The fear of Linux took them at last.
I would say moreover the fear of Google.
With Free Version of Windows, Microsoft Gives In to the Google Way
31–40 of 155 posts
Re: With Free Version of Windows, Microsoft Gives In to the Google Way
#32[deleted]
Re: With Free Version of Windows, Microsoft Gives In to the Google Way
#33Earlier quoted context omitted.
Your interest and Microsoft's interests haven't been aligned in years. Your interest is to keep an OS supported. Microsoft's interest is to release Browser and DirectX updates only for the latest-and-greatest, so that you'd updgrade. Your interest is an open ecosystem. Microsoft's interest is to have a closed garden. (They haven't been successful with that one, but they're trying). Your interest might be a usable Des…
>Your interest is to keep an OS supported. That's not true. It's in your interest to benefit from improvements in software quality. (Certain "upgrades" from Microsoft have been anything but that, but we've certainly come a long way since Windows ME.) A product encumbered by technical debt is going to be weaker. There are certain well-defined, self-contained systems where never changing makes sense - things that will…
You copied half of my paragraph. I was specifically referring to Microsoft refusing to support DirectX and new Browsers on older operating systems.
The limitation was definitely not technical - Chrome and Firefox supported 2000 and XP years after Microsoft stopped.
> > Your interest is to keep an OS supported.
> That's not true.
That's basically always true (even if you quoted me out of context) - it is always your interest to upgrade at your leisure. Unless you are of the general belief that you should be forced to do things that are considered good for you (e.g. forced physical exercise, forced removal of sugar or salt from dishes, etc)
Re: With Free Version of Windows, Microsoft Gives In to the Google Way
#34Actually a free Windows OS would actually be great. Here in India, Pirated Windows OS are like as common as mosquitoes. No one but Microsoft was losing in all this. The price of Windows is generally prohibitively high and was by no way affordable to home and even small business users. The only option was to pirate them or use Ubuntu.
People walk in to buy a laptop, check the difference in price for Laptops with Windows OS and Laptops without them. Often the difference is in the range 7 to 8 thousand rupees. The obvious option is Pirate Windows OS or Ubuntu.
Instead of making it totally free. Microsoft can even charge a reasonable price and I can assure you people will pay it. The problem was never with Microsoft or Windows. The problem was always affordability.
If only Microsoft can make Windows affordable, they can kill all competitors instantly.
Re: With Free Version of Windows, Microsoft Gives In to the Google Way
#35Earlier quoted context omitted.
You can script the OS and application install with WDS, SCCM, and AD. Just because you can't or won't do it doesn't mean it can't be done.
That's almost funny. I was too lazy to do things properly (kickstart script, etc.) so I have a bash script with about 10 "apt-get install" lines that set up everything I want on Ubuntu or debian, and a few more "echo" lines that configure 90% of my other preferences. 50 line scripts that contain very little other than the names of the programs I want or the configuration I want. Let's say I just got a new computer wi…
I would use chocolatey nuget http://chocolatey.org. That's how I set up my last machine. Didn't think to a make it a .bat file, but I will next time I build a new machine.
Re: With Free Version of Windows, Microsoft Gives In to the Google Way
#36As a Microsoft customer, this alienates me from them. Paid software means that our interests are aligned: I want good software and Microsoft wants to make good software so that I buy it. Free commercial software means that I'll have to pay through other means, typically means that I'll have less control over.
Microsoft is a business. Their interests and your interests have never and will never be aligned. They may occasionally release products which can solve your needs - but their interest in this case is to extract the maximum amount of money from you in exchange for solving your need. Solving the need has never been an explicit interest in itself.
Moving to an advertising based pricing model doesn't change any alignment. They still need to fulfill your need or you won't use their software which means they won't get paid by advertisers. They still don't have your interests at heart, but will not do anything to directly lose you as a 'customer' if they believe there are methods of extracting revenue from you.
Microsoft's main customer base has never been the end user anyway, you were merely collateral to getting them inroads into the lucrative enterprise markets which requires that employees coming into enterprise positions are already familiar with Microsoft's technology.
Re: With Free Version of Windows, Microsoft Gives In to the Google Way
#37Earlier quoted context omitted.
That's almost funny. I was too lazy to do things properly (kickstart script, etc.) so I have a bash script with about 10 "apt-get install" lines that set up everything I want on Ubuntu or debian, and a few more "echo" lines that configure 90% of my other preferences. 50 line scripts that contain very little other than the names of the programs I want or the configuration I want. Let's say I just got a new computer wi…
I just use the same old .exe that I generate from ninite.com. It takes just one click and I have all my favorite apps running. I just need to install VS2013 and are good to go. It can't be more simple than this.
Just looked at ninite again (after having not done so in years) and was pleasantly surprised - although it's still very pale compared to Debian's 20k strong packages.
But it's definitely a good start.
(It can be simpler than this - it is, on modern Linux)
Re: With Free Version of Windows, Microsoft Gives In to the Google Way
#38If you want to see what the future of free operating systems looks like, watch free network TV. This isn't a good trend; who will be the HBO of operating systems?
Except we know that good free operating systems are possible because I am writing this comment from one.
Re: With Free Version of Windows, Microsoft Gives In to the Google Way
#39As a Microsoft customer, this alienates me from them. Paid software means that our interests are aligned: I want good software and Microsoft wants to make good software so that I buy it. Free commercial software means that I'll have to pay through other means, typically means that I'll have less control over.
Your interest and Microsoft's interests haven't been aligned in years. Your interest is to keep an OS supported. Microsoft's interest is to release Browser and DirectX updates only for the latest-and-greatest, so that you'd updgrade. Your interest is an open ecosystem. Microsoft's interest is to have a closed garden. (They haven't been successful with that one, but they're trying). Your interest might be a usable Des…
>Your interest is an open ecosystem. Microsoft's interest is to have a closed garden. (They haven't been successful with that one, but they're trying).
I might get some heat for this but I must say Windows is still the OS with the least closed garden or heck even a garden. To get even the legitimate and popular x86 applications you still have to manually browse to websites and download it. You can install whatever you want whether it has a digital signature or not and yes it also includes the plentitude of crapwares and spywares.
>Your interest might be a usable Desktop OS like Win7. Microsoft's interest is to ram their touch interface down your throat so that you'd get used to it.
Or maybe some people like a touch OS with their touchscreen laptop and its just MS thinking forward? I don't know what other OS can you recommend that is touch friendly for my Surface pro?
>You already have NO control. You're already paying through other means. You might have had an illusion of control taken away from you - but that's a good thing.
No sure what you mean by this. I don't see MS cloud apps and ads preinstalled on my OS. I don't see it being sponsored by Amazon shopping experience either. The only crap that comes pre installed is done by the manufactures but MS can't even do anything about it, thanks to the anti-trust decisions.
Re: With Free Version of Windows, Microsoft Gives In to the Google Way
#40"Google offers free OSes to computer and phone makers as a way of driving the use of its search engine and countless other web services, and now, Microsoft is at least experimenting with the idea of doing much the same thing. According to the report, its free operating system is known as Windows 8.1 With Bing. As the name implies, the OS is meant to feed the use of Microsoft’s own search engine, as well as other Micr…
>I can script the installation of software I need to develop with. I've d...
This is a serious problem with Linux'es. Seriously, what user base is Linux optimizing for? Nearly 100% of the people using a computer don't have to ever do such a thing ever.
People use computers to get work done, or get some entertainment. Not play with their guts. Imagine if your TV or Washing Machine, or even you Car required you to have deep understanding of Electronics or mechanical engineering to just get them working.
I'm sure we people who call ourselves hackers wouldn't touch such a thing with a 10 foot pole.