Microsoft's next operating system (OS) will come with multi-touch features as an alternative to the mouse. The way you interact with the system will change dramatically," Windows 7 will incorporate new forms of communication and interaction. "Today almost all the interaction is keyboard-mouse. In the next few years, the role of speech, vision, ink - all of those things - will be huge." The demonstration / presentation @ PDC 2008 continued to focus on touch but wouldn't it be really cool to use gestures, facial expressions, and speech to work with and design complex systems.

Will Webcams become the new IO Device of the future? I hope so, its definitely possible.. Can you imagine the productivity increase? Almost every new laptop has a WebCam, Microsoft will provide an open api and the tools with .NET4.

With regard to the failure of Vista to blast off the shelves it may have something to do with XP (NT5.1) / Server 2003 (NT5.2) being such a solid OS, add all the security features that will keep you and your family safe on the internet but are a burden to deal with N Real Life, with too many versions of the software > you need to be a mystic to know what features you are in each version (just buy Ultimate and forget about it or run server 2008)? Also, do we need a new OS every 3-5 years > YES If It Adds Value!!!

The bottom line is if it adds value to the business the business will buy / license the software just look at the success of SharePoint. Features without value, versions without explanation are too much drama when you just gotta send an email, listen to your music, finish that thesis, hang out on MySpace, get updates from twitter, see what's happening on facebook, chat with your friends, play WOW, etc.. And still be cool.. Was excluding the "Windows Extras" dream scenes, media center, and core components like networking worth the bad press? Vista is a killer OS (Server 2008 Seriously Rocks) had best Betas, and the CTP emergence as a way to introduce features and have a larger audience feedback.

Unfortunately, until Apple releases an OS that will run on every device, Microsoft does not have to listen to any of us…. However, there has been a change in Redmond they are starting to listen and new products are emerging that will bring us all closer together (Just be Social)…..

-Ivan

http://linkedin.com/in/iasanders

Ps the best thing about PDC 2008 is the Western Digital 60gb Hard Drive stocked with the following cool stuff. The worse thing is we didn't even get a backpack more like an IKEA bag I cant even give the GF or a client

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