MSN to be the Microsoft answer to Chrome?

[razorhawk9]

It seemed very curious to me that Microsoft it resurrecting MSN after seemingly 10 years of abandonment. Then it struck me that perhaps Microsoft it going to launch MSN as a web-app based OS to rival Chrome. It would make sense that they would launch this alongside Threshold and want to compete actively against Chrome. The interface is already very web-app based and would lend well to a touchscreen laptop the likes of which run Chrome. Office Live is already a robust web-app full of features. Thoughts?

 

[RajeevT]

Then it struck me that perhaps Microsoft it going to launch MSN as a web-app based OS to rival Chrome.

I don't get it - how is a website connected to a future cloud-based OS?

 

[DustinRyan]

I don't think Microsoft is planning a separate OS from Windows to run on devices like Chrome does. Windows is their platform. MSN apps will just be apps and services. A network of services. Makes sense considering the name, MSN (Microsoft Network).

 

[razorhawk9]

Chrome OS is basically nothing more than a thin client that can run web apps. Just as Google.com and Chrome OS are a portal to the Google services, so to is the new MSN website a unified portal to Microsoft services. It is not just the website, but the rebranding of all of the Microsoft apps that are just clients for rendering their services. Microsoft is not competing well at the Chromebook prices because Windows still runs terribly on budget hardware. It seems to me that Microsoft wants to compete effectively against Google wherever it can, and that the step could be easily taken to run the new MSN like interface as a thin client on a laptop which would allow for better performance than a full Windows installation.

 

[DustinRyan]

They are working towards unifying Windows so much right now, I don't see them launching a secondary OS for cheap laptops. What you're saying makes sense when comparing to Google, but Google doesn't have a desktop OS other than Chrome OS, so it makes sense for them. Microsoft already has a desktop OS and a phone OS, and they are working to unify those. I don't see them fragmenting to make an MSN OS. They would rather just introduce regular fully featured Windows computers at cheaper prices. Maybe lower the licensing fee for devices under a certain spec to get the price further down.