Windows 7 Thin PC

Here's something you would probably not expect to hear me say.

There is a very impressive Microsoft operating system out there.

Yes you did hear right and no it's not a joke.

Windows Thin PC is pared down (MS describe as "locked down" version of Win7 which is intended primarily for companies with aging software that don't want to go to the hassle or cost of a full Win 7 roll out.  But in addition to be capable of deployment as a virtual machine, Win 7 seems perfectly capable of being used on a stand alone PC.

What you get is a fast basic version of Windows shorn of all the bells and whistle but capable of booting from cold in around 15-20 seconds. Not much comes with the OS but there is nothing stopping you from then adding your own firewall, applications and AV. Although MS describe it as locked down nothing I tried to add was impossible and with the addition of Open Office I had a useful system up and running in an hour or so.

It sounds like exactly the sort of thing the Redmond boys should be doing and just the thing for netbooks, especially when you consider that the popularity of mobile internet has given a new lease of life to XP which is precisely what MS want to avoid. Win7 Thin could be just the thing to lure the XP-phile away from their old OS and help Microsoft stay on top of their game. But that's not the way Gates' Gang want to play instead they are pitching the OS to the commercial market with a free 3 month trial and no way for Joe Average to get his hands on a copy other to play for a quarter of the year. Hopefully if there is sufficient interest MS will make the Thin PC available and at a reasonable cost as well.

You can find the evaluation version here. Download the .iso and burn to a disk and you are in business.

I'll post any developments here.

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