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Microsoft Giving Away Windows 8.1?



 
 
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  #1  
Old February 28th 14, 06:52 PM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-8
Stef
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 364
Default Microsoft Giving Away Windows 8.1?

Came across this little blurb. chuckle, chuckle

http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/28/54...ing-experiment

What a joke as a marketing ploy. When half your customers don't like
the product, giving it away won't change that consensus. MS has
already reduced licensing frees with little or no tangible results.

MS is in denial. It needs to get its head out of the sand, and give
their desktop customers what they want: A true desktop, mouse and
keyboard version.

It would also be nice if it ran on users' current hardware and
a totally new system purchase wasn't necessary. But perhaps, I'm
dreaming, and asking too much. This IS Windows after all.

Stef



Ads
  #2  
Old February 28th 14, 08:42 PM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-8
VanguardLH[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 10,881
Default Microsoft Giving Away Windows 8.1?

Stef wrote:

Came across this little blurb. chuckle, chuckle

http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/28/54...ing-experiment

What a joke as a marketing ploy. When half your customers don't like
the product, giving it away won't change that consensus. MS has
already reduced licensing frees with little or no tangible results.

MS is in denial. It needs to get its head out of the sand, and give
their desktop customers what they want: A true desktop, mouse and
keyboard version.

It would also be nice if it ran on users' current hardware and
a totally new system purchase wasn't necessary. But perhaps, I'm
dreaming, and asking too much. This IS Windows after all.

Stef


As long as the included apps don't cost money or, if they do (i.e.,
they're lureware) then they can be uninstalled or ignored.
  #3  
Old February 28th 14, 08:42 PM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-8
CRNG
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 444
Default Microsoft Giving Away Windows 8.1?

On Fri, 28 Feb 2014 17:52:33 +0000 (UTC), Stef
wrote in

Came across this little blurb. chuckle, chuckle

http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/28/54...ing-experiment

What a joke as a marketing ploy. When half your customers don't like
the product, giving it away won't change that consensus. MS has
already reduced licensing frees with little or no tangible results.

MS is in denial. It needs to get its head out of the sand, and give
their desktop customers what they want: A true desktop, mouse and
keyboard version.

It would also be nice if it ran on users' current hardware and
a totally new system purchase wasn't necessary. But perhaps, I'm
dreaming, and asking too much. This IS Windows after all.

Stef


+1 on that.
--
Web based forums are like subscribing to 10 different newspapers
and having to visit 10 different news stands to pickup each one.
Email list-server groups and USENET are like having all of those
newspapers delivered to your door every morning.
  #4  
Old February 28th 14, 09:13 PM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-8
DevilsPGD[_4_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 152
Default Microsoft Giving Away Windows 8.1?

In the last episode of , Stef
said:

Came across this little blurb. chuckle, chuckle

http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/28/54...ing-experiment

What a joke as a marketing ploy. When half your customers don't like
the product, giving it away won't change that consensus. MS has
already reduced licensing frees with little or no tangible results.

MS is in denial. It needs to get its head out of the sand, and give
their desktop customers what they want: A true desktop, mouse and
keyboard version.

It would also be nice if it ran on users' current hardware and
a totally new system purchase wasn't necessary. But perhaps, I'm
dreaming, and asking too much. This IS Windows after all.


That's pretty much what Windows 8.1 is; the polish it has over Windows 8
is primarily to enable desktop users. It runs surprisingly well on
low-resource systems, new hardware is far from needed if your hardware
could handle any moderately recent version of Windows.

--
Going to church doesn't make you a christian any more than
standing in a garage makes you a car.
  #5  
Old February 28th 14, 09:57 PM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-8
CRNG
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 444
Default Microsoft Giving Away Windows 8.1?

On Fri, 28 Feb 2014 12:13:23 -0800, DevilsPGD
wrote in


Going to church doesn't make you a christian any more than
standing in a garage makes you a car.


Nice one.
--
Web based forums are like subscribing to 10 different newspapers
and having to visit 10 different news stands to pickup each one.
Email list-server groups and USENET are like having all of those
newspapers delivered to your door every morning.
  #6  
Old February 28th 14, 10:14 PM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-8
(PeteCresswell)
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,933
Default Microsoft Giving Away Windows 8.1?

Per Stef:
MS is in denial. It needs to get its head out of the sand, and give
their desktop customers what they want: A true desktop, mouse and
keyboard version.


+1 on the denial theory.

I just got dragged, kicking and screaming, into 8.1.

I paid five bucks for a little app that brings back the Start menu now
it's as close to the Windows 7 UI as I'd want.

Every so often, I fat finger something and wind up staring at the Metro
interface - but I've got a "Desktop" tile there and all I have to do is
click it.... and that's only once every couple weeks.

Maybe I'm just such a shallow user that I don't see, but right now I
don't see what the big deal is.
--
Pete Cresswell
  #7  
Old March 1st 14, 07:26 AM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-8
Stef
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 364
Default Microsoft Giving Away Windows 8.1?

DevilsPGD wrote:

In the last episode of , Stef
said:

Came across this little blurb. chuckle, chuckle

http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/28/54...ing-experiment

What a joke as a marketing ploy. When half your customers don't like
the product, giving it away won't change that consensus. MS has
already reduced licensing frees with little or no tangible results.

MS is in denial. It needs to get its head out of the sand, and give
their desktop customers what they want: A true desktop, mouse and
keyboard version.

It would also be nice if it ran on users' current hardware and
a totally new system purchase wasn't necessary. But perhaps, I'm
dreaming, and asking too much. This IS Windows after all.


That's pretty much what Windows 8.1 is; the polish it has over Windows 8
is primarily to enable desktop users. It runs surprisingly well on
low-resource systems, new hardware is far from needed if your hardware
could handle any moderately recent version of Windows.


Even so, 8 or 8.1 are really designed to run on a tablet. No keyboard.
No mouse. It takes third-party utilities to turn either into a
traditional desktop which is what the majority of Windows users want.
Why MS is responding so slowly to that is anybody's guess. My guess is
MS wants "in" on the big profits of the tablet market, and are trying to
force users in that direction. It matters not that 90% of the Windows
users out there use desktops whether it is a box under the desk or a
laptop. It's what they need. Why can't MS admit that? Pride?

I have no complaints about the OS itself. It's the GUI that's the
"problem." And MS' stubborn arrogance.

Moderately recent hardware? I'll assume that means a W7 machine.
How many XP users out there with hardware that is 5 or more years old?
Millions! W8/8.1 won't run on it. Many businesses in that group. Would
cost millions to upgrade: new hardware, new apps, retraining, etc.
Business can't afford that right now. Neither can the average user.

Let's face it: Microsoft dropped the ball with W8. Of course, it's not
the first time. Remember Vista?

Stef


  #8  
Old March 1st 14, 08:40 AM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-8
BillW50
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5,556
Default Microsoft Giving Away Windows 8.1?

On 3/1/2014 12:26 AM, Stef wrote:
DevilsPGD wrote:

In the last episode of , Stef
said:

Came across this little blurb. chuckle, chuckle

http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/28/54...ing-experiment

What a joke as a marketing ploy. When half your customers don't like
the product, giving it away won't change that consensus. MS has
already reduced licensing frees with little or no tangible results.

MS is in denial. It needs to get its head out of the sand, and give
their desktop customers what they want: A true desktop, mouse and
keyboard version.

It would also be nice if it ran on users' current hardware and
a totally new system purchase wasn't necessary. But perhaps, I'm
dreaming, and asking too much. This IS Windows after all.


That's pretty much what Windows 8.1 is; the polish it has over Windows 8
is primarily to enable desktop users. It runs surprisingly well on
low-resource systems, new hardware is far from needed if your hardware
could handle any moderately recent version of Windows.


Even so, 8 or 8.1 are really designed to run on a tablet. No keyboard.
No mouse. It takes third-party utilities to turn either into a
traditional desktop which is what the majority of Windows users want.
Why MS is responding so slowly to that is anybody's guess. My guess is
MS wants "in" on the big profits of the tablet market, and are trying to
force users in that direction. It matters not that 90% of the Windows
users out there use desktops whether it is a box under the desk or a
laptop. It's what they need. Why can't MS admit that? Pride?


Wow! What version of Windows 8 are you running? As mine isn't like that
at all. This one is Windows 8 on a laptop. No touch screen and I have it
docked so I am using an external monitor, keyboard, and mouse. And
Windows 8 is super easy with a keyboard/mouse. And this is my preferred
method of using Windows 8.

I do have two Windows tablets that is also running Windows 8. One
doesn't have touch, but just pen enabled and that is all. The other one
has both touch and pen enabled. So I have them all covered. And even for
both of them, I still prefer to have them docked and using an external
monitor, keyboard, and mouse too. But I don't have to, as I could use
them as a tablet too.

I have no complaints about the OS itself. It's the GUI that's the
"problem." And MS' stubborn arrogance.

Moderately recent hardware? I'll assume that means a W7 machine.
How many XP users out there with hardware that is 5 or more years old?
Millions! W8/8.1 won't run on it. Many businesses in that group. Would
cost millions to upgrade: new hardware, new apps, retraining, etc.
Business can't afford that right now. Neither can the average user.


Wow! What kind of hardware do you buy? This machine is eight years old
and runs XP, Vista, 7, and 8. Yes and I have all of the drivers for all
of them too. Plus it is a business class machine. Windows 8 upgrade
costs me $39.95 plus $9.95 for the Media Center.

One of my Motion Computing LE1700 is also eight years old and can run
the same Windows versions and one of them I also have Windows 8
installed on it. That Windows 8 Pro costs me $14.95 directly from Microsoft.

My other Windows 8 Pro machine is a Dell Latitude ST. It originally came
with Windows 7 Pro and was manufactured in 2011. And upgrading it to
Windows 8 Pro also costs me $14.95 (directly from Microsoft).

Let's face it: Microsoft dropped the ball with W8. Of course, it's not
the first time. Remember Vista?


Let's face it, you have a different Windows 8 than I do.

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - Thunderbird v24.3.0
Centrino Core2 Duo T7400 2.16 GHz - 4GB - Windows 8 Pro w/Media Center
  #9  
Old March 1st 14, 12:31 PM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-8
...winston‫
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,128
Default Microsoft Giving Away Windows 8.1?

Stef wrote:
Came across this little blurb. chuckle, chuckle

http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/28/54...ing-experiment

What a joke as a marketing ploy. When half your customers don't like
the product, giving it away won't change that consensus. MS has
already reduced licensing frees with little or no tangible results.

MS is in denial. It needs to get its head out of the sand, and give
their desktop customers what they want: A true desktop, mouse and
keyboard version.

It would also be nice if it ran on users' current hardware and
a totally new system purchase wasn't necessary. But perhaps, I'm
dreaming, and asking too much. This IS Windows after all.

Stef



Not going to happen...the OEM's are in the driver seat..and want to
maintain margins by using current hardware.

The future market is smart devices, not desktop pcs.

Look to the east to understand the who the target market is...it might
have been you and I yesterday...it won't be us ever again.

Adapt or realize later that what you continue to use (if Windows) will
cease to be supported on hardware and software.

Reality bites...


--
....winston
msft mvp consumer apps
  #10  
Old March 1st 14, 12:43 PM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-8
CRNG
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 444
Default Microsoft Giving Away Windows 8.1?

On Sat, 1 Mar 2014 06:26:50 +0000 (UTC), Stef
wrote in

Moderately recent hardware? I'll assume that means a W7 machine.
How many XP users out there with hardware that is 5 or more years old?
Millions! W8/8.1 won't run on it. Many businesses in that group. Would
cost millions to upgrade: new hardware, new apps, retraining, etc.
Business can't afford that right now. Neither can the average user.


Well said.


Let's face it: Microsoft dropped the ball with W8. Of course, it's not
the first time. Remember Vista?


And Windows ME before that. MS business model:

1) conjure up a new OS version with lots of bloat so you need a new
computer (e.g. one with a touch screen) to run it. Hardware
manufactures love this so they are on board;

2) figure out some way to force users to buy it, usually by forcing
software writers to issue new versions of software that utilize the
bloat in (1) and convince users that they need the new software
version because it's new. Software writers love this.

The problem is that many users, particularly businesses, have found
that they can't afford the upgrade process as described above, and
that their current "outdated" systems work perfectly fine and do all
that they want from them. The very smart owners of current systems
have started to stock spare parts from "outdated" systems to extend
the life of their current systems.
--
Web based forums are like subscribing to 10 different newspapers
and having to visit 10 different news stands to pickup each one.
Email list-server groups and USENET are like having all of those
newspapers delivered to your door every morning.
  #11  
Old March 1st 14, 12:46 PM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-8
Blue[_3_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 148
Default Microsoft Giving Away Windows 8.1?

"...winston‫" wrote:
Stef wrote:
Came across this little blurb. chuckle, chuckle

http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/28/54...ing-experiment


What a joke as a marketing ploy. When half your customers don't like
the product, giving it away won't change that consensus. MS has
already reduced licensing frees with little or no tangible results.

MS is in denial. It needs to get its head out of the sand, and give
their desktop customers what they want: A true desktop, mouse and
keyboard version.

It would also be nice if it ran on users' current hardware and
a totally new system purchase wasn't necessary. But perhaps, I'm
dreaming, and asking too much. This IS Windows after all.

Stef



Not going to happen...the OEM's are in the driver seat..and want to
maintain margins by using current hardware.

The future market is smart devices, not desktop pcs.


For consumers, maybe. I doubt anyone that has to do heavy work with a
keyboard is going want to use their thumbs.


Look to the east to understand the who the target market is...it might
have been you and I yesterday...it won't be us ever again.


In the east they don't do spreadsheets, word processing, data base
building? No authors? Philosophers? Etc?


Adapt or realize later that what you continue to use (if Windows) will
cease to be supported on hardware and software.

Reality bites...



And all the businesses that use desktops and laptops? I suppose they
could put some ports on a smart phone and so you could hook up a
keyboard, mouse and monitor. How long do you think it will be before
"reality bites"?

--
Blue
  #12  
Old March 1st 14, 03:20 PM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-8
Glenn
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 50
Default Microsoft Giving Away Windows 8.1?

On Sat, 1 Mar 2014 10:02:44 -0500, "Neil Gould"
wrote:

Stef wrote:
DevilsPGD wrote:

In the last episode of , Stef
said:

Came across this little blurb. chuckle, chuckle


http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/28/54...ing-experiment

What a joke as a marketing ploy. When half your customers don't
like the product, giving it away won't change that consensus. MS has
already reduced licensing frees with little or no tangible results.

MS is in denial. It needs to get its head out of the sand, and give
their desktop customers what they want: A true desktop, mouse and
keyboard version.

It would also be nice if it ran on users' current hardware and
a totally new system purchase wasn't necessary. But perhaps, I'm
dreaming, and asking too much. This IS Windows after all.

That's pretty much what Windows 8.1 is; the polish it has over
Windows 8 is primarily to enable desktop users. It runs surprisingly
well on low-resource systems, new hardware is far from needed if
your hardware could handle any moderately recent version of Windows.


Even so, 8 or 8.1 are really designed to run on a tablet. No
keyboard. No mouse. It takes third-party utilities to turn either
into a traditional desktop which is what the majority of Windows
users want.

My Windows 8.1 notebook does not have a touch screen, and I have no problem
using its interface unmodified by any third-party utilities. The computer is
stable, faster than the Vista or Windows 7 equivalents, and provides access
to more apps via Metro.

I suspect that there are some who just don't want to change, which makes me
wonder why they did in the first place? I'm posting this from one of my
Win2k machines, which is the OS I prefer over XP, Vista or Win7. Nobody is
forcing folks to "upgrade", but I think it behooves those who do to learn
the benefits of the new OS as well as the hardware that it supports, because
time doesn't move in reverse in this neck of the universe. 8-D


I tried upgrading win 8.0 twice. The first time image copy was used
to go back to 8.0, the second time the 8.0 install disc (and image
copy) was needed. I require a physical backup to blu-ray discs, it's
no longer possible with 8.1, perhaps the cloud is deemed sufficient
for a safe backup.
  #13  
Old March 1st 14, 04:02 PM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-8
Neil Gould[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 167
Default Microsoft Giving Away Windows 8.1?

Stef wrote:
DevilsPGD wrote:

In the last episode of , Stef
said:

Came across this little blurb. chuckle, chuckle


http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/28/54...ing-experiment

What a joke as a marketing ploy. When half your customers don't
like the product, giving it away won't change that consensus. MS has
already reduced licensing frees with little or no tangible results.

MS is in denial. It needs to get its head out of the sand, and give
their desktop customers what they want: A true desktop, mouse and
keyboard version.

It would also be nice if it ran on users' current hardware and
a totally new system purchase wasn't necessary. But perhaps, I'm
dreaming, and asking too much. This IS Windows after all.


That's pretty much what Windows 8.1 is; the polish it has over
Windows 8 is primarily to enable desktop users. It runs surprisingly
well on low-resource systems, new hardware is far from needed if
your hardware could handle any moderately recent version of Windows.


Even so, 8 or 8.1 are really designed to run on a tablet. No
keyboard. No mouse. It takes third-party utilities to turn either
into a traditional desktop which is what the majority of Windows
users want.

My Windows 8.1 notebook does not have a touch screen, and I have no problem
using its interface unmodified by any third-party utilities. The computer is
stable, faster than the Vista or Windows 7 equivalents, and provides access
to more apps via Metro.

I suspect that there are some who just don't want to change, which makes me
wonder why they did in the first place? I'm posting this from one of my
Win2k machines, which is the OS I prefer over XP, Vista or Win7. Nobody is
forcing folks to "upgrade", but I think it behooves those who do to learn
the benefits of the new OS as well as the hardware that it supports, because
time doesn't move in reverse in this neck of the universe. 8-D
--
best regards,

Neil


  #14  
Old March 1st 14, 04:07 PM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-8
Neil Gould[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 167
Default Microsoft Giving Away Windows 8.1?

Blue wrote:
"...winston‫" wrote:
Stef wrote:
Came across this little blurb. chuckle, chuckle


http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/28/54...ing-experiment


What a joke as a marketing ploy. When half your customers don't
like the product, giving it away won't change that consensus. MS has
already reduced licensing frees with little or no tangible results.

MS is in denial. It needs to get its head out of the sand, and give
their desktop customers what they want: A true desktop, mouse and
keyboard version.

It would also be nice if it ran on users' current hardware and
a totally new system purchase wasn't necessary. But perhaps, I'm
dreaming, and asking too much. This IS Windows after all.

Stef



Not going to happen...the OEM's are in the driver seat..and want to
maintain margins by using current hardware.

The future market is smart devices, not desktop pcs.


For consumers, maybe. I doubt anyone that has to do heavy work with a
keyboard is going want to use their thumbs.

With the possible exception of the '80s, that is a constantly diminishing
population. Watson, Siri and their ilk will be the "keyboards" of the
future, accessed by Google glass and smart watches. People just don't need
to work the ways they did in the last century.
--
best regards,

Neil


  #15  
Old March 1st 14, 07:48 PM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-8
Blue[_3_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 148
Default Microsoft Giving Away Windows 8.1?

Neil Gould wrote:
Blue wrote:
"...winston‫" wrote:
Stef wrote:
Came across this little blurb. chuckle, chuckle


http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/28/54...ing-experiment


What a joke as a marketing ploy. When half your customers don't
like the product, giving it away won't change that consensus. MS has
already reduced licensing frees with little or no tangible results.

MS is in denial. It needs to get its head out of the sand, and give
their desktop customers what they want: A true desktop, mouse and
keyboard version.

It would also be nice if it ran on users' current hardware and
a totally new system purchase wasn't necessary. But perhaps, I'm
dreaming, and asking too much. This IS Windows after all.

Stef



Not going to happen...the OEM's are in the driver seat..and want to
maintain margins by using current hardware.

The future market is smart devices, not desktop pcs.


For consumers, maybe. I doubt anyone that has to do heavy work with a
keyboard is going want to use their thumbs.

With the possible exception of the '80s, that is a constantly diminishing
population. Watson, Siri and their ilk will be the "keyboards" of the
future, accessed by Google glass and smart watches. People just don't need
to work the ways they did in the last century.


I can see it now. "Hey Siri, make me a web site. I sell widgets, make it
groovy. While you're at it, being as you're a multitasking broad, make
me a new OS without Metro".

If what you say is true, I wonder why Apple made this:

http://www.apple.com/mac-pro/

--
Blue
 




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