Windows: Perception, perspective and definition

Having recently been tasked with responsibilities that include MS-Access, MS-IIS and MS-SQL I have a new found respect for the Windows "program".

Windows is a program that I run in order to provide access to the other 'services' that operate in the Windows environment. This is a subtle rhetorical point but it helps to clearly define my perception of the Microsoft "OS" and associated programs. I employ Windows as just another application suite. So much so that I have to specifically choose to run it. For me Windows is not the ubiquitous underlying foundation for my computing environment.

I suggest that if this is my perspective then sooner than Microsoft is comfortable with the general public's perspective will also be changing. I would further suggest that as the public becomes more reliant on hand-helds (cell phones and to a lesser extent PDAs) then the perception will change radically away from the Windows paradigm. Windows will become the archaic interface that we used to use when we were stuck in front of our desktop PCs.

For now I can affirm that when dealing with the Microsoft suite of programs then Windows is my first choice. For the rest majority of my computing needs I enjoy the comfort, speed, and robust nature of ... Linux.