![Windows RT: The odd birth, brief life, and quiet death of Microsoft's ugly duckling operating system | ZDNET Windows RT: The odd birth, brief life, and quiet death of Microsoft's ugly duckling operating system | ZDNET](https://www.zdnet.com/a/img/resize/f2c87973f6a75de260846cc84443084db9077423/2015/01/23/9c204efb-cf54-4c3d-9e97-fd1ca5ef7cc2/ms-surface-rt.png?auto=webp&fit=crop&height=1200&width=1200)
Windows RT: The odd birth, brief life, and quiet death of Microsoft's ugly duckling operating system | ZDNET
![Shoppers browse the new Microsoft Surface RT tablet computer in the pop-up Microsoft Surface store in Times Square in New York on Friday, October 26, 2012. The Surface RT was aimed at Shoppers browse the new Microsoft Surface RT tablet computer in the pop-up Microsoft Surface store in Times Square in New York on Friday, October 26, 2012. The Surface RT was aimed at](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2EYPNHG/shoppers-browse-the-new-microsoft-surface-rt-tablet-computer-in-the-pop-up-microsoft-surface-store-in-times-square-in-new-york-on-friday-october-26-2012-the-surface-rt-was-aimed-at-grabbing-market-share-from-apples-ipad-and-googles-android-os-microsoft-is-reported-that-it-will-take-another-stab-at-apples-ipads-market-share-with-the-release-of-a-line-of-low-cost-tablets-similar-to-the-surface-which-ran-windows-rt-and-failed-to-gain-traction-being-discontinued-in-2015-photo-by-richard-b-levine-2EYPNHG.jpg)
Shoppers browse the new Microsoft Surface RT tablet computer in the pop-up Microsoft Surface store in Times Square in New York on Friday, October 26, 2012. The Surface RT was aimed at
![Nearly 5 years later, this original Microsoft Surface RT is still useful, at least as a spare – GeekWire Nearly 5 years later, this original Microsoft Surface RT is still useful, at least as a spare – GeekWire](https://cdn.geekwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/WP_20170421_001.jpg)