Having recently read an article on The Register about a rumoured, new version of WIndows 10, called Windows 10 Lean, I began to wonder if, realistically, a life without Windows, as an OS was viable.

According to The Reg’ article it will become “a Win32-capable but UWP-focused OS with differences on the component level.” In more simplstic terms, this could be a way to release Windows as a Software as a Service [SaaS] by providing, for free, the framework to allow users to the pay for the add on they want.

This is speculation of course, but given the current existence of WIndows 10 Pro, Windows 10, Windows 10 Mobile and Windows 10Sm, where would Lean fit in? Who knows? And for whom?

Assuming this is a precursor to a Windows SaaS offering, it is probably fair to say this will be aimed squarly at the consumer market. Corprates often have their own, complicated SaaS agreements, often with hardware vendors such as HP who offer a complete Hardware, SaaS and support service, providing user support, hardware, hard support and upgrades and software licensing in long term agreements.

So, as a consumer, is it possible to avoid any sort of future SaaS model but still have access to the sort of products, services and programmes that the average consumer and SoHo user would need?

The short answer of course is yes, it is perfectly possible to avoid any sort of SaaS offering. As an Apple user the vast majority of software is not included in the OS and is available “to download”, included a range of office type applications. Apples own MS Office altenative, I-Works, is currently free of charge and available to download, once the user creates the obligatory account and Apple ID. Apple also provide an online version, aimed at those who need team collaboration and sharing etc.

However, the same, free, online offering are available from Microsoft, through the Office Online and Office 365 products. And of course there is always the Google Docs offering of online tools.

The main drawback with most of these solutions is that they are online, and as such subject to the whims and foibles of those who provide the service. If the Windows Lean SaaS idea become succesful and indeed popular, there is no guarentee that others will not follow. Would you bet against Apple not introducing a “small monthly fee” to access some of its online tools?

There are of course a number of programmes that can be downloaded that do not need “clod access” and are free, some free of payment and some, such as Libre Office, which are free / open source. However, the vast majority are closed source and most fall into the “freemium” bracket, meaning, a limited set of tools with the option to pay for more, if you need them. SImilar to the SaaS model in some ways.

There is of course always the open source / Linux route, where the OS itself is free, open source and provides more choice than a Chinese banquet in Gerarrd Street in late January. THis choice extends not only to the OS, the desktop and the choices for software. AS mentioned before, Libre Office, a fork of the original Open Office, provides pretty much a near perfect comaptability with the defacto default MS Office file types. It also offers some file type extentions that Office itself does not support.

Libre Office is availabe for Linux, Apple and Windows machines. Given it’s history it is perhaps the least liklely of any of the packages to introduce a charge for downloading, or using.

The story is the same with other packages, email clients, graphics packages, desktop publishing, video editing, the list goes on.

There are many options for those wishing to avoid the SaaS models, which may be coming in the next 12 to 18 months, but, if Microsoft do see a future with Windows 10 Lean and SaaS, there is every chance that others will follow.