Ballmer says "Windows Cloud" OS will debut this month
By Donald Melanson 
posted Oct 1st 2008 4:01PM
posted Oct 1st 2008 4:01PM
While a good chunk of this month's Professional Developers Conference will be focused on Windows 7, it looks like Microsoft has another little surprise up its sleeve, with CEO Steve Ballmer himself dropping word that the company also plans to introduce its new, tentatively-titled "Windows Cloud" OS at the conference. Of course, Ballmer isn't about to get very specific about the OS just yet, though he does seem to be dampening expectations a bit by saying, "just like Windows Server looked a lot like Windows but with new properties, new characteristics and new features, so will Windows Cloud look a lot like Windows Server." He also apparently confirmed that geo-replication and other features "designed for the cloud" would be built into the OS, and he confirmed the existence of Midori, but said it was still in the incubation phase, adding that, "the guy in the office next door to somebody working on Midori is not supposed to know about Midori." We assume that also means that Windows Cloud is not Midori, but we'll know for sure once PDC gets underway on October 27th.
Windows 95 Clouds wallpaper, thats a blast from the past.
The past...? What do you mean?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/Chebwa/95.jpg
Gooooood tiiiiiiimes.
...
Not really.
@Serial 8-Ball Mouse
Why do u have a link to "Welcome Center" on your desktop?
:D I thought that the second I saw it. I'll never forget the shape of that weird long Italy-shaped cloud in the middle. xD
@GaryZ
Just because.
: ]
But it's also relatively quick access to a couple of areas I hit up in Windows Vista pretty often. Sure I could right click "My Computer" and then go to properties on the menu and click that, but I can also just click on the welcome center and click "show more" to get to the same area. Little crap like that is all.
@ Serial 8-Ball Mouse
Whateve... Jason.
Serial 8-Ball Mouse = Jason = Chebwa, holy shit. I thought you were just gone forever!
haha... my darkest secret is out
i am, in reality, not an ugly mouse
@Lowest Ranked
I was also Dan Halen for a little while. I GET AROUND.
Jesus, that caused Flashbacks of trying to set up a dial-up connection in Windows 95 and having MSN popping up. God I remember being 8 and begging "go away msn, go awayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy...."
Clouds. Great, another interface that I have to learn and give support on. What happened to the good old days when it guys only needed to relearn windows every few years
sounds to me like you shouldn't be in the field that your in...
Seriously, what changed? Only the graphics and the parts of the software. The "gist" of Windows is still there. I have used PCs from Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows ME, XP and now, Vista.
They have the same old buttons that minimize/maximize restore and close, the same START button, the same taskbar, the same My Computer, the same My Documents, the same Internet Explorer (though with a little difference, and Firefox PWNS), the same Run, The same accessories (save for a few), the same way to shutdown, the same background and more.
(There's more similarities, but what the hell, I have to do my homework.)
@Aguiluz
And that's all we need to know... open a window here, close that window there, even minimise all... then open the Start menu if you want to go wild. Oh, how easy life is.
the biggest innovation being the new blue screen of death, now with fluffy clouds to soften the blow
That sounds risky.
What if the graphics bits responsible for displaying the bitmap crash? Do we fall back to a regular non-cloudy BSOD?
I think 'll take a a informative screen that tells me what went wrong any day over an annoying spinning beachball that does not tell me anything
P
if its anything like vista then you'll have UAC asking if it can run BSOD
Bet it's Win XP with a new desktop theme .... not that it would be a bad idea though.
Sounds like this will be a server OS designed for running cloud services, rather than specific OS for running off the cloud. Guess we will find out tomorrow
Hint hint .. Skydrive ... Windows profi.... oops I said too much :)
Oh noes the Windows 95 clouds are back!
Buzzwords translated with anti-BS filter:
We got caught with our pants down selling a bloated OS with this nifty new market of small PCs opening up that have no prayer of running it. So we put a small team together to modify Windows XP just enough to make it look different from stock XP, and we'll call it something new (heaven forbid we actually have to code something from scratch or do real work!). Hopefully nobody catches on.
Chairs (err, cheers),
S. Ballmer
anti-BS translated with truth filter:
we want to embrace software+services by offering our own solutions, as well as a platform for other companies to build their services off of. windows server 2k8 is a very popular enterprise solution and windows cloud will take this quality os and tailor to do service hosting related tasks easily.
Why do people use Windows if they hate it so much?...
Everyone hates the police until they need them.
grr... your comment systems sucks Engadget. (But like my following post, I use it cause I have to?)
Because my work requires me to?
Because Microsoft tied all the hardware and software vendors into it so tightly that it's difficult for them to code on other platforms limiting the amount of applications available? Win32/.NET/Winforms (spawned WINE/Mono)
Microsoft DirectX is not cross platform?
Windows Media Video (WMV) license restricts popular media format to Windows only PCs (legally)?
MP3 Codec is not free, and thus not licensed to OSs other than OSX(?) and Windows?
Up until recently Closed Exchange protocol for Corporate Email solution was really only stable in Outlook (a Windows only product)?
I could probably tie that all up into the idea of mass adoption. If you choose to take on another OS, Microsoft (in their non-open standards... not necessarily open source ways) has ensured through sneaky deals with OEMs and Corporations to make it really difficult/near impossible to do so. It would be kind of like trying to drive on the other side of the road. Yes, you can do it, but everyone else on the road is going to get in the way. So get back in your "lack of choice" lane.
Josh you are full of shit. Why? Because even your shit isn't accurate. the OS that XP is based on is DEAD. Completely and totally dead. They are not going to based ANY future OS on a system as insecure as XP. The reality is that even though Vista has some continuing concerns the balance between security and compatibility is a good one. One which MS is not going to back track on.
Josh, please cite evidence that this is based on XP. Show your sources. If you can't, your point is conjecture, BS, and FUD.
How many times do I have to tell that man it's "Baltimore".
Funny how Microsoft seems like they actually understand what is going on in the cloud cpmputing world. It seems evident that they must now that Bill does not have his hand in Microsoft like he used to.
http://zollotech.com/content/new-windows-cloud-os-coming-pdc-says-ballmer
Maybe just a rebranding of the platform formerly known as Mesh?
BSOD has never looked so beautiful before...
I need an entirely new computing experience to look at. OSX, Linux, Windows... they all share the same basic layout. SOMEBODY BLOW MY MIND!
I have to say that Microsoft is heading in the right direction and is one of the few companies who are investing in the cloud world. Judging on how Microsoft lost so many opportunities(such as the mobile phone market) before, there is a chance they will loose the plot - even though the industry is waiting to see what they come out with.
http://ahassan.wordpress.com
It's Sharepoint for the masses. All hail Redmond!
"Why do people use Windows if they hate it so much?..."
Because sometimes total retards (aka government contractors) create software that only runs on Winblows or requires IE. I XPerienced the joy today trying to fill out some forms on a putrid POS app created by Grumman Corporation at huge expense to taxpayers. The user interface is straight from the 1980s and they even have a 150 page manual and offer training classes for the damned thing. The sad part is Amazon, Dell, Apple, and dozens of other companies run web stores that are far more sophisticated than this sh*t software running under Winblows.
Couldn't this be considered "vapor" ware? ;)
i c wut u did thar
haha whaat ?
Windows Cloud OS next month?
sounds like a lot of hot air
lol
people start use Ubuntu Linux, its fast, never seen a BSOD and very flexible.
and not only understandable for geeks.
and if you can't life without windows software use a windows emulator or a virtual machine
grate solution for people who dislike ms. or windows
anyone who states that any OS does not crash is either selling something or smoking something.
So, what are you smoking and where can i get it?
check
there are better ways to stop your OS from crashing... I hope.
actually, he wrote "never seen a BSOD" which, unless you use a screensaver or another piece of software which simulates them, is 100% true.
granted, he probably meant it's never crashed for him, but it still isn't the same as saying it never crashes.
"grate" solution
I should trust you why???
Apparently Ubuntu Linux doesn't support spell checker.
?
brix were shat
Just give up allready Microsoft and just lock down Windows like Apple inc... Just tell us what to run on our computers... if you want freedom use linux...
... Up in the sky.... it's a bird?!... it's a plane?!.... no...
it's a BSOD
Dave...get bent. BSOD's on windows now are as common has KP's on Macs. Period.
It's called cloud computing. Think LIVE MESH. How have you guys not picked up on this? I am disappointed.
If it's as buggy as Vista they should call it Windows Swarm
Isn't this just MESH?
Sure Linux might be stable and all that. I just don't like it. Sides windows is good for gaming. Not that i hate linux just that its still has ways to go.
M$ wants it to look like blue sky so people will get used to see BLUE SCREENS again!
Stop using the internet, go play with ball in a cup.
Cloud computing could be a boon if it weren't for a few factors:
1) cost of bandwidth and data cap;
2) unreliable power grid (lost quite a few work when black outs happened) and the network shutting down
for some unknown reason
3) network not always reliable
Offline computing is much more stable than cloud. That's why there's google gears and prism coming into the works.
Cloud computing could be a boon if it weren't for a few factors:
1) cost of bandwidth and data cap;
2) unreliable power grid (lost quite a few work when black outs happened) and the network shutting down
for some unknown reason
3) network not always reliable
Offline computing is much more stable than cloud. That's why there's google gears and prism coming into the works.
Cloud OS obviously is Mesh - www.mesh.com - anyone can get tech preview which is kind of like beta version. U install client on ur pc and all the cloud services are available. It works pretty good, even at this stage I find it very usefull, check it out.
Here it comes... Microsoft's first push towards making us pay a monthly fee to use an OS. I do see some advantages to having an OS stored on a cloud, but I will not pay a monthly fee for an OS.
I've been using Windows since 3.1 came out, but I have just recently installed Linux (Ubuntu) for the first time to start getting familiar with it. I see moving to a monthly fee as being the final nail in Microsoft's coffin
So Monkey Boy must be as excited as the sheep who follow him.
icloud.com = CLOUD OS
You should check out icloud.com. icloud is a social Cloud OS for sharing experiences with friends. It Applications on icloud include office productivity, development tools, photo sharing, music player, radio and widgets.
icloud.com = CLOUD OS
You should check out icloud.com. icloud is a social Cloud OS for sharing experiences with friends. It Applications on icloud include office productivity, development tools, photo sharing, music player, radio and widgets.