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Windows 8 Consumer Preview released.

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Re: Windows 8 Consumer Preview released.

#31

Post by ehutch79 »

untog wrote: post #23
ebbv wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your theory is ridiculous. The Xbox 360 was a major success. The Zune failed because people didn't like it. Not because it's a Microsoft product. Same goes for Windows Phone 7, it is failing because people don't like it. Now whether it's a better product or not is a subjective debate that isn't worth having, IMHO (better for whom?) But to say that they failed because of the Microsoft stigma is absurd.

The Zune failed because people didn't like it. I think people actually did like it, and I think that people do like Windows Phone when they try it. Zune failed because of a lack of visibility in a crowded marketplace (well, crowded in the sense that Apple is taking up 90% of the room). Windows Phone actually has the same challenge, and MS haven't really stepped up their game with regards to promoting it. Yet?

also, because they were marketing the shit-brown colored zune...

Re: Windows 8 Consumer Preview released.

#33

Post by ChrisLTD »

untog wrote: post #23
ebbv wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your theory is ridiculous. The Xbox 360 was a major success. The Zune failed because people didn't like it. Not because it's a Microsoft product. Same goes for Windows Phone 7, it is failing because people don't like it. Now whether it's a better product or not is a subjective debate that isn't worth having, IMHO (better for whom?) But to say that they failed because of the Microsoft stigma is absurd.

The Zune failed because people didn't like it. I think people actually did like it, and I think that people do like Windows Phone when they try it. Zune failed because of a lack of visibility in a crowded marketplace (well, crowded in the sense that Apple is taking up 90% of the room). Windows Phone actually has the same challenge, and MS haven't really stepped up their game with regards to promoting it. Yet?

I've seen a lot of Windows Phone 7 promotion, but it's not all that compelling. Their entry into the smart phone wars was so late that they needed something extraordinary to convince people to consider them seriously. Instead they made something marginally better than iOS and Android in some ways and marginally worse in others.

Re: Windows 8 Consumer Preview released.

#34

Post by untog »

ChrisLTD wrote: post #33
untog wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Zune failed because people didn't like it. I think people actually did like it, and I think that people do like Windows Phone when they try it. Zune failed because of a lack of visibility in a crowded marketplace (well, crowded in the sense that Apple is taking up 90% of the room). Windows Phone actually has the same challenge, and MS haven't really stepped up their game with regards to promoting it. Yet?

I've seen a lot of Windows Phone 7 promotion, but it's not all that compelling. Their entry into the smart phone wars was so late that they needed something extraordinary to convince people to consider them seriously. Instead they made something marginally better than iOS and Android in some ways and marginally worse in others.

I suspect they're waiting for Windows 8 before making a big push. A unified desktop/tablet/phone platform is probably a lot more interesting, promotion-wise, than yet another smartphone.

Re: Windows 8 Consumer Preview released.

#35

Post by stephanimal »

CurtHagenlocher wrote: post #26
udp wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Aren't 64-bit processors a little more efficient at running a 64-bit operating system?

No. And for most programs, 64-bit code is probably less efficient than 32-bit code. Pointers are twice as big and instructions are generally longer, so less stuff fits into cache.

This is one disadvantage, yes. However all registers are now 64 bit, and in general, there are more of them.

Furthermore, the 4GB limit does not just concern physical RAM, it also applies elsewhere, like memory mapped files.

In general, it is unlikely that you will see poorer performance from 64-bit code compared to its 32-bit counterpart.

Re: Windows 8 Consumer Preview released.

#38

Post by acabal »

nextparadigms wrote: post #17

Engadget's conclusion: "We really liked Windows 7 when it launched. It felt like a big step forward in the short time that had passed since Vista. Now, as we creep closer to a likely release near the end of this year, we can't shake a sense of doubt. Windows 8 still feels like two very different operating systems trying to be one. The potential is hugely alluring -- a single OS to rule both the tablet and the desktop…

Sounds like echoes of the Gnome Shell critisicm... trying to be both tablet and desktop at once leads to neither side being very good.

Re: Windows 8 Consumer Preview released.

#39

Post by fl3tch »

lvillani wrote: post #25
nextparadigms wrote: post #17

Engadget's conclusion: "We really liked Windows 7 when it launched. It felt like a big step forward in the short time that had passed since Vista. Now, as we creep closer to a likely release near the end of this year, we can't shake a sense of doubt. Windows 8 still feels like two very different operating systems trying to be one. The potential is hugely alluring -- a single OS to rule both the tablet and the desktop…

I think they should clearly separate tablet and desktop interfaces and switch between them based on context (like what Canonical is planning to do with their "Ubuntu for Android"). That is: you get only a classic desktop (+ windowed Metro apps) when your slate is attached to a docking station and you only get the tablet interface otherwise. And then provide a switch within Control Panel to get the hybrid experience,…

> they should clearly separate tablet and desktop interfaces... like what Canonical is planning to do with their "Ubuntu for Android"

What? The whole point of Unity is to have a single interface. Canonical is making the exact same mistake as Microsoft.

Re: Windows 8 Consumer Preview released.

#40

Post by recoiledsnake »

ebbv wrote: post #16
ChrisNorstrom wrote: post #3

Competition from Apple and Linux (but mostly Apple) is the best thing to happen to Microsoft in a long time. No, the UI isn't perfect yet, the design decisions (for this beta) not always logical, but Windows is finally going somewhere amazing after many years of going no where. Because some of Microsoft's best products were great but went no where. Take the Zune and Windows Phone 7. People who own them love them, esp…

Your theory is ridiculous. The Xbox 360 was a major success. The Zune failed because people didn't like it. Not because it's a Microsoft product. Same goes for Windows Phone 7, it is failing because people don't like it. Now whether it's a better product or not is a subjective debate that isn't worth having, IMHO (better for whom?) But to say that they failed because of the Microsoft stigma is absurd.

> Same goes for Windows Phone 7, it is failing because people don't like it.

Really? How do you know this? Have you gone door to door asking people?

You couldn't be wronger. In fact, it is ahead of Android.

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/hardware/wp7-ahead-of-android-and-...

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Windows-Phone-Leads-in-Custom...

Windows phones have some of the best ratings on carrier websites and Amazon.

There is indeed a Microsoft stigma, and MS is failing at shaking it. When have you seen a commercial for the HTC Titan on TV? It's all iPhones and Android out there except for an inkling of ads for the Nokia 710 (which IS selling well btw, and is the third best selling device on their network).

It is also failing because of carrier stores and salesmen, who seem to be steering people away from Windows Phones to Android LTE devices.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2386538,00.asp

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