Why Microsoft should, and shouldn't, support legacy Windows desktop on ARM

Stefan Mileschin · 6th December 2011, 07:08

Ever since Microsoft first announced that Windows 8 would be compatible with certain ARM system-on-chip processors, questions about what this would mean for existing Windows applications have been abundant. ARM's strength is in low-power applications, and the decision to support the architecture was plainly motivated by the needs of the tablet market—which left observers wondering just how much of Windows would actually be supported on ARM? Just the bits relevant to tablet and consumer applications, or the whole shebang?

When Microsoft revealed and then described Windows 8's Metro-style tablet interface, the company left the ARM questions unresolved. Windows 8 has two distinct kinds of application: traditional Windows applications that run on the desktop, and new finger-friendly Metro-style applications, with the latter integrated into the new Start screen, and the former segregated off into a separate desktop. This led to speculation that ARM Windows might support only Metro-style programs, and exclude the desktop altogether.

http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/new...campaign =rss

6th December 2011, 07:08	#1
Stefan Mileschin [M] Reviewer Join Date: May 2010 Location: Romania Posts: 148,500	Why Microsoft should, and shouldn't, support legacy Windows desktop on ARM Ever since Microsoft first announced that Windows 8 would be compatible with certain ARM system-on-chip processors, questions about what this would mean for existing Windows applications have been abundant. ARM's strength is in low-power applications, and the decision to support the architecture was plainly motivated by the needs of the tablet market—which left observers wondering just how much of Windows would actually be supported on ARM? Just the bits relevant to tablet and consumer applications, or the whole shebang? When Microsoft revealed and then described Windows 8's Metro-style tablet interface, the company left the ARM questions unresolved. Windows 8 has two distinct kinds of application: traditional Windows applications that run on the desktop, and new finger-friendly Metro-style applications, with the latter integrated into the new Start screen, and the former segregated off into a separate desktop. This led to speculation that ARM Windows might support only Metro-style programs, and exclude the desktop altogether. http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/new...campaign =rss

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