Tom Warren has reported on The Verge that the ARM version of Windows 8, contrary to many rumours is likely to come with the traditional desktop an not just the Metro interface. Don’t worry though, this wont be the full desktop experience but a restricted one that would require trusted certificates for ARM desktop applications.

I have my fears about how Microsoft is going to handle Windows 8 for ARM devices; I think that if Windows 8 is used to describe both x86/x64 and ARM experiences even though they are different it is going to cause massive confusion for consumers. You can read about my idea for using the name Metro instead of Windows 8 for Windows 8 on ARM.

However, this recent news makes me wonder if I needed to be quite so concerned about Microsoft’s planned implementation for Windows 8 on ARM. We know that the traditional desktop experience on touch devices is not good and I expect that to be pretty much true for Windows 8 even though Microsoft is implementing some changes. Therefore, a full desktop on an ARM touchscreen device just doesn’t make sense.

And yet, if I was to have an ARM tablet there could well be times when I would want access to the Office suite for working, and not just some Metro version of it but the actual desktop experience. If I was to connect a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse to the ARM tablet then I would have a fully function workstation. There aren’t really many applications I am going to want access to a the traditional desktop if I have a Windows 8 device with a touchscreen. But the majority of the applications I will want are Microsoft’s own software or from large tech companies (Adobe) that should be able to get the required certificates to run on the restricted desktop.

I am sure people will complain with whatever path Microsoft take with the desktop on ARM. No desktop at all will cause confusion and people would want to know how they could access “Windows” on their Windows 8 device, or if Microsoft put the traditional desktop on ARM devices then people would complain that they need a keyboard and mouse to really be able to use the experience well. Therefore, I can see how a restricted desktop might just do the trick.

Microsoft might require slight changes in apps for the restricted desktop, such as bigger buttons to make it easier to use the apps with a touchscreen. This seems like it could appease those who would complain if the desktop was removed or kept in Windows 8 for ARM devices. This could work well and I can see why Microsoft is keen to offer a desktop experience on all versions of Windows 8 even though it might not be the full experience

My only concern with this idea though is that a restricted desktop for the ARM version of Windows 8 sounds like a compromise in a “no-compromise” version of Windows.