By now, the news has spread about Microsoft's new edition of Windows 10. For the most part, this OS behaves exactly like Windows 10. The only caveat is that it cannot run native Windows applications unless they have been downloaded through the Windows Store. Before I switched to Ubuntu LXDE, I had the opportunity to try this edition of Windows 10 thanks to a trial that allowed existing users of Windows 10 Education users to "upgrade" their license to the new OS.
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| Windows 10 S error prohibiting installation of software from native EXE files. |
Anyway, as noted by the above image and caption, the "S" in Windows 10 S means, in short, that without third-party software, like Citrix, an end user can only install applications from the Windows Store. While, in the long run, this is a very good idea, in the current state of things, it is a horrible situation for the average consumer that thinks they can get a fully-functional Windows PC at a Chromebook price. Imagine if someone's grandparent walked into Best Buy and wanted a new PC at an affordable cost, and expected all of their existing software to work, only to find the above message on their screen. In short, if enough people bought into it, especially without the proper disclosures, there would be a lot of angry returns from senior citizens and otherwise computer illiterate customers wondering why the crap they can't install iTunes or Quicken or where the heck their FreeCell game went.
That being said, it's not that Windows 10 S is a horrible idea, because it truly isn't. In fact, with the Citrix option, it might even make a great Thin Client option. On the surface (not the new laptop that is included with the OS), however, as stated before, the right marketing needs to be handled to ensure that end users aren't blind sighted by incompatibility issues, and that goes the same for its corporate minded brother.
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