VMware: The PC Is Dead, Long Live the Cloud
Many high-profile execs have called for the death of the PC, most notably Larry Ellison and Scott McNealy. More recently, Google has been pushing Web-based devices as PC replacements. Meanwhile, the vast majority of computer users still pound away on PCs or Macs.
Now, though, VMware CEO Paul Maritz, once a Microsoft bigwig, says the days of the PC are numbered. Maritz also made a bold prediction: that in five years, less than a fifth of users will be on Windows.
VMware hopes to help fulfill that prophecy by supplying software that moves data and apps to the cloud, allowing for a range on non-Windows devices to handle the client duties. In a speech at the recent VMworld show, Maritz argued that much of the groundwork has already been laid. Virtualization drives half of today's computing infrastructure, which makes it that much easier to take the next step to the cloud.
Is Maritz blowing smoke, or is he really onto something? Your answers welcome at [email protected].
Posted by Doug Barney on 09/13/2011 at 12:47 PM