So Kevin Turner says, “The long-standing user computing model of ever-increasing power and speed at the desktop (or laptop) may be fading in favor of lower-cost machines with 'good enough' capabilities.” The unsaid portion is that Microsoft did indeed have it wrong when it came to Vista -- when it came to its entire more-is-ALWAYS-better philosophy.

More is often just more. While it seems that low-cost computers always seem to be mentioned in the same breath as "developing" countries, the fact is that there are millions of homes in the developed world where a $400 PC is a great idea, particularly for the kids. Likewise, there are just as many enterprise areas where limited functionality is a blessing -- a PC in a shared hospital/nurse station, in a call center, on the factory floor. None of them need games and do-dads. But what is also being hinted here is Long Live XP. XP's life has been extended for just this very market. If this market is a significant future for Microsoft, then it seems as if XP has a lot of life in it yet.

Also see:

Red Hat ditches Linux desktop plans

The making of Wine (how to make Windows apps merrier with Linux)

XP Starter Edition avail until 2010

Go to the Microsoft Subnet home page for more news, blogs, podcasts

Click to read the article this is in response to.