Windows are Structural Weaknesses, Geth do not use them.
Posted on 04/28/2012 7:46:30 AM PDT by SmokingJoe
Microsoft revealed late last week that usage of the Windows 8 Consumer Preview has doubled that of Windows 7 during the same pre-release timeframe for that version. “Millions” of people are already using Windows 8 every day, the company claimed.
Because this is literally all the information that Microsoft communicated about this incredible milestone, let’s read between the lines a bit. I have two thoughts about this issue, one of which has been bothering me for some time.
First, this announcement is an attempt by Microsoft to remind people of how popular Windows really is. While the mainstream media is busy trying to bury Windows by constantly reporting on the “surge” of sales of iPads and other tablets (and rewrite history in the process), the truth is a lot less dramatic. In fact, as I pointed out last week in Good News and Bad News for the Future of Computing, even in a worst-case scenario in which tablet sales really do surge and actual PC sales fall by 35 percent, Windows still dominates the iPad and Android-based tablets as far into the future as 2016, the last year for which any estimates are available.
Second, and more alarming, the delivery of this little news tidbit represents just another step in an ongoing trend at Microsoft in which the responsibility for delivering a statement to the press and thus the outside world isn’t attributed to any executive or other person who works for or represents Microsoft in any official capacity. That is, Microsoft didn’t announce this information via a press release or have an actual human being working at the company utter the words that triggered this story.
No, Microsoft delivered this news via Twitter.
(Excerpt) Read more at windowsitpro.com ...
Bump for later
XP forever! I had Vista on a laptop and through it out. I have Windows 7 on my new laptop and while it is better than Vista, it is still not as user friendly as XP. Why can’t Micostuff leave well enough alone and invest, merge, or takeover other companies if Gates needs another gazillion dollars?
How shocking.
Totally computer illiterate. Was quite hapy with XP and OE, then my ‘puter fried. Now I’m stuck with 7 and Live Mail (which I hate!)
All I want is internet access, a place to store pictures, e-mail capability and printability. Any suggestions for when my Windows 7 goes south?
(Aside from the photos and its lack of speed, WebTV was just fine for me until MS took it over....then NOTHING worked right)
I read the review on MaximumPC magazine. Due to the graphical interface changes, some are having trouble figuring out how to merely close a program. Microsoft is trying to come up with one operating system that will span PC, phone and tablet. I look for Google to take advantage of Microsoft’s stumble in this area.
I've been a hard-core PC user since 1984. The only Apple devices to enter my house have been two iPod touch devices that both my son's have, an iPod Shuttle that I received as a gift 5 years ago, and an iPad that I received for Fathers Day a few years ago.
As I've been looking to replace my now long-in-the-tooth small form factor PC running Windows 7, I downloaded and tried the Windows 8 Developer, then Consumer preview.
I bought my first MAC computer the other day. I don't like the UI direction Microsoft is going in. I don't want the same UI that's on my kid's XBOX 360 on my PC. The same scrolling interface that works well with a joystick does NOT work well with a keyboard/mouse interface. Simply put, it's AWFUL. I tried getting used to it for a week and just couldn't stand it.
In just two short days and approximately 8 hours with my new Mac, I can do anything with it. All the Amateur Radio software I used on my pc runs on my Mac just fine and is somehow more stable (go figure.)
I can also RDP into work and work remotely just like I was in my office on my PC, doing everything I otherwise would've done.
After 28 years of being a hardcore PC user, Microsoft can kiss my a**. You don't so dramatically change a UI and try forcing people to change how they work without them looking for suitable alternatives.
Love my 'mac, my Shuttle SG31/G2 with Windows 7 is my new doorstop.
I thought XP was great, too, and had a great run with it.
About a month ago, I bought and installed Windows 7. I have no complaints. [All I do is Internet access (Firefox), store pix and music, and email (Thunderbird). Everything works just fine.]
Roccus: If you don’t like Live Mail, why do you use it?
Every new OS from MS is a consumer release/beta test.
I am still getting used to Win7, which leaves much to be desired.
I luckily found that I could recover some programs from XP and finagle them into working under Win7. Much of the Win7 stuff is crap.
Whoever though the ribbon bar was brilliant idea should be banned from ever touching computer code again. They are the atrocious to try to use. Bring back the old buttons and pull-down menus.
The only real ‘advantage’ to Win7 is its ability to use greater memory. However, even that creates problems, as it leaves artifacts on the screen and makes menus more sluggish.
Newer is not always better. More often than not, the newer version fixes some things, but breaks others.
Don't know how to change it. Tried a few times to go to G-mail, but never could get it to work. Each time I tried, it would somehow screw up my e-mail acct with my server, Suddenlink. (Sullenstink) Something to do with "pop-3" which I also don't understand.
Windows 7 while better than Vista still blows
I want my search back!!!! In XP you hit control F and up came the silly dog but all you had to do was enter the file name you wanted to find on one line or the text in the file contents on another line.
Simple and it worked
In Windows 7 (and #^*@ Vista) there’s only one spot to enter your text so you don’t know if it’s searching the file name or contents and only God knows where and what it actually searches because it never seems to find anything.
I just got Win 7 with a new laptop. What I want to know is if Win 8 will let me get XP’s task bar back. For about a day and a half, my big question would have been what is Win 8 going to do about dropping off the internet. I solved that problem. Delete the unnecessary bloteware they load on. Clean up the start menu, and don’t give the computer permission to turn off wifi. I also had to reset my dual channel wifi to broadcast on different channels than my neighbors are using. It was never a problem with XP.
“Why can’t Microsoft leave well enough alone?”
Ditto that for the Office Suite. Office 2010 ruined a great UI that had been honed for 15 years. Now it is a giant mess. And they keep tinkering with it to no real benefit for the user.
With Google Docs, no reason now to need Office.
Actually Win7’s search functionality is astronomically better than XP. Win7 uses indexing to make searching faster. You just click the Start button and start typing in the “Search programs and files” line, et voila! It’s the exact same search functionality as XP but better results.
As far as Win8, I’m calling BS on this article. People DLed Win7 beta because they despised Vista. Most people I know now are very happy and comfortable with Win7. Win7 will be the next XP.
If you’re still on XP, I would suggest that you either disconnect yourself from the Internet or upgrade to a Linux distro. Linux has options for look and feel like XP, and it’s enormously more secure than XP. XP is going to start getting buggier and less secure since Micro$oft isn’t supporting it anymore. Eventually you won’t get updates, and thus security exploits will become more prevalent. Just my $0.02.
When I got my Win7 laptop, I immediately changed the desktop theme back to Windows Classic. That helped some.
I found a program called Classic Shell, which restores some of the XP-like functions:
http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/
Hmmm. I think you just need some help filling in boxes with the right info.
Your Suddenlink account is a POP mail account. You will need to fill in your username and password, and for incoming server, you fill in “pop.suddenlink.net” and for outgoing mail you fill in “smtp.suddenlink.net” (minus the quotation marks).
I think that’s all you need to connect to your suddenlink mail.
I trust Google as far as I can throw it.
I downloaded Open Office. It can open anything created in MS Office.
could it have something to do with more people having fast internet, so a 4gb download is not as difficult?
I tried Win8 and hated it. I’ve switched my laptops to Linux and when I’ve figured it out I’ll change my main desktop over, too.
Microsoft can’t leave well enough alone for several reasons:
Number ONE:They want to sell lots of software,and forcing users to upgrade keps the money rolling in!
Number Two:Programmers always want to show they could have done it better or differently or more cleverly,and having access to the latest hardware,they disdain average users who simply want the computer on the desk to keep doing the job it has been doing satisfactorily.Many of us RESENT the periodic abandonemt of our systems forcing us to buy new just to do the same tasks.What actual new capabilities have been made available to users with each iteration of Windows? Did we not have email,internet,networking,spreadsheets,wordprocessing,desktop publishing, photo,music, and video capabilities in Win 95! I had those things on my Win95.And my use has not been made easier by the huge bloated programs that succeeded that era.The only difference I see is that the average user’s internet connection now can deliver fullscreen movies whereas my Win 95 or Mac OS9 was limited by the availavable internet connection speed of 56k.But I’d rather watch a movie on a bigger screen anyway.For an experiment I may dig out an old PC and try it on DSL;I know Win98SE did DSL,don’t remember if Win95 could.
Number Three:There is a huge industry of people making very good money “supporting” Microsoft products;i.e. retraining users how to use the new program they really didn’t want,need, or ask for.I have a huge stack of books explaining the various MS products;of course it is all obsolete in a very few years.
I think the computer people are like the man with only a hammer and they insist every task is best done by using a hammer,although it may require the “new,improved” hammer.
FINALLY, I posit that the Electronics Industry of post -1990 is the most successful group ever at implementing,selling, and profiting from planned obsolescence.The landfills are piled with perfectly functional,serviceable electronics whilst the consumers’ pockets are emptied to buy the latest because last years’ item is no longer supported!
I used to be a go-along, MS fit and did it's job rather well. the past 3 years have transformed me into one of those irritating MS haters. We are doing everything in our power to eliminate Ms products from our corporate setting. It's difficult to do, but in most cases, it's possible.
One thing is a plus: the new versions of windows will be able to run on ARM platforms. Let's hope this gives the industry the shove it needs to start migrating away from intel architecture and get some real and efficient instruction into the mainstream.
I’m both a Windows 7 and Linux user as well as a developer and I have one piece of advice for you when Windows 8 launches - get your hands on some Apple stock. Windows 8 is such a usability nightmare for a desktop operating system it should drive people to the Apple Store in droves.
No way will I install Windows 8. Think about this:
Windows 3.1 - stable
Windows 95 - turd
Windows 98 - stable
Windows Millenium Edition - turd
Windows XP - stable
Windows Vista - turd
Windows 7 - stable
Windows 8 - turd (projected)
That’s all you need to know.
I’m all about having things work. I still have one XP machine at home and a few at my office. They do the job just fine for what is needed. I have a pretty substantial Win7 machine at home that I use for Blu-Ray quality home video projects, multi-track music mixdown and other horsepower related projects. When I just want to surf the web I grab my iPad 1. You can get one for $200 on eBay now. I got a used Macbook Pro for mobile audio purposes; it does great things with digital audio and my Presonus equipment. Different tools for different jobs.
I was also an XP die hard, until the last of my old dinosaur computers died on me. I went out and bought a new e-machines computer with Windows 7 pre-installed, and have been pleasantly surprised by it.
For what it's worth, I find it to be as stable and reliable as XP, although Microsoft's whiz kids 'fixed' a few things that didn't need fixing. Overall, though, I have no real complaints. I'm becoming accustomed to the new layout, and breaking it in like a new E-Z Boy lounger.
Simple and it worked
Gotta agree with that. It's one of my chief beefs with Windows 7. The search function sucks raw eggs.
My favorite days are the ones when I hit the button on my KV switch and get to use my Linux workstation all day. :)
I was once told that opera singers sucked raw eggs before performances.
Keep in mind the old truth applicable to any such products, including your beloved iPads: once you have bought it you own an obsolete piece of technology - the new improved next generation is coming sooner than you can say Jack Robinson!
I would suggest they are also in cahoots with the hardware manufacturers. I have one newer desktop that has Win 7 on it and I'm happy with it. I also have older boxes and laptops that still have XP. These do not have the RAM and CPUs to let them work with Win 7, let alone Win 8, but they work perfectly well with XP. When MS stops supporting XP, my options will be
1)buy new computers
2) upgrade the motherboards, RAM and CPUs so they will work with Win 7
3) switch to Linux
4) toss perfectly good computers.
You can bet Dell, HP, etc. hope I and all the others in my boat choose option 1).
While I can't be sure, I think I'm seeing a pattern in your list. :=) Excellent summary of previous MS releases.
Before you make the plunge and get further immeshed in the Windows world, check out the web page below and watch the short video tutorials that give you an overview of what switching to a Mac can do for you:
http://www.apple.com/findouthow/mac/
As an alternative, visit an Apple Store for a hands-on demonstration, if you live near one.
TY
I’ll give that a try.
I used Ubuntu for quite a while. I liked it. But the last version I downloaded had a messed up updater. I could not figure out the problem, so I wiped that drive. I do not know (as in “in person”) anyone else who uses Linux in any version, so there was no one I could ask questions, and forums were only helpful up to a point.
So that's where that came from!
I believe that Windows is striving to appeal to a user base that becomes less sophisticated by the year, while (at least my own Kubuntu desktop) just drops sophistication. :)
Another convert...
See Number Four.
Of course the hardware and software people are “in cahoots” ;the endless race for faster computers and more memory,etc. etc. etc. no doubt meets the lusts of gamers ,video porn, and scientific cimulations but for the vast majority of users ,we won’t come close to needing or using those capabilities any more than most people need a Ferrari for the daily commute.
I note that big business is slow to jump on the newest OS;I think Win95 was out for 2 years before being adopted at P&G, and my current workplace is XP.In many businesses the software absolutely MUST work correctly because a “glitch” could actually cause major economic loss or even loss of life (chemical flow controls,etc.)
I liked Kubuntu (that’s what I actually used) very much. I have no knowledge of linux, but for every problem— until the package manager problem— I was able to go to forums and find a solution. Some day, I’ll go back to linux (maybe not Kubuntu). I just don’t think I’ll pay for another Windows OS after this one. And I’m sure not going to pay for a Mac.
[Before I hear from Mac fans, I’ve used Macs at work for nearly 18 years— desktops and laptops. I find Macs limiting and way too expensive for my simple needs.]
George, you missed Windows 2000. It was the Anti-ME. ME took everything bad in 98se and NT and made a really, really sucky OS. Win2k got the best parts of both, and was my personal favorite Windows OS. I ran it as my primary until 2004, when XP became so ubiquitous that I had to use it to keep up with my user base.
Thanks for the suggestions. My home version doesn’t seem to have the flexibility on the task bar that my wife’s professional version has. I can’t move things around on it like the professional version and XP allow. My other beef is that when I open a program, like the browser, it then is a tab on the task bar, and to open another window in it, I have to right click, and select it from a menu. I also like being able to click the desktop icon, and go to the desktop to rummage through files. The desktop feature on Win 7 isn’t bad though, and it might be better once I get used to it. And so it goes. I’m a baby. I’ll check out the webpage you gave me, and see what it gives me.
Actually I’ve heard that support for Kubuntu is being dropped by Ubuntu, and folks are now looking at the KDE-enabled version of the Linux ‘Mint’ distro. (And I bet their package manager works just fine).
You are right about Windows 2000. I never did go through that because 2000 was primarily targeted to business and the server market. It is my understanding that XP used a lot of 2000 as its base.
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