Cloud PC might leap to the fore here, sold as a way to get "the latest Windows goodness" without needing anything more than a minimal client and decent Internet

Cloud PC might leap to the fore here, sold as a way to get "the latest Windows goodness" without needing anything more than a minimal client and decent Internet. It would solve all the patching issues, give Microsoft excellent data on how people use "their" computers, and generate a little cash on the side. Then windows on the desktop could shrivel over time to just be a stub and a client.