Free consumer VDI

How cheap does computing need to become before VDI becomes cheap enough to be free (ad supported)? Already many applications are hosted in the cloud for free (ad supported), but why not a desktop too? It is simply a matter of the hardware costs becoming dropping sufficiently below the advertising revenue.

What would be the advantage to the VDI hosting provider?

• With some control of the desktop the hosting provider should be able to place advertising directly into the desktop
• The hosting provider may be able to charge fees for application providers
• Users who upgrade from a basic desktop to a better spec'd one, or taking more storage

What would be the advantage for consumers?

• A portable customisable desktop environment
• The ability to install legacy applications that have not been turned into a software as a service offering and access these anywhere
• No loss of desktop with loss of hardware
• Integration with cloud applications
• Integrated backup solution
• Cloud but with the traditional file system feel (and with it that little bit more control)

Operating systems that might work (needs to be free):

• Linux with WINE to enable legacy Windows applications
• ReactOS