I’m getting more and more convinced that MS will start over with a Unix based OS (I’d call it Windex). If they’d include a virtualization system allowing them to run Windows apps on it, similar to what Fusion and Parallels are doing on the Mac, they would be able to transition, gradually replacing old Windows apps with new Windex apps. If they’d integrate the virtual Windows apps more tightly to the new OS than what Parallels or VMWare can do, they’d come out ahead.
It’s the only way out and it would put them ahead of Linux and OSX again. I’m sure they’re working on it. They’d be crazy not to.
PS: not an april fools joke, I mean it.