Microsoft announced Windows 365.

[Venetik]

Microsoft announced Windows 365 - https://www.windowscentral.com/microsof ... ream-cloud

It will be subscription based OS streamed from theirs Azure, with a flat rate subscription. Currently aiming for enterprise and edu facilities. It's cloud based Windows 10, and 11.

Well... I mean, who could guess for that move? It's really funny considering some guys on the forum - including me - have thinking about this in the past. Predicted? Microsoft employee already said that the Windows 10 will be the last one, so there was lolz that Windows will be subscription based. So, there is it - a prequel for the future, where OS will be streamed from the cloud to end-user? Well Microsoft is heavily focusing on Azure, less on Windows. Ah, welcome System as a Service.

And that long forgotten rumors about Midori, ehm.

[Fanta Shokata]

AFAIK Windows 365 doesn't require standard PC.

[mibrab]

Microsoft has already been offering this as part of Azure, to me this just seems like a re-brand to make this more mainstream.

[chasemorgan2010]

another 365 product? whats next? bing 365? xbox 365? github 365? windows 365 is dumb and should be cancelled. nobody's going to buy it.

[dixieLH]

question is... why would anyone use this thing anyway...

[gamer765]

This would mostly be useful to business relying on mini network PC boxes like Citrix. It's an alternative option and could possibly be a good one given that these systems have a bare minimum configuration and might not be able to natively host windows as an OS. Also if your computers are network based, they won't be as susceptible to local hacking/data theft since the computer will effectively be nothing but a monitor.

[roytam1]

so no service on leap day?

[Venetik]

This would mostly be useful to business relying on mini network PC boxes like Citrix. It's an alternative option and could possibly be a good one given that these systems have a bare minimum configuration and might not be able to natively host windows as an OS. Also if your computers are network based, they won't be as susceptible to local hacking/data theft since the computer will effectively be nothing but a monitor.

After posting this topic I also though about e-waste problem. It could definetely reduce electronic waste problem, because you could turn your old notebook to functioning shape - with Azure & Windows 365 help.

[dixieLH]

in hope you have stable and fast inet -_-

[Darkstar]

After posting this topic I also though about e-waste problem. It could definetely reduce electronic waste problem, because you could turn your old notebook to functioning shape - with Azure & Windows 365 help.

Your old notebook needs to run a modern browser with a JavaScript implementation of RDP though. Good luck with anything older than, say, 3-5 years or so

Also, this is nothing new, Azure Virtual Desktop existed for quite some time now. It's just re-branding

[rafik206790]

I don't see any purpose of such a service...

[Venetik]

After posting this topic I also though about e-waste problem. It could definetely reduce electronic waste problem, because you could turn your old notebook to functioning shape - with Azure & Windows 365 help.

Your old notebook needs to run a modern browser with a JavaScript implementation of RDP though. Good luck with anything older than, say, 3-5 years or so

Also, this is nothing new, Azure Virtual Desktop existed for quite some time now. It's just re-branding

Hey Darkstar. I was thinking more pxie boot, as terminals use that. So, you have hybrid architecture, server with azure stuff. You have yours Windows 365 VMs, that can be accessed with help of server and point your terminals to boot from network, finally booting, pointing to virtual disk.

[EverythingeeB]

I think Windows 365 is a pretty OK idea. If people are doing intensive tasks in a sound sensitive environment, they probably want a computer that is much cooler, and streaming a more powerful computer could help with that.

Of course, I don't really like the "subscription" part of it all, but then again, some people actually do.

[Hyoenmadan86]

If people are doing intensive tasks in a sound sensitive environment...

I'm afraid this will not cut for intensive graphical tasks, which is probably the case this is targeting on. Not even local attestation on wired LAN with iSCSI shares cut what a local installed OS image and apps can do.

For programming and data management, you don't even need remote desktops. You do all it via scripting and PShell terminal, or web portals.

[Darkstar]

If people are doing intensive tasks in a sound sensitive environment...

I'm afraid this will not cut for intensive graphical tasks, which is probably the case this is targeting on. Not even local attestation on wired LAN with iSCSI shares cut what a local installed OS image and apps can do.

Many companies are running their CAD/CAM/CAE workloads on remote desktops these days. We have just completed a large deployment for customer with a CATIA environment, 100+ workstations replaced by thin clients with a nvidia-powered server-farm to run the desktops.

So yes, even "intensive graphical tasks" via remote desktop are possible these days

[AlphaBeta]

I can see the potential in education, as it removes the burden of having to maintain computer labs. Instead of buying several dozens of reasonably spec'd PCs and licenses, an institution can just buy cheap thin clients, subscribe for Windows 365 and that's it, no need to worry about upgrades, hardware going bad or some rogue kids wrecking the computers. It also makes it easy to make sure everybody is on the same page wrt. software if some students bring their own equipment.