Edge + XCloud and possibly a Universal Windows Store on the cloud for linux!

Copper Contributor

Hello since XCloud is offered in browser for iOS why not hasten porting Microsoft Edge browser to Linux? From what i gather the set timeline is Oct-Nov this year? My idea basically is

a) Allow Edge to be installed in any linux distro via appimage, flatpak or snap

b) Allow XCloud in Edge Browser to be "installed as an app" on linux desktop/start menu/dock!

After thinking for a bit i have another even bigger idea but i guess it would require more expertise, resources and/or time but i feel in the long term it would be well worth it!

c) Converting *all* past 32 bit and current 64 bit windows apps/software to an appimage than can run on any linux distro and possibly android! All "appimaged" windows app can be stored in a Windows Cloud Store. Appimage don't even need to be installed so in theory one could directly run these applimaged windows apps off this cloud store but advancements  in software/hardware can make it feel as if the user is running it off local ssd/hdd?

 

for c) instead of Microsoft dedicating all the hardware for conversion why not make it a Global Volunteer project such as SETI@home and volunteers get rewarded with free access to play games on xcloud for a period of time based on how many hours in a day they turn over their machine to the project? Have a "Compute Units" measurement that is transparent and easy to understand? In fact if the response is great more volunteer projects can be done by Microsoft not just to offload hardware requirements to the community but also reward them with previews of products/services Microsoft has to offer currently and in the future! 

1 Reply

Hello @TiberiusJerome 

 

They might actually put it on flatpak and similar platforms, if there is no conflict of interest. targeting Ubuntu which is one of the most popular distros and other ones for start is pretty good.

 

installing a website as app should be made available to Linux version on launch, I don't remember them mentioning omitting that feature. the thing I remember is that sync won't be available at launch.

but even so, making the browser tab full screen should be enough for a xCloud game stream to be played seamlessly.


turning websites into apps are mostly useful for websites that actually resemble an app. (Spotify web player, Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp. Outlook, YouTube, Twitter etc.

 

before I start with section C), In case you don't already know, Microsoft has been doing this for quite some time now in an even better way!

 

Azure virtual desktops

https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/free/services/virtual-desktop/

 

works on any device, here is an introduction video.

Windows Virtual Desktop Essentials | Intro and full tour

https://youtu.be/NQFtI3JLtaU

 

C), I don't think we are there yet. as of right now, a huge portion of the world population don't even have access to the Internet, much less a reliable and fast one to be able to seamlessly run applications from the cloud. even in 1st world countries such high quality and fast connections are not common. hopefully SpaceX internet will change it.

 

I think Microsoft has enough computational power to host such thing on their own. look at their Azure super network, you can host the whole SETI project on Azure if you're willing to pay for the subscription, which many people do already. Azure is really big.
and we are talking about Azure right now, by the time people's internet around the world is good enough for reliable cloud apps, their capacity will increase substantially.