A question of influence

Even if Microsoft's position doesn't change, the impact its rules will have may prove to be negligible in practice. x86 hardware will retain all the freedom and flexibility that users of alternative operating systems need. Unlocked ARM hardware is also going to continue to be widely available; it'll just come with Android rather than Windows. Given Android's much greater strength in the tablet market, it's all but inevitable that Windows 8-only hardware will be a minority. Cheap Ugg Boots Microsoft doesn't have the market dominance to take away everyone's ability to use alternative operating systems.If every future PC and tablet were restricted so that it could only boot a Microsoft operating system, there would indeed be the end of the world as we know it; it would fundamentally alter the nature of the PC, converting it from the supremely flexible device that it is into a well-decorated prison cell. As it is, it will simply be a choice that buyers have to make for themselves. There will be options that are locked down, including the iPad and Windows 8 ARM tablets. There will be options that are not. The decision as to which is more important—freedom or reliability—will lie with the user.