Forget everything that you know about Windows, PCs and computers. The eighth version of Microsoft’s flagship operating system could change everything. Computers and how we use them will never be the same again.

Okay, most of us have probably heard this broken record several times before. Microsoft seems to say it every time they bring out a new version of Windows. Apple says it every time that they have any new product to hype. Yet this time it could be different if some of the online speculation is to be believed.

Microsoft is apparently putting together a Windows 8 that could be radically different from anything that’s come before. PC World’s website put up an Infoword article called “How Windows 8 Could Change Everything.” The article’s writers Eric Knorr and Doug Dineley speculated that Windows 8 will usher in some big changes.

Hyper V 3.0 could be the Game Changer for Windows

The speculation centers around a new Windows virtualization program called Hyper 3.0. The interesting thing about Hyper V 3.0 is that it runs on a thin layer of bare metal or directly in the processor rather than as a guest of the system. This would presumably take up less space and make it easier to run.

Knoor and Dineley are speculating that Hyper 3.0 if it works as advertised will make desktop virtualization faster and easier than ever before. Today’s desktop virtualization programs like virtual PC take up a lot of space, and they require a special feature in the processor called Hardware Assisted Virtualization. This also requires direct access to a server. In this process or VDI the virtual program is actually running on the server and accessed by the computer user.

This takes up a lot of bandwidth and it requires a pretty good internet connection. A large percentage of the population cannot take advantage of it.

Hyper V 3.0 is supposed to enable a person with a Windows 8 operating system to set up a virtual desktop on his or her computer. That means a user could conceivably setup a virtual desktop to run an older version of Windows such as XP, Linux, Ubuntu or Mac OS. Obviously that could be of use to software designers or simply to people that want to use older programs that run in XP to work at home.

The Potential Uses Hyper V 3.0 and Virtual Desktops

The Infoworld scribes also speculated that Hyper 3.0 could make it possible for a business to set up virtual machines that run on its employees’ computers. That could enable companies to have their own proprietary operating systems and add an extra layer of security.

It could also make it easier for organizations to switch to other operating systems such as Mac OS, Linux and Ubuntu. This could make it possible to create new software without paying license fees to Microsoft. Companies could also save money by taking advantage of free apps such as Google Docs.

Another potential use would be for a company to sell computers with a preloaded virtual desktop. The virtual desktop would provide direct access to a company’s network and line of software. This would be similar to what Apple is trying to do with its Mac App Store. I.E. the Microsoft App store where you can buy any Microsoft and have it instantly loaded onto your desktop.

A Lot of Questions about Hyper V 3.0 Still Remain

The problem with Knorr and Dineley’s speculation is that a lot of questions about Hyper V 3.0 and the virtualization capacities in Windows 8 still remain unanswered. A big one is whether processors with Hardware Assisted Virtualization will be necessary to run Hyper V 3.0. Currently Hyper V 3.0 is only running on Windows Server.

A potential drawback to this virtualization will be all the older computers in use that do not have HAV. Will everybody run out and buy a new system just to run Windows 8. That did not work with Vista or Windows 7. Large numbers of people and organizations kept their Windows XP systems. One of the reasons for this was cost, it was simply too expensive to go to 7 or Vista.

Another issue is compatibility, will the other operating systems actually work with Hyper V 3.0 or not? If the virtual desktops can be set up quickly and easily people will use them. If they cannot, most people won’t use them.

Then there is the problem of getting other companies to along with this brave new world. Apple obviously won’t like the idea of people being able to set up free virtual Macs on their PCs. That could lead to a host of legal problems if somebody figures out to set up a virtual Mac. It’s hard to picture Steve Jobs standing by while Microsoft steals his customers.

The Brave New World of Virtualization

It looks like virtualization is the next frontier for Windows and for personal computers. The internet pundits are right to note that a widely available operating system with a powerful built in virtualization capacity could be a game changer.

Windows 8 and Hyper V 3.0 will be a game changer if two things happen:

1. Hyper V 3.0 actually works as advertised. Given Microsoft’s track record with things like Vista, it is safe to assume that Hyper V 3.0 might not work.

1. People actually use Hyper V 3.0 and take advantage of its capabilities. Getting average persons to actually use a totally new capacity particularly a revolutionary one is tough. Hyper V 3.0 could end up like a lot of really good apps ignored on the vast majority of computers.

Getting Hyper V 3.0 to work in the real world will be the first challenge for Microsoft. Convincing somebody to actually use it will be a lot tougher.

What Windows 8 Could Look like

Still, if the speculation about Hyper V 3.0 it could be a game changer that all of us will have to deal with. The question is whether it will change the game for the better or not?