This is what MS does best, copying someone else idea that already works, and putting money onto it.
It seems that MS is going to put some hundred millions into this as they realized this is the future.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/dn26313...
Microsoft may not have any innovation in the end-product (its not like any of us expect MS Paint to be "innovative"), but the OS-perspective, they are years ahead of both Mac and Linux. Of course, a de-facto 3d Printing API may eventually be developed for *nix systems, but Microsoft's standardization upon a 3d Printing API puts them far ahead of the curve on this one.
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For other tidbits of OS Innovation, Transactional Filesystems (yeah, its deprecated, but word on the street is that next-generation ReFS is going to support it), User-mode Schedulers, WebSocket supported in the BSD Socket layer, and more.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/bb96... http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/dd62... http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/hh43...
Microsoft's main product is the Windows OS, and they seem to continue to innovate in this sector. Adding 3D Printing support to the OS is only a good thing!
A normal user can now download this 3d printing app and make the realization they could print a custom train set for their kid right now on this device with no fuss if they had a OTC 3d printer.
Pretty cool stuff.
Thanks, I needed a laugh.
If Linux can be 3d printer capable within a couple of years, I'll honestly be surprised. And Mac doesn't seem to be going in that direction either. In this area, Windows is clearly superior by default. Microsoft has defined some 3d printing API, and there is no competitor out there for them.