Interesting article.

https://us.etrade.com/e/t/invest/Story?ID=STORYID%3Detrade_2012_08_21_eng-etrade_cbs2_market_watch_eng-etrade_cbs2_market_watch_0FB3F195-ED15-4283-9BA1-C0C5B97D7DA4&provider=DowJones

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With each crime and every kindness we birth our future.

Interesting article.

https://us.etrade.com/e/t/invest/Story?ID=STORYID%3Detrade_2012_08_21_eng-etrade_cbs2_market_watch_eng-etrade_cbs2_market_watch_0FB3F195-ED15-4283-9BA1-C0C5B97D7DA4&provider=DowJones

To save a click:

Aug 21, 2012 09:06:04 (ET)

--Doubts grow over strength of demand for Windows 8 products

--Limited applications, manufacturing costs and prices may cool excitement

--PC makers and research companies likely to lower 2012 shipment forecasts


By Lorraine Luk and Eva Dou


TAIPEI--Just a few months ago, personal-computer makers were counting on Microsoft Corp.'s (MSFT) next-generation Windows 8 operating system to boost sales and help them regain ground on Apple Inc. (AAPL).

But hopes for a brighter future are already fading. Analysts say PC demand will likely remain sluggish over the next year. Pricing for Windows 8 tablets and laptops may be too steep--and Microsoft needs to quickly increase applications available for the OS. ...


That appears to be a repeating story... Microsoft may yet play the gambit of giving it away for free?... As was done with IE and just as Google has done with Android...


IT is what we make it...
Martin

---

See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

Bill Gates shot himself in the foot with Windows 8. It just isn't suitable for desktops. It will drive even more people to Linux.

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I mentioned that since beta 2.
But as usual no one believed me.

They forgot those people who are paying billions of $ to upgrade their computers every year.

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With each crime and every kindness we birth our future.

And if anyone wants a start button om windows 8 there is one that can be downloaded

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/08/23/classic_shell_gives_windows_8_a_start_button/

I tried it on my release preview, and it does what it says in the article above.

I'm not going to buy this OS . The only use I have for it at the moment is to play Microsoft Flight. lmao

Swordfish

Bill Gates shot himself in the foot with Windows 8. It just isn't suitable for desktops. It will drive even more people to Linux.

{sarcasm on}
Having the great advantage of using Ubuntu some hours earlier today, I can understand why lots of users will switch to Linux...
{sarcasm off}

Now, someone will probably immediately suggest to use something different than Ubuntu, but since it's not my computers this isn't an option.

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"I make so many mistakes. But then just think of all the mistakes I don't make, although I might."

Bill Gates shot himself in the foot with Windows 8. It just isn't suitable for desktops. It will drive even more people to Linux.

What I'm sure of here is that M$ has guaranteed that Win7 will definitely be the WinXP successor.

Cheers.

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Bill Gates shot himself in the foot with Windows 8. It just isn't suitable for desktops. It will drive even more people to Linux.

My hopes exactly. I'd also like to see more game makers support linux AND windows.

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#resist

Bill Gates shot himself in the foot with Windows 8. It just isn't suitable for desktops. It will drive even more people to Linux.

{sarcasm on}
Having the great advantage of using Ubuntu some hours earlier today, I can understand why lots of users will switch to Linux...
{sarcasm off}

Now, someone will probably immediately suggest to use something different than Ubuntu, but since it's not my computers this isn't an option.

Going WAYYYYYY off topic here... Yes, try something besides Ubuntu. First off, Linux is a different breed, and I would recommend anyone who use it better learn the command line first.
That aside, Ubuntu is currently using the "Unity" desktop environment which is as big of a mess as Gnome3 (Unity is loosly based on Gnome3). The whole issue with Gnome3/Unity has really divided the Linux community, and forced some people (like me) to find a more suitable desktop. Mint uses "Mate" Desktop environment which is a fork off of Gnome 2, and is much more like a normal desktop than any other current environment in Linux.

On the note of Windows 8, they are making the same mistake as gnome 3 did....

You can simplify and change all you want, but do NOT lock out simple functionality! Leave it there as an option! Otherwise people looking for that functionality get upset. Change is fine, but leave the options there for 'classic' functions.

Microsoft did shoot themselves in the foot. Win8 is not suitable for a desktop or a device. Perhaps it will drive a few people over to the 'dark side', but even if it doesn't drive people to use Linux, it will for sure drive people to stick with Win7. (I think we will see a repeat of the XP vs. Vista fiasco where Microsoft upped XP licenses to 200$ and dropped Vista cost to about 100$ or less, to push people to use Vista. I see the same thing happening with Win7 and Win8, we will see microsoft make 8 way cheaper than 7, but even that may not be enough to encourage users. If people think Linux is a pain in the @ss, wait til they try to roll-out win8 in a business environment.

And I do use Windows btw.

<sarcasm on>
I am running my windows right now in a virtual box, and it's great, truly a useful OS, it's sitting there right now running updates and virus scanning, what amazing use I'm getting out of it.
<sarcasm off>

(I'm thinking S@H needs another topic in the forums, "Computers and Technology" or similar, so we can have a place to discuss all this non-crunching related stuff)

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#resist

Going WAYYYYYY off topic here...Nope Yes, try something besides Ubuntu. First off, Linux is a different breed, and I would recommend anyone who use it better learn the command line first.Yep
That aside, Ubuntu is currently using the "Unity" desktop environment which is as big of a mess as Gnome3 (Unity is loosly based on Gnome3). The whole issue with Gnome3/Unity has really divided the Linux community, and forced some people (like me) to find a more suitable desktop. Mint uses "Mate" Desktop environment which is a fork off of Gnome 2, and is much more like a normal desktop than any other current environment in Linux.& a nice one at that

On the note of Windows 8, they are making the same mistake as gnome 3 did....Yes, but at least the Linux community did something about it, a la Mint - can you see M$ do that?

You can simplify and change all you want, but do NOT lock out simple functionality! Leave it there as an option! Otherwise people looking for that functionality get upset. Change is fine, but leave the options there for 'classic' functions.They did up to Win 7 but now need an excuse to kill Windows off

Microsoft did shoot themselves in the foot. Win8 is not suitable for a desktop or a device. Perhaps it will drive a few people over to the 'dark side', but even if it doesn't drive people to use Linux, it will for sure drive people to stick with Win7. (I think we will see a repeat of the XP vs. Vista fiasco where Microsoft upped XP licenses to 200$ and dropped Vista cost to about 100$ or less, to push people to use Vista. I see the same thing happening with Win7 and Win8, we will see microsoft make 8 way cheaper than 7, but even that may not be enough to encourage users. If people think Linux is a pain in the @ss, wait til they try to roll-out win8 in a business environment.

And I do use Windows btw.

<sarcasm on>
I am running my windows right now in a virtual box, and it's great, truly a useful OS, it's sitting there right now running updates and virus scanning, what amazing use I'm getting out of it.
<sarcasm off>

(I'm thinking S@H needs another topic in the forums, "Computers and Technology" or similar, so we can have a place to discuss all this non-crunching related stuff)

already started it over in politics (safest place for it IMO].

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This makes for a rather ignoble start to the Win8 on phones Marketing:

Nokia apologises for 'faked' Lumia smartphone advert

Nokia has apologised after it emerged that an advert featuring video footage which appeared to have been filmed with its new flagship smartphone [in the advert] had in fact been created using different equipment [in the real world]. ...



I'm sure there must be a song somewhere titled "It started with a lie..." ...

IT is what we make it...
Martin

---

See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

Another ouch!

Honeyball on Windows 8: it's a car crash

... I wish I could be more positive, but I can't. This is the first release of Windows in 20 years that leaves me cold. On the touch side, it's too little, too late. On the desktop side, it's a car crash. To be blunt, I hope it bombs. Microsoft deserves a bloody nose for this, and the lessons learned should make it redouble and refocus for Windows 9.




IT is what we make it...
Martin

---

See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

I totally agree Martin.

big grin.

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With each crime and every kindness we birth our future.

I loved all those Windows fan boys saying that you will get used the interface.

Maybe we happen to like the interface that has been in existence for 20+ years.

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+1.

I'm an MS power user & have 10 copies of Win 8 available to me. Unfortunately, I still see it as a pig's dinner!

I'm afraid that there's no way I'll install this on my network regardless of how much it may improve with any service pack!

As soon as my VM installation finishes its AP task, it's getting shutdown & will only be rebooted if & when any customer has problems with their copy (hopefully, none!)

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One to watch out for with Win8 and Internet Explorer 10:


Apache man disables Internet Explorer 10 privacy setting

Fielding: Windows 8's web window is 'standards abuse'...

... The only reason DNT exists is to express a non-default option. That's all it does. It does not protect anyone's privacy unless the recipients believe it was set by a real human being, with a real preference for privacy over personalization.

Microsoft deliberately violates the standard. They made a big deal about announcing that very fact. Microsoft are members of the Tracking Protection working group and are fully informed of these facts. They are fully capable of requesting a change to the standard, but have chosen not to do so. The decision to set DNT by default in IE10 has nothing to do with the user's privacy. Microsoft knows full well that the false signal will be ignored, and thus prevent their own users from having an effective option for DNT even if their users want one. You can figure out why they want that. If you have a problem with it, choose a better browser. ...


Strong stuff.

In my view, Win8 appears not to be for the benefit of the users who are paying for the 'privilege'...


IT is what we make it,
Martin

---

See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

Hmmn, wonder if that's one of the reasons why it still hasn't been released for Win 7?

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Hmmn, wonder if that's one of the reasons why it still hasn't been released for Win 7?

Or maybe they think there will be some sap out there that wants IE10 so bad, they will buy Win8 to get it? (worked for them for years in the past...)

Pay pay pay them to track you? Or perhaps Firefox and NoScript for free?

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#resist

Or maybe they think there will be some sap out there that wants IE10 so bad, they will buy Win8 to get it? (worked for them for years in the past...)

Pay pay pay them to track you?...

Or perhaps people may yet wise-up to the trickery?

Meanwhile, there's yet more of a snafu:


First Flash patch for Windows 8 coming "shortly"

Long-term questions persist about the security of embedding Flash...

... This creates a potential gap between when Adobe releases a fix and when it's sent out to Windows 8 users.

That gap can make these users even more vulnerable...


Microsoft brings browser ballot to Windows 8 as EU antitrust probe continues

... Microsoft is currently being investigated for antitrust abuse once again by the EU, after complaints that it was unfairly disadvantaging third-party browsers on Windows 8 and Windows RT. The company has promised to comply fully with the investigation...

... after complaints that third-party browser makers are denied access to the same APIs as Internet Explorer uses on Windows RT. Windows RT only allows third-party applications that run in the tightly restricted Metro environment. These restrictions preclude the implementation of high-performance Web browsers. Internet Explorer, however, is not subject to these restrictions.



To my mind, the phrase "Dog's dinner" and "Unmaintainable" both come to mind...

IT is what we make it...
Martin

---

See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

Microsoft brings browser ballot to Windows 8 as EU antitrust probe continues

... Microsoft is currently being investigated for antitrust abuse once again by the EU, after complaints that it was unfairly disadvantaging third-party browsers on Windows 8 and Windows RT. The company has promised to comply fully with the investigation...

... after complaints that third-party browser makers are denied access to the same APIs as Internet Explorer uses on Windows RT. Windows RT only allows third-party applications that run in the tightly restricted Metro environment. These restrictions preclude the implementation of high-performance Web browsers. Internet Explorer, however, is not subject to these restrictions.

As usual, the EU is going after Microsoft simply because it's the big guy on the block. ArsTechnica also reported on Mozilla's and Chrome's whining:

Microsoft’s approach is consistent with that of other platform vendors who are targeting the ARM architecture, including Apple.

The downside of this approach is that it makes it difficult to support certain kinds of highly complex third-party software, such as Web browsers, that require more capabilities than those provided by the standard API set.