Ceci est une ancienne révision du document !
PCMAG.COM had an article entitled “Clearing Up 5 Windows 8 Confusions” that made me do some thinking: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2411466,00.asp. Most people out there use computers (desktop or laptops), and carry either a smartphone or tablet or some portable device. Now, we are using different operating systems on these devices. Some of the most popular ones are Android, iOS, and Windows. Besides the OS, we also use different desktops.
This article talked about confusions in Windows 8, but we also have confusions about other things that we use. When we think about Tablet OS or PC OS, there is a difference here as well. For example, if you are using Android on a tablet: it works great with a touch-screen, but, when you use a mouse and keyboard, you run into problems. Just try the navigation keys and shortcut keys, and you will see what I mean.
Now, in Windows 8, you find the new style (formerly known as Metro) vs. desktop. One is designed to work with touch-screens, and the other to work with PCs with a desktop. The same is true with an OS designed for things like Android Touch Screen devices. Remember, Android is Linux-based. Thus it is open-source and there are many versions of Android. For example, my wife has a Chromebook with Google OS—which is Android. But this does not have a touch-screen, so Android can be designed to work with devices without touch-screens. At this point, I need to mention that, if you have a Nexus 7, you are running Google Android that is designed for touch-screen devices.
So, what is the difference between Windows 8 and Windows RT? Keep this in mind when you think of Win RT; it is purely a tablet version of Windows 8. This is no different than my Android (Linux) running on my B&N Nook, which is designed for a touch-screen device.
Now, with all this talk about touch-screen devices with their OS, I must mention that Apps need to be developed to run on these devices, e.g., Angry Birds. You can find this app on the B&N online store for the Nook, Amazon store for the Kindle and many other devices, and Google store for the Nexus 7. And now we have a Windows 8 store with apps for Win RT devices. Remember this fact, that these apps are developed for all these touch-screen devices, and not for desktops and laptops.
If you are using the Google Chrome Browser, you can run some of the same apps that run on Google Chromebook. I know this for a fact because I do it myself. I am not a developer, but I understand that there is a difference in the design of these apps from programs that run on computers. The way things work today are different than a few years ago. Previously, you turned your computer on and your OS loaded. When you were at your desktop, you started your word-processor and started typing. Everything was on your computer. Now, you turn on your computer, your OS loads. You go to your Web Browser, click on an app like Google Docs, and start typing. Everything is in the cloud. This is the future.
All this time that I have been writing about Windows 8, Android, etc, I've had Ubuntu Linux in the back of my mind. Right now, things are like this: I have my laptop running Ubuntu, and my tablet running Android. I don't run my Android apps on my laptop, and I don't run my laptop programs on my tablet. But I am looking forward to the day when I can have a machine that runs the same applications. So, no matter whether I use it on a laptop or tablet, I will be on the same page. Yes, Windows 8 is designed to do this, but, remember I said you have Windows 8 and you have Windows RT. However, with Ubuntu with the Unity desktop, you will be able to run it on your tablet, TV, Phone, Computer, and other devices. And, as far as I know, you will be able to run the same programs. This is the way it should be.