Would a Modular Windows be a Good Windows?

It’s been rumored for a while that the next incarnation of Windows may be modular, in that it could consist of a core operating system and be built upon, like virtual Lego… except that each Lego piece could potentially be a block of functionality. When I first heard this, I laughed and quickly said, “As if that will happen.” But, I’ve made that foolish comment in the past, namely with regards to the AMD/ATI rumors… and we all know how that turned out.

Ars Technica takes a look at what a modular Windows would be like, in some depth, from a variety of different viewpoints. If there were such thing as a modular OS, it could be good for the consumer, and good for Microsoft… or bad for both. There are numerous angles looked at… even one that would consist of a subscription-based model. That… is one I just can’t see happening. It would make a total mockery of what an OS is. Sure, folks subscribe to a lot of things nowadays, but considering the cost of an OS in general, a subscription fee for a certain “block” seems truly ridiculous.

The article is well-worth a look, though. Considering the fact that Windows 7 is due to hit in 2H 2009, we might find out about Microsoft’s modular plans (if there are any) sooner than we think.

The issue is that modularization strikes a blow against the very concept of a platform. When a software developer writes a program for Windows XP, they more or less know what they’re going to get. They know what Windows XP does out of the box, and although some parts might be optional, someone can install everything from the XP CD if they want without paying a penny extra.

Source: Ars Technica