Daas and SaaS: It's been 38 years since the IBM PC was released. It wasn't the first computer, but it was the one that led Bill Gates and Microsoft to success.
That was when the PC revolution began. Before that time, only hobbyists and scientists had access to computers.
Then came the dependence on the big computer companies, Microsoft first and then Apple in 1984.
But we had the power. We were through the golden age of personal computing. Power-users were deciding what we would use in the office, not the CIO.
The first “bring your own device” shift didn’t start in 2004 with the first smartphones. It happened in the 1980s, with the rise of cheap IBM clones. I remember bringing my non-portable Compaq Portable to the office because it gave me more flexibility in my work.
That was what happened then. Let's see what happens now.
Today, we still have computers in our office, but increasingly, we use Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) programs like Office 365. Indeed, the popular Google Chromebook, which is based on Linux, uses Google SaaS applications.
And it's not just apps. Microsoft seems to be steering the market towards a Desktop as a Service (DaaS) model.
Or, let's put it another way that might sound more familiar: Windows as a Service.
Using Microsoft Managed Desktop (MMD), Windows 10 Enterprise, Office 365, and the Enterprise Mobility + Security package, system management goes to the Cloud, and comes as a package with Microsoft 365 Enterprise.
The next step, Windows Virtual Desktop, is almost here. It will allow you to virtualize Windows 7 and 10, Office 365 ProPlus apps, and other third-party apps on Azure-based virtual machines.
Microsoft is not the only one starting to turn to the DaaS model. Citrix, which is also going "where the wind blows", is preparing its own DaaS offerings, as is VMware.
I don't think Windows 10 as a standalone desktop operating system will cease to exist. Besides, we will need to log in somewhere to access a virtual desktop.
Of course, all of the above may sound like a lot to some people who love SaaS programs. I don't blame them.
The Pixelbook with Chrome OS and Google Docs are convenient. But the DaaS and SaaS trends also have a dark side.
If we finally start using some all-in SaaS, we are giving all the power to the big companies.
We go back to the 1970s when IBM was preparing the public for computing. Today, it would be Google and Microsoft, but the model seems to be the same.
In the future if you want to have your own environment, you will need either a Mac desktop, or a computer with Linux. This is one of the reasons I prefer Linux with open source software like LibreOffice. I am responsible for my system, and my data.
The conventional Intel computer, which most of us have been using for decades, is going to disappear, and it will take us…
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