Microsoft unveils "Windows 8"

[Wile E]

I agree, it is a very smart business move, but the fact is it is not just value added, although that's what a lot of people think. You pay for the fluff that you don't use but which others do/are forced to/don't know any better (choose the best option) look at the increase in price of windows over the decade compared with the increase in "features" and tell me there is no correlation.
Again i'm not arguing it's bad business, on the contrary, it's very good business and microsoft are in an unrivaled position to pull this off (unless you count apple who do the same thing)

You are missing the point. It is not "paying for fluff that doesn't get used". The vast majority of all people DO use WMP and IE. That's why it's included. People that use alternatives are a vast minority, and not worth spending money catering to from the perspective of MS. This practice of bundling benefits both the average user, and MS. Win-win. Power users already know how to get around this stuff, and making micro these specialized distros you are referring to would cost them more money, which would be then passed on to all of us.

In other words, leave MS alone. There is nothing wrong with what they do. If you don't like their products, don't buy them. Nobody forces you to.

 

[silkstone]

but the vast majority of people do not use IE source source source

Now i know 80% of statistics are made up but there are still a lot of users who don't use IE and have to pay for it (indirectly) it's development isn't free and the money has to come from somewhere. In my arguments i am also making the assumption that WMP, and other bundled apps are following a similar trend, although may be not to the same extent.

As i see it, microsoft continue to invest more money in developing the integrated applications when less people are using them.

It won't happen over night but i imagine in the future people will demand an slimmed down OS that doesn't contain all the integrated apps and has a price tag to reflect this.

 

[Easy Rhino]

It won't happen over night but i imagine in the future people will demand an slimmed down OS that doesn't contain all the integrated apps and has a price tag to reflect this.

its called android and ios

 

[lonewolf]

I see alot of posts about buisness not going to like this suposed new os. Most buisness I deal with are still using XP. hell General moters still uses win 3.1 on some equipment. and microsoft still suplies these os's to buisness. Big companies like GM, Ford,Dow, buy so manny licenses Microsoft caters to them. they wont be forced to a new os as fast as the average user is.

 

[Wile E]

but the vast majority of people do not use IE source source source

Now i know 80% of statistics are made up but there are still a lot of users who don't use IE and have to pay for it (indirectly) it's development isn't free and the money has to come from somewhere. In my arguments i am also making the assumption that WMP, and other bundled apps are following a similar trend, although may be not to the same extent.

As i see it, microsoft continue to invest more money in developing the integrated applications when less people are using them.

It won't happen over night but i imagine in the future people will demand an slimmed down OS that doesn't contain all the integrated apps and has a price tag to reflect this.

Usage statistics on a site that average users do not go to are pointless. The other articles show that IE is still the market share leader.

ANd with the rising popularity of other browsers, MS has stepped up their game in their browser to release their best one to date.

Then you are assuming that the money spent on R&D is wasted. So if they didn't give a browser or media player at all, what are they supposed to do? Make more work for the average user to download and install a different one before they can get online or watch videos? That's stupid, almost all other OSes come with a browser and media player out of the box, because that is what the majority wants. Why is it different because MS is doing it?

You fail to realize that if the majority didn't want it, MS would stop doing it, or lose their sales. If it stops being profitable, MS will stop doing it, plain and simple. As it stands, it is still profitable. I fail to see why you want to intervene. The market will take care of itself.

 

[Mussels]

apple include itunes, MS include WMP and MCE, every linux variant has something...



every OS has these minimum features. the key is whether or not they allow another product to be installed and become the default.

 

[silkstone]

I only picked up this argument due to people calling it socialist when they have no idea what the word actually means. Splitting Microsoft up would actually be the opposite of socialist.

I understand why Microsoft do what the do, should the practice be changed? i don't know, but i do think that a slimmed down version of windows x would benefit many consumers. Will it change in future? probably not due to Microsoft's market position they will lead the industry, more or less, wherever they want it to go.

I am by no means crying out "split Microsoft up" but i do understand the arguments for this idea and do not think it would be the end of the computer industry like some others have posted.

 

[Wile E]

I only picked up this argument due to people calling it socialist when they have no idea what the word actually means. Splitting Microsoft up would actually be the opposite of socialist.

I understand why Microsoft do what the do, should the practice be changed? i don't know, but i do think that a slimmed down version of windows x would benefit many consumers. Will it change in future? probably not due to Microsoft's market position they will lead the industry, more or less, wherever they want it to go.

I am by no means crying out "split Microsoft up" but i do understand the arguments for this idea and do not think it would be the end of the computer industry like some others have posted.

I don't think it would either, but I also don't think it would be beneficial.

 

[Thatguy]

I don't think it would either, but I also don't think it would be beneficial.

Thats where your wrong.


things like


unified driver architecture
actually having real USB compliant devices
standard posix compliance.

if microsoft was broken up these things could be achieved, just think it would be pretty much possiable for every company to build portable applications if everyone played by a few standards.

Also it would really screw up the hackers and malware makers. Which is a benefit to us all.

 

[Easy Rhino]

Thats where your wrong.


things like


unified driver architecture
actually having real USB compliant devices
standard posix compliance.

if microsoft was broken up these things could be achieved, just think it would be pretty much possiable for every company to build portable applications if everyone played by a few standards.

Also it would really screw up the hackers and malware makers. Which is a benefit to us all.

that makes no sense. you claim that breaking up microsoft will lead to greater homogeny? you have homogeny with microsoft as a single giant corporation right now.

 

[bostonbuddy]

an os w/ no common app(web browser media player) is way too much of a niche market to be produced. How are you going to go to google.com to dl chrome if you don't have a web browser?

 

[Neuromancer]

Actually BB, it is closer to what is really going on then everyone might think. All of these niche stores eating $2-4 dollars here and there.. is killing people. People are not ready for unfiltered "open source/ unalduterated" information yet

The web is filtered already by US sources BTW... there are tld's that are not DNSable. But they exist.

It wont be long before we will have a different way of "shopping what internet we surf" all based on cloud computing.

 

[Thatguy]

that makes no sense. you claim that breaking up microsoft will lead to greater homogeny? you have homogeny with microsoft as a single giant corporation right now.

Your idioacy is just unreal.

I am talking about standard compliance, the stuff underneath of that can be exotic and different but the standards like QT/posix give application developers portable code even with radically different kernel designs and underlying API's. Things like ODF/spreadsheet/email/media these formats are already commonly shared. The only thing keeping windows upfront is arguably base preinstalls and potentially 3d gamming, which would work a shitload better if directx fell of a cliff and was replaced with something with less of a fat ass, though its sort of driving hardware development. This is a rea that could save AMD and Nvidia money. A common shared drive amongst all OS's.

So yeah the problems we have no are becuase people like you, refuse change and except that a monopoly company is dictating how the market should develope software, had Microsoft not had such good developer tools before everyone else, we likely wouldn't be having this conversation.

What we have right now is a monoOS enviroment, we can't have that, the worlds getting to big and the vulnerabilitys are starting to stack up.

 

[Easy Rhino]

Your idioacy is just unreal.

I am talking about standard compliance, the stuff underneath of that can be exotic and different but the standards like QT/posix give application developers portable code even with radically different kernel designs and underlying API's. Things like ODF/spreadsheet/email/media these formats are already commonly shared. The only thing keeping windows upfront is arguably base preinstalls and potentially 3d gamming, which would work a shitload better if directx fell of a cliff and was replaced with something with less of a fat ass, though its sort of driving hardware development. This is a rea that could save AMD and Nvidia money. A common shared drive amongst all OS's.

So yeah the problems we have no are becuase people like you, refuse change and except that a monopoly company is dictating how the market should develope software, had Microsoft not had such good developer tools before everyone else, we likely wouldn't be having this conversation.

What we have right now is a monoOS enviroment, we can't have that, the worlds getting to big and the vulnerabilitys are starting to stack up.

uh, i use linux every single day so it's not people "like me." we have OS choice. you can have different varieties of windows, you can use any number of linux flavors/BSD and you can run a mac. the world you want is full of unicorns and glitter. there is standards compliance by groups that comply to the standards other groups create. you see your argument is circular. if you look at the real world you will find that we have the operating systems the market demands and when that demand changes in a way that corporations can make a profit then it will be met. you sound like one of those out of work pundits that needs to spout off a bunch of academic BS that does not apply in the real world.

 

[bostonbuddy]

Biggest news about windows 8 imo is its going to be used for the 360. Phones, pc's, tablets, and consuls all w/ the same os. Might not be too long before you can use photoshop on your xbox.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

It appears that developers are starting to revolt over Windows 8 and its use of HTML5/JavaScript over technologies like Silverlight:
Why Microsoft has made developers horrified about coding for Windows 8

 

[Frick]

It appears that developers are starting to revolt over Windows 8 and its use of HTML5/JavaScript over technologies like Silverlight:
http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/ne...s-8-leaves-microsoft-developers-horrified.ars

It's more like they're revolting over the lack of information. Which is understandable.

 

[pr0n Inspector]

It's more like they're revolting over the lack of information. Which is understandable.

Microsoft is trying to pull an Apple but fraked up: tell you something, then ask you to wait till BUILD for more info. lol wut MS?

 

[Wile E]

Thats where your wrong.


things like


unified driver architecture
actually having real USB compliant devices
standard posix compliance.

if microsoft was broken up these things could be achieved, just think it would be pretty much possiable for every company to build portable applications if everyone played by a few standards.

Also it would really screw up the hackers and malware makers. Which is a benefit to us all.

Oh, you mean how all Linux distros have 100% interoperability and compatibility between each other? Oh.... wait a minute.

 

[VeniceH]

From the unveiling of Windows 8, Microsoft wants to keep pace with Apple and the iPad. Microsoft, a latecomer to the bash, is apparently prepared to give it a whirl. At the latest Build developer meeting in Anaheim, Calif., Microsoft revealed Windows 8, a drastic change that will bring the ubiquitous platform into the tablet era.

I read this here: Touchscreen Windows 8 Metro OS will challenge iPad. I’m sure no one will ever miss this.