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Windows 8 - Deeper Impressions


JorgeA

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An interesting use of the adverb accidentally :thumbup :

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2410718,00.asp

The Home Shopping Network accidentally started selling Windows 8 PCs this weekend despite the fact that the new operating system will not officially be released until Oct. 26.

A better one :unsure::

27f.jpg

Umm, in that spoiler -- did somebody forget to use a verb? It doesn't actually say a complete thought.

I deliberately the verb in this sentence.

--JorgeA

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Seriously though, $629 at the minimum? The obvious conclusion to me is that all we can expect from the Windows 8 and Metro iteration is higher prices for less functionality, with strong emphasis on LESS.

My sentiments exactly. There are so few scenarios where a tablet even approaches the usefulness of a laptop with a similarly sized screen, that I've gone bald scratching my head as to why tablets are so popular.

BTW, in the Iron Maiden app post, did you notice the following troll: ;)

I hope they don't think they'll sell more Windows 8 licenses with this kind of crap-apps...

I'm still waiting to see a useful app on the store... an app, you know, that will replace what I can already do, on the desktop...

I mean, "modern apps" are supposed to replace the desktop judging by what I read everyday on Neowin... I don't think an Iron Maiden app is a good substitute to Autocad or Photoshop?!

--JorgeA

Edited by JorgeA
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Oh, the joys of living in The Cloud! A few months ago it was a German photographer whose seminude pictures got deleted, now it's another user whose account was actually closed for uploading comics.

As one commenter wrote,

It's a worrying trend. How long until a version of Windows defaults to saving all your content in the cloud? Windows 8 already comes bundled with SkyDrive and the default login method is via a Microsoft account. Soon Microsoft will dictate what you are and aren't allowed to view. Good times.

And yet we have all these cretins visionaries touting The Cloud as the future.

Is all of your PC stuff approved by meddlers and busybodies and Internet police? How can you even know, 'til it's too late?

Insure against the future -- stock up on your 1TB and 2TB HDDs now!

EDIT: More details on this new case.

--JorgeA

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Really?!! Apple trying to steal MS's thunder, maybe?

For the sake of the Desktop's future, I'm actually rooting for the fruit people to clean MS's clock in the tablet market. Let all of MS's efforts in that sphere flop completely. The two Steves could use a good spanking to set them straight.

--JorgeA

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Another forum has published the results of a poll of Windows 8 users. Details of the survey methodology were not released, but if the numbers bear any relation to the broader Windows public, it's not good news for Windows 8.

Although Windows 8 Beta has been released with great expectations, unfortunately, it seems that users are not as enthusiastic about Windows 8 as Microsoft had hoped. According to the survey, the most popular Windows system is still Windows 7 (53%), with only 25% users voting Windows 8 as their favorite.

Features distinctive to Win8 or which are being aggressively pushed in the new OS -- such as the app store, Metro UI, SkyDrive, and the Charms bar -- all finished at the low end of the scale in respondents' rankings.

Curiously, although the respondents were (said to be) Win8 users, by a 3-2 plurality they reported that they would rather purchase an Android-based mobile OS than "Windows 8 Mobile," and almost as many (33%) would prefer to buy an Android tablet as would choose a Surface (35%).

Take this for what it's worth. (Survey methodology needs to be published!) Still, it's a conversation piece.

Anybody seen any other opinion surveys covering Windows 8?

--JorgeA

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If I may, I would set aside the topic of Skydrive.

If - for any reason - the images that created the closing of the account were - even remotely - connected to or similar to or viewable as any form of child pornography, I do understand the MS policy, and while I understand how it could be a nuisance for the casual innocent user that sees his/her account shut down, I personally find that it's relevance, when compared with the crime that is supposedly being committed, justifies it.

The only observation I can do is that the 48 hours time to provide justifications is too short a time.

BTW there is also a procedural issue, under US Law, even if you are a forensic investigator, as soon as you see an item that could be associated to CP, you should stop and call the Police or the Feds, compare with:

http://www.forensicfocus.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=9693/postdays=0/postorder=asc/start=0/

jaclaz

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At least a dozen fluff pieces at Fanboy Central on Windows 8 today. This one shows four different spit and polished commercial advertisements ( videos ) apparently created by Microsoft for use in the coming campaign.

Four Windows 8 video ads leak, show you how to use the OS ( NeoWin 2012-10-09 )

I watched all four and I am sure they won't help. They will miss the mark ironically because they are fast and fluid, and that does not match the attention span of the average Joe. Something else featured prominently that really jumps out of these videos is the fact that by design right on the Metro start screen, potential customers would have their private information jumping out of animated live tiles for anybody to see. And with a few swipes a stranger or a child could really do some damage. The Live Tiles are seen as the next big thing by Redmond, and they might be right if it were 3-5 years ago. But the customers are now well practiced and familiar with normal Windows, or Android or Mac/iOS on all manner of devices and to my knowledge were not clamoring for a company to design a GUI that removes more privacy. This splatting of your details on the screen has hardly been mentioned in the past year, but it is the biggest setback to personal privacy and we can thank the fads of the 'real world' or 'twitter' or 'facebook' paving the way for this. These gadgets will make fine toys, but no real adults will like this direction.

Microsoft Board of Directors punishes Ballmer and Sinofsky for mis-steps. Not. ...

Steve Ballmer still not paid as much as other Microsoft execs ( NeoWin 2012-10-09 )

Combined with a base salary of $685,000 and other compensation of $13,128, Ballmer's annual compensation came out to $1,318,128. The biggest reason for this relatively low number is that Ballmer did not receive any new Microsoft stock awards as part of his salary.

By contrast, Microsoft's Windows head man Steven Sinofsky got $8,583,732 in compensation from the company, combining a base salary, bonuses, and a nice amount in Microsoft stock bonus holdings.

One interesting thing in the proxy statement is that both Ballmer and Sinofsky didn't get all of the bonus money they could have received. That was due in part to "the Windows division failure to provide a browser choice screen on certain Windows PCs in Europe as required by its 2009 commitment with the European Commission."

Yep, the Board is really on it's toes. Imagine if they did a good job!

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Another day and another dozen or two Windows 8 and related fluff articles at Fanboy Central. These were marginally interesting.

Microsoft: 1.6 billion impressions for Windows 8 campaign ( NeoWin 2012-10-10 )

Yeah, I would say it's official. Microsoft is going to dive into their cash billions in a futile effort to put lipstick on this pig. "I can tell you, it's going to be difficult to tune in to your typical popular tv show or sports program and not see a Windows commercial in the next few months.". Can't wait. Jeez, if only they had spent more money on Vista. :lol: Most embarrasing fanboy of the day award: "Windows 8 will be amazing. If it fails its only because the "computer literate" person in the office/family/school would fill everybody's head up with garbage about "how much it sucks."" Hehe. Yeah, that's why it will fail. Children, you gotta love 'em.

Microsoft training videos leak, tell you how to sell Windows 8 ( NeoWin 2012-10-10 )

Barforama. Three videos at the link designed for salesman, literally. Even has little popup "speak" bubbles to make sure the salesman trainee knows which are the talking points to parrot to the poor customer. :puke: Too bad they forgot to tell the salesmen to explain how to shutdown. Doh! Coming soon, training videos to explain how to install Tihiy's or XpClient's or other Start Menu and Explorer mods. :lol: Or better yet, explain the Win7 downgrade upgrade. :thumbup One commenter had a great suggestion that the companies should begin recording their customer service calls! That would make for some great entertainment. An instant new Windows 8 Metro meme. Classic.

Skeuomorphic design: Apple vs. good UX? ( NeoWin 2012-10-10 )

It occurred to me while reading this, that all this talk the past year about Skeuomorphism, a Sinofskyesque talking point, is really happening just as a feeble attempt to rationalize the doomed bonehead ideas from Team B&S. A year from now when the reality of fail sets in, these morons will point back to discussion about post-Skeuomorphism as an excuse for their damaging the Windows brand, discussion they actually initiated and astroturfed. Clever boys. It won't help. The internet remembers.

Microsoft Windows 8 : Re-Imagining the PC ( With two snapped Apps. )

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On other news,

Meanwhile in Italy:

http://www.macworld.co.uk/digitallifestyle/news/?newsid=3404468&pagtype=allchandate

Meanwhile in Cupertino:

13969.jpeg

Back on topic, I don't remember this one being cited :unsure:

http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2019168601_microsoftballmer16.html

Q: You've talked about this year being the most epic. Is there another year in Microsoft's history you could compare this to? Maybe the launch of Windows 95?

A: You know, Windows 95 was certainly the biggest thing in the last 20 years until now. I think Windows 8 certainly surpasses it. It's a little hard to compare things like the founding (of the company) and the introduction of the first popular PC and the system that popularized it, but it's at that scale.

Q: What is Microsoft's plan if Windows 8 doesn't take off?

A: You know, Windows 8 is going to do great.

Q: No doubt at all?

A: I'm not paid to have doubts. (Laughs.) I don't have any. It's a fantastic product. ...

Q: The iPad has the largest share of the tablet market, but its soft spot, it seems to me, is the price.With the Surface, are you planning to compete with the iPad on price or on features?

A: We haven't announced pricing. I think we have a very competitive product from the features perspective. ...

I think most people would tell you that the iPad is not a superexpensive device. ... (When) people offer cheaper, they do less. They look less good, they're chintzier, they're cheaper.

If you say to somebody, would you use one of the 7-inch tablets, would somebody ever use a Kindle (Kindle Fire, $199) to do their homework? The answer is no; you never would. It's just not a good enough product. It doesn't mean you might not read a book on it....

If you look at the bulk of the PC market, it would run between, say, probably $300 to about $700 or $800. That's the sweet spot.

Q: Microsoft has spent billions on advertising and marketing. Are you satisfied with what you're getting from those efforts?

A: I think we've done some pretty good work. There's stuff in hindsight I'd say it probably didn't work as effectively as we had wanted....

Just yelling loudly in any business is never going to help. It's a combination of product, romance, volume. And we've done very well with Xbox. We sell a lot of Windows. We're running this campaign right now for (Internet Explorer 9). The campaign seems to be working both in terms of perception, romance.

IMHO this is not LSD or peyote, it is downright Salvia divinorum :w00t: :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvia_divinorum

Mazatec shamans have a long and continuous tradition of religious use of Salvia divinorum, using it to facilitate visionary states of consciousness during spiritual healing sessions.

jaclaz

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I was too. I found it on Register yesterday and thought of posting it.... but seeing the date of the article made me think "someone MUST have posted it already." Oh well.

I'm not too sure I'd be saying that Windows 8 is as important or revolutionary as Windows 95 is warranted. When Windows 95 came out, that surely did something that hadn't been done yet. There were some other products available that were on the right track, such as OS/2 Warp or NextStep OS... but that Start Menu was the real difference. It ended up getting copied all over, especially with X-Windows in Linux and later with just regular desktops in Linux like Ubuntu, etc. Windows 8 UI changes aren't really revolutionary since those types of touch interfaces already exist in other products. Microsoft just made a copy of them. Unlike Motorola or Samsung, at least MS is smart enough to make enough changes so that they won't get sued by Apple. Square shapes? Win?

It could go two ways... if Ballmer is saying that Windows 8 is a turning point for Microsoft like Windows 95 was, that could be. But Windows 95 turned them from zoom to boom. Windows 8 (so far) looks like the turning point will go from boom to doom.

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I'm not too sure I'd be saying that Windows 8 is as important or revolutionary as Windows 95 is warranted. When Windows 95 came out, that surely did something that hadn't been done yet. There were some other products available that were on the right track, such as OS/2 Warp or NextStep OS... but that Start Menu was the real difference. It ended up getting copied all over, especially with X-Windows in Linux and later with just regular desktops in Linux like Ubuntu, etc. Windows 8 UI changes aren't really revolutionary since those types of touch interfaces already exist in other products. Microsoft just made a copy of them. Unlike Motorola or Samsung, at least MS is smart enough to make enough changes so that they won't get sued by Apple. Square shapes? Win?

It could go two ways... if Ballmer is saying that Windows 8 is a turning point for Microsoft like Windows 95 was, that could be. But Windows 95 turned them from zoom to boom. Windows 8 (so far) looks like the turning point will go from boom to doom.

Agreed on everything!

The thing is, as we've pointed out many times in this thread, the Metro/Modern/NCI's tiles and limited windowing capability are basically a throwback to the early days of Windows. How anybody can claim that this is new, let alone revolutionary, is mind-boggling.

If Windws RT wins out and x86 Windows disappears, as some predict, then all we'll have is the Start Screen -- and basically we'll be back in the old Wndows 3.x Program Manager with some enhancements.

The main new thing about Win8 is the touch aspect. But as people attempt to use it on anything other than a tablet (that is, on screens where you have to repeatedly extend your arm), I'll be surprised if we don't start hearing about the ergonomic disaster that "touch" represents.

--JorgeA

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