this is potentially huge over the long run, as the article implies, but to state it more clearly, it frees future versions of windows from a significant degree

this is potentially huge over the long run, as the article implies, but to state it more clearly, it frees future versions of windows from a significant degree of the legacy burden borne by the line up to version 7. not only does this give microsoft more flexibility with windows, it gives them a plausible roadmap for a transition to midori, or whatever is eventually declared the platform of the future.