Jump to content

Windows 8 - Deeper Impressions


JorgeA

Recommended Posts

Microsoft Issues Another Warning of XP's Demise ( Tom's Hardware 2013-05-16 )

Extraordinary amount of FUD.

There is some hot leap of logic there:

all you windows 8 haters, you're only supporting XP because you dislike win8 and the direction M$ is going... fine, I can understand that. but tell me, what's wrong with getting the XP users to move to Win7? seriously... do people know how much of a pain it is to maintain websites for like a hundred different versions of browsers etc due to people not updating their browser/OS? this goes for the software industry as well.

The first part is another great example of the slave mentality in IT. People cling to XP? That should give MS a hint to either prolong XP's life for a fee (like I've argued on C9) and/or don't screw up future Windows versions. W8 is obviously NOT what all these XP users want. Instead the CUSTOMER gets blamed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Shocker:

Thurrott uses Start Menu replacement, calls for Microsoft breakup

In a discussion of how to fix Microsoft and Windows 8 (starting at about 24:50), Paul Thurrott acknowledges that using the new OS on a desktop is "not necessarily optimal." A few minutes later (31:00) he describes the annoyances of the Windows 8 pop-ups interrupting his work flow:

I still run into the problem where I'm typing and I'll swipe this stupid trackpad and, even though I've disabled it, it starts doing gestures in a different app or the app switcher UI comes up or whatever. And that kind of stuff -- those things kind of pile up. It makes the whole experience a little frustrating.

At that point Mary Jo Foley brings up Stardock's ModernMix, which enables the user to run Metro apps on the desktop, to pin them to the Taskbar, and to actually close them. After pointing out the absurdities of using the touch-oriented interface on a 27" screen, Thurrott and Leo Laporte have the following exchange (33:51):

LL: So, do you still use your Metro Start Screen, or...?

PT: Yeah, I've been experimenting with doing it both ways, so on the laptop here that I'm using I actually do have Start8 installed as well, and that Start Menu replacement or Start Screen replacement works in a few different ways. And you can make it look like Windows 7, which I don't think you should do but again, you know, some people really really want that. You can have it look like Windows 8 but have it be over the Desktop instead, so it's basically the Windows 8 Start Screen but in kind of a window or kind of a menu I guess, like the old Menu but bigger. And they have different styles and color schemes and all that kind of stuff, but to me the ModernMix thing is a big, big deal.

[emphasis added]

Later on in the program (55:24), Thurrott endorses the idea (eloquently expressed by @Charlotte many times in this thread) of breaking Microsoft up into more specialized entities:

But regardless of Steve Ballmer, the fix I like the most... I keep coming back to this notion that they need to be broken up... It's very clear to me that Microsoft makes one type of product really well, and those are enterprise products, business products, productivity products. And that the consumer stuff -- not so much. And, um, I think that those should be the companies. I think that Microsoft should continue as a company -- oh by the way, basically just as big as it is now, that is, the enterprise company, the "corporate" company -- and that they should have a consumer company spinoff called Xbox, which takes obviously the Xbox, their entertainment stuff, their consumer services -- you know, Xbox video and all tha tkind of stuff. Much smaller company, but one where the smaller market that is served by those products actually makes sense and is a viable business...

Had this been the case all along, one doubts that "enterprise Microsoft" would have been so keen on wrecking the Windows UI with the Metro interface oriented toward casual users. If it were broken up tomorrow, would it root out Metro to salvage its core market?

--JorgeA

Edited by JorgeA
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Later on in the program (55:24), Thurrott endorses the idea (eloquently expressed by @Charlotte many times in this thread) of breaking Microsoft up into more specialized entities:

Just for the record, not an entirely new idea :w00t: , AFAIK it was once called "Sherman Antitrust Act " (1890) and more generally "antitrust" and used somewhat successfully :unsure: against Mr. Rockfeller's Standard Oil in 1911 for the first time:

http://www.micheloud.com/FXM/so/antitrust.htm

jaclaz

Link to comment
Share on other sites

http://tech.uk.msn.com/trending-blog/microsoft-to-make-key-changes-to-windows-8-1

http://tech.uk.msn.com/microsoft/microsoft-confirms-rumours-that-it-will-update-windows-8-1

Windows 8 has been on sale for six months and has so far sold 100 million licences - some commentators are noting that this number isn't strictly indicative of sales but Microsoft should take solace in the fact that licenses represent the uptake in business users installing the new operating system.

I suppose I could take this as it is MSNuk I couldn't let this pass

This was my reply

No it does not. How many of these licenses are still sat in a warehouse?

Also Windows 7 kicked up AFTER Win8 was released. People dumping Win8 for Win7.

What does Win8 offer to businesses that will make them WANT to go for Win8?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thurrot using Start8 is no real shocker.

On the Technet forums there is a very obnoxious Windows 8 fanboy called Colakid. And it looks like he's using a start menu replacement as well. See this thread:

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w8itprogeneral/thread/20e61453-4f9c-40ef-83c7-4739c46d59d4

Lots of those fanboys aren't using Windows 8 like it's "supposed to be".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  1. It's not like you have these machines exposed to the internet without a gateway and hardware firewall.
  2. It's not like your employees spend their time on the clock clicking on random web links and file downloaders!

A couple points:

  1. Oh, yes it is. (in much more cases that you might think :ph34r: )
  2. No, not yet, BTW your employees are doing exactly that, but only part-time :w00t: . While using XP they still use some of their time to do some little work, the switch will happen when you will adopt Windows 8 that will help in making clicking on random web links and file downloaders the main activity :yes: . Most probably they will be able to do that "more securely" than before :unsure: , and thus your data will possibly be safer, but this won't make any difference, since you will have not any data (no new data produced) to be worried about :no: .

Well I still can't imagine how a computer can actually rely on Microsoft "supporting it" - standalone at home, or on a network at work. In the former case it is simple to prove it by just not auto-updating it ( manually apply patches only when needed) running bare naked without AV but using a hardware firewall. In the latter case, I can't imagine a network without some kind of sysadmin who manages it remotely or possibly sneaker net. I mean really, if there are a thousand computers why would they have them all connecting and auto-updating at 3am or whatever. This cannot be efficient. Microsoft dropping support means a likely uptick in real performance and productivity.

But there are restore points, deployment images, backups, and all of these computers must be behind a gateway and hardware firewall with dynamic IPs ( probably a local software firewall too ), and the admin certainly has blacklisted large swaths of outgoing suspicious sites and addresses. Not to mention they probably got snookered into a corporate license for some performance sucking antivirus and/or security suite. This is why I am having a tough time understanding how they get into any trouble ever. Just so I can understand better, can you describe examples of how their well-being is tied to what OS they are using and whether or not Microsoft "supports" it ( that's my real point ).

I am hearing the most amazing FUD lately from the MicroShills. Just utter the words "Windows XP" and "support" and stand back. But it all sounds like "make work" keep-busy job-security bullsh!t to me. I say call their bluff. The last thing they want is for people to find out is that they ( Microsoft ) are no longer needed. So I think it is critically important for people to take a stand at last.

P.S. I'm not involved in enterprise IT at all these days, so I admit I could easily be mistaken about current network configurations. But I will tell you from the outside that the infections I see on standalone home and SOHO computers are those running Windows 7 SP1 on allegedly safe NON-admin accounts. Now obviously at this point in time that isn't a significant data point because it is the OS on the majority of computers, but anecdotally I can say the same was true during Vista, and also XP before that. My conclusion is that whatever OS is installed it will get infected if the user allows it to happen, which again makes my point that neither Windows XP or end-of-support makes any difference.

EDIT: typo

Edited by CharlotteTheHarlot
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Latest numbers, Windows Phone moves into the 3rd spot, overtakes Blackberry.

http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/05/17/windows-phone-overtakes-blackberry-as-third-largest-mobile-os

I wonder who is #1 and #2... :rolleyes:

I was just gonna mention that story ( it's at NeoWin of course! ), but there's a problem and it is because IDC says one thing and Gartner says another. Scroll up to Post #2918 and see that there are competing numbers ...

zZPSTId.jpg

I even noted that result ...

Math is supposed to be easy in the age of computers! Table-3 has all Microsoft at 2.9% ( :lol: ) which is up from 1.9% one year ago. Jeez. Ironically it is still behind Blackberry ( :lol: ) too.

What should really worry them is that WP8 has been out for over six months and they either still can't / just barely pass Blackberry which just got released at the end of Q1 ( and in the USA later still ). That is the big story IMHO. I think there is gonna be a back and forth this year for 3rd place but it won't matter in the long run because they both will eventually have Linux nipping at their heels within a year. China is going into it and I suspect this is the end-of-the-line for WP. Just a hunch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Shocker:

Thurrott uses Start Menu replacement, calls for Microsoft breakup

[...]

Later on in the program (55:24), Thurrott endorses the idea (eloquently expressed by @Charlotte many times in this thread) of breaking Microsoft up into more specialized entities:

As is often the case, Thurrott only sticks his toe in the water but won't commit to getting in. Maybe some day.

As Jaclaz mentioned, the 800 pound gorilla IMHO is antitrust. What they do with Xbox or Surface is really irrelevant because these are Microsoft hardware and whether they put an OS on there or embedded firmware chips doesn't stifle competition because competitors can make their own hardware themselves. In short, 3rd parties have no expectation of inserting themselves into Microsoft hardware.

Microsoft's special situation is about Windows and is because they supply an OS to other manufacturer's hardware, not their own ( contrary to what they might believe ), we'll leave out the ant-competitive blocking backroom deals for a moment. The operating system installed on these billions of personal computers must supply an "API" or "something" that lets software work on the hardware. That OS must be neutral and not favor Microsoft's "software" divisions, an equal playing field must be provided. And for the most part it has been just that - neutral. You could use whatever dev suites, languages and compilers you wanted. Distribute the binaries in any form you wanted, even interpreted runtimes. Sell the product for whatever price you wanted, or give it away for free. Such is the x86 universe.

What is happening now is the most naked power grab ever contemplated. With Windows 8, the plan is to kidnap that existing x86 universe into their walled garden - but THESE ARE STILL NOT MICROSOFT'S COMPUTERS!

This also makes clear how devious they are in another way - blurring the definition of Windows, particularly RT and WP, the former running on both Microsoft and 3rd party devices, the latter so far only on 3rd party. A bright line must exist between operating systems that 3rd parties require access to ( x86 Windows ) and operating systems that are permanently proprietary IP ( Microsoft hardware ). They are just recently out from the antitrust scrutiny and are intentionally violating the letter and spirit of antitrust again by blending all the concepts.

So Thurrott hasn't yet come around to simple reality, and that is that while it is true that Microsoft should be broken up, the axe should cleave away the x86 operating system ( Windows ) into a separate company with no contact with the rest of the software divs. What they do with the remainder ( Xbox, etc ) doesn't matter.

The best outcome for everybody would be for Microsoft to voluntarily release all x86 properties into the public domain, including patents for file systems and other things. This would not impact their software business at all except to force them to compete with the same access as everyone else. Then they would be legally and morally free to pursue their mindless Metro Playskool Tiles projects. Naturally this a doubtful eventuality. Failing that it should be forcibly taken away because as I said before, what Microsoft is attempting to hijack into their walled garden ARE NOT MICROSOFT'S COMPUTERS! And it's quite a scam indeed. Take a huge cut from each sale and shove the responsibility for buggy OS problems over to the dummies that made the hardware.

Microsoft has used Apple as a foil, a distraction, a phantom competitor. Apple makes hardware and supplies an OS to make it run. It doesn't allow any 3rd party OS to get onto these computers prior to purchase, nor does it sell their OS to anyone. MetroTards are completely stuck on stupid, including Thurrott and Ed Bott who say "Windows has passed Mac OSX!!!". This is a wonderful shell game but pardon the pun, Apples and Oranges. Microsoft has been the beneficiary of this idiocracy and seems to believe it themselves. But it cannot change the fact that Microsoft is unique in its position of being the 3rd party OS supplier to billions of computers around the world. And now they are going for the throats of them all.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ha! I just said ...

Samsung shipped six million Galaxy S4s in less than three weeks ( TechSpot 2013-05-16 )

As of May 10, Samsung said they have sold more than six million units and could easily top the 10 million mark by the end of this month. That’s pretty impressive for a smartphone that didn’t begin shipping until April 26 and is outpacing previous Samsung launches by a large margin. But how does it stack up to previous launches?

In 2010, it took Samsung 85 days to ship three million Galaxy SI handsets. A year later the company was able to ship three million Galaxy SIIs in 55 days and in 2012 it took just 21 days to move three million Galaxy SIIIs. And for 2013, it took just 19 days to move six million Galaxy S 4s.

Man, I wish this story was posted at NeoWin just to see their heads explode. :yes:

... and it has been noticed at last ...

Samsung co-CEO: Galaxy S4 sales to reach 10 million next week ( NeoWin 2013-05-17 )

... but just 17 comments! :lol: You can almost hear a pin drop.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Microsoft supports End Anonymous Patents Act bill in US Congress ( NeoWin 2013-05-17 )

Hypocrites. This from the company that goes around extorting cash from Android manufacturers and keeps the agreements secret. Parasites.

Adobe releases free Photoshop Express Windows 8 app ( NeoWin 2013-05-17 )

The free app, Photoshop Express, is now available for download in the Windows Store. Versions of this same software were previously released for iOS and Android. The Windows 8 version allows users to make simple edits to photos such as cropping, rotating and more. It also has a color slider that can adjust an image's exposure, contrast, clarity, vibrancy and more. The free app has 15 filters that can be used to give photos different looks as well as an auto-fix feature that automatically adjusts an image's brightness, exposure and shadows.

While Photoshop Express is free, the app also supports two premium features that can be added to the program for an extra fee. One is the "Looks Pack," which adds some extra photo filters for the app beyond the free ones for $2.99. The "Noise Reduction Pack," the other add-on, is designed to minimize grain and speckling in pictures. It can be accessed for $4.99.

5AboBRn.jpg

( image source )

Photoshop ReTard Edition. And, there's the hook too - DLC ( like in-game purchases ). :yes: Well they got the target demographic mSheep all neatly corralled in a walled garden just waiting for them. Naturally the often-mentioned MetroTard-in-chief cannot help but to jump in to the comments, say something ridiculous and get slapped around for a while. :lol:

Lenovo reveals furniture range designed for its 27-inch Windows 8 touch-PC ( NeoWin 2013-05-17 )

Lenovo started selling the massive 27-inch IdeaCentre Horizon all-in-one touchscreen PC running on Windows 8 in April, but what do you do with such a big PC once you have it in your home? This week, Lenovo revealed three different custom furniture designed to incorporate the giant device, including one made for children.

dKlEqUo.jpg

( image source )

Ergonomics. Humanity is doomed. :yes: More examples at the article too.

I'm trying to think back as a child to remember if there was anything that cost $2000 or even $1000 for kids. Nope, got nuthin'. And this AIO computer would no doubt supplement a cellphone and designer clothes and junk food that could feed an entire 3rd world family. Humanity is really really doomed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

that reminds me heavily on unreleased and dropped (failed product) Windows Neptune

same sh*t, an HTML GUI with stupid buttons to rotate and crop images

same went with system settings

the only difference, Neptune used Active X Desktop by IE, and winblows 8 uses "metro", yet again by IE

win8 is anything but evolution, they reused old idea from 1999 in bit refined way with touch controls

Edited by vinifera
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lenovo started selling the massive 27-inch IdeaCentre Horizon all-in-one touchscreen PC running on Windows 8 in April, but what do you do with such a big PC once you have it in your home? This week, Lenovo revealed three different custom furniture designed to incorporate the giant device, including one made for children.

Ever wondered why exactly the world is buyng low cost electronics from China and high cost design furniture from Europe? :unsure:

;)

jaclaz

Link to comment
Share on other sites

that reminds me heavily on unreleased and dropped (failed product) Windows Neptune

same sh*t, an HTML GUI with stupid buttons to rotate and crop images

same went with system settings

the only difference, Neptune used Active X Desktop by IE, and winblows 8 uses "metro", yet again by IE

win8 is anything but evolution, they reused old idea from 1999 in bit refined way with touch controls

So, it's yet another retread in Win8, like the tiles and the flat interface. *sigh*

--JorgeA

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lenovo reveals furniture range designed for its 27-inch Windows 8 touch-PC ( NeoWin 2013-05-17 )

Lenovo started selling the massive 27-inch IdeaCentre Horizon all-in-one touchscreen PC running on Windows 8 in April, but what do you do with such a big PC once you have it in your home? This week, Lenovo revealed three different custom furniture designed to incorporate the giant device, including one made for children.

dKlEqUo.jpg

( image source )

Ergonomics. Humanity is doomed. :yes: More examples at the article too.

"Ergonomics" is right! Can you imagine sitting hunched over that screen for more than ten minutes at a time? Or if not hunched over, then hyperextending the back of your neck to look down at the screen. Maybe the idea for this furniture was thought up by a chiropractor... :whistle:

No matter how you cut it, "touch" doesn't work well on anything that's not held in your hand and not more than a bent arm's length from your nose.

--JorgeA

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...