A faulty software update to enterprise computers by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike has taken millions of computers offline, most of which are in a commercial or enterprise environment, or are Azure deployments. CrowdStrike provides periodic software and security updates to commercial PCs, enterprise PCs, and cloud instances, with a high degree of automation. The latest update reportedly breaks the Windows bootloader, causing bluescreens of death (BSODs), and if configured, invokes Windows Recovery. Enterprises tend to bulletproof the bootloaders of their client machines, and disable generic Windows Recovery tools from Microsoft, which means businesses around the world are left with large numbers of machines that will each take manual fixing. The so-called "Windows CrowdStrike BSOD deluge" has hit critical businesses such as banks, airlines, supermarket chains, and TV broadcasters. Meanwhile, sysadmins on Reddit are wishing each other a happy weekend.

Microsoft would be taking up its largest cloud-computing initiative, in the form of an operating system that is tailored to serve the purpose of a lean operating system that drives PCs meant for cloud computing. For those new to the term, cloud computing is the method of computer usage, where information is stored on internet servers, while cached locally onto the machine (client) the user is working on. Think of it as thin-client usage on a macro-scale.

Later this month, at the company's annual developer conference, Microsoft would unveil this new OS, which is to be named "Windows Cloud". "We need a new operating system designed for the cloud and we will introduce one in about four weeks, we'll even have a name to give you by then. But let's just call it for the purposes of today 'Windows Cloud'," said Microsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer. This would open up opportunities for a whole new breed of applications that are suited to the platform, which is in its infancy. The move by Microsoft could be seen as the company's effort to stay ahead of internet-Mogul Google, which seems to have some very concrete plans on cloud computing. "The last thing we want is for somebody else to obsolete us, if we're gonna get obseleted [sic] we better do it to ourselves" Ballmer added.