EDABlog

Most importantly Midori and Windows kernel are similar and the kernel is not that important. Whats different is how user application , device drivers and systems ( the fat and insecure bits in Windows) run and talk , so your comments on the windows Kernel ( while correct ) are meaningless. ie replacing WIndows Kernel with Midori is pointless   whats important is replacing all ( non Java/.net/managed) apps , device drivers and services.  This is why itsa big deal.

3. The purpose behind a new OS

I also don't think you understand the purpose of Midori or what its about .

• Security . This is the #1 driver and note how MS get smacked for security violations when its prob more secure than its competitors . This is not mentioned at all. Those Apple adds hurt .. prob enough for Bill and co to spend $5B to build a new OS.  Ok the article mentions that it cant be achieved by the kernel , that is partially correct the Kernel can restrict applications . How many managed virus are there ?
• Reliability.  Native apps and device drivers are reliable. ( Note not the kernel)
• Marketing.  It is very important for a company to have the technological edge its why they can charge $$$. And Midori presents a marketing coup for MS , they have a new style OS and they can point at there competitors and say how old they are eg Linux 70-80 style kernel and command line interface. Midori only needs to be available and used by 1% of users for then to have this benefit and they can charge a premium. Remember Singularity kind of shocked the sleeping OS research community not for a managed OS ( as old OS sometimes only allowed managed languages , though revisting it was interesting) but by basically saying you can have security ,reliability. AND performance in a managed OS.
  
• MS  needs to see the world in 10 years or 15 years time . They need a single OS that scales from devices to cloud servers and an OS thats .net  aware . They also need an OS thats super secure so it can handle this eg are you going to install a firewall on your mobile phone ?

4. Backward competability

Note MS are proposing to support windows drivers in one proposal at first as well as native Midori. This is possible via the Midori HAL . In addition Windows apps could be support with the same Virtualization technology as Vista.

Prediction Midori will replace Windows...eventually  but first it will be an OS for cloud and hand helds. Then it will be a new style OS similar to NT3.51 and 4 when Windows 95/98 were the desktop standards.

These are the timeliness we are looking at . Note Ms needs to look at where WIndows will be in 10 years.
WIndows Mobile 8   ~2011
Azure              ~2011-2012
New Server ( Applications , files etc ) ~ 2013
Windows Mobile 8 light Desktop version  2013-2014?
Power workstation ??               2014
Desktop replacement ??             2015-2017 ?

The product however has to survive on its merits and WIndows Mobile 8 will be a key release.