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The End of Windows

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Re: The End of Windows

#81

Post by djsumdog »

ynniv wrote: post #48

This seems like a ridiculous strategy. Who would abandon an ecosystem that they own over 80% of? If they're spending too much money on it, stop adding features and harden what they already have. It's increasingly clear that macOS isn't business-level stable, and Linux isn't polished... No one has an Android device on their desk at work. Maybe if they stopped trying to take over the world they would realize that they…

I agree. I wish Microsoft would focus on Windows 11 and not think of Win10 as the last Windows, thereby flooding it with adware non-sense.

There are still a lot of tech heads and gamers that depend on Windows and will continue to buy into the platform. I even know hard core Linux devs who've switched back to Win10 and just work off of the new Linux Subsystem and an X11 server.

With Android being a clusterfuck of vendor specific bloatware and not having a single concept of a clean install, Microsoft should focus on keeping a clean Windows install equivalent to a fresh Mac install.

Re: The End of Windows

#82

Post by JustSomeNobody »

jacquesm wrote: post #11
walterbell wrote: post #4

Dear Microsoft, If you’re not using the PC, can we have it back? — General Purpose Computing

General Purpose Computing using PC's is a thing because of Microsoft (and IBM). Without those two there would have never been a PC in the first place. The forces against general purpose computing are to be found on 1 infinite loop and 1600 Amphitheatre parkway.

> Without those two there would have never been a PC in the first place.

Can you clarify that statement? My memory of computing history include other types of personal computers during and around that time.

Re: The End of Windows

#84

Post by isostatic »

pjmlp wrote: post #36
andybak wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I rode a PC wave that nearly completely bypassed IBM/Microsoft: 1. The "home" computer boom: ZX Spectrums, Acorn, Commodore, Atari with maybe an Apple II or a CPM machines for more serious use. 2. The Atari ST or Amiga wave. WIMP and productivity software as well as gaming and content creation 3. At this point I did switch to Windows but I could just have easily switched to Mac. Apple didn't cease to be a force at an…

> Apple didn't cease to be a force at any stage. They maintained a strong base in home use and content creation only losing the enterprise. They almost went bankrupt around 1994. If it wasn't for Microsoft money and the merge with NeXT bringing Jobs back, they would have been gone. Up to iPod's success Apple was meaningless pretty much everywhere outside US.

It's amazing how much they nearly lost it all. In the late 80s early 90s apple was a fairly common sight in education, 10 years later it was windows everywhere outside of degree level STEM (where it was *nix of some sort)

Re: The End of Windows

#85

Post by djsumdog »

asveikau wrote: post #33

I still can't wrap my head around everything that was wrongheaded about Windows 8, and I was working there for most of its dev cycle. One wonders what would have happened if they just sort of let Windows be Windows. I.e. if they had continued iterating on core stuff but left UI and general philosophy resembling Win7's trajectory and not tried to force people into WinRT/UWP/store. Even though Win10 attempted correctiv…

or if Windows 8 had set one UI default for tablets and the other default for desktops. The OS was faster and had better load times. It was a far cry from the failure of Windows Vista. It was just that start menu that really killed it for most people.

Re: The End of Windows

#86

Post by mediocrejoker »

What I don't understand is, with Apple and Microsoft moving to "services" business-models, who do they see as providing the hardware for this future they envision? I don't think we are near the point where either laptops or phones are a commodity. If nobody want to make hardware their first priority, how is anyone going to ensure the best experience for the customers using their serviceS?

Re: The End of Windows

#87

Post by ckaygusu »

ynniv wrote: post #48

This seems like a ridiculous strategy. Who would abandon an ecosystem that they own over 80% of? If they're spending too much money on it, stop adding features and harden what they already have. It's increasingly clear that macOS isn't business-level stable, and Linux isn't polished... No one has an Android device on their desk at work. Maybe if they stopped trying to take over the world they would realize that they…

> macOS isn't business-level stable.

Can you elaborate this assertion? As far as stability goes, macs are top notch. I'd say in the business context Windows machines are prevalent because of successful MS strategies (in terms of marketing, not ethics) in 1995-2005 era, and it kind of stuck around.

Re: The End of Windows

#88

Post by ekianjo »

maxxxxx wrote: post #73
ekianjo wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This has nothing to do with Linux, rather with the publishers who decide not to support Linux or any particular distro at least.

Sure. It's not the direct fault of Linux but it prevents wider adoption by non tech users.

Let's not forget that most non-tech users can do almost everything they need nowadays in the browser.

Re: The End of Windows

#89

Post by rootusrootus »

jsty wrote: post #17
twoquestions wrote: post #2

So are mom and pop businesses using Chromebooks and Ipads to do their accounting now? Last I checked Windows was still pretty dominant in both Enterprise and midsize businesses, though I could see a food truck being run from a phone (theoretically).

Anecdata: most of the SMBs I know are using web/cloud-based accounting products, and like it for varying reasons (not having to manage / upgrade the software, easy to collaborate with their accountant) but a major one is being able to access their accounts from anything with a web browser.

As a counterpoint, my wife runs her own bookkeeping business and pretty much all of her clients are using Quickbooks on Windows workstations, with no real desire to try anything new. I know a couple people myself that are using cloud-based accounting products but they seem to be the exception. In both cases they are tech businesses, which perhaps makes them more open to trying something new than a typical small business.

Re: The End of Windows

#90

Post by pjc50 »

pjmlp wrote: post #18
bigmanwalter wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Linux on desktop is pretty amazing. Haven't looked back in 3 years.

Yep, the other day I was also pretty amazed how using VS Code alongside Rust, for writing a Gtk-rs application, managed to hang X forcing me to reboot the whole thing. With the open source AMD drivers.

One of the more amazing bits of technology in Windows is that which allows the graphics drivers to crash and restart without taking down the system. They've spent so long fighting buggy third parties that this is the solution.
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