Could Windows 7 be Microsoft’s last operating system?

The head of Sydney University’s School of Information Technologies has said that Windows 7 could be Microsoft’s last desktop client as cloud computing becomes more popular.

“Users won’t need new, more powerful operating systems for their desktops if the tasks they need to perform can be done by cloud computing,” associate professor Sanjay Chawla told ITWire.com.au.

Chawla said that due to Microsoft’s emphasis on a mixture of software and services, the company could now be focusing on products other than its flagship OS software.

“As a large organisation, Microsoft finds it difficult to react to rapid changes in the market on a timely basis,” he said. “But with its largesse comes a huge R&D budget of $10 billion a year, so it will remain a formidable player in the market regardless of the future of desktop computing.”