A blinkered future
I respectfully disagree that it is unlikely to compete with the likes of Chrome OS. Indeed I think it will succeed. My reasoning:
Almost all corporate IT departments are filled with managers and technicians who have cut their teeth with MS. It's easier (and perceived as less risky) to follow the MS trail.
I've worked for an organisation where:
If it hasn't got an HP badge it's not a computer.
If it hasn't got the latest MS OS, it's not viable.