Software giant Microsoft has been showing off the release candidate (RC) version of its Windows Thin PC (WinTPC). The RC is available through the Microsoft Connect portal. The final product, or release-to-manufacturing version, will appear in the second quarter.

Redmond calls WinTPC a "locked-down" version of Windows 7 with a smaller footprint.  It will probably end up Embedded under the bonnet of a dumb PC or being used by ancient PCs which companies do not want to upgrade. HP and Wyse Technologies, offer  thin-client devices designed to work with WinTPC that run the Windows Embedded operating systems.

WinTPC is a virtual desktop where the software is accessed by the user via a remote server. According to Microsoft only applications that are allowed to run on the thin-client devices are remote desktop clients, management applications, security applications and media players. WinTPC can deploy write filters that will prevent the user from saving data to the local device. Image deployment and management can be carried out using Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager or PowerShell. Windows Update or Windows Server Update Services can be used to deliver OS patches.

The whole thing runs on something that Redmond released with Windows Server 2008 called RemoteFX.