Paul is going to hate this line of logic

<p>For some things, native code will always be better.</p><p>I figure the real future of computing is faster, more reliable, broader coverage networking used to tie local machines of varying levels of power and capabilities to centralized servers which run virtualized desktop sessions and run native code software server-side and present just the UI on local machines. Large enterprises are already way down this road, and smaller businesses and other organizations will follow in the next decade.</p><p>At some point, Amazon and Google may offer remote virtual desktops in addition to online services to individual consumers/users, and MSFT will be forced to follow suit. At that point, with a decent network connection, you'd be able to run whatever Windows software you want remotely and interact with it using whatever local device you want, and that local device won't need to run Windows. You'd also have the option of running the same software locally, but you'd likely end up running it locally as often as you'd run PWAs without any network connection.</p><p>At some point, maybe not in just 1 decade, but certainly within 2 decades, there's going to be reliable networking everywhere inside statistical metropolitan areas and in a 20 mile penumbra beyond them and around major ground transportation corridors. At that point, the perception of needing to run software locally will be as idiosyncratic as the desire today to use only single-tasking OSes.</p><p>IOW, <strong><em>all</em></strong> technologies for running software locally will become obsolete aside from OSes for local devices, browsers and other connectivity software, and maybe media players and a handful of games. IOW, local devices will need only the facilities of advanced feature phones. No, that won't include gamers, independent/part-time developers, home office types running very compute-intensive software, but it'll cover the other 95% of computing device users.</p>