Will Vista be the last Windows?

Will Windows be the last Vista? Will Microsoft stop making Windows after the Vista ends its run? With the recent tie-up with Suse Linux, it becomes a definite possibility. A lot of people are running rampant about what the tie-up means and most importantly, what does Microsoft expect to get out of it.

I ignored the first mentions about the tie-up between Suse Linux and Microsoft, but with a little seed planted by office banter, I am now beginning to wonder what if. What if Microsoft is readying itself for entry into the Linux consumer marketplace? Microsoft Office for Linux might be a big hit. It would free a lot of constraints and would open the field up to other proprietary software to exist on the Linux platform.

Ok, that is interesting, but take it a bit further. Ubuntu Linux comes with the Gnome Desktop, Kubuntu Linux comes with the KDE Desktop. Imagine a Microsoft Linux coming with a Vista Desktop. A Vista windows manager running on top of Linux. This is all pie in the sky dreaming and what ifs, but a big what if it is.

Microsoft would make more money by spending their time only developing apps and a window manager instead of developing and testing an underlying OS that is prone to breakage, manipulation and security breaches. Sure this is something to think about and it really makes you wonder……..