topbanner_forum
  *

avatar image

Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Did you miss your activation email?

Login with username, password and session length
  • Thursday March 28, 2024, 4:18 pm
  • Proudly celebrating 15+ years online.
  • Donate now to become a lifetime supporting member of the site and get a non-expiring license key for all of our programs.
  • donate

Last post Author Topic: How to win friends. Microsoft to CIOs: Adopt Windows 8 - or else.  (Read 25095 times)

40hz

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2007
  • **
  • Posts: 11,857
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
OK. I know Microsoft has never been big on diplomacy or subtlety. But I think they might have finally gone insane - - or maybe just drank so much of their own Kool-Aid that they don't care what anybody else thinks anymore.

From the folks over at ReadWriteWeb.com comes this capsule summary of Microsoft's keynote at CeBIT in Hannover Germany (link to full article here):


Microsoft: Consumers Will Force Enterprises to Adopt Windows 8
By Scott M. Fulton, III / March 7, 2012 2:00 PM


CIOs and managers who answer to CIOs attended the keynote sessions at the CeBIT conference in Hannover yesterday expecting Microsoft to explain to them, for the first time, where the business value in Windows 8 will come from. What they got may have been a bit of a shock: It was a demonstration of all the new Windows 8 features that Microsoft expects consumers to flock to in high numbers.

It was followed by this argument, by the company's Chief Operating Officer, Kevin Turner: Employees will be bringing devices into the workplace that run Windows 8, whether it wants them or not. Running Windows 8 will be as simple as plugging in a USB stick, even in a Windows 7 machine. So enterprises had better "get ahead" now, and embrace the wave rather than try to repel it.

"When you think about the opportunity that we have with big data, we also see an explosion as it relates to the consumerization of IT," Turner told CeBIT attendees. "What we see within the consumerization of IT is the ability to have a tremendous digital work style really get married with the convergence, basically, of a digital lifestyle."

It was this conjugation, if you will, that set the theme for Microsoft's entire presentation: Since employees want to do what they want to do, there's no point in trying to stop them.

Wow! First locking all Metro apps into their app store; then trying to lock all the hardware in with their Windows 8 Secure Boot strategy; and now this...

They really are starting to sound a lot like Apple lately aren't they...or maybe even the Borg? :-\

win8Borg.jpg



zridling

  • Friend of the Site
  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 3,299
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: How to win friends. Microsoft to CIOs: Adopt Windows 8 - or else.
« Reply #1 on: March 08, 2012, 01:42 AM »
Maybe it's time to try Linux after all.


(Skip to the end for the joke.)

nudone

  • Cody's Creator
  • Columnist
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 4,119
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: How to win friends. Microsoft to CIOs: Adopt Windows 8 - or else.
« Reply #2 on: March 08, 2012, 02:37 AM »
How I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb/windows...

millenium = rubbish.
xp = good.
vista = rubbish.
seven = good.
eight = rubbish (will be)
nine = good.

(We all know the above.)

That's the pattern Microsoft work to. I'm looking forward to Win 9, I think it will be pretty good with all the mistakes ironed out from Win 8.



Carol Haynes

  • Waffles for England (patent pending)
  • Global Moderator
  • Joined in 2005
  • *****
  • Posts: 8,066
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: How to win friends. Microsoft to CIOs: Adopt Windows 8 - or else.
« Reply #3 on: March 08, 2012, 05:11 AM »
Not sure nudone - I don't think there will ever be a Windows 9.

The next one will be Metro 2 and the "legacy desktop" will be gone altogether. MS are too wedded to their new 'philosophy' and are proving incredibly deaf to any dissenting comments.

This has nothing to do with what customers want, it is all money - they want a piece of the App market, having seen the cash cow that is Apple.

Personally I don't think the end of that video is a joke - I think that is what a lot of the general public will think and suddenly Apple will sell a lot of laptops and desktops and with a bigger economy of scale they will (if they have any sense) start reducing prices.

Microsoft started the pad and touch screen revolution but I think as far as the general public are concerned Apple has already won the war.

nudone

  • Cody's Creator
  • Columnist
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 4,119
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: How to win friends. Microsoft to CIOs: Adopt Windows 8 - or else.
« Reply #4 on: March 08, 2012, 05:39 AM »
You're probably right.

Perhaps Windows 7 will become like another XP; people/businesses will stick with what they know and like. Just like you could (sometimes) "downgrade" to XP when buying a new setup, perhaps we can hope to "downgrade" to Win7. Wishful thinking I know.

If we are stuck with Win 8 and all the metro incarnations that follow, perhaps the best we can hope for is all the GUI utils (like from Stardock) that will be available to put a bit of sanity back into the interface.

I wouldn't be too surprised if someone does a Metro App that resembles the Win XP/7 Theme. (I've no idea what you can do with Metro apps.)
« Last Edit: March 08, 2012, 05:53 AM by nudone »

Carol Haynes

  • Waffles for England (patent pending)
  • Global Moderator
  • Joined in 2005
  • *****
  • Posts: 8,066
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: How to win friends. Microsoft to CIOs: Adopt Windows 8 - or else.
« Reply #5 on: March 08, 2012, 05:41 AM »
Interesting experiment -

I have three screens which are independent. I extended Windows 8 onto three screens and now I can have legacy desktop on two and Metro on the other.

It also duplicates the taskbar on all 'desktop screens'.

Bit of a waste of real-estate using an entire screen for Metro.

Also note that Metro doesn't extend across multiple screens - it is effectively one screen sized window on the main desktop.

There is another disadvantage to multiple screens - if you have the centre screen as you main screen you have to be incredibly precise with your mouse in the corners of that screen to be able to bring up the corner menus. The hotspots are really small and your mouse easily drifts off the Metro interface. Basically multiple free screens will be really frustrating.

By the way it is worth watching the full version of the video in the Zaine's post as there is an extended time with Dad and Windows 8 which is interesting (yes he did find the Metro interface eventually). http://www.youtube.c.../watch?v=XV9YYsE-yEk. The segment starts at around 54 minutes.

Another question - is what accessibility options are there for Metro - what about colour blindness etc. {EDIT}OK I found the accessibility options. Interestingly if you select accessibility options at the login screen you have to do it all again once you are logged in because Windows doesn't remember them. Of course you will probably need someone to find the accessibility options for you if you need them because you have to be able to use a mouse very accurately and then find a rather transparent small icon in a hidden toolbar - but hey people with visual impairment are only a tiny part of the market so it isn't surprising that the options are still really hidden away and they seem to have reduced the number of options available.{/EDIT}
« Last Edit: March 08, 2012, 06:30 AM by Carol Haynes »

nudone

  • Cody's Creator
  • Columnist
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 4,119
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: How to win friends. Microsoft to CIOs: Adopt Windows 8 - or else.
« Reply #6 on: March 08, 2012, 05:59 AM »
I wondered about 8 and multi-screens. I won't be wasting anymore time thinking about 8 and whether to give it a test run. It sounds like an insult to the user. Maybe I'll like it on a tablet machine in a few years from now. My main machine will stay Win 7 until I find I'm unable to use it because everyone has stopped writing software that will run on it - and I find that all my current software is inadequate.

jacquesrober

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • **
  • Posts: 39
    • View Profile
    • Read more about this member.
    • Donate to Member
Re: How to win friends. Microsoft to CIOs: Adopt Windows 8 - or else.
« Reply #7 on: March 08, 2012, 06:28 AM »
I just tried Windows 8........
After 1 day of looking around the screen I finally found a lot (few) of the usefull (to me) functions that I normally use. Of course it took more than the usual one or two clicks. I then started to look on the net for software that replaced the lost functionality that I had been used to. AND THEN I realized that I DID NOT need Windows 8 as I had all I needed in Windows 7. Surprise, there was no installer for Windows 8. Back to the net and the solution: erase the partition and repair the bootwhatever. Luckily, it worked and now I am back to using simple and friendly software.
What a nice experiment to show that new is not always best.
JR

Carol Haynes

  • Waffles for England (patent pending)
  • Global Moderator
  • Joined in 2005
  • *****
  • Posts: 8,066
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: How to win friends. Microsoft to CIOs: Adopt Windows 8 - or else.
« Reply #8 on: March 08, 2012, 06:33 AM »
If you want a desktop operating system has anybody seen anything the Windows 8 adds to the Windows 7 experience (positive ideas here - we all know the frustrations added)?

Personally I can't see any new features in the desktop - it looks pretty much the same as Windows 7. I know there are changes under the hood but are there any practical changes that improve the user experience (or even change it except for the Start menu issues)?

40hz

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2007
  • **
  • Posts: 11,857
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: How to win friends. Microsoft to CIOs: Adopt Windows 8 - or else.
« Reply #9 on: March 08, 2012, 07:28 AM »
Not sure nudone - I don't think there will ever be a Windows 9.

The next one will be Metro 2 and the "legacy desktop" will be gone altogether. MS are too wedded to their new 'philosophy' and are proving incredibly deaf to any dissenting comments.

This has nothing to do with what customers want, it is all money - they want a piece of the App market, having seen the cash cow that is Apple.
-Carol Haynes (March 08, 2012, 05:11 AM)

I think the next step Microsoft (and everybody else) has in mind is to pull the PC out of the equation.

Governments aren't too happy with the incredible power that unlocked and general purpose PCs bring to the masses. Because while most governments see PCs as powerful tools for monitoring the public and money-grubbing (you didn't really think it was about 'liberty' and 'free speech did you?) they now realize they're also the tools that makes the actions of Wikileaks, and Anonymous, and sites like Megauploads possible. And government was never the sort to "take the bad with the good" if the 'bad' wasn't something they themselves were providing.

So rather than a new Windows (or OSX for that matter) I think the next "operating system" will be a box. It will be sleek. And it will be pretty. And it will be provisioned with just enough of a thin client to give it some brain and allow it to connect to a corporate-owned cloud. And THAT is where your 'personal' computer will actually reside.

Such a bright prospect for the future:

  • No more privacy. (You have to be a registered user to gain access - and you will be closely watched.)
  • No more anonymity. (Your credit card is on file so everything necessary to know about you is known.)
  • No more unauthorized media downloads or torrent games. (Won't the film and recording industry be pleased their multimillion dollar investment in realpolitik paid off so handsomely!)
  • No more real choice. (Although the huge app stores with their million-plus titles will go a long way towards masking that.)
  • No more fair-use. (Almost everything worth knowing and reading will disappear behind paywalls now that a more regulated "web experience" has been established. Not only good for revenue opportunities - but also for the side-effect of keeping "improper" and "offensive" materials out of the general public's sight. It's perfect! Censorship in everything but name.  )

Yup! That's the new "Windows." A client attached to a cloud and billed for on a monthly basis just like every other utility. "Software as a service!" Just a fancy way of closing the circle and bringing us right back to the bad old days when a rented terminal attached to a mainframe owned by IBM or Sperry-Rand was your only choice if you needed some computing power.

But hey! At least the graphics will be stunning. And they'll make sure there are plenty of cool games available because...well...games are really what it's all about, right? It's so important to keep the "children" occupied and out of trouble so the real "adults" can go do what they do best: hurt people and make money.

Of course there's that little penguin thing muddying up the formula a bit. But it isn't a real threat to the new web order. If it doesn't fade out by itself it can still be easily eliminated. With things like Secure Boot, it may soon make hardware that will run Linux increasingly harder to find.

And with restricted access to the clouds where most people will hang out, refusing to create (or more important - license someone to create) an access client will largely fence out those who still sing the FOSS song.

Then there's always software patents. Maybe Microsoft, and all the other parties to the "new deal," will finally begin to assert their huge patent portfolios against the underfunded  GNU/Linux?FOSS world as they've been threatening to do for the last 7 years. "Tie the buggers up in court until they go broke." It's the old wealthy vs poor lynch mob tactic. And it's still very effective.

And then there's also copyrights and trademarks. Just let the FOSS world try to educate people or protest. A simple DMCA 'slap' campaign will stifle them very quickly. And please children, don't say "But that's illegal!" That's for a court to decide. "So come sue me!" as the Chinese so often say. (Oh! That's right - we have billions in cash reserves plus an army of attorneys on payroll - and you're just a loose collective of underfunded independent developers with an EFF membership...hee-hee...)

And of course, if all else fails, governments can always just outlaw Linux outright, Probably in the name of anti-terrorism, fighting kiddie-porn, and national security if the usual formula still holds. Sure, there will be some outrage and grumbling. That's to be expected. But it will be mostly confined to American academics, the usual malcontents, and their Eurotrash counterparts. (Boy-howdy! You should see the files the FBI has got on these people!)

However, why be so obvious when restricting access to the web, eliminating open hardware, and insane IP laws place so many other arrows in the quiver? It looks better killing off FOSS in stages. And most people will never connect the dots anyway. And the ones that do? Just call em' a bunch of conspiracy freaks and pass em' a roll of tinfoil. And be sure to get their names while you're at it.

Besides, if people really "need" to run Linux, they can always get a copy of RedHat or Suse. At least those guys know how the game is played. They proved that when they showed enough intelligence to knuckle under and cut cross-licensing deals with Microsoft and the other players. So they're already in the app stores. You can run either version of Linux as a service under Metro!

Sometimes the more things change, the more they become the same. The new frontier has been settled. The original gold rush is mostly over. And it's now time for railroads and the big "land grab" to begin.

If the unrestricted personal computer is being seen as the snake in our new heavily walled garden of paradise, it appears the only way to deal with that snake is to force it to devour it's own tail.

orboros.gif

Apple once sounded the clarion call and promised us that "1984 would not be like 1984" if Apple had anything to say about it. And they told the truth. 1984 wasn't anything like 1984. But 2012 is beginning to look increasingly like it. And if the trend continues, the next twelve years will see this transition completed.

No wonder Microsoft keeps telling us "how excited we are" (they say that about every 15 seconds in their presentations) about Windows 8 and what Metro represents to the world of operating systems.

Have a nice day! :)

« Last Edit: March 08, 2012, 09:13 AM by 40hz »

Carol Haynes

  • Waffles for England (patent pending)
  • Global Moderator
  • Joined in 2005
  • *****
  • Posts: 8,066
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: How to win friends. Microsoft to CIOs: Adopt Windows 8 - or else.
« Reply #10 on: March 08, 2012, 08:01 AM »
Yikes - and I thought I was cynical ...

nudone

  • Cody's Creator
  • Columnist
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 4,119
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: How to win friends. Microsoft to CIOs: Adopt Windows 8 - or else.
« Reply #11 on: March 08, 2012, 08:02 AM »
Brilliant! As the world turns to sh*t, I thought I'd have my PC and internet to console myself with over the oncoming decades. Looks like I won't be able to bury my head in the (silicon) sand and pretend the world outside isn't my problem.

Think I'll start learning to play the piano or take up painting water colours. The net and all these electronic gizmos can go to the recycling when the time comes.

Boy, do I hate the future!

40hz

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2007
  • **
  • Posts: 11,857
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: How to win friends. Microsoft to CIOs: Adopt Windows 8 - or else.
« Reply #12 on: March 08, 2012, 08:11 AM »
Yikes - and I thought I was cynical ...
-Carol Haynes (March 08, 2012, 08:01 AM)

I am not a cynic. I merely have the benefit of life experience behind me.

I am a realist.  ;) :Thmbsup:

***

"For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring."
         â€”Carl Sagan



40hz

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2007
  • **
  • Posts: 11,857
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: How to win friends. Microsoft to CIOs: Adopt Windows 8 - or else.
« Reply #13 on: March 08, 2012, 08:34 AM »
Think I'll start learning to play the piano or take up painting water colours. The net and all these electronic gizmos can go to the recycling when the time comes.

Note: I'll risk going briefly off (or maybe more broadly on) topic a moment here. Those who object can start their own thread. This one's mine, so I can do anything I want. So there! :P

OT reply. Feel free to ignore.
@nudone - Suggestion: Cigar box guitar!

Lookee here. And here.

One of your fellow countrymen (Chickenbone John) is one of the better known player/builders:



And on a less serious (and more inebriated) note, hear what he has to say about his Chickenbone John Miracle Tonic Remedy. (Trust him - he's a Doctor!)



So be of good cheer. There is a good life after computers and the internet. No computer. But there are still paper books and home made musical instruments! That's the path I'll be heading down. Maybe even with a little bit of that Miracle Tonic every so often to ease me down the road.  :Thmbsup:

Note: interestingly enough, doing that would bring my own life back into a circle, leaving me about where I was when I was attending college. Not a bad deal really. That was probably the only time in my life where I can say I was truly happy...
:)


« Last Edit: March 08, 2012, 01:21 PM by 40hz »

Curt

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • **
  • Posts: 7,566
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: How to win friends. Microsoft to CIOs: Adopt Windows 8 - or else.
« Reply #14 on: March 08, 2012, 09:05 AM »
I think the next step ... is to pull the PC out of the equation.

etcetera

It made me sad to read 40hz's post, because I agree with every word he said in that post.

 :(

Carol Haynes

  • Waffles for England (patent pending)
  • Global Moderator
  • Joined in 2005
  • *****
  • Posts: 8,066
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: How to win friends. Microsoft to CIOs: Adopt Windows 8 - or else.
« Reply #15 on: March 08, 2012, 09:13 AM »
OT Response
So be of good cheer. There is a good life after computers and the internet. No computer. But there are still paper books and home made musical instruments! That's the path I'll be heading down. Maybe even with a little bit of that Miracle Tonic every so often to ease me down the road. :Thmbsup:

Thanks for the videos - they really cheered me up. Now all I need is a fret saw!  :-*

« Last Edit: March 09, 2012, 02:50 AM by Carol Haynes »

40hz

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2007
  • **
  • Posts: 11,857
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: How to win friends. Microsoft to CIOs: Adopt Windows 8 - or else.
« Reply #16 on: March 08, 2012, 09:38 AM »
So be of good cheer. There is a good life after computers and the internet. No computer. But there are still paper books and home made musical instruments! That's the path I'll be heading down. Maybe even with a little bit of that Miracle Tonic every so often to ease me down the road. :Thmbsup:

Thanks for the videos - they really cheered me up. Now all I need is a fret saw!  :-*
-Carol Haynes (March 08, 2012, 09:13 AM)

Warning:
OT Reply! Feel free to ignore.
Glad they did. John is an amazing guy. Love his attitude. When someone asked where he obtained some of his more unusual materials he said: the usual places - every tip I pass when I go out walking.

And fret saw?

Hmm...Maybe not. Check this and this out. I'm going to try it this weekend on a CBG project I've got half completed.

Also check out Uncle Bob's site when you get a chance. He's used 100lb. mono-filament fishing line for frets with good results. Works well and I think it looks rather sexy. Plus, doing the continuous wrap he does is considerably easier that the traditional individual fret tie you'd use for viols, gambas, and other Renaissance era instruments. Details are on this page.

Check it out:

fret1.jpg

fret2.jpg


 :Thmbsup:

« Last Edit: March 08, 2012, 01:20 PM by 40hz »

xtabber

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2007
  • **
  • Posts: 618
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: How to win friends. Microsoft to CIOs: Adopt Windows 8 - or else.
« Reply #17 on: March 08, 2012, 09:44 AM »
Woody Leohnard has posted an extremely negative take on Windows 8 on Windows Secrets. It's a lot more insightful than most of his stuff.

Microsoft's business is to make money. PCs are already a commodity business from the hardware end. For the vast majority of business applications, a 3-year old PC running XP is all that is needed, and that isn't going to change anytime soon.  The only advances in hardware that need a more capable operating system are in the multimedia end of things (video, music, games) and that is shifting rapidly to smartphones, tablets and probably other touch or voice controlled devices in the next few years.

Microsoft is once again behind the curve, as they were with the graphical interface in the late 80's and the Internet in the early 90's.  They were able to pull ahead in both cases because they faced much weaker competition.  Today, they are up against not only Apple, but Google and Amazon. Not a good place for them to be.

Carol Haynes

  • Waffles for England (patent pending)
  • Global Moderator
  • Joined in 2005
  • *****
  • Posts: 8,066
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: How to win friends. Microsoft to CIOs: Adopt Windows 8 - or else.
« Reply #18 on: March 08, 2012, 09:48 AM »
OT Response
And fret saw?

Hmm...Maybe not. Check this and this out. I'm going to try it this weekend on a CBG project I've got half completed.

Oops meant band saw!

« Last Edit: March 09, 2012, 02:50 AM by Carol Haynes »

40hz

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2007
  • **
  • Posts: 11,857
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: How to win friends. Microsoft to CIOs: Adopt Windows 8 - or else.
« Reply #19 on: March 08, 2012, 10:10 AM »
And fret saw?

Hmm...Maybe not. Check this and this out. I'm going to try it this weekend on a CBG project I've got half completed.

Oops meant band saw!

-Carol Haynes (March 08, 2012, 09:48 AM)

Warning!

OT. Feel free to ignore.
For my first forays I went to the local home improvement center and just selected several feet of the straightest dimensioned maple (1/2 x 2) I could find for the necks, and some nice clear poplar (1/4 x 2) for the fretboards. The tension on CBGs is significantly lower then on a standard guitar so you don't necessarily need a truss rod - although they can't hurt. Many accomplished builders either skip truss rods entirely or route and glue a stiffener bar (metal or carbon) in place instead. John accomplishes the same thing by laminating his necks, a technique that's also becoming popular.

FWIW A few hand tools (awl, steel ruler, knife, finetooth backsaw, hand drill, sand paper, wood rasp, screwdriver - cheap soldering iron for the electronics) were all I used to build my first few. I didn't have much spare cash at the time to go out and order "real luthier tools" from a supplier. This was just stuff I already owned. Despite their humble origins (and me not really knowing what I was doing at that point) they all sounded quite good. Even the first one.

Gotta love that! ;D

« Last Edit: March 08, 2012, 01:18 PM by 40hz »

40hz

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2007
  • **
  • Posts: 11,857
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: How to win friends. Microsoft to CIOs: Adopt Windows 8 - or else.
« Reply #20 on: March 08, 2012, 11:26 AM »
Woody Leohnard has posted an extremely negative take on Windows 8 on Windows Secrets. It's a lot more insightful than most of his stuff.

Ok...back on topic (thx xtabber!)


It is an interesting take although I think he misses some of what Microsoft is up to with Windows 8.

It's not so much they seem to be ignoring us "grizzled" old veterans as they are planning an end run around us.

The big pitch is going to be to the home consumer - with an implied threat they'll be appraised about how easy it is to bring their home/consumer "experience" (i.e. their Win 8 loaded USB key) into the workplace with very little their employer can do to prevent it. Unless, of course, their bosses want to invest in some rather expensive management software Microsoft will also be happy to sell them.

Microsoft has apparently given up on "push" to move Windows 8 and Metro since there is no compelling business justification for going over to it. So what they've instead opted to do is create "pull" by selling it to consumers and then suggesting they demand their employers (plus any businesses they deal with) embrace the same. Vox populi, Vox Dei? That's a very dangerous strategy to play. But right now, Microsoft thinks they can do it. (Why they suddenly seem to feel they're as fanatically loved as Apple is by its customers is anybody's guess. But somebody must be telling them they are. Either that, or they recently scored an epic supply of some absolute killer weed off the streets around Redmond WA.)

I personally think they're nuts. And if it doesn't go over - or seriously renewed interest in Linux starts happening in the corporate world - I expect to see Microsoft move on FOSS and start filing lawsuits as fast as the necessary paperwork can be run off a laser printer. Because you just know they already put it together back when it was still dicey whether or not Windows 7 was going to fly. So all they'd need to do now is review and supplement what's in there, run one last spellcheck, and change the dates.

 :-\
« Last Edit: March 08, 2012, 01:22 PM by 40hz »

mahesh2k

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2007
  • **
  • Posts: 1,426
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: How to win friends. Microsoft to CIOs: Adopt Windows 8 - or else.
« Reply #21 on: March 08, 2012, 11:50 AM »
When there is no innovation, people end up using simplicity as innovation and competitors leech onto each other for ideas. Microsoft is running out of ideas to make money and literally copying apples moves to gain market share. So this is one sign that they lost it already.

Another sign is that recently they bribed indian state government people for usage of windows 7 in their offices and ultimately end up in press. So that is another loss. You can see how people are going to turn off with that. Like it or not, open standard is future, no matter how much 1% or 99% political game is set in world. Microsoft with patent P**sying is only going to piss of innovators and startups. I don't see many new startups are interested in microsofts technologies like .NET etc. Windows 7 is going to be the last OS that was easy for people to deploy and use, from hereon road is tough for guys at redmond. Start caring about customers instead of forcing crappy innovation (referring to metro ui and 8) or lose business altogether.

J-Mac

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2007
  • **
  • Posts: 2,918
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: How to win friends. Microsoft to CIOs: Adopt Windows 8 - or else.
« Reply #22 on: March 08, 2012, 10:29 PM »
Well, time to read up on Linux, though I have to say that all the talk of about 800 gazillion "distro's" along with which does what well but not this or that - has been what has kept me away for the most part.

Or... damn - never though I would ever type something like this - if it comes down to a choice between Microsoft and Apple, I can tell you now that Apple wins in that race. Microsoft would be the traitor AND newcomer to this business while Apple has been doing it all along.

Jim

40hz

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2007
  • **
  • Posts: 11,857
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: How to win friends. Microsoft to CIOs: Adopt Windows 8 - or else.
« Reply #23 on: March 09, 2012, 12:44 AM »
Well, time to read up on Linux, though I have to say that all the talk of about 800 gazillion "distro's" along with which does what well but not this or that - has been what has kept me away for the most part.

Jim

Hey Jim. No need to drive yourself crazy with the 317 active distributions currently being monitored by Distrowatch. Here's what you need to know to start:

1) Virtually every distribution is based on (and uses the software repositories of) only one of three main distributions. They are (in order of popularity) Debian, RedHat, and Slackware. There are a few exceptions (Gentoo, Arch, plus a small number of others) - but these are specialist or advanced versions of Linux that you don't need to be concerned about when you're just starting out.

2) The main difference between the three core distros is their software repositories and package managers.

3) Repositories are the collections of software that are designed and tested to work with a particular distribution. Since creating and maintaining a software repository is a large undertaking, almost every other Linux distro uses one of the major three repositories as its core software source. Some supplement their main source with additional collections or "repositories" of their own.

4) Package managers are the preferred way to install software on a Linux PC. They're very automated systems. You generally just select what you want and tell the package manager to install your selection. The software is then downloaded from the repositories via the web and loaded onto you machine. The package manager also keeps track of what is on your system and keeps track of available updates. So a package manager is something like a cross between the Microsoft installer, the add/remove software control panel, the registry, and Microsoft update.

5) Package managers are the biggest difference between Linux distros. In practice, there are four main ones in use. Debian-based distros use apt. RedHat-based distros use something called yum or rpm. And Slackware uses slackpkg. There are other package managers than the prevuiously listed ones. But they're something you won't need to think about unless you pick a distro that uses one. And since they all work much the same way, learning a different package manager is usually not a challenge. Most modern distros also hide the complexities of the above package managers with pretty and informative GUI front ends. So in day to day use, you'll mainly browse a catalog, select what you want installed, and hit the go button. Piece of cake!

6) If you're new to Linux from Windows, the concept of a "windows manager" in Linux may cause you some initial confusion. Up until Metro and Windows 8, Microsoft only had one supplied windows manager (Explorer) you used whether you liked it or not. You could customize it with something like Stardock. But it pretty much was what it was. This is what companies like Apple and Microsoft are talking about when they talk about their "user experience." They're mostly talking about their window manager or main user interface (aka desktop).

Since Linux is all about choice, there are many different windows managers to choose from. Although all provide much the same utility, each has it's own way of doing things. And each is better at some things than others. That said, it's nothing to worry about when you first start out. All you need to know is that there are two major windows managers that account for about 85% of all Linux desktops. One is called Gnome. The other is called KDE.

Without getting into a long discussion (opinions run high on the choice of windows managers) you're probably best off starting with Gnome as your desktop. It's similar enough to Windows that you shouldn't experience much of a learning curve. And it's a fine desktop in it's own right.

7) Almost all the major distros now provide what are called "live CDs" in addition to their regular installation media. Live CDs are exactly that. You can boot from them into a ready to go Linux desktop. They let you run Linux without actually installing it on your machine. It's a painless way to test out a promising looking distro. (Live CDs have other uses in the LInux universe, but you'll find out about that soon enough.) If you like what you see you can also use that same live CD to install the distro on your hard drive. Which is what you'll want to do since loading things off the CD will slow down the apparent performance of the distro in question. Live CDs can make Linux feel sluggish. But in a hard drive, Linux is as fast (and often faster than) other operating systems. So don't try to judge responsiveness off a live CD.

Now lets get specifics...

If you're just starting out, I'd recommend getting a Debian-based distro that uses Gnome as it's default windows manager. Most beginners find that the easiest way to get into the Linux game. I'd personally suggest you make Linux Mint your first port of call for a lot of reasons it would take too long to recap. Google it if you want to read reviews and discussions. Linux Mint has a great community of users and developers. Maybe not as great as DonationCoder's is :mrgreen:, but you can't have everything.

I'd also recommend you cruise by the Distrowatch website and take a gander at all the goodies they keep track of. Once you get a little more experience you'll find Distrowatch an excellent resource.

Lastly, I'd recommend you take your time and have some fun. Right now, you have the luxury of not absolutely needing to learn or use Linux. That gives you flex and some running room. Take advantage of it. Download and play with some live CDs. Check out Gnome and KDE to see what they're all about and which you prefer. Maybe even do an initial test install on your hard drive. Linux can peacefully coexist on the same drive as Windows, and set itself up to allow for booting into either operating system. Try getting Windows to be that polite.

Questions - just open up a new thread at DoCo if you're stumped or want to talk about something. There are several Linux users in the DC membership willing to help. And also enough members that don't like Linux to keep the discussions honest and prevent it from turning into a penguin love fest.

Superboy started a thread a while back which addresses some of the questions you probably have. Give it a read and possibly post any questions you have there so we can keep it all in one place.

Well, I've managed to sidestep Linux over the years, but now it's time.  I'm doing it...I'm going to start transitioning to Linux.

I'm tired of feeling guilty by trying to get my Windows system to do exactly the things I want.  I've noticed most of the interesting developments have been stifled in recent years because of all the copyright issues.  The Linux guys really are my crowd.  All open, all free...it's what I believe in.

I don't know how long it will take, it took me a year to transition from XP to Win7, so I imagine this may take me a couple of years.  But i don't want to pay money anymore to faceless companies.  I want to be part of a community that helps each other out regardless of how much they get paid, and that's the Linux community.  And I'll gladly give them my money before the other guys.

I've been pushing the limits of Windows for a while now.  I keep running into obstacles, not because I'm pushing the technology, but because copyright concerns are preventing the technologies from developing.  My ideas of what I want to do with my computer should NOT feel like I'm the first person to ask for something like this.  I'm really not that clairvoyant.  I've struggled with the cloud for a couple of years now, and there's no need for it.  Let the masses deal with the proprietary stuff and all the headaches that come along with it.  I want to be with the guys that are freely exploring their ideas.

Where's Zaine?  Z...I'm joining the club, I'm going underground.  I held off as long as I could.
 (see attachment in previous post)

Luck! And welcome aboard.  :Thmbsup:
Here's your new case badge!
casebadge.gif

« Last Edit: March 09, 2012, 06:31 AM by 40hz »

TaoPhoenix

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2011
  • **
  • Posts: 4,642
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: How to win friends. Microsoft to CIOs: Adopt Windows 8 - or else.
« Reply #24 on: March 09, 2012, 05:56 AM »
Incredible thread.

There's plenty of reason to be pessimistic, but if the traditional desktop goes away won't *somebody* notice the immediate unusability of $180 billion of cumulative Windows software ever written since say Win98(& adapted) being suddenly worth zero?

I am also a believer in the Plugin mentality, I saw something about a Stardock program putting back the stuff that "Dad" in the video couldn't find. I myself installed a plugin into Excel to put most of the old menus back.

I generally agree with Nudone's remark about MS's eerie habit of every 2nd-3rd release. I'm still on XP! (Though if Win 7 is my last gasp stop, so far it's proven sufficiently harmless that some decking out can solve most of it.)

Meanwhile, for the Linux vs Lawsuit bit, all it takes is a left field move by a big player to decide that Linux is where it's at. IBM comes to mind as a fast guess example. And since it is a free base, it's available for "any big pocketed player" to try that strategy.

But yes, it's going to be bumpy for a few years until those cards play.

Edit: Here's a post getting the Start menu back, "But expect them to break it again".

http://www.askvg.com...t-menu-in-windows-8/
« Last Edit: March 09, 2012, 06:04 AM by TaoPhoenix »