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The Windows Incident – Day 0

blog.codeweaver.so

61–70 of 108 posts

Re: The Windows Incident – Day 0

#61
post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I used a Windows 8 machine the other day. I've used OSX the last few years, but used Windows for a couple of decades prior. I was so confused. It was difficult to work out how to open apps. I also got stuck in the full screen start menu replacement (whatever that's called) and I had to ask for help to get back to the desktop. Give me XP over 8 any day. Security issues aside, that was a gem of an OS. Seems like the Mi…

>Give me XP over 8 any day. Security issues aside, that was a gem of an OS. Yeah, security issues aside... Windows 7 is when Microsoft finally got a consumer OS really 'right'.

No. its still shit. having to reboot constantly is not device grade platform

Re: The Windows Incident – Day 0

#62
post #40

This may be a stupid question, but is it possible the blog author was given a refurbished device? These all sound like exactly the kind of problems you'd expect from a device that was pre-owned and sloppily reinstalled. Either way, the proper course of action would be to return it to the store right away, especially when it refuses touch input.

Honestly, I've bought some ASUS gear before, like the EEE PC netbooks as loaners at events and classes. They often have ghost in the machine problems like this. One has, for years, frozen for 1 second ever 15 seconds, no matter what software updates and drivers are applied. I mentioned the issues to some other OEMs in the same country and they just said it is well known ASUS build quality and consistency is generally terrible. I suppose that is why they manage such low prices.

Re: The Windows Incident – Day 0

#63
post #52

The funny thing is, a week ago I bought a 7.5"" 1200x800 tablet with just 2GB of RAM and 32 GB flash (see the similarity?), the difference is that mine is a even cheaper device (~$150) from an unknown Chinese brand, has an apparently slightly weaker Bay Trail CPU, and comes with Windows 8.1 - properly licensed as now Microsoft does it for free for small tablets, but it's by no means a "signature" device. The out-of-t…

By my experience on cheap chinese Android smartphones, I don't think it is surprising at all to see a lack of OEM bloatware.

Re: The Windows Incident – Day 0

#64
post #51
post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I should start an online collection of stories like this, so I could refer people to it when they complain about Apple hardware being overpriced and/or only bought by idiots.

To be fair I've found Asus notebooks to be superb value for money hardware-wise, it's the drivers and software out of the box that are the problem.

I've switched to a macbook many years ago because of the drivers and software of my windows machine.

Hardware is worthless without the software driving it, and in my experience the hunt/hacking of the problematic drivers comes back at every new major version of windows/linux you'll install on the box. In this respect, superb value hardware with crappy software is only worth it if you are willing to be tinkering on a regular basis.

Re: The Windows Incident – Day 0

#65
post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think this is because a lot of people didn't like Win8.

If that was the reason they wouldn't try so hard to give the impression that it is indeed running Windows 8.

They probably manufactured all the computers with the W8 stickers on them and then hastily dumped a W7 disk image on the hard disk of each one of them to stop users from complaining. But yes, the fact that the computer has no DVD drive to upgrade to W8 from the DVDs is a bit wrong.

Re: The Windows Incident – Day 0

#66
post #21

I had a similar experience with my Asus Zenbook Prime ultrabook. I noticed that the very loud fan was running a lot faster and more frequently than it should. I checked the power settings and minimum processor state was 100%. I changed it to a more reasonable number and all was good. But 10-15 minutes later the fan would come back on full blast because that setting has been reverted back to 100%! Every time I reset i…

I should start an online collection of stories like this, so I could refer people to it when they complain about Apple hardware being overpriced and/or only bought by idiots.

That reminds me of the way people sometimes defend flaws of their own nation by pointing out that it's worse elsewhere. So everybody points to North Korea, and North Korea points to outer space which is even more hostile to life. It's great for making people feel better, but completely useless to improve anything at all.

Re: The Windows Incident – Day 0

#67
post #18

What did you expect from a $250 device? Or, what did you expect from an 8″ 1200x800 tablet with just 2gb ram and 32gb ssd which comes with a full Windows OS, instead of Win RT? Some phones have more powerful hardware than that. It's not Microsoft's fault that Asus decided to sell a cheap, untested, poorly-built device. It's your fault, as a tech-savvy customer, to buy it.

> It's not Microsoft's fault... In addition to the "Signature" branding, OP bought it in a Microsoft Store . There is really no excuse for being so terrible at taking care of their own ecosystem.

As someone who worked in a testing department at a large company, I have to say that vetting even just your own devices for defects is an incredibly tough nut to crack, much less other companys'.

Your solution is effectively "Don't sell non-Microsoft products at your store."

Yes, I know that Apple has managed to do exactly that, build a retail store where there's an expectation that anything you buy there will be at the brand level of quality. Apple can do a lot of things other companies can't. It has the best designers, the best technology platforms, the best infrastructure. Apple's remarkable consistency is the product of the company Jobs built.

Microsoft has to struggle very hard to come up with one half-decent product.

Re: The Windows Incident – Day 0

#68
post #9

Just get the tablet replaced or call Microsoft support.

Agreed, having to tinker around on a fresh, new device to get it working partially isn't acceptable : take it back.

It blows my mind such devices are sold, excepting the consumer to finish the installation and polishing that should have been the manufacturer's job in the first place.

Most people won't be able to because it's not their hobby. It's a huge problem, and Windows reputation is really bad because of this, people get awful experiences because of buggy drivers and manufacturers not finishing their jobs.

Re: The Windows Incident – Day 0

#69
post #63
post #52

The funny thing is, a week ago I bought a 7.5"" 1200x800 tablet with just 2GB of RAM and 32 GB flash (see the similarity?), the difference is that mine is a even cheaper device (~$150) from an unknown Chinese brand, has an apparently slightly weaker Bay Trail CPU, and comes with Windows 8.1 - properly licensed as now Microsoft does it for free for small tablets, but it's by no means a "signature" device. The out-of-t…

By my experience on cheap chinese Android smartphones, I don't think it is surprising at all to see a lack of OEM bloatware.

I have one, and it also has stock Android not unlike what's installed on the Nexus devices. I think this is mainly because these OEMs, who are trying to save expense wherever possible, are not going to do anything beyond making what Google provides run on their hardware, and this often involves just copying the reference platform provided by the SoC maker.

(The stories of them arriving with malware are likely from someone further down the chain of distribution installing it, and not the OEM itself.)

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