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Ask HN: What do you want to tell Microsoft?

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Re: Ask HN: What do you want to tell Microsoft?

#31

Post by rakkhi »

siglesias wrote: post #25
listic wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Care to explain how come Chrome OS is dead?

Because netbooks are not the future of ultraportable computing; tablets are, and Chrome OS is primarily part of a mouse and keyboard driven paradigm. Also it is making increasingly little sense for Google to support two divergent operating systems.

That is ridiculous why wouldn't Chrome OS run perfectly on a Tablet? e.g. HTC: http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/203564/htc_pla...

Also why not try Chrome OS first before you say it is dead: http://chromeos.hexxeh.net/

Combined with office.live.com I have everything I need for 95% of my needs.

Re: Ask HN: What do you want to tell Microsoft?

#32

Post by Khao »

The main point that could be a real changer for me (being a web developper) is : Make sure everybody has the latest version of your free softwares (and I'm really thinking about internet explorer here). It's a real pain to have to support IE6 still because our clients use it and now that IE9 is coming out, we know how it will take years for everyone to switch. Their release cycle is completely broken and they will be left in the dust by competitors if they keep doing this.

Re: Ask HN: What do you want to tell Microsoft?

#33

Post by pornel »

Tichy wrote: post #13

Don't copy the bad aspects of OS X, only the good ones. In turn, don't throw out the good aspects of Windows (XP), only the bad ones. Not everything Apple does is good - make up your own mind. (I hate how Windows 7 removed the likeable things about Windows XP and introduced the annoying things about OS X).

and don't copy only superficial aspects of things. Flip 3D outdone Expose on fancy window-flying, but didn't copy any of its usability.

Re: Ask HN: What do you want to tell Microsoft?

#35

Post by Tichy »

petewailes wrote: post #18
Tichy wrote: post #13

Don't copy the bad aspects of OS X, only the good ones. In turn, don't throw out the good aspects of Windows (XP), only the bad ones. Not everything Apple does is good - make up your own mind. (I hate how Windows 7 removed the likeable things about Windows XP and introduced the annoying things about OS X).

Could you provide examples of things you like/don't like in OSX and XP?

OS X: can't deal with the Finder. I frequently don't know how to navigate to an upper directory, for example. I have troubles with the task bar, too (sometimes somehow I can't drag stuff into applications). I miss the show desktop button. I don't like that Apps stay open when I press "X" and I have to close them all with CMD+Q instead. Cut+Paste does not exist. It's all little things, but they add up.

Windows 7: now the same problems with the finder. Impossible to find anything without utilising desktop search. No show desktop button anymore. Failed to copy the task bar appropriately: now to start a second command shell, from the task bar, I have to right click the icon. Noobs simply can't remember to use the right mouse button.

Windows XP: flawed security model (everybody ends up running it as Administrator).

Must admit that it has been a while since I worked with XP, but I remember that they had some touches that were actually useful. Apple does not go for useful touches, just pretty ones.

Re: Ask HN: What do you want to tell Microsoft?

#36

Post by CWIZO »

* you still have time to do the right thing with IE9 to introduce chrome like auto-update, and shorten your 2 year release cycle to at least half a year

* don't drop support for xbox 360 as soon as the next one comes out, that really hurt with the first one

* windows is a great development platform if you work with Microsoft tools. Make it more friendly for other technologies to. For instance: make a unix/linux compatible shell, so I can use all the tools, that I now have to ssh to some server, locally (cygwin is a pain in the ass).

* for the love of all that is holy do something about IE6&7

Re: Ask HN: What do you want to tell Microsoft?

#39

Post by jacquesm »

You want strategy? Ok, here is strategy:

Do something bold for a change, really bold. Open source windows or office, do whatever scares you most and then make a go of it. With the talent pool you've got there you should easily be able to out-compete the market when you've done something like that, it will go a long way towards getting forgiveness for deeds done in the past and it will align your goals with the world much better than where you are today.

If this scares you realize that in the longer term this is where software is going to be. Developers have wised up to lock-in and other tricks and corporations are more and more moving to solutions that they control. The writing has been on the wall for years.

Oh, and stop funding stooges to attack third parties.

Re: Ask HN: What do you want to tell Microsoft?

#40

Post by rakkhi »

points wrote: post #28
siglesias wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because netbooks are not the future of ultraportable computing; tablets are, and Chrome OS is primarily part of a mouse and keyboard driven paradigm. Also it is making increasingly little sense for Google to support two divergent operating systems.

That's just ridiculous. Is this theonion.com ? Step outside the bubble for a second. Most people don't have tablets, and don't want tablets.

I think he is probably drawing on sources like this: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1698213

That has best buy saying tablets are cannibalizing their netbook revenue. This does not mean that netbooks or laptops are dead - personally for the current price I find something like an ACER1215N a lot better value for my usecases than an ipad. This is primarily due to the the HDMI out, USB input for storage, rich client gaming and the fact that I can run any VM for any OS I want. For running MS office / Openoffice also the tactile keyboard is handy without paying for additional accessories.

If there are others like my netbooks/laptops may decline but not die completely, I would suggest a 60/40 split in 3 years tablets/laptops respectively.

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