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Microsoft Surface Studio

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Re: Microsoft Surface Studio

#161

Post by reitanqild »

WayneBro wrote: post #33
jhwhite wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

MS is definitely taking the steps in the hardware department that Apple has been lagging behind on. But I still feel Windows itself is not a productive OS. I'm big on keyboard shortcuts but MS is very much mouse based. Being required to use my pinky to try and hit CTRL instead of my thumb to hit COMMAND to do simple things like copy and paste is HUGE to me. I didn't use a Windows machine for 3 years and when I did ne…

> I'm big on keyboard shortcuts but MS is very much mouse based. Incorrect. You can operate the entirety of Windows with just the keyboard. Please tell me what you cannot do with the keyboard in Windows and I'll straighten you out. OS X/macOS is definitely worse with regards to keyboard acceleration. For instance, here's a glaring omission on Apple's part: try opening any window from the menu bar (e.g. the BetterSnap…

I came to Mac in 2009 expecting great keyboard shortcuts because of everything I had heard.

IMO they were fewer and less consistent than Windows and Linux shortcuts at the time and a huge disappointment.

(Example: no consistent way of selecting from cursor to end of line - there was no end button and which modifier to use varied with the application you used...! I have joked that the superior touchpad on the Mac is an adaptation to make it usable despite its inconsistent keyboard shorcut handling.)

Re: Microsoft Surface Studio

#162

Post by existencebox »

maxsilver wrote: post #139
existencebox wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Disclaimer: msftie. I don't buy that, despite how much I hear it. there are a few situations I'd agree that if you don't have the first-to-market advantage you're basically fucked (social networking being a prime one, any system where network effect dominates). And while people cite apps as being the "network-effect-esque" factor in this case, I'm not sure I buy that. Looking at data of how many people NEVER use a si…

The problem with that philosophy is Microsoft already tried that path for years. Windows Phone 7, 7.5, 8, and 8.1 were all about "not everyone needs lots of apps" and "let's be awesome in ways uniquely different than iPhone". Microsoft's Lumia 640 was your "working mans smartphone", a small, robust, non-feature-obsessed phone that was silly cheap (roughly $100 US) and felt better designed and outperformed Android pho…

You make a fair point; I don't make my observation from any internal knowledge, but from a perception of how the win-phone stood as an option during the time period you cite, namely that it didn't fit the needs I described. The lumia 640 was still larger, missing a removable battery, and very tied to the MS ecosystem; in that time period some of the early droids had these functionalities + the sliding keyboard + smaller form factor at a comparable price point. Now, that last point re: non-MS ecosystem may shoot my thesis in the foot from a pragmatic standpoint, but again, I'm talking "pipe dream getting foot into market" here.

I would emphasize my point re: less viable competition for the niche I'm describing though, since as you say "perhaps now is different"; I'm certainly having a much harder time finding my next phone upgrade that fits my criteria now than I felt like I had in 2009~ and in 2012~.

Re: Microsoft Surface Studio

#163

Post by stupidcar »

Osiris wrote: post #83
mhomde wrote: post #71

I can't but feel sad that Microsoft somehow is dropping the ball on mobile despite them having been, briefly, in a prime position to succeed. They've executed well with their "One platform"-strategy. UWP is great and with the new composition API their finally moving into being able to compete in the modern software arena. Meanwhile on the hardware side Panos is basically doing what Apple should have been doing if the…

They were in mobile from the beginning with Windows CE. Balmer thought the iPhone was a joke and they so they didn't try to adapt. By the time they did, Android and iOS had hundreds of thousands of apps. So they are in a catch-22, they can't gain marketshare because they don't have enough apps and no one will write apps for it because they don't have any marketshare. I think their strategy so far is good. Get Windows…

Microsoft were late to the smartphone OS market, but they were making headway. In 2013 they were back into double digit market share in many countries, and the numbers were heading in the right direction. Then Ballmer left, Nadella took over, and they just... gave up.

OK, so they still had a long way to go before they displaced Android. But iOS only has ~30% of the market, and nobody is suggesting Apple give up on mobile because they're not the dominant player.

In the 90s, Microsoft were notorious for entering existing markets, usually with a substandard product, then grinding their way to a leading position. Even if it took years, even if they lost a lot of money at first, and even it took a few product cycles for them to become competitive, they stuck at it, and it eventually paid off.

This strategy worked for web browsers, office software, and console gaming. Would it have worked for smartphones? Maybe, maybe not. But I'd argue the signs were positive, and that they gave up before we really got a chance to see for sure. I mean, they've kept Bing alive for years, despite only having made minor headway against Google, and web search being a far less existentially vital market to them than operating systems.

Now, the problem with Microsoft's current strategy is that consumer IT is heading towards smartphones being the only device most people ever own or use. Desktops, laptops and tablets are becoming niche devices in comparison. It doesn't matter how great your UWP apps are if 90% the market doesn't own or use a device that can run them.

Re: Microsoft Surface Studio

#164

Post by csomar »

lucisferre wrote: post #125
jordache wrote: post #120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple these days are designed for optimal usage of iTunes and Safari. It is no longer the platform of choice for creative content creation.

Surprisingly, two of the worst pieces of software that come with OSX. I would love it if they were really optimizing anything about iTunes.

Indeed. Safari is lagging behind, it's like IE in the old days. iTunes is the shittiest App I have interacted with in the OSX eco-system.

Re: Microsoft Surface Studio

#165

Post by blakeyrat »

existencebox wrote: post #115
novaleaf wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They arn't in a prime position to succeed with mobile. Not anymore. That ship sailed 3+ years ago.

Disclaimer: msftie. I don't buy that, despite how much I hear it. there are a few situations I'd agree that if you don't have the first-to-market advantage you're basically fucked (social networking being a prime one, any system where network effect dominates). And while people cite apps as being the "network-effect-esque" factor in this case, I'm not sure I buy that. Looking at data of how many people NEVER use a si…

I dunno. Microsoft's problem is that they kind of seem to give up on a technology and let it wither away.

People were excited about it, it was making forward/upward progress for a few years. Microsoft bought Nokia, and people got even more excited.

Then what happened? Years passed with no flagship phone, literally no reason from me to move on from my Nokia 1020 because there was no hardware to move to. Then they announce that older models weren't getting the Windows 10 update, which was another nail in the coffin (not to mention a big "fuck you" to the fans that have stuck with Windows Phone this long). Now we're hearing basically... nothing at all about anything.

I loved Windows Phone 7 on my HTC Titan II, and I love Windows Phone 8 on my Nokia 1020. But unless a really killer new phone is in stores before January 1st, there's basically no way I can stick with Windows Phone for my next phone.

Re: Microsoft Surface Studio

#166

Post by sergiotapia »

A shame the OS is just terrible. Windows 10 is so hostile to me as a user, constantly pestering me about updates or missing DLL files. Bleh. I installed Plex in January, today after not booting my machine for about a month, I wanted to watch a video and got some random DLL missing.

How a DLL can go missing while the box is turned off is a mystery to me, but there you go. I don't trust my Windows box.

I trust my iMac much much more.

Re: Microsoft Surface Studio

#167

Post by thecolorblue »

nailer wrote: post #18
laurent123456 wrote: post #11

With its Subsystem for Linux aimed at developers and now this desktop PC for designers, it seems Microsoft is quickly catching up with Apple. Now if they could release a good alternative to the MacBook Pro that would be great.

Surface Book is brilliant. Solid as a rock, keyboard better than a Mac. Battery life in tablet mode sucks, but as a laptop it's excellent.

The battery life in tablet mode is only bad when you leave it detached (at least for me).

Re: Microsoft Surface Studio

#168

Post by blakeyrat »

mhomde wrote: post #135
existencebox wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Disclaimer: msftie. I don't buy that, despite how much I hear it. there are a few situations I'd agree that if you don't have the first-to-market advantage you're basically fucked (social networking being a prime one, any system where network effect dominates). And while people cite apps as being the "network-effect-esque" factor in this case, I'm not sure I buy that. Looking at data of how many people NEVER use a si…

I think the main thing holding MS back is that people are doubting their commitment to mobile. It's so weird, they finally clawed their way to a position where there most of the "must have" apps finally are on the platform (snapchat being the exeption) and then Microsoft went into a kind of "wait-and-see"-pattern where they didn't seem to want to over invest or put too much into it. The reality might be one thing but…

I just wrote a post making this same point, but you did it so much better. Thanks.

Re: Microsoft Surface Studio

#169

Post by Osmium »

dom96 wrote: post #78
WayneBro wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I'm big on keyboard shortcuts but MS is very much mouse based. Incorrect. You can operate the entirety of Windows with just the keyboard. Please tell me what you cannot do with the keyboard in Windows and I'll straighten you out. OS X/macOS is definitely worse with regards to keyboard acceleration. For instance, here's a glaring omission on Apple's part: try opening any window from the menu bar (e.g. the BetterSnap…

A slightly different example that infuriates me about macOS. How do I toggle the visibility of hidden files in Finder? To be honest I don't know if there is a shortcut for this in Windows, but what infuriates me is the inconsistency between Finder and the native macOS file browser dialog which allows you to press Cmd+Shift+., why can't the same shortcut be available in Finder?

> press Cmd+Shift+., why can't the same shortcut be available in Finder?

FYI, I'd never heard of this shortcut before but just tried it in the Finder and it worked just fine (to toggle visibility of invisible files).

Re: Microsoft Surface Studio

#170

Post by markdog12 »

blackoil wrote: post #128
jhwhite wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

MS is definitely taking the steps in the hardware department that Apple has been lagging behind on. But I still feel Windows itself is not a productive OS. I'm big on keyboard shortcuts but MS is very much mouse based. Being required to use my pinky to try and hit CTRL instead of my thumb to hit COMMAND to do simple things like copy and paste is HUGE to me. I didn't use a Windows machine for 3 years and when I did ne…

I am using company provide rMBP for 2 years and I like to linux like terminal/bash, but otherwise I can't find any reason it is so revered. Multi monitor support sucks so bad, I have to wiggle mouse few seconds at bottom of monitor before it is taken as active, but boy popup of active window still opens on 2nd monitor. I minimize Firefox it goes down in Dock, now when I press Cmd+Tab, Firefox is in the applications l…

Try keyboard prefs: tick off "All Controls"

http://osxdaily.com/2010/02/26/use-the-tab-key-to-switch-bet...

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