My speculation is that they are doing this so that they can offer subsidies on the hardware.
Isn't that dangerously close to anti-competitive behavior? (i mean noticeably enough to get attention)
Microsoft Bans Linux/Android Dual-Booting on Windows 8 ARM Devices
101–110 of 137 posts
Re: Microsoft Bans Linux/Android Dual-Booting on Windows 8 ARM Devices
#102I assume Microsoft will want to have secure booting devices that ship with Windows, because Hollywood and other content producers require a secure OS so their DRM is safer. If they would allow non-secure boot, it might be difficult or impossible to get video and music content licensed from the major producers on the platform.
Or what? Hollywood will boycott the entire world?
Re: Microsoft Bans Linux/Android Dual-Booting on Windows 8 ARM Devices
#103Like iOS. Why the shock headline?
Because the iOS policy is unethical (the machine belongs to the user, not apple), and now Microsoft is (attempting) to do it too. The only way to stop unethical behavior is to punish them. The Library of Congress already ruled that this behavior is unethical, now manufacturers need to be pressured.
For reference as the parent of your comment, I agree 100%
I do however see disparity with general opinion and what is right, which is slightly worrying, hence the original point.
Re: Microsoft Bans Linux/Android Dual-Booting on Windows 8 ARM Devices
#104I've said this before and I'll say it again: Microsoft isn't doing this to ban Ubuntu / Linux in general, but to prevent Android from spreading. With ICS being a great OS, many (tech) folks would simply dual-boot ICS on their WinRT devices.
Virtualization is better than dual boot anyway. MS better make it run well virtualized.
For reference, it absolutely fucking sucks under virtualization.
Re: Microsoft Bans Linux/Android Dual-Booting on Windows 8 ARM Devices
#105Earlier quoted context omitted.
Apple makes their own devices. Microsoft is forcing OEMs who would allow dual booting to restrict user choice because they'd rather not compete.
So, if Microsoft bought up Nokia or HTC and made their own Windows RT tablets, people will be better off with no hardware choice like with iOS and there would be no complaining here? If a company wants to enhance competition between its hardware partners and a hardware choice to the public, they should be forced to not license it on their own terms?
Microsoft have pretty much bought up Nokia.
rubs his Lumia 710 affectionately
Re: Microsoft Bans Linux/Android Dual-Booting on Windows 8 ARM Devices
#106It gives me great excuse not to use Microsoft Windows then!
Re: Microsoft Bans Linux/Android Dual-Booting on Windows 8 ARM Devices
#107Apparently as consumers we don't own anything anymore, we are just renting it from our corporate overlords.
You don't have to buy these machines. If you choose to buy it, you've bought a Windows 8 machine and have paid for it. It's not like MS promised you a dual-bootable machine and sold you a single-bootable machine. You know what you're getting, and you can choose whether or not it fits your needs.
Re: Microsoft Bans Linux/Android Dual-Booting on Windows 8 ARM Devices
#108I think the real issue with this is that it stops manufacturers from bundling Windows RT with Android. Take Asus for example. They've just made their "big" announcement which everyone thought it would be a dual-booting Windows RT/Android machine, and it turns out it's just Windows with the Bluestacks program that can make it run Android apps inside Windows. I find that pretty silly, and I don't see a real reason why…
You're absolutely right. This announcement is all about money more than OS religion.
The expectation and Microsoft's fear was that manufacturers would take the marketing money (i.e. the Win8 subsidy) that Microsoft is paying out the wazoo and hedge OS bets by also including Android. Acer and Asus don't care what OS they run so long as it keeps them in the race against Apple. They're happy to let Microsoft pay them money to market their devices if it means they have to include "apps" (and in this case app := OS).
Microsoft wasn't willing to subsidize devices that run Android because it views Android as a competitor rather than an enemy-of-my-enemy. Given Apple's clear cost advantage, it would have been interesting to see such a Android+Win8+subsidy bet play out. Microsoft might have been able to dislodge marketshare enough during the year that Microsoft comes out ahead next year with SP1. Alas, the business case will slightly less interesting.
Re: Microsoft Bans Linux/Android Dual-Booting on Windows 8 ARM Devices
#109I've said this before and I'll say it again: Microsoft isn't doing this to ban Ubuntu / Linux in general, but to prevent Android from spreading. With ICS being a great OS, many (tech) folks would simply dual-boot ICS on their WinRT devices.
Virtualization is better than dual boot anyway. MS better make it run well virtualized.
On hardware that's powerful enough to handle virtualization well, sure.
It looks like ARM has gotten some virtualization extensions recently, but I still have my doubts as to how pleasant the experience would be on sub 1.5GHz processors.
Re: Microsoft Bans Linux/Android Dual-Booting on Windows 8 ARM Devices
#110The quotations say nothing of the sort. A vendor could provide a dual-boot device providing they have an Android bootloader signed with Microsoft's signing key, which is a service that Microsoft will be providing. A more open question is whether any of the existing Linux vendors will be doing this. Fedora is willing to use Microsoft's signing service for x86 because users will be able to disable the feature or enrol…
"...a service that Microsoft will be providing." It's now a 'service' to unlock the 'universal' in the 'universal Turing Machine' in my hand?!
a patent-pending service as well