The "leaked" version of a new Microsoft 'Windows' release has hit the headlines. Windows Blue could be the precursor of a "desk-topless" display system. So without file or task manager, but only with so-called "live tiles". Is this the road to Windows-9, then we might expect to see a new OS in the future without "Desktop" at all and without compatibility with all that went before it on the Windows ecosystem.
Is this Microsoft's answer to the overwhelming success of Linux, Android and the iOS? Or is it a necessary answer to its stalling sales? Is the "desktop" in danger and will everybody switch to touchscreens?
I doubt it very much!

Since the capacity of cellphones, tablets and similar net-devices is nowhere near that of desktop computers with their file managers and flexible user-interfaces, the 'apps' running on them hardly above toy-levels, I truly doubt one can do without proven user interfaces not obscured by prefixed windoids in a variety of colors and difficult learning curves with gestures. It rather appears to me another way to open the next 'app-store' to bind and have users pay for in-house applications running on Windows Blue.
As you might know I have serious doubts about 'Cloud'-computing and 'desktopless' gadgets. What I have seen so far with cellphones underlines my doubts. What if one day the 'Cloud' breaks down? Give me my Desktop (computer) and I can continue doing my work, even on a solar panel if required. But what if we rely way too much on OS's and programs (partly) stored on the Internet? Could it happen? Sure. One strong solar storm would be enough, or war, or even when the money (as we know it) goes out. Are you prepared for that occasion? That's why I stay on my (KDE Linux) Desktop and keep my business afloat notwithstanding the "hypes"...

John

Xubuntu, the small footprint version of Ubuntu with Xfce Desktop Environment, is used as a basis for this French adaptation, called: Voyager. I couldn't get more information because the voyager-legtux.org website appeared to be hacked and was temporarily closed. So you'll have to try later to find more. Nevertheless for smaller laptops and people requiring a low footprint this might be an interesting product for testing.

John

These were exciting weeks. Installing and continuously upgrading the bleeding-edge KDE 4.8.1 desktop. What a difference from Gnome 3 and Unity.
KDE 4.8 exposed itself as a solid OS, with an interesting auto-recovery from failing applications. I never lost my KDE plasma desktops, or should I say: workspaces, or activities? Confusing as it at first appeared, I needed several days of studying to establish what the differences were between workspaces and activities! To put it oversimple: activities are more than workspaces, rather call them 'dedicated workspaces' for specific work you do. The difference lies in the organization of a workspace, in other words: what you are doing where and which optimized screen design goes with it.
Each workspace can have it own content and layout, together an activity. Activities aren't volatile and will be available upon a restart. An amazingly clever KDE-concept I found, that -once understood- expedited my productivity by factors. No chaotic to-and-fro to panels and screen-corners to zoom to overviews first, typing 'search-texts' to get somewhere and find some associated utilities, but using dedicated workspaces instead, to get to my work in the, for me, right environment immediately, ready to start. No need for more mouse-clicks and searches. With a touch-screen you could do this even more efficiently!
For users who want a bleeding edge, highly customizable, stable and fast, conventional desktop (to depart from) for an office-PC, better laptop, even a netbook, KDE might be your choice. The same for tablets and smart-phones, although here a different KDE-product applies: KDE Active II. I work with Linux Mint KDE on Kubuntu using its updated repositories for Muon, the new KDE software manager. What about workspaces and activities? See my movie...

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