Microsoft patents 'streaming OS'

[pctech]

Only just read about this, what do you guys think

http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/18/microsoft-patent-application-points-to-fast-booting-streaming-os/

[Rik]

More clouds? 

[armadillo]

Yuk!

I want my OS on my PC not partly on a remote server under the control of MS.

Their claimed aim is speed of loading -
1) In much of the UK this will never be stably achieved;
2) I don't care if my OS takes 2 seconds or 2 minutes to load.

[pctech]

With MS first and foremost it's about piracy prevention and revenue protection.

I totally agree Armadillo.

I'll probably switch to Linux or the Windows clone ReactOS. http://www.reactos.org/en/index.html

[Rik]

Couldn't agree more, 'Dill, though I prefer two seconds.

[pctech]

Time to weigh up alternatives.

[armadillo]

ReactOS looks very interesting. Thanks for that - I had never heard of it before. I agree though. If Windows became server based, I would move away from Windows too.

Yes Rik, 2 seconds might be preferable but what matters to me is that the load time is consistent. If I know it is, say, 60 seconds, I do not have to sit and watch it.

The main problem with OSs is that hardware moves on. So when you need to replace a machine with new hardware, you find it does not run with an old OS. That problem might apply to XP and ReactOS too.

[pctech]

Unless they plan to do an Apple and make recovery server based as is the case with Lion.

Here's a thought though, in about 5 or so years Apple will probably want to stop hosting the Lion disk image but there will be a group of folks that are still happy with it and don't want to upgrade (bit like us refuseniks that are still running XP)

What will they do then?

[Technical Ben]

Yuk!

I want my OS on my PC not partly on a remote server under the control of MS.

Their claimed aim is speed of loading -
1) In much of the UK this will never be stably achieved;
2) I don't care if my OS takes 2 seconds or 2 minutes to load.

3) Crashes from dropped packets! 

[pctech]

Well I've started to test ReactOS using a Live CD and while things have moved about a bit it is not much different and I quite like it

Unfortunately the Live CD does not seem to allow network access so am now looking to see how I can dual boot it and will post some screenshots if thats ok with the mods.

[Technical Ben]

That's usually due to network card drivers being the last thing to ever get linux support I'd guess. 

[Gary]

Unless they plan to do an Apple and make recovery server based as is the case with Lion.

Here's a thought though, in about 5 or so years Apple will probably want to stop hosting the Lion disk image but there will be a group of folks that are still happy with it and don't want to upgrade (bit like us refuseniks that are still running XP)

What will they do then?

You can create your own recovery USB stick with Lion, Apple added that feature in a EFI update, so thats not an issue. Saying that running a ten year old OS like XP is just asking for trouble security wise in my view.

[pctech]

I am going to obviously get 7 when I replace my machine but I don't like the look of 8 at all (and we've had the consumer preview on a test system at work for a while)

[pctech]

Looking at the Microsoft training page and cloud seems to dominate so maybe its not far off

[pctech]

Apparently though Chromebook sales have been very low http://www.zdnet.co.uk/blogs/jacks-blog-10017212/chromebook-looks-like-another-googleflop-10024772/ so hopefully MS will think again.

[Rik]

Companies like that are like large oil tankers, it takes them ages to stop or change direction...

[pctech]

Yep.

As we have said I prefer the OS as it is currently as an enthusiast and consumer.

If they do this anyway though and it becomes the de facto standard I can see a lot of IT folks out of work.

[Rik]

Which will be the selling point for businesses, Mitch.

[pctech]

Yes indeed.

At work they appointed the organisation's first Chief Information Officer and the first thing he did was to centralise all the IT staff that were not customer facing i.e. the ones I have to go to if the kit I use to do my job breaks.

It now takes twice as long to get stuff done.

[pctech]

I might look at taking an accountancy course in case IT pretty much disappears.

[Rik]

Another skill is never wasted, Mitch. I changed career direction several times as interesting opportunities came along.

[Technical Ben]

Or look to do a "cloud" course? 
Would there not be work involved in managing servers for cloud computing? Or setting up "dumb" stations? Even a cloud based system needs desktops repaired. 

[Glenn]

A lot of my work was fixing Wyse terminals in the mid/late 90's.

[armadillo]

running a ten year old OS like XP is just asking for trouble security wise in my view.

I disagree. There is no kudos for hackers in targeting an old OS. The OS is at its most insecure when it is new and heavily hyped. Then the hackers can try for headlines like "windows 8 security flaw brings down major bank". When did we last see a headline about hacking Windows 98?

If you are running a home system with good AV and behind a router firewall, a legacy OS is pretty safe if backed up by disk imaging software. I browse with Firefox with Java and Flash turned off. Most of the security risk, IMHO, is in the scripting supported by MS browsers. I do not even apply the Windows Update patches. I have never needed to restore my OS as a result of malware. Though I have restored it many times due to legitimate software corrupting it.

Just my opinion.

[pctech]

Found a bit more information on this, it's also been known as ServiceOS

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=ServiceOS&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a&source=hp&channel=np