Windows 8 - Deeper Impressions

[vinifera]

now THAT is a good thing

yet a conflict with MS, as MS is working as partner with stardock since winblinds 5 days

[JorgeA]

now THAT is a good thing

yet a conflict with MS, as MS is working as partner with stardock since winblinds 5 days

Very cool, especially the part about enabling the title bar so that you can actually close the apps.

One sometimes gets the impression that MS may be content with letting third parties fix their UI for them.

I wonder if @bigmuscle's Aero Glass reviver would work with these windowed apps.

--JorgeA

[bphlpt]

One sometimes gets the impression that MS may be content with letting third parties fix their UI for them.

It's probably cheaper for them to let someone else do the development work, get the bugs out, take all the hassle from users as they fine tune it, then just buy the company.

Of course if their market share continues to deteriorate too far in the meantime I don't know how much good it will do them.

Cheers and Regards

[JorgeA]

Apropos of a couple of topics we discussed in the last few days:

Microsoft: Expect Another Major Anti-Google Attack From Us

Now Microsoft’s Senior Director of Online Services, Stefan Weitz recently talked to radio and TV station KQED that while the Scroogled campaign is about to come to an end, the company has in fact lined up a second version of its anti-Google push.

Looks like instead of backing off, MS is doubling down on its anti-Google strategy. Will Google respond in kind? This could get really ugly really fast.

Windows 8 OEM Prices Reportedly Set For A Slash

The latest is that notebooks below the screen size of 11.6-inch are set to get a discount of $20. And laptops, tablets and hybrids that feature displays smaller than 10.8-inch will get the same $20 discount along with a free license of Office 2013.

What notebooks run on 10- or 11-inch screens? Don't they mean netbooks?

More seriously, with the free Office 2013, Surface Pros are starting to come closer to the Surface RT sales model. Other than that, a $20 discount on the OS, even if passed entirely along to the buyer, isn't going to make a whole lot of difference.

--JorgeA

[bphlpt]

Windows 8 OEM Prices Reportedly Set For A Slash

The latest is that notebooks below the screen size of 11.6-inch are set to get a discount of $20. And laptops, tablets and hybrids that feature displays smaller than 10.8-inch will get the same $20 discount along with a free license of Office 2013.

More seriously, with the free Office 2013, Surface Pros are starting to come closer to the Surface RT sales model. Other than that, a $20 discount on the OS, even if passed entirely along to the buyer, isn't going to make a whole lot of difference.

But the free Office 2013 wouldn't apply to Surface Pros unless they had displays smaller than 10.8-inch, according to what you posted above, unless there is another discount somewhere. I thought they were bigger than that.

Cheers and Regards

[jaclaz]

I will translate the referenced article to:

Since the new office 2013 (and it's senseless ribbon interface) is pretty much unusable on any device with screen smaller than 10.8 inch, THEN we will provide it for free.

And this:

But the free Office 2013 wouldn't apply to Surface Pros unless they had displays smaller than 10.8-inch, according to what you posted above, unless there is another discount somewhere. I thought they were bigger than that.

To:

Since, as known, we also manufacture the actual hardware of the Surface Pro, and it sells like hotcakes, and we consider ourselves an OEM like everyone else, in order to slow down sales of the device we won't apply that discount to ourselves , as to prevent the retail price of the already cheap enough Surface Pro to go down by 20 bucks.

@bphlpt

Maybe at the light of the above "translation" , you may want to re-phrase (or make more clear) the cited comment.

OT (meaning strrangely enough On Topic ) my crystal ball - sometimes - works fine:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/07/us-eu-microsoft-idUSBRE92500520130307

The European Union fined Microsoft Corp 561 million euros ($731 million) on Wednesday for failing to offer users a choice of Web browser, an unprecedented sanction that will act as a warning to other firms involved in EU antitrust disputes.

jaclaz

Edited March 7, 2013 by jaclaz

[Tripredacus]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/07/us-eu-microsoft-idUSBRE92500520130307

The European Union fined Microsoft Corp 561 million euros ($731 million) on Wednesday for failing to offer users a choice of Web browser, an unprecedented sanction that will act as a warning to other firms involved in EU antitrust disputes.

This judgement is surprising to me really. All OEMs knew that the OS is supposed to prompt for a choice for any computers sold in Europe from the previous news. That being the case, any computer manufacturer should actually test their systems before approving them for sale. This being such a problem should have meant that no computer having an incorrect first-run user experience should have ever made it into the market to be available for purchase! So how does Microsoft get fined for their Partners not following the rules?

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

Microsoft Caves, Allows Users to Transfer Office 2013 ( Tom's Hardware 2013-03-06 )

Microsoft reverses one-PC Office 2013 licensing restriction ( TechSpot 2013-02-06 )

Microsoft: Go Ahead and Transfer Office 2013 to Another PC ( Maximum PC 2013-02-06 )

Microsoft to now allow Office 2013 PC license transfers once every 90 days ( NeoWin 2013-02-06 )

Office 2013 now transferable ( blogs.office.com 2013-02-06 )

Office 2013 Retail Copies Now Transferrable to Second PC ( Thurrott 2013-02-06 )

Q: Can I transfer the software to another computer or user?

A: You may transfer the software to another computer that belongs to you, but not more than one time every 90 days (except due to hardware failure, in which case you may transfer sooner). If you transfer the software to another computer, that other computer becomes the "licensed computer." You may also transfer the software (together with the license) to a computer owned by someone else if a) you are the first licensed user of the software and B) the new user agrees to the terms of this agreement before the transfer. Any time you transfer the software to a new computer, you must remove the software from the prior computer and you may not retain any copies.

Amazing how some parts of Microsoft are tone-deaf while others apparently still can use common sense. Either that, or the internal numbers are looking real bad for Office 364. Of course it is still strangely restricted to an arbitrary "90 days". Let's not forget the plan they have, advance the precedents towards full lockdown. These little adjustments are just that, little, and, adjustments. The song remains the same.

EDIT: added that last Thurrott link, clueless as ever ...

Of course, with Office 2013, Microsoft is finally moving its mainstream Office sales to the desirable subscription model, which is a win-win for the company and its customers alike. On the one hand, it provides Microsoft with a steadier income model for Office. And on the other, the newly generous subscription Office licensing terms allow customers to install the software on far more PCs and devices.

Oh Puhhhlease Paul. At least be honest. This is only in Microsoft's best interest, you slow cooking frog.

One of the Tom's Hardware commenters nicely paraphrases Churchill, and I will modify it further ...

"You can always count on Microsoft to make the right decision, after they have tried everything else."

Edited March 7, 2013 by CharlotteTheHarlot

[jaclaz]

This judgement is surprising to me really. All OEMs knew that the OS is supposed to prompt for a choice for any computers sold in Europe from the previous news. That being the case, any computer manufacturer should actually test their systems before approving them for sale. This being such a problem should have meant that no computer having an incorrect first-run user experience should have ever made it into the market to be available for purchase! So how does Microsoft get fined for their Partners not following the rules?

It seems to me like you are failing to see the "core" of the issue.

1. Microsoft (AND NOT any OEM) in order to avoid further sanctions subscribed an agreement in which they promised to do something.
   
2. This promise of something was NOT kept by Microsoft.
   
3. The EU punished MS for not respecting this agreement.
   

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/06/eu-microsoft-pix-tv-idUSL6N0BY7LX20130306

It said the U.S. software company had broken a legally

binding commitment made in 2009 to ensure that consumers had a

choice of how they access the internet, rather than defaulting

to Microsoft's Explorer browser.

The official statement by MS is here:

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/press/2012/jul12/07-17statement.aspx

The BCS provides an easy way for users to choose any browser. As agreed with the Commission in 2009, Microsoft uses our Windows Update service to send the BCS software to Windows-based PCs. Once installed, the BCS software checks to see if Internet Explorer is the default browser and, if it is, the BCS is displayed to the user. The Windows Update system uses “detection logic” to determine which software updates (such as the BCS) to distribute to which PCs. The detection logic for the BCS software was accurate when we began to distribute it in early 2010, and the BCS software was delivered as it should have been. Unfortunately, the engineering team responsible for maintenance of this code did not realize that it needed to update the detection logic for the BCS software when Windows 7 SP1 was released last year. As a result of this error, new PCs with Windows 7 SP1 did not receive the BCS software as they should have.

Since most computer users run earlier versions of Windows, we estimate that the BCS software was properly distributed to about 90% of the PCs that should have received it. We recognize, however, that our obligation was to distribute the BCS to every PC that should have received it. Therefore, we have moved as quickly as we can to address the error and to provide a full accounting of it to the Commission.

It seems pretty much linear to me.

If we want to discuss the amount of the fine to be adequate/fair , or whether the "technical error" was actually a technical error or not (good faith, etc.) , that's fine , but no doubts whatever about it being the straightforward result of an obligation underwritten by MS not fully implemented by MS.

jaclaz

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

Microsoft quietly revamps Bing.com Search History page to Modern UI ( NeoWin 2013-03-06 )

They really can't help themselves. In another example of square pegs and round holes, some genius said "let's Metrofy the Bing screen". Apparently the plan is to demonstrate at every available opportunity ( Start Screen, Server 2k12, etc ) the handiwork of the 9-year old daughter of a Microsoft executive, I mean, that is exactly what this looks like to me. Some MicroBoss has a child that recently discovered Paint and instead of hanging her creations on the refrigerator door or on his office wall, he fed them into the dev group and they wind up as product releases.

Rather than link the photos I'll just nick the whole NeoWin page since it does a fine job of showing this abomination ...

There are no words for this. ( okay, there are some words for this, but I better just withhold them for now, all things considered )

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

More links about the recent Microsoft judgment mentioned by Jaclaz ...

E.U. Slaps Microsoft with $731 Million Fine Over Botched Browser Ballot ( Maximum PC 2013-03-06 )

Microsoft fined €561m for not showing browser ballot on Win7 SP1 ( TechSpot 2013-03-06 )

EU Fines Microsoft for Failing to Comply with Browser Ballot ( Tom's Hardware 2013-03-06 )

EU fines Microsoft $732 million for web browser ballot violation [update] ( NeoWin 2013-03-06 )

Since 2004, the EU has fined Microsoft 3.04 billion dollars ( NeoWin 2013-03-06 )

Microsoft Has No Plans to Appeal EU Fine ( Tom's Hardware 2013-03-06 )

EU Fines Microsoft $732 Million for Breaking Terms of Antitrust Deal ( Thurrott 2013-03-06 )

Well, I am on record against the original judgment ( Post #731 among many others ) which occurred when Barksdale cried to Congress in the late 1990's and several normally sensible lawyers got on board the Netscape bandwagon and government bureaucrats dutifully obliged. It's not that Microsoft didn't try to kill Netscape ( they did ), but the precedent of government intrusion should they have prevailed was very dangerous. And although it amazingly never happened, there was the very real possibility that every kind of "optional" software could be stripped out of Windows ( Calc, Calendar, ScanDisk, ad infinitum ) because they are all anti-competitive against their 3rd party standalone counterparts. For some reason, the shark trial lawyers never figured this out.

But now we can plainly see the real problem that occurred while no-one was looking. While the government spent all their ammunition running down this rabbit hole, Microsoft consolidated their OS monopoly while everyone else played the pea shell game. The original judgment and this latest fine mean nothing to Microsoft. It is a cheap discounted means to an end. Pay this and proceed with the master plan. So now we have Windows 8 and Metro ( specifically an OS that boots straight to the walled garden with "The Store" right up front ), that is going for the gold ring. The end-game is in sight once the Desktop is removed, and then it is done! Always watch where the pea is, not the sleight of hand!

So try as I might, I just cannot muster any sympathy for the Redmond bureaucrats.

EDIT: typos, added another link

Edited March 7, 2013 by CharlotteTheHarlot

[vinifera]

Microsoft quietly revamps Bing.com Search History page to Modern UI

still don't get why they label it as Modern UI when its total outdated overdumbed and inefficient crap

Edited March 7, 2013 by vinifera

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

Stardock reveals ModernMix: Run and resize Modern Windows 8 apps on the desktop ( NeoWin 2013-03-06 )

Interview: Stardock's CEO talks about ModernMix for Windows 8 ( NeoWin 2013-03-06 )

Windows 8 Tip: Run Metro Apps in Windows on the Desktop ( Thurrott 2013-03-06 )

ModernMix lets you run Windows 8 apps as desktop apps ( TechSpot 2013-03-07 )

Here's the $4.99 utility that might just have saved Windows 8. Is Microsoft listening, though? ( UK Register 2013-03-08 )

A new app subverts Microsoft's vision for Windows 8 ( The Verge 2013-03-06 )

More details about the new StarDock program mentioned by MagicAndre1981 above ( Post #2175 ). This thing solves one big problem, putting those stupid apps into proper windows where they should have been all along. If you read the comments you might be surprised that many of the MicroZealots and MetroTards are interested in this program! Actually, one of the posters here, FormFiller accurately predicted this phenomenon above when he said they 'will turn on a dime' in these situations despite their mountains of previous comments attacking these things. Good call. ( Check out the pair of uber-MetroTard comments at the Thurrott article by "ScubaDog2008" for a glimpse into the troubled mind of a Microsoft enabler who makes Thurrott look like an Android Droid! ).

Windows 8 / Office bundle costs OEMs $30 after Microsoft slashes prices ( TechSpot 2013-03-06 )

Rumor: Microsoft to cut Windows 8 touchscreen OEM price by 75 percent ( NeoWin 2013-03-06 )

Microsoft Discounting Windows 8 For OEMs to Boost Sales ( Tom's Hardware 2013-03-07 )

Microsoft to Offer Price Cuts for Windows 8 PCs ( Maximum PC 2013-03-08 )

The story, which cites unnamed sources, claims that Microsoft will cut the price for Windows 8 to PC OEMs to just $30 if the OS is being installed on a touchscreen PC.

The report claims that the previous price was $120, which means that PC OEMs will get a 75 percent price cut on Windows 8 on some of their systems. The Wall Street Journal also says that Microsoft is throwing in a free copy of Office 2013 for OEMs that sell tablets with screens less than 10.8 inches, such as such as Dell's Latitude 10 tablet, shown above. Touchscreen PCs that are larger than 10.8 inches still get the $30 Windows 8 OS, but don't get the free version of Office.

Digitimes is reporting a similar story today but says the price cut is actually down to $20 compared to between $80 and $90, which would still be a 75 percent discount.

More details about Price Slashing mentioned by Jorge above ( Post #2179 ). Although the range is varied, it seems the Microsoft tax for the Windows 8 pOS ran between $80 and $120 per device. Is it any wonder the OEMs are bailing on them? Their monopoly position and OEM backroom deals that facilitate this gouging is now under attack from all sides. It was Microsoft's mistake to offer up this pOS at this particular time because they are just handing them a reason to bail. Will the radical price cuts work? Maybe. One thing is for sure, the actual customer is the farthest thing from their minds. Microsoft wants these things sold, whether or not the customers like them or want them. This action may even be a last ditch effort to save this dog due to horrible internal numbers, but we don't have enough information to really know. Speaking of bailing ...

As Intel knocks on ARM's door, what is the future of Windows RT? ( NeoWin 2013-03-06 )

Is Samsung pulling the plug on its Windows RT tablet? ( NeoWin 2013-03-06 )

Why Microsoft's Surface RT Will Flop ( Dvorak PC Magazine 2013-03-07 )

I can't imagine anyone wanting one of these things ( the ARM version with no x86 Windows software compatibility ). Its main purpose in life seems to be as an alternative to Android tablets, and it isn't really price competitive. Who would want one and why? The only way I can see people buying these things is entirely by accident due to the mischievous use of the term "Windows". And then they angrily return them. What a plan. Oh yeah, let's not forget the dogfood fed to to the 90,000 Softies, now there's a workplace benefit.

EDIT: added links

Edited March 9, 2013 by CharlotteTheHarlot

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

Nokia CEO: Windows Phone can be the world's biggest OS ( NeoWin 2013-02-27 )

That was funny a week or so ago. But it's way funnier now ...

comScore: Microsoft's US smartphone OS share stagnant ( NeoWin 2013-03-06 )

As has been said here over and over, how can they gain anything in mobile marketshare? Look at the chart. Microsoft lost marketshare since last October falling from 3.2% to 3.1%. Blackberry was just released and the next Galaxy and iPhone are in the on-deck circle. What was that Plan-A again Ballmer? Destroy Windows to obtain some increased mobile marketshare. Good work!

Speaking of mobile space ...

Ferrari adds Apple iPad Minis and Siri voice to its newest models ( NeoWin 2013-03-06 )

There actually are MetroTards bad-mouthing Ferrari! Jeez Louise. Can anyone seriously imagine putting those playskool blocks on a screen in a car like this? ...

No way!

EDIT: updated image URL, and again

Edited May 6, 2013 by CharlotteTheHarlot

[HalloweenDocument12]

Looks like instead of backing off, MS is doubling down on its anti-Google strategy. Will Google respond in kind? This could get really ugly really fast.

Nah, Google is an actual marketing company, unlike Microsoft, who is and always has been a poseur in this area. I am not exaggerating when I say that Google could easily nullify a $500 million Microsoft campaign by sending one of its attractive, well dressed interns into the studio and spending five minutes calmly explaining exactly what info is collected and how it's used to advertise to the user. Then Google just has to enable a floating bar in Gmail for a few weeks saying something like, "Watch this if you're concerned about privacy and how Google collects and uses information."

What notebooks run on 10- or 11-inch screens? Don't they mean netbooks?

What are netbooks? Is that the fad from 2008 that was on its last legs in 2010 even before the iPad came out?

More seriously, with the free Office 2013, Surface Pros are starting to come closer to the Surface RT sales model. Other than that, a $20 discount on the OS, even if passed entirely along to the buyer, isn't going to make a whole lot of difference.

Keeping in line with the idea that Microsoft knows nothing about marketing, moves like this are a plus if they're made before a negative but after they tend to not be enough. After you slight your audience, you need to give them $1.20 of value at a price of $1.00. Trying to charge people $1.20 for $1.00 of value then later correcting the equation doesn't work, and that's assuming what's been done here, which isn't necessarily the case.