So where will all this leave Windows, and the Mac OS? Its true that more and more of our work is aligning with the talents of cheap, durable and portable Internet devices that gain their access from the cloud, and neither Apple or Microsoft cater effectively to that niche. But there are certain things that the cloud just cant handle: namely, processor-intensive multimedia work. And while consumers are certainly more reliant on Web services than ever, theyre also consuming, sharing, and creating digital video, large-format photography, music and presentations that are richer and more data-dense than ever before.
So Macs and PCs as we know them wont be going anywhere, but as netbooks and smartphones proliferate, the total marketshare of Internet-capable devices enjoyed by Apple and Microsoft will be greatly diluted. That means that their respective operating systems will have to learn to play nicely with Linux -- a tall order for the industrys two most stubborn companies. Unfortunately, theyll have no choice; thats the nature of a revolution.
