Do you think the desktop is dead?

[Hugo Drax]

The Majority of people never really needed desktops in the first place. The only reason Desktops made big inroads was it was the only way to get Decent CPU to do things like surf the internet, photo editing etc..

Tablets today are powerful enough to do what people needed a desktop to do in the first place years ago.

So desktops will be relegated to a smaller use case, things that Tablets cannot handle.

ie 4K video editing, high end Photo editing (ie RAW files), more advanced computing and 3D type work.

 

[Scarpozzi]

It's a really good idea, I just don't like any of the implementations I've seen yet. The best I've seen is the Teradici hardware-accelerated stuff & Online Desktop. I think it would be cool if Wyse sold a thin client-on-a-stick. For less than $50, you can get a dual-core Android stick with quad-core graphics on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/SANOXY%C2%AE-C.../dp/B009PJ3AZ4

Wireless keyboard & mouse, HDMI monitor, Wifi = el-cheapo thin client.

I don't like it either. The mouse always has a slight delay and despite the snappiness of the server, in general, it doesn't have the UI speediness we're all used to. It's like a car with a lot of top speed, but poor acceleration.

 

[videogames101]

Oh yeah? Well I'm running Modelsim, Synopsys, and Allegro tools all at the same time

:awe:

long live the desktop!

because running these programs on thin clients sucks, always

 

[Carson Dyle]

I think the Intel NUC 4" x 4" mini-computers have the most promise.

Why? Because they're 4" x 4" instead of 8" x 8"?

 

[TheVrolok]

For the average consumer, the necessity of a desktop is rapidly declining, but I would hardly say they are dead.

/thread

I will never be without a desktop if I can help it. I don't even think I could go back to only 2 monitors now that I have 3. God help me when I buy my 4th.

 

[Crono]

Thurrot has been saying for a while (on Windows Weekly) that Microsoft thinks desktop for the average consumer is dying. Pros will still use the desktop interface because it's more efficient for multitasking with large workloads, but the primary interface is becoming the "home screen" (or "start screen") of operating systems like iOS, Android, and Windows.

I agree with the sentiment, and observant people would have seen this coming since mobile devices (smartphones and tablets) have made the fullscreen app the dominant way most non-pro users interact with "computers". I use quotes because we have to keep in mind that the computer is no longer synonymous with desktops or the workstation of a decade ago.

If you told computer geeks 25 years ago that "command line interfaces will be dead in a few years" you would have got a mixed reaction from people, but the reality is the software and technology itself hasn't gone away just become more niche as computer technology has grown to a much, much wider audience. That's how computers and interfaces have developed and progressed over the years. 50 years ago computers were literally "a series of tubes" and now babies can run apps on their iPads.

I'll be using the desktop mode for as long as I need it, but I've got no problem living in the future. I usually have my Windows 8.1 desktop at home running the Start screen/Metro/Modern interface on one 4:3 touchscreen with the desktop on my primary 16:9 monitor. It's really an excellent way to do things as I've got music or other simple full screen apps running off to the side whenever I'm not using the other monitor for working on stuff. I have an Android smartphone (HTC One), a Firefox phone (ZTE Open), and a Windows Phone (Lumia 521, and I've owned a lot more prior to that). I like the iPads, though I don't have one currently (bought the original shortly after launch). I have a Nexus 7, as well, though I want to get a Dell Venue Pro 8 shortly. But I still spend more than half my computing time on traditional Windows and sometimes Linux (Ubuntu/Mint).

Anyone can adapt to the new, mostly desktop-less future, but if you really need the desktop it's not going anywhere just yet. You have to especially keep in mind that servers are what's powering the "cloudy" future of devices and services.

 

[OverVolt]

Can you write a resume on a tablet in a reasonable about of time? Exactly

Everyone who has a job will have a desktop or laptop with a full keyboard.

 

[OverVolt]

The Majority of people never really needed desktops in the first place. The only reason Desktops made big inroads was it was the only way to get Decent CPU to do things like surf the internet, photo editing etc..

Tablets today are powerful enough to do what people needed a desktop to do in the first place years ago.

So desktops will be relegated to a smaller use case, things that Tablets cannot handle.

ie 4K video editing, high end Photo editing (ie RAW files), more advanced computing and 3D type work.

And writing papers. And storing alot of files, because tablets still have shit for brains storage.

Everyone believes in convergence theory. That we're all going to have one device that does everything. What I'm actually seeing as a new trend is the opposite. Everyone has their own niche way of doing things now. You could get by on Windows XP and open office still for all anyone cares. Its really that entertainment has split off from the utility aspects of a desktop computer. And even within entertainment there is a ton of fragmentation.

 

[Jeff7]

Until they can fit a quad-core Hyperthreaded i7 processor into a tablet, along with >1TB of fast storage space, 8GB of RAM, a keyboard, a mouse, dual 24" monitors, and at least 20 hours of continuous runtime with a 1hr charging time, my desktop ain't goin' nowhere.

 

[Doppel]

Certainly dying. I got rid of my last desktop at home years ago. At home I have a laptop with a large screen and keyboard. I have a work laptop, but do prefer to do my work on a work desktop with full size keyboard, so normally the work laptop stays at home.

Tablets are toys and used to play games and surf the net, nothing more. I spend a lot of time on an iPad 2 at home, though.

 

[John Connor]

I need my keyboard and mouse! The stupid fuck headed idea of making a laptop a damn touch screen like a tablet is stupid! If I want my fingerprints all over a screen I'd buy a tablet. I just hope Windows blue is not using Metro BS.

 

[Red Squirrel]

What scares me is the fact that the stuff desktops are mostly used for such as coding is considered "niche". The few who participate in these "niche" activities may not be enough to sustain the desktop market. That means companies will stop making consumer available desktops/parts and everything will become embedded and really expensive and zero customizable. The days of being able to put together servers and desktops at home may eventually come to an end, and that will be a sad day.

 

[destrekor]

I need my keyboard and mouse! The stupid fuck headed idea of making a laptop a damn touch screen like a tablet is stupid! If I want my fingerprints all over a screen I'd buy a tablet. I just hope Windows blue is not using Metro BS.

I guess you missed the memo - "Windows Blue" was really just the code name for Windows 8.1.

It may have either just been strictly 8.1, or it may have been the theme sort of set between 8 and 8.1 - that is, the annual release. This was a freebie to try and salvage negative press - but I imagine the ideas that came up with the first talks of Windows Blue, that of annual minor updates for chump change (but not free) will be more the norm.

Which is to say, I expect Windows 8.2 to be out next October for $20-30 (for those who have 8 or 8.1). I expect you could hold onto Windows 8.1 and still only pay that $20-30 price for even 8.4 if it comes to that... I doubt they'd require the previous dot release to have been purchased. But, you'd obviously have to have a full license of the 8.x product to get the minor upgrade price.

I.E. - going the full Apple/OS X route for this OS version. Windows, as the base product (NT v6.2 for Win8), with annual releases offering new features and some minor kernel updates. The next major, major refresh of the kernel and feature-set will be saved for any "Windows 9" or whatever.

For kernel version standards, Microsoft is sort of all over the map lately, so this could be interested.
I sort of missed it at first, but Windows 8.1, a free update from 8.0, actually receives a point release kernel upgrade (kernel v6.3 in Win8.1, kernel v6.2 in Win8).
Oddly enough, kernel NT v6.2 (and other OS optimizations I'm sure, I'm not quite sure just how much of performance-related things happen in user-space in Windows compared to strictly kernel space) brought quite a few major system performance improvements in Windows 8.0.
Prior to that, NT 6.1 was brought to life in Windows 7, which also offered numerous improvements over 6.0, which was found in Vista.

There is some history of point releases coming free. Windows XP started with NT 5.1 and ended on NT 5.2.

Microsoft is likely sticking to the NT 6.x kernel for as long as possible to maintain compatibility, which can rear its ugly head if handled wrong: Vista, anyone? A fine and stable release, so long as you had manufacturers that complied and got quality drivers out, possibly firmware as well. Major kernel revisions in NT 6.0/Vista that has kept the industry shook up through today, but now everyone is at least comfortable and on-board.
It shall be curious if they ride out the NT 6.x kernel now with the Windows 8 brand, or if they'll reach 8.5 and determine they need a new full-blooded release, like Windows 9, even if they keep the kernel at NT 6.8 for that release.

If, after 8.1 and whatever comes next, say 8.2, they still can't drum up enough support and/or have enough people simply used to it (which, more than anything, is really all it's about. You don't have to be a FAN of it, just comfortable within it and accept it), then perhaps the Windows 8 brand will die out earlier than I imagine and we won't even see an 8.3 (or perhaps not even 8.2).
If it's successful, it'll definitely be interesting to watch on the server side.
I don't know if it'll ever be more involving than a Service Pack install, but it might be interesting to have annual Server 2012 R2, R3, R4 OS update/release.

 

[piasabird]

Personally I hate laptops and mobile devices. They are OK, but not for a real office job. Some people like laptops and tablets but I dont. One reason why some companies want people to use mobile devices is they expect people to be slaves and take their work home with them and work for free. It is a trap to get employees to work for nothing.

 

[Zodiark1593]

Until they can fit a quad-core Hyperthreaded i7 processor into a tablet, along with >1TB of fast storage space, 8GB of RAM, a keyboard, a mouse, dual 24" monitors, and at least 20 hours of continuous runtime with a 1hr charging time, my desktop ain't goin' nowhere.

Forget that. I want my phone to perform real time ray tracing at 8K resolution pumping out 240 frames a second. Until that happens, the desktop is nowhere near going away.

 

[SlitheryDee]

Its dying in the sense that the only desktops most people will have soon will be their work or school desktops. I've got no problem with that. The idea of having a whole computer for facebooking, light browsing, or video watching already seems a bit overkill, and what more than that were the majority of people doing with their home desktops anyway? Its more efficient in a way. People who have no use for the whole kit and kaboodle can get a device that better matches their needs. Right now I still have use for a desktop at home. If I find I can replace it with something else without losing anything I want while gaining some significant kind of portability or other advantage, ill do it without a second thought.

 

[Capt Caveman]

What scares me is the fact that the stuff desktops are mostly used for such as coding is considered "niche". The few who participate in these "niche" activities may not be enough to sustain the desktop market. That means companies will stop making consumer available desktops/parts and everything will become embedded and really expensive and zero customizable. The days of being able to put together servers and desktops at home may eventually come to an end, and that will be a sad day.

Coding? Where I work all of our coders use Macbook Pros.

 

[Cerb]

I was listening to a podcast and Paul Thurrott made an interesting point about traditional computer use. He claimed that there really hasnt been a significant new desktop app in years an the top 10 applications are nothing more than basic stuff like anti virus etc.

Has there been a significant new mobile app since BB email?

But, there has been a desktop (and docking station) development, recently: affordable multimonitor systems. Everybody that wants 2 or 3 monitors can have them, easily and cheaply...and lots of people want them and can make good use of them, even those far from being tech savvy. Ivy and Haswell PCs don't even need an add-in video card, and business AIOs, at least, are coming with added video outs for more monitors (AIOs definitely are replacing the traditional box, though I'm not sure that's a good thing). The productivity improvement compared to a notebook: big. The productivity improvement compared to a tablet: practically infinite.

 

[spaceman]

fwiw i hate laptops for the most part

 

[rudder]

Personally I hate laptops and mobile devices. They are OK, but not for a real office job. Some people like laptops and tablets but I dont. One reason why some companies want people to use mobile devices is they expect people to be slaves and take their work home with them and work for free. It is a trap to get employees to work for nothing.

My work gave me a tablet to take home. I don't work for free. If I even read work email I am charging time for that....but usually I just surf and play games on the thing. It is pretty worthless for anything I do at work.

 

[Markbnj]

Coding? Where I work all of our coders use Macbook Pros.

A lot of our guys use laptops, too. But I don't see how they manage it. I have two 24" monitors and often have tools spread out across every inch of both screens.

 

[Scarpozzi]

A lot of our guys use laptops, too. But I don't see how they manage it. I have two 24" monitors and often have tools spread out across every inch of both screens.

Yeah...once you go dual monitors, you're hooked.

 

[Capt Caveman]

A lot of our guys use laptops, too. But I don't see how they manage it. I have two 24" monitors and often have tools spread out across every inch of both screens.

Docking stations. Like I said, I have three monitors hooked into my docking station. And they have the ability to go to meetings or just walk over to someone's desk with their laptop to collaborate over their work.

 

[techno vice]

Desktops aren't dead their just becoming more niche. The average person tends to use their devices in a more casual capacity than those who frequent this forum. Mobile devices are more than enough for those who wanna just browse the Internet or use a social network. However, high end PC users are not a small group and can be a sustainable market. In short the advent of mobile computing has just compartmentalised the consumer base.

 

[qtnguyen87]

Everyone who works for IBM has a DESKTOP at work. So majority of desktops still lives on in companies.