A Windows Cloud Build Leaked, and This is What We Learned

MICROSOFT’S MYSTERIOUS WINDOWS Cloud (go.pcworld.com/ wincloud) is supposedly a stripped-down version of Microsoft’s operating system that runs only Windows Store apps. Microsoft’s not commenting, but an early build that leaked in early February appears to be authentic and gives further tantalizing hints of what the company may have in mind.

- Ian Paul

It only runs Windows Store apps, but…

The idea behind running Windows Store apps only is that a Windows Cloud machine can be more easily managed, like a Chrome book. If you remove Win32 (traditional desktop) apps, you get greater security and control because users can only turn to web apps or the Windows Store.

But this might not be the whole truth behind Windows Cloud. Brad Sams at Thurrott.com ran the leaked build of Cloud on an x86-based virtual machine. (You’d be crazy to run a leaked build on bare metal, so it’s understandable to see him run it in a VM.)

Regardless, it’s clear that Windows Cloud (at least right now) can run on x86 processors. If that holds true for the official release, then there’s no reason it couldn’t run Win32 apps save for an artificial limitation put there by Microsoft.

Interestingly, MSPowerUser (go.pcworld.com/w10cld) said it was able to download, but not run, Win32 apps that were in the Windows Store via Project Centennial (go.pcworld.com/projcent).