Live! 360 - Monday keynote with Mary Jo Foley

Mary Jo Foley has been reporting on everything Microsoft for many years. The Windows Weekly podcast is one of the places where she discusses technology, and has become one of my must-listen-to podcasts. And she homebrews beer (and enjoys good craft beers). So yes, I'm a fan.

Well, after a very full day Monday, Mary Jo was the speaker for a 7pm keynote. I'm definitely not the only fan, as evidenced by the large number of conference attendees – many most likely hungry and, ahem, thirsty – who nonetheless made sure to catch this opportunity to hear her speak.

I've heard Mary Jo state on Windows Weekly that she's a fan of RT on the Surface. And she's also stated that she's a fan of RT on the Surface 2. But it still caught me by surprise when she stated Monday evening, "Windows RT is the future of Windows at Microsoft. They're just going to keep at it until it's a success". Now that I've had a day to think about that, I'm starting to agree. It's similar to the push to Office 365. These initiatives will help get us to the point of truly working anywhere with any device. Even though I'm typing this on a Windows 7 machine (which obviously then includes a Desktop), and Mary Jo admitted to using a machine with a Windows Desktop for most of her work, I can understand why she says that Microsoft is working to get folks used to the idea of no Desktop.

Think about it. The UI formerly known as "Metro" did not include an easily accessible Desktop at launch time, instead offering Tiles. Windows phone - which gets good reviews and which I'm considering when my current phone contract expires in a few months – uses tiles. My Android phone and BlackBerry both use app icons, as does my iPad. I can be quite productive on these other devices without feeling any need for a Desktop. Indeed, as Mary Jo stated, one of the main benefits of the PC is really just the ability to have multiple windows open, not the "Desktop" itself.

Oh, and when I asked Mary Jo if she'd tried any of our great Florida craft beers, she listed Tampa's own Cigar City Brewing as one of her favorite breweries, so I give her extra points for that!