Ed Bott “enthusiastically recommends” the Windows Surface RT.” I think it’s already dead.

Oddly enough, we agree on the main point, “It’s more than an iPad, and less than a PC.” Where we differ is what that means. He sees it putting RT Surface into a middle-ground. I see it as being neither fish nor fowl; it’s not entertaining enough to replace a wildly popular tablet, nor work-friendly enough to replace a laptop.

That has far more to do with the software, Windows RT, than it does the hardware. Windows RT, Windows 8 for ARM, is both a confusing mess and crippleware.

To be exact, Windows RT is a limited version of Windows 8 that runs on ARM-based devices, not on traditional PCs. It is compatible with most, but not all, of the Metro-style apps that also run on Windows 8. Windows RT will not run any desktop Windows applications beyond the applications that are bundled with the operating system.

Windows Surface RT: Microsoft’s greatest hardware fiasco ever? More >