Stephanie Blankenship (bio)

The BBC cites a report in Software Development Times that says Microsoft's Midori operating system, still believed to be under development, will be focused on the web and hardware-independent. That will make the new operating system much more useful in the mobile computing environment that seems to be rapidly emerging.

In its report, the BBC said Microsoft characterized Midori as one of "many incubation projects" that are  still under development and, therefore, impossible to discuss publicly. Still, it seems an intriguing way for Microsoft to catch up with -- and stay ahead of -- the data-center virtualization trend that is growing within the channel and the industry at large. Any strategy that ends up requiring less management of software licenses will certainly be welcomed in channel circles. However, if Midori comes to pass, Microsoft faces the formidable task of revising its own business model to cope with a much different approach to the software business.