyle
Engadget, Infoworld, and various other technology news sites are reporting on a new Microsoft OS project code-named “Midori”. Midori, rather than being based on previous architecture (such as the NT kernel for NT/2000/XP/Vista), will be based on an entirely new kernel, or maybe not even a “kernel” as we know it at all.
They are claiming that Midori will remove dependencies between hardware and applications using virtualization technology that exists today and taking it to the next level. While all of this sounds cool, Microsoft would have a hard time pulling it off.
Every time an OS company makes major changes to their product, they have to add compromises that cater to the desires of customers running legacy applications when moving a product from R & D to production. We’ve seen this in every major release of the Windows operating system, as well as releases in other operating systems, such as Mac OS (example: OS 9 to OS X, then OS 10.1-10.2-10.3 etc.)
Microsoft is already deep in development of Windows 7, the next version of it’s flagship product. Between supporting that product and any offshoots from it, a significant change in architecture probably isn’t in the pipeline anytime soon.
On top of all of that, you have the fact that the Windows brand is universally recognizable. That’s like telling Sony to rename their console series to something besides “Playstation”. That’s like Apple calling their new OS anything without “Mac” in it. It’s just not feasible.
Microsoft is putting a lot of R & D into pushing products out to the cloud, but they are all branded under the Windows Live brand. Read: Windows. Even with it’s cloud computing initiative (which is probably where MSFT is heading with Midori), it’s still retaining the Windows moniker.
Even if there is a completely different Microsoft OS out there in the future, don’t be surprised if it retains the famous/infamous Windows branding.
Then again, losing the Windows brand might be the thing that makes Microsoft look like a different company. Perhaps we’ll see within the next 5-10 years.
Kyle [at] kyleleboeuf.com