(Snappa) Posted on 07/28/2015 9:07:23 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
The global launch of Windows 10 is a pivotal moment for Microsoft as a consumer business, because in recent years Windows has started to matter a lot less.
The rise of mobile devices has hit the PC market hard – and no more so than Microsoft, which has around 1.5 billion Windows customers, making it the market leader in that arena.
(Snappa)
This, combined with Apple’s OS X and Mac computer line-up regularly bucking the trend and actually increasing sales, has left Microsoft and Windows adrift in the technology world, with Google’s Chrome and Android dominating.
(Snappa)
But a hint of change appeared at the beginning of the year when Windows 10 was first previewed, and it has hinted at a potential change in fortunes for the firm.
The core features of the update – Microsoft Edge, Cortana on desktop, Continuum and the idea of the software working across all Windows devices – sparked interest arguably not seen in Windows since the pioneering days of Windows 95.
But it’s only the beginning, and Microsoft must get several things right to start it on the road to success again.
(Microsoft) These features now have to live up to their impressive stage demonstrations in the real world – Edge must be fast and easy to annotate as suggested, while Cortana must continue to be a seamless and intelligent assistant across a new range of devices.
The gaming streams from Xbox One to PC are also going to have to hold up well if Microsoft wants to entice developers on to Windows 10.
If Microsoft can get the core of Windows 10 right, it could begin to excite and encourage developers back to the platform.
(Microsoft) The promise of one version of an app that works across phone, tablet and computer with minimal work is an enticing one for coders, but developers are still curious about how much effort this will actually take.
Make it easy, and the Windows platform could begin to flourish the way Apple’s has in recent years as developers fight to get involved.
There are more than a million apps on the Apple App Store, in comparison the Windows Store which around 500,000.
(Stefan Rousseau/PA) The health of the Surface brand – Microsoft’s tablet-laptop hybrid – could also have a say in the success of Windows 10.
Having steadily gained on the iPad in the last year, the growth of the Surface business to almost a billion US dollars (£640 million) was one of the bright spots of the firm’s most recent financial results.
If the hardware running Windows 10 is performing well, the developer community is far more likely to want to build on it.
(Jeff Chiu/AP) Not an area the tech giant is currently focussing on too heavily, but as high-end flagship smartphones continue to sell in their millions, Microsoft will have to return to them in earnest soon.
The Lumia is performing OK in the lower and mid-range arenas, but a company the size of Microsoft really should be looking to take on Apple, Samsung and co in the premium market.
The Windows Phone has been something of a five-year struggle, with sales never taking off – squeezed out by the aforementioned rivals. But a solid base provided by Windows 10 could be a springboard for new and better hardware.
The public reaction, therefore, as Windows 10 rolls out from Wednesday has never been more important to Microsoft.
M$’s graphic interface not only sucks functionally, it’s poor from a graphics design standpoint.
What device do you use?
ping
I don’t see how you can have 1.5 billion customers and not be a success. The fact is the PC, and with it Windows, has made the transition to being an appliance. People don’t spend a lot of time thinking about their refrigerator, but they own one (or more). Just because people don’t spend a lot time contemplating the nature of Windows doesn’t mean it doesn’t matter, it means it has become a quiet revenue generator. In a lot of ways that’s the best kind of success, the kind of success where you don’t waste of lot of time making splash, you just keep making money.
How much hardware and software will it kill?
Nearly every previous edition since XP has killed peripherals and software.
For me, the peripherals and some irreplacable software outweigh the supposed benefits of Win10.
I did manage to jerryrig some XP software to work under Win7. Some only partially worked. I assume such programs will be officially dead under Win10.
Plenty. XP desktops and laptops, Vista desktop, hand-me-down Android smartphones, Android tablet, ipad and iphone. Other older stuff revitalized with Linux.
Likely one where the company doesn’t like making money as he still figures “M$” is some sort of knock at them.
Let’s see. . .
1. It fails to recognize “legacy” peripherals (like a year-old Epson Printer, or a current-generation Nvidia high-end video card.
2. All semblance of user control goes away. Windows will update as it sees fit, whether you want it to or not. Even if some of your software REQUIRES older drivers.
3. Win10 is a year or two away from being a Subscription. Want more than basic services ? Pay your monthly Microsoft bill. . .
The two things that made Windows a success has been Office and the software development tools, Visual Studio today.
Both suffer from a complete lack of adult supervision. Everyone and everything is crammed into these product lines with no planning or design. They are a scattered mess.
The third thing that has made Microsoft a success has been their server products; Exchange and SQL Server. SQL Server is becoming a mess and Exchange is a complete and utter failure of a product. With a brand new server with a fresh OS install Exchange fails to install. Install, a simple install. Exchange can’t do it. Then, once you spend weeks trying to get it to install, good luck configuring the thing so that it actually processes mail. Even Microsoft support can’t do it in many cases.
Microsoft is fast becoming useless to the computing industry. Open Source products have become just as good and just as viable.
P.S. Not to mention that some idiot put a tablet’s graphic interface on server products! The Windows 8 user interface had no business being on a server. Windows 8 also had hidden controls. Users just had to know where to click to get menus. They were not visible or obvious! Some bimbo thought that was a cute feature.
M$ has long been against the interests of their users and against the private property interests of owners of purchased things.
I was curious about the “M$.” Their margins are not that impressive anymore - and Windows 10 will be free - so it seems misplaced.
> Open Source products have become just as good and just as viable.
True. And as you say Windows is a scattered mess. They survive in spite of themselves. Metro is a gag. IMO their best days are behind them.
Mrs p6 and I both like and use the charms bar.
W10 is quite unlikely to be free (by any definition) to me.
By *any* definition?
In a world that’s largely anti-Windows 8, you’re definitely Unmutual. Please report for Total Social Conversion.
Yep.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.