[JorgeA]

MagicAndre1981, on 04 October 2012 - 09:20 AM, said:

Microsoft's HUGE mistake that could sink its eco-system

Wow, that was pretty bad. How long have they been in business in Europe? (a rhetorical question)

But don't worry, they assure the public that the abiity to change the country you're registered in, is coming REAL SOON NOW.

--JorgeA

[jaclaz]

JorgeA, on 04 October 2012 - 10:03 AM, said:

But don't worry, they assure the public that the abiity to change the country you're registered in, is coming REAL SOON NOW.

Admittedly a different "branch" of MS, but (as well as a rhetorical question):
How long does it take to re-add a pre-existing feature that was senseless removed?
At least in one case TWO YEARS were not enough to "react" :
http://www.msfn.org/...ost__p__1000166

jaclaz

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

Microsoft might get involved in College Textbooks ...

Barnes & Noble, Microsoft May Bring Textbooks to Win 8 ( Tom's Hardware 2012-10-04 )

Frankly I am surprised that Microsoft, Apple and Amazon haven't already exploited this. Here in the States, textbook prices is one of the biggest scams going, and piggybacking on this scam will be simple. It reminds me of the mid-1990's when many companies started to make inroads into schools, getting them all wired and outfitted with computers, naturally with constant upgrades, socking it to those of us already paying insane school district taxes. Why not pile on some more.


I think this is hilarious ...

Microsoft, the Windows Phone 8 release is a disaster ( TechSpot 2012-10-04 )

Brad Sams is back. Yes, that would be Brad "The next person who says that Windows 8 is the next Vista deserves to be shot, twice." Sams, one of NeoWin's resident fanboys now fretting over the possible disaster-in-progress that is the Windows 8 launch. I don't know, maybe he read that other recent article at NeoWin: Microsoft's US mobile phone market share has dropped and is getting nervous. So he writes this article, described as an 'open letter' to help Microsoft, he mostly is upset at the lack of pricing information, but if he thinks announcing phones that cost $700 or more will somehow help make the forthcoming rollout smoother, he is in for more shock than awe. The funny part is that there are even more rabid fanboys than himself over there! No, for real! "Wow this article is absolutely stupid. It has not even been released yet and you're calling it a disaster? Also your points are dumb." Lol! And someone thinks that NeoWin, aka Fanboy Central is mean to Microsoft! "Welcome to Neowin. It has been like this for months, possibly years now. I don't remember so much slander towards Microsoft on this site until as of recent.". Softies in disguise no doubt. Brad, let me help you out. The problem isn't what we don't know, it's what we do know. Which brings us to ...


Possible prices for a device using Windows 8 have been sighted ...

Acer launching $800 Iconia W700 Windows 8 tablet on October 26 ( TechSpot 2012-10-04 )

Price of Acer Windows 8 Iconia W700 tablet starts at $799 ( NeoWin 2012-10-04 )

Hmmm ... Nice desktop or Laptop with i7 CPUs and gobs of RAM and massive HDD or a child's toy tablet, or maybe a yellow phone. Let me think ... Well, I just whipped up this little infographic to illustrate the big problem Microsoft and its partners are facing ...

[jaclaz]

Quote

What would you spend $700 to $800?

http://www.newegg.co...N82E16834230240
http://www.newegg.co...N82E16834215380
http://www.newegg.co...N82E16875561020
http://www.newegg.co...N82E16822510010
For a total amount of US$ 796.96 (+shipping)

jaclaz

[Tripredacus]

This OS is full of headaches already now that I am active in working with it every day. I can't even imagine what the ODMs are going through! Here's some more "deeper depressions"...

- The first boot experience is a wonder of technicolor. It has some color changing fade thing that I am now certain is the reason why it takes so long to boot. It sits around for 5 minutes "installing apps" even though there is only 1 "app" installed. I honestly have no idea what it is doing here as I wait for my squares to show up.

- .Net Framework 3.5 is not available in the OS, and the only way it seems you can get it is to be connected to the internet. So any programs that require it won't run and a box comes up saying it needs it. Maybe if you are lucky, the developer has made an updated version that does't need it. So far I am 1 for 1 with this scenario, which seems way too rosy to me.

- The Start Menu functionality still technically exists in the OS, which is strange since it isn't supposed to be there anymore right? For example, the OS will still run whatever is in the Startup folder after Explorer.exe launches. Since the ModernUI comes up right away, if that program is supposed to interact with the user, they won't ever see it unless they alt+tab or go to the Desktop "app" from the menu. You'd think with the Start Menu removed, the Startup folder shouldn't work... But also the entire Start Menu folder structure is still in the AppData folder, including shortcuts and everything you'd expect to see. I can see that leaving this behind would probably be helpful for legacy apps that have been adding stuff to the Start Menu for YEARS NOW... Which is not making me look forward to testing more apps!

- The Runonce registry key still works, as you would expect BUT it interferes with the ModernUI opening in some modes. It makes me think that this key is deprecated now... but yet again it still works. A different change is that now the Runonce key does not de-populate itself after executing whatever is in there. So anything you actually have as being "Run Once" will run every time the OS loads.

Update: The RunOnce behaviour is a little different, but it is not a problem the the registry key not being cleared. Partly a problem is due to AutoIT not being able to identify the OS properly, so some commands are not being run, specifically deleting the program that populates that registry key... hence why it appeared to not be deleted.

This post has been edited by Tripredacus: 05 October 2012 - 10:53 AM
Reason for edit: fixed error

[JorgeA]

Tripredacus, on 05 October 2012 - 08:40 AM, said:

- .Net Framework 3.5 is not available in the OS, and the only way it seems you can get it is to be connected to the internet. So any programs that require it won't run and a box comes up saying it needs it. Maybe if you are lucky, the developer has made an updated version that does't need it. So far I am 1 for 1 with this scenario, which seems way too rosy to me.

Tripredacus,

Can you fill me in on that one? I'm not sure how that's different from the way things are with earlier editions of Windows. The only way to get a different .NET version is via the Internet, no?

I still need to finish waking up, so I'm probably missing something really obvious here. ( @CoffeeFiend, can you e-mail me some of your brew? )

Keep us posted on new impressions and headaches as you keep working with Win8...

--JorgeA

[jaclaz]

JorgeA, on 05 October 2012 - 09:13 AM, said:

I still need to finish waking up, so I'm probably missing something really obvious here. ( @CoffeeFiend, can you e-mail me some of your brew? )

In case of need:



jaclaz

[Tripredacus]

JorgeA, on 05 October 2012 - 09:13 AM, said:

Tripredacus, on 05 October 2012 - 08:40 AM, said:

- .Net Framework 3.5 is not available in the OS, and the only way it seems you can get it is to be connected to the internet. So any programs that require it won't run and a box comes up saying it needs it. Maybe if you are lucky, the developer has made an updated version that does't need it. So far I am 1 for 1 with this scenario, which seems way too rosy to me.

Tripredacus,

Can you fill me in on that one? I'm not sure how that's different from the way things are with earlier editions of Windows. The only way to get a different .NET version is via the Internet, no?

--JorgeA

No you are right. But there doesn't seem to be a stand-alone download for .Net Framework 3.5 for Windows 8 that I can use, instead it goes and get it from Windows Update. This is fine in a normal condition but for my work these computers never hit the internet... I do recall there is something from the ADK about it... Maybe I'll take a look-see.

[MagicAndre1981]

Tripredacus, on 05 October 2012 - 08:40 AM, said:

- The first boot experience is a wonder of technicolor.

Yes, this is so annoying. An epileptic can't install Windows 8. The box should include a warning about this crap!

Tripredacus, on 05 October 2012 - 08:40 AM, said:

- .Net Framework 3.5 is not available in the OS, and the only way it seems you can get it is to be connected to the internet.

You can use DISM.exe to install NetFx3 offline with the help of the ISO.

[JorgeA]

jaclaz, on 05 October 2012 - 09:41 AM, said:

JorgeA, on 05 October 2012 - 09:13 AM, said:

I still need to finish waking up, so I'm probably missing something really obvious here. ( @CoffeeFiend, can you e-mail me some of your brew? )

In case of need:



jaclaz

Ahhh -- that was refreshing! I sure needed it, thanks!

--JorgeA

[JorgeA]

Tripredacus, on 05 October 2012 - 10:55 AM, said:

But there doesn't seem to be a stand-alone download for .Net Framework 3.5 for Windows 8 that I can use, instead it goes and get it from Windows Update. This is fine in a normal condition but for my work these computers never hit the internet... I do recall there is something from the ADK about it... Maybe I'll take a look-see.

Oh, now I understand -- it was the standalone version that you had in mind.

Could be an oversight on MS's part, or maybe part of a strategy to push people "forward" to the latest and greatest.

--JorgeA

[JorgeA]

This would be the supreme irony:

Microsoft will be saved by open-source

It would be quite something if Classic Shell actually ended up helping to rescue Windows 8 from disaster:

Quote

And while advocating its use is the best thing for Windows users, it is also the worst thing that anyone can do, because that means perpetuating trends, putting up with nonsense, giving up, relenting, allowing companies, Microsoft included, to go wild with their contemporary manias

This is an issue that I wrestled with when thinking about starting the "Ways to get back the Start Button/Menu in Win8" thread: anything that makes Windows 8 more bearable to use, decreases its chances of failure. It was a close call, but ultimately I decided to put together the list for the benefit of those who (for whatever reason) get stuck with Win8.

Beyond that issue, the entire article is pretty incisive, for example with the following description of MS bigwigs' thinking process:

Quote

What grips your attention is a small semi-rival company somewhere producing software and hardware that is completely out of your league. You also notice the human apes everywhere flock to buy these products as if they cure cancer and increase manhood. You think to yourself, hey, there's another market segment we haven't exploited yet.

The big guys are now enthused. The only problem is, their entire business model so far has been based on everything else BUT this new market segment. So what's the easiest way of quickly adjusting to the new reality? You slap an exhaust muffler on your Honda Civic and you call it a sports car. You slap a would-be smartphone interface on your desktop and you call it Metro.

Read and find yourself nodding through the whole writeup.

--JorgeA

This post has been edited by JorgeA: 05 October 2012 - 11:38 PM

[Sysdll]

CharlotteTheHarlot, on 29 September 2012 - 03:40 AM, said:

With the advent of Windows 8, Microsoft introduces a new advertising canvas.[/b] We are kicking the old way of digital advertising to the curb with something fresh, modern, and revolutionary.

I'm embarrassed for the Microsoft employee who wrote this. "Kick it to the curb" was current slang about the time Windows 95 was out. This is the equivalent of someone in 1985 calling something "groovy" in a attempt to appeal to a younger generation. Modern and revolutionary it's not.

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

(Nice segue from Sysdll ). Speaking of Microsoft Advertising, a real barf-fest of a story comes out today. It can now be said that there are not one, but two goals with Windows 8 and Metro. The long term goal is the complete destruction of the wide open x86 universe, but in the shorter term is something akin to Microsoft TV where advertisers have multiple pipelines into your home of course channeled through Microsoft who will be the toll booth collector. This article really makes me want to hurl I was never surer than I am today that Microsoft should be broken up, the OS devs ripped out of there by the roots and placed far away from the rest of the company lest the Windows operating system evolves into the Windows advertising system. If this plays out without blowback from the customer base, the precedent will be set and the race for the bottom will accelerate with every other company, even Apple, Google and yes, Linux distros ...

Windows 8 in-app advertising shown off by Microsoft ( NeoWin 2012-10-05 )



I am completely ashamed at this article at Popular Mechanics, a magazine I have read since the 1960's. While the product may or may not be worthy of an award when it comes out, at the moment it is the literal definition of vaporware, since no-one has even placed a finger on these things, the specs are unknown, as is the price! I have never seen such a ridiculous thing written in advance of a product launch! Utterly disgraceful. This something I expect from Popular Science, not Popular Mechanics.

The Top 10 Tech Breakthroughs of 2012 :: Microsoft Surface + Windows 8 ( Popular Mechanics 2012-10-05 )

Popular Mechanics gives award to Windows 8 and Surface ( NeoWin 2012-10-05 )

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

THE NUMBERS GAME: Part-III ... Recall from earlier:

Windows 8 previews tested on over 16 million PCs ( NeoWin 2012-08-01 )

Quote

Windows 8 was the widest and most deeply tested OS in Microsoft's history according to Steven Sinofsky [Official Destroying Windows Blog], which he believes means that the world is ready for Windows 8 and its new workflow. Seeing as Windows 8 was tested so widely when compared to previous iterations of Windows, it should signify that Windows 8 will be another rock solid OS out of Redmond.

Windows 8 has five times less pre-release users than Windows 7 ( NeoWin 2012-10-02 )

Quote

"Alright, so Windows 8 isn’t even out yet – it shouldn’t matter how many people are using it, right? Well, that’s true to an extent, but a whopping 1.64% of Windows users felt like installing a pre-release version of Windows 7 a month before it was released. Compared to that, only about 0.33% of users are running Windows 8; five times less. To put that in perspective, Windows 7 already had as many users as Windows 8 six months before release."

Now we have a third installment in the Windows 8 alleged popularity sweepstakes ...

21 days and counting… ( WindowsDestroyersBlog 2012-10-04 )

Microsoft: Windows 8 received a billion hours of feedback ( NeoWin 2012-10-05 )

Quote

Across all the milestones we’ve announced for this reimagined version of the world’s best-selling operating system – Windows 8 is the most widely used and tested pre-release product we’ve ever delivered. Across every audience, Windows 8 has been downloaded and used by more people than Windows 7 during the same period. A billion hours of feedback telemetry has been collected from all our pre-releases combined. Since BUILD a year ago, there have been more than 750 Windows developer events held in over 50 countries worldwide – and more than 200,000 developers have attended those events. -- Brandon LeBlanc

Notice the perfectly matching talking points to what Sinofsky said earlier. Considering that they have completely ignored the all feedback as is obvious from the fact that almost nothing has changed since the original demonstrations, then the early leaks, then the DP, the CP, the RP and the RTM, all these numbers demonstrate is monumental arrogance and stubborn tunnel vision. A more accurate title would be ...Microsoft ignored a billion hours of feedback.

EDIT: stray tags

This post has been edited by CharlotteTheHarlot: 07 October 2012 - 03:42 AM

[Joseph_sw]

so, what happened to anti-something product?
did M$ bribe'em up to white-listing the OS sponsored ADWare?

[jaclaz]

I thought that Popular Mechanics were "serious" people, and not clowns, 3/4 of what they posted as the 10 best things in 2012 either do not exist or there is no way they actually could have tested 'em, I mean, we already have the good gizmodo guys for the news and for the "Press Communncations".

Casually, the image seen here:
http://windowsteambl...d-counting.aspx
has obviously been printed on the cubify printer (wirelessly), have a look at the actual cubify site:
http://cubify.com/index.aspx
And compare with the reference for the explanation for the Windows 8 NCI and logo:
http://www.msfn.org/...ost__p__1003049
http://www.msfn.org/...47#entry1008647

I know how it is good to introduce computers and stuff in primary school, but the idea was to do it because in due time the children would have grown up with some more knowledge, not that of having all humanity revert to primary school ....

jaclaz

This post has been edited by jaclaz: 06 October 2012 - 07:09 AM

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

First Acer Windows 8 PCs on sale now at HSN.com ( NeoWin 2012-10-08 )

This is kinda interesting. One retailer may have jumped the gun and put some Windows 8 computers for sale online. HSN ( aka the Home Shopping Network ) has 5 of them listed on this page, still listed as of this writing. Since it will probably be scrubbed, I nicked the pertinent info ...



I don't know about anyone else, but there isn't a thing there that strikes me as a good deal at all. 15" Laptop with i3 for $700 or 15" Laptop with i5 for $1000. WTF! Scroll up a few posts to see a 17" with i7 for $700. Jeez.

I'll be the first to admit that we have no way of distinguishing the Microsoft Tax from the HSN Tax. But having said that, aren't we lucky they removed the DVD MPEG2 Decoders to in an effort to save us money? Thanks Team B&S!

EDIT: yep, Microsoft got to them. See post # 1109 below.

This post has been edited by CharlotteTheHarlot: 09 October 2012 - 03:50 AM

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

Windows 8 Pro price listed at $188 through Volume Licensing ( NeoWin 2012-10-07 )

Sorry to repeat myself but aren't we lucky they removed the DVD MPEG2 Decoders to in an effort to save us money? Thanks Team B&S! Nice little dust-up in comments over there. All it takes someone to say: "not even free..." to get the fanboys all butt-hurt.

One of the interesting things to watch unfold in the Windows 8 saga has been how Microsoft roped in Nokia as one of their flagships. They were in a bit of trouble prior to signing onto to this likely trainwreck, and many speculated Microsoft will just swallow up the company eventually ( MicroNokia has a bit of a ring to it ). Over at NeoWin they have very high hopes for Nokia and their Lumias since they must understand that an epic failure here will be a VERY bad sign for Windows 8. Up in Redmond, WP8 must certainly be considered a linchpin in their modern plan for world domination. What Microsoft has done thus far in the phone market has been nothing short of embarrassing, as a NeoWin article from October 3 drives home: ComScore: Microsoft's US mobile phone market share has dropped.

For MicroNokia, early indications and word on the street has not been good at all. These are the danger ahead articles over at Fanboy Central just in the past month ...

Nokia stock down 15% following Windows Phone announcements ( NeoWin 2012-09-05 )

Nokia apologizes for misleading Lumia PureView video ( NeoWin 2012-09-06 )

Nokia CEO: "No indications" Microsoft is making its own phone ( NeoWin 2012-10-02 )

Nokia confirms sell off Finland HQ buildings [Update] ( NeoWin 2012-10-03 )

Major bank downgrades Nokia again, recommends break-up and sell-off ( NeoWin 2012-10-04 )

Nokia's VP of Product Marketing departs, investors dissapointed with 920 announcement ( NeoWin 2012-10-07 )

AT&T Lumias get reduced battery life estimates ( NeoWin 2012-10-07 )

I should point out that I personally have nothing against Nokia at all and would welcome more competition in all the tech markets. The 920 looks kinda nice except for the Metro GUI. But all the glamor shots have been of the same blind-man themed GUI with yellow tiles and white icons and text. It's as if they want to fail! This photo still exists at the website ...



Good luck with that. Not really.

[JorgeA]

CharlotteTheHarlot, on 08 October 2012 - 02:09 AM, said:

First Acer Windows 8 PCs on sale now at HSN.com ( NeoWin 2012-10-08 )

[...]

I don't know about anyone else, but there isn't a thing there that strikes me as a good deal at all. 15" Laptop with i3 for $700 or 15" Laptop with i5 for $1000. WTF! Scroll up a few posts to see a 17" with i7 for $700. Jeez.

I'll be the first to admit that we have no way of distinguishing the Microsoft Tax from the HSN Tax. But having said that, aren't we lucky they removed the DVD MPEG2 Decoders to in an effort to save us money? Thanks Team B&S!

If the laptops feature touch screens, we also have to factor in the cost of that technology. So... extra $$$ (possibly) shelled out for the opportunity to keep your arm constantly extended in ergonomically dubious ways.

--JorgeA