Posted on 07/17/2021 12:29:57 PM PDT by ShadowAce
Microsoft has just announced the release of Windows 365 and Cloud PC. This new service, built on top of Azure Virtual Desktop, enables you to bring their Windows 10 and eventually Windows 11, desktop, apps, tools, data, and settings to your personal and work devices, including Windows PCs (naturally!) but Macs, iPads, Linux, and Android devices as well.
Let me repeat that: Windows 365 will enable you to run your Windows desktop, apps, data, etc., etc. on Linux. That's the Linux desktop they're talking about.
Ever since I started running Linux back in the early '90s, I've heard over and over again that people couldn't possibly run a Linux desktop because it doesn't run this Windows application or that Windows program. Well, guess what kids, that excuse doesn't hold water anymore.
Microsoft, yes, Microsoft now promises that you can run Windows on your Linux PC. We don't know exactly how they're going to do that. It might be by using a native Remote Desktop application or by a web browser. I'll bet that on Linux -- and probably on iPads, Macs, and Android devices -- it will be done over a web browser.
After all, the Linux-powered Chrome OS has already shown that you can do most of your enterprise work on just a browser alone. Indeed, Microsoft's entire move to a subscription, cloud service-based desktop was foreshadowed by Google's Chromebooks.
According to Wangui McKelvey, Microsoft 365's General Manager, regardless of your platform, "The Windows experience is consistent, no matter the device." This makes me even more inclined to think that you'll be using Windows 365 via a web browser. And, in particular, Microsoft will encourage you to use Edge on Linux.
So, what exactly can you run with Windows 365 "on" your Linux PC? Microsoft promises it will support most of its business application suite -- Microsoft 365, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Microsoft Power Platform -- line. Microsoft also promises app compatibility with Microsoft's Fastrack App Assure. This is a service that will help your business with 150 or more users fix any end-user programs problems at no additional cost.
Microsoft has also been working with its independent software vendor (ISV) partners. The four biggest who will immediately offer their applications on Windows 365 are Nerdio, NetApp, ServiceNow, and UKG. In addition, Accenture/Avanade; Atos; Crayon; Content and Cloud; Convergent; Coretek; DXC; Glueck & Kanja GAB; Insight; and Netrix will bring their programs and services to Windows 365.
This isn't just for big businesses. For small and midsize businesses, Iconic IT; MachineLogic; and Nitec Solutions are already supporting Windows 365.
Of course, there are notable exceptions who aren't on board yet. I'm sure you noticed Adobe and Intuit aren't on the list. Sure, some of their programs, like Adobe Acrobat, will be available on Linux via Windows 365, but big name programs such as Photoshop, Indesign, and QuickBooks have yet to make an appearance.
Give them time. Microsoft's made it clear. The future for Windows in business is going to be on its Azure cloud. Microsoft doesn't really care that much about Windows on the desktop per se, it's all about getting subscribers to its Windows Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS). Whether you choose to run it on Linux or a Mac, whatever, they're fine with that now.
Yes, it will get consistently slower and slower over time with each update. No matter how many anti-virus scans. No matter what you delete. It gets slower to the point of frustration and you say "ENOUGH", I'll try Linux. And I did.
How?
Cygwin64 ?
Cygwin is good stuff. I always install that on all my Windows desktops.
CGYWIN_HOME = xxxxx
PATH = “whatever;%CGYWIN_HOME%/bin;whatever2”
“The Windows experience is consistent, no matter the device.”
They say that is if it’s a good thing.
“They say that is if it’s a good thing”
Gazillion thumbs up.
Why would I want to do that? I can just use Linux for 99.999% of everything I need. When I need windows, I either restart this laptop to win7pro or use the tablet with win7pro as a scantool and for auto repair info software. I can create and edit any file type that Office can, including pdf files. Win7pro is never allowed to connect to a network or the web and I have updates completely turned off. Runs like the day I installed it. Decent but way slower than Kubuntu.
I do a fair amount of personal data analysis for my investing decisions. As a programmer I use the SQL Server database engine to store a bunch of intraday prices and closing prices. I made a C# app to collect the data throughout the day. And another couple of C# apps to analyze the data and get SMA's, EMA's, and a couple of homemade scores for each investment relative to its history. Some of that is using views and stored procedures within TSQL (and some in the high level apps in C#). Even if I took the time to replicate some of that in MySQL it'd be slower than Biden reading from a teleprompter.
And now if you make one wrong comment on social media, Microsoft can permanently revoke your Windows 365 access...
Umm no. You’re not running it on Linux, you’re running it on Azure. You’ll be CONNECTING to it from Linux. But not running it there. And yes Azure has a multitude of ways to connect up. Remote Desktop being the easiest. Funny to me there’s so much buzz all of a sudden. Been running Windows machines on Azure for years. They just rebranded it with the new announcement.
You can put a SQL server on your Azure VM. They also have a SQL Azure thing, but I understand it’s got a few oddities so it’s not just like running SQL on a box.
Couldn’t you already do that with VirtualBox?
Widows takes an hour plus to update and Linux takes a minute or 2
Ha... I’ve actually had Photoshop running (through WINE) on my Linux PC before. Was a pain to get it working, but it worked just fine :)
You can run Win on Linux through VBox (there are others, but I haven’t used them before) without having to reboot. Win actually boots/runs FASTER on Linux in VBOX than if you actually rebooted (and ran) to Windows.
There is a reason I can’t use a Linux desktop? That’s news to me.
I keep one Windows machine around to run those applications that have never been ported to Linux. I am in the process of finally going to Win 10. It seems to me that every new version of this stuff gets flakier and flakier. I really wonder if they are not purposely doing this to make people use their web based applications so they can keep an eye on what you are doing.
"Couldn’t you already do that with VirtualBox?"
I’m not at all fond of cloud computing with Microsoft or Amazon controlling the cloud.
Eh. It is what it is. It serves a purpose.
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