Should Microsoft become an OEM (PC manufacturer)?

[40hz]

If MS wants to get into hardware+os, like Apple then maybe they'll import linux into their box (just kidding)...

-mahesh2k (October 15, 2008, 09:05 AM)

How about going the other way and blow off the OS completely? Maybe 'open the kimono' so all their apps can just be run under Wine?  (just kidding...) 

[mahesh2k]

40Hz :
Cloud computing?

[40hz]

40Hz :
Cloud computing?

-mahesh2k (October 15, 2008, 10:25 AM)

Perhaps marginally better than the fog we suffer with today.

Cloud is a mixed blessing. There are some real benefits, and a number of serious downsides to the cloud concept. Here's one good cautionary post:

http://www.guardian....oogleownsyouyourdata

I'll still hold out for the appliance concept. A "good enough" office productivity plug&run device that could replace all those energy wasting "administrative assistant" type office desktops that got installed anytime a company could locate three feet of free open horizontal surface. If nature abhors a vacuum, management hates open deskspace even more..

I just wished they bought a few less PCs - and maybe few more plants or fishtanks.