Just wanted to get some thoughts about this. I'm increasingly concerned that MS is actually beginning to get it, that they are putting a workable long-term plan together. Simply put, in the article linked below the point is made that the new Win 8 'Metro' UI will unify the look and development process for desktop Win, tablets and WinPhone. Developers will be able write once and an app will be available in a new MS market for desktops, tablets or phones. Android and Apple are making similar moves to blur the lines between desktop and mobile use.

Think about that for a bit. It means MS will be able to use their near-total domination of hundreds of millions of dekstops as leverage to gain mobile marketshare and influence developers. It strikes me as the smartest thing MS has done since trashing Win9x, maybe ever.

Thing is, how should Linux counter? Is it long past time to think in terms of Gnome vs KDE vs LDXE vs Fluxbox etc? To simplify the end-user experience and start work on a unified UI that will allow Linux developers to write once for all 3 major hardware formats and users to access some sort of unified app repository?

http://m.infoworld.com/d/application...t_s_big_gamble