I say don’t bother with the legacy Windows application streaming functionality, which is baggage necessitated by the Windows brand, and use a new, different brand.
Call it Microsoft OneOS or something.
The inability of the iPad to run Mac apps never stopped it from being successful with its intended market, which happens to be the same market as this cheap Window 10X device. Same story for ChromeOS, which was basically just a web browser at the beginning and isn’t much more than that now.
Now, if the iPad was called “Mac Touch,” people might be pissed that it didn’t run Mac apps. Branding often involves setting expectations.
“Windows” as a brand means “I can run pretty much everything”
Heck the Microsoft branding department is already lazy, e.g. naming Office 365 after the number of days in the year in which you’ll be paying for your subscription - why not just pick a different mineral that’s not Chrome and name their OS that.
Microsoft Quartz. Quartz OS. Copper OS. Pick one, sounds cool enough. Done, ship it.
Instead, Microsoft is confusing their customers with their as-always-terrible branding efforts. Now we’ve got Windows 10X, Windows 10 S Mode, and Windows 10 (Home and Pro, and Surface Pro X). It’s nearly impossible for a layperson to understand what device does what.
Even if you manage to understand it, it’s even harder to figure out why you’d buy half of these ideas. Why do I want S mode? Why do I want a future Surface product with two screens? Why do I want an ARM Surface Pro X instead of an Intel one? Why do I want 10X? Also, why are we talking about 10X publicly before a clear vision of what it’s for is finalized?
Call it Microsoft OneOS or something.
The inability of the iPad to run Mac apps never stopped it from being successful with its intended market, which happens to be the same market as this cheap Window 10X device. Same story for ChromeOS, which was basically just a web browser at the beginning and isn’t much more than that now.
Now, if the iPad was called “Mac Touch,” people might be pissed that it didn’t run Mac apps. Branding often involves setting expectations.
“Windows” as a brand means “I can run pretty much everything”
Heck the Microsoft branding department is already lazy, e.g. naming Office 365 after the number of days in the year in which you’ll be paying for your subscription - why not just pick a different mineral that’s not Chrome and name their OS that.
Microsoft Quartz. Quartz OS. Copper OS. Pick one, sounds cool enough. Done, ship it.
Instead, Microsoft is confusing their customers with their as-always-terrible branding efforts. Now we’ve got Windows 10X, Windows 10 S Mode, and Windows 10 (Home and Pro, and Surface Pro X). It’s nearly impossible for a layperson to understand what device does what.
Even if you manage to understand it, it’s even harder to figure out why you’d buy half of these ideas. Why do I want S mode? Why do I want a future Surface product with two screens? Why do I want an ARM Surface Pro X instead of an Intel one? Why do I want 10X? Also, why are we talking about 10X publicly before a clear vision of what it’s for is finalized?