If they slashed prices to zero, they'd be on-par with Android, except they still wouldn't have any apps, or allow for GUI customization (i.e. nook or Amazon fire). So, pretty much RT is screwed. Users don't want it, it doesn't offer any real advantage. About the only way that I could see RT catching on is if MS killed their (unreleased) iOS and Android versions of Office and made RT the absolute best platform for MS oriented documents on the go. If they did that it's possible they'd gain some traction with business travelers and in companies where people need to move around all day long updating documents... But that's where they should have been a few years back. The whole thing may be slipping away from them. Google docs are looking awfully appealing for this sort of highly-mobile document collaboration.
What is the point of Windows RT? It's one thing if Microsoft wanted to create a new tablet operating system with their mainstream Windows 8, but what's the point of creating a separate Windows RT? What can it do that Windows 8 cannot do?
There are Windows 8 tablets out there, but I don't get why anyone would buy Windows RT over standard Windows 8. The Win 8 and Win RT tablets cost the same. Maybe because you get Office (minus Outlook) included?
so the way to win is for Ballmer to create a race to the bottom. LOL! So take a crap Win 8, slash the "pimp fee" and watch sales soar even though the product is garbage. I can't stop laughing!!
When will Microsoft understand that they are a software company? Cut the BS and port Office to iOS you stupid tards.... Oh, and while you are at it, port .Net to Mac OS also...
They can slash licensing prices or slash retail prices but the Surface in it's present form will never challenge the iPad
There is really no challenge, since on review Windows RT is trying to compete in two areas of computing, the tablet and notebook arenas. Again Microsoft have tried to attack the franchise in these 2 areas, instead of focusing on one. I would not buy this not because it is Microsoft (God help those people that use Windows 8 for pleasure and I understand the feeling, the frustration it causes at work), but why would I carry this equipment, when I can carry MacBook Air, slightly heavier with LOT MORE PERFORMANCE, If I require to do more labor intensive work, then on my iPad.
Ballmer is lucky corporate world has not found a way to get rid of Microsoft Office or that company would be screwed royally.
Unable to gain much traction against Apple's iPad so far, Microsoft is cutting the licensing fees for its mobile-targeted Windows RT operating system, hoping that if manufacturers are able to make less expensive devices, the platform could show signs of life.
Somehow... to me this conjures up the image of someone trying to revive a beached whale by French-kissing its blowhole...
Windows Server is very immature too, in fact every Microsoft OS is because they're all shit from the ground up. Yet IT managers still shell out $800 for each license when superior alternatives are available for free. Any administrator that buys Microsoft should hang their head in shame. Microsoft sell themselves on compatibility and existing tools and software but building reliance on this closed source corporation is worse in the long run in comparison to building your own software and tools. And don't get me started on visualisation. Bill Gates and Microsoft are probably the world's biggest environmental vandals when you look at the general quality and efficiency of their software.
At some point there has to be a major shift in momentum away from Microsoft...there just has to be. I feel there's the mood to and that's why Microsoft can't make it in the mobile arena. I just really hope we start to see a seismic shift from the desktop as well.
And Microsoft's stock keeps continuing it's upward journey...
Thats what happens when your new OS keeps selling at the same rate as your record breaking last OS. Hardware vendors sales may be down, but the funny thing is Windows sales are massively up. If hardware vendors want there sales up they need to make better hardware, otherwise people are just going to continue the move to just upgrading there current machine.
MS has improved the OS and it sales show that. But the guys selling hardware cant rely on the OS selling there machine, as the OS hardware requiremnts are going down not up.
Thats what happens when your new OS keeps selling at the same rate as your record breaking last OS. Hardware vendors sales may be down, but the funny thing is Windows sales are massively up. If hardware vendors want there sales up they need to make better hardware, otherwise people are just going to continue the move to just upgrading there current machine.
MS has improved the OS and it sales show that. But the guys selling hardware cant rely on the OS selling there machine, as the OS hardware requiremnts are going down not up.
All good points, but there are two things to bear in mind:
Cost. Windows7 was over a hundred dollars when it was released. Microsoft saw that Windows8 was facing adoption problems on launch and so immediately dropped its price to $40, which is more palatable for folks who want to just try it out to see if it meets their needs.
Counting. Microsoft figures include OEM purchases and end user purchases in the figures. If you do buy a new machine then you have to have Windows8 on it, though you can downgrade for free. The question is how many of these machines are being downgraded?
I think MS should have kept the desktop and tablet metaphor entirely separate, personally. Having used Windows8 on a laptop, I find the massive buttons more of a hindrance than a help (great on a tablet though). If things were going as well as they'd hoped then I'm not sure they would talking about restoring the start menu and including an option to start up in desktop mode; as climb-downs go it doesn't get much bigger than that.
Still, I think another problem is the press: they make up a lot of stuff. I never thought Vista's problems were anywhere near as big as the press made out.
Interesting you should say that. Apple used to get that a lot, and still does to some extent. Their failures were always grossly exaggerated. But also their successes are excessively hyped. That's the media for you. Nothing by half measures.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rayz
All good points, but there are two things to bear in mind:
Cost. Windows7 was over a hundred dollars when it was released. Microsoft saw that Windows8 was facing adoption problems on launch and so immediately dropped its price to $40, which is more palatable for folks who want to just try it out to see if it meets their needs.
Counting. Microsoft figures include OEM purchases and end user purchases in the figures. If you do buy a new machine then you have to have Windows8 on it, though you can downgrade for free. The question is how many of these machines are being downgraded?
I think MS should have kept the desktop and tablet metaphor entirely separate, personally. Having used Windows8 on a laptop, I find the massive buttons more of a hindrance than a help (great on a tablet though). If things were going as well as they'd hoped then I'm not sure they would talking about restoring the start menu and including an option to start up in desktop mode; as climb-downs go it doesn't get much bigger than that.
Still, I think another problem is the press: they make up a lot of stuff. I never thought Vista's problems were anywhere near as big as the press made out.
The platform was dead from the beginning. Once again, Microsoft was way late to the party and its too late to join in on everyone copying the idea of the iPad. And I don't mean that they copied the iPad like Samsung did...I just mean they're joining in the tablet game way too late and its simply too late for them. IMO, they did the same thing with the Zune.
You can't beat Apple by basically doing the same thing Apple does. You have to do something innovative...something completely different and make people think they need it. This is what Apple does better than anyone.
Well, Microsoft was innovative and completely different, but I think you meant that the difference should be in a GOOD way, not in a Fisher Price way.
Windows Server is very immature too, in fact every Microsoft OS is because they're all shit from the ground up. Yet IT managers still shell out $800 for each license when superior alternatives are available for free. Any administrator that buys Microsoft should hang their head in shame.
You totally miss WHY IT managers buy Microsoft OS: Job security. They are indispensable because only they have the training and experience to keep the shitty network of cheap hardware and buggy OS software running.
Quote:
Originally Posted by s.metcalf
Microsoft sell themselves on compatibility and existing tools and software but building reliance on this closed source corporation is worse in the long run in comparison to building your own software and tools.
Fortunately one doesn't have to build one's own software. Corporations have alternatives to Microsoft servers and software, it's not easy to switch away from Microsoft but it is going on at an increased rate over the last few years.
Quote:
Originally Posted by s.metcalf
At some point there has to be a major shift in momentum away from Microsoft...there just has to be. I feel there's the mood to and that's why Microsoft can't make it in the mobile arena. I just really hope we start to see a seismic shift from the desktop as well.
It's unlikely that MS Win 8 will get much of any use in the enterprise and institutional environments. The conversion to Win 7 is in progress yet, and there is no reason to make another move. Win 7 is proving to be" good enough" to do the job. I doubt MS for tablets will catch on as the Pro OS requires a ton of RAM and power just to operate (and RT is just not compatible with anything)... and finally iOS by Apple on the phones and iPads have proven to be "good enough" as well. BYOD is in full swing and acceptable to most customers.
I think I'm one of the few on this board who actually uses and enjoys Windows 8 and even I don't really understand the benefits of RT. The Atom versions have the same battery life, faster, run standard apps and are at the same price point.
Despite the fact that nowadays even in Enterprise the iPad dominates adoption, because people slowly learned to move on, to forget two decades old tools and are discovering that custom tools, made for purpose and designed for touch input are so much more empowering and productive than running legacy software with a stylus, there's a simple reason for this:
Microsoft has never learned it's lesson. They have been trying for over a decade to introduce new computing form factors and they always based it on their Windows technology and brand. What they didn't realise is that the average consumer (and by this I mean really average technophobe, not the kind of people voicing their opinion on boards such as this) just doesn't care at all.
What people want is beauty, simplicity and easy of use. Power comes though this and not through "raw" power allowing you to run apps made in 1997 on a modern tablet.
IMHO Microsoft also highly overestimates the impact of Office. This might or might not drive enterprise adoption, however the average consumer doesn't give a damn about Office and hence I believe their whole marketing campaign to be flawed. Those people that make decisions regarding IT adoption know about Surface and Surface Pro. Those that don't (regular consumers), certainly won't get impressed by ads showcasing how Powerpoint works. Sorry, that's just not a selling point for most people because they simply have no use for it.
And of course we have a brand problem, I'm not sure why Microsoft doesn't realise this. Windows is huge because of historic reasons, because it still ships on almost all classic PCs sold today and people are used to it for a long time now. However, at the same time I believe when looking at the big picture, there are actually very few people that like it or that associate Windows with something pleasant. Windows does not run on most modern mobile computing devices and people just don't want it there, because in contrast to XBOX, Windows just doesn't really have a good reputation amongst consumers. People hated it on their PCs, people cursed it and people will generally rather say "eeewwwww" than "cool" when you tell them about a phone running Windows.
Despite the Metro attempt to really come up with a "unique" interface, Microsoft has just never had the guts to come up with something completely new and this is what cost them. They have always tried to push their Windows on any form factor and this has lead to nothing but mostly horrible experiences. And yes, even Surface is a horrible experience. We might argue about a few good ideas in there but that's about it.
Comments
They can slash licensing prices or slash retail prices but the Surface in it's present form will never challenge the iPad
It will be the Zune in one year. A brown turd flushed by consumers.
If they slashed prices to zero, they'd be on-par with Android, except they still wouldn't have any apps, or allow for GUI customization (i.e. nook or Amazon fire). So, pretty much RT is screwed. Users don't want it, it doesn't offer any real advantage. About the only way that I could see RT catching on is if MS killed their (unreleased) iOS and Android versions of Office and made RT the absolute best platform for MS oriented documents on the go. If they did that it's possible they'd gain some traction with business travelers and in companies where people need to move around all day long updating documents... But that's where they should have been a few years back. The whole thing may be slipping away from them. Google docs are looking awfully appealing for this sort of highly-mobile document collaboration.
What is the point of Windows RT? It's one thing if Microsoft wanted to create a new tablet operating system with their mainstream Windows 8, but what's the point of creating a separate Windows RT? What can it do that Windows 8 cannot do?
There are Windows 8 tablets out there, but I don't get why anyone would buy Windows RT over standard Windows 8. The Win 8 and Win RT tablets cost the same. Maybe because you get Office (minus Outlook) included?
So take a crap Win 8, slash the "pimp fee" and watch sales soar even though the product is garbage.
I can't stop laughing!!
EGlasheen
Vapor earnings somehow is greater than actual earnings.
Quote:
Originally Posted by geekdad
They can slash licensing prices or slash retail prices but the Surface in it's present form will never challenge the iPad
There is really no challenge, since on review Windows RT is trying to compete in two areas of computing, the tablet and notebook arenas. Again Microsoft have tried to attack the franchise in these 2 areas, instead of focusing on one. I would not buy this not because it is Microsoft (God help those people that use Windows 8 for pleasure and I understand the feeling, the frustration it causes at work), but why would I carry this equipment, when I can carry MacBook Air, slightly heavier with LOT MORE PERFORMANCE, If I require to do more labor intensive work, then on my iPad.
Ballmer is lucky corporate world has not found a way to get rid of Microsoft Office or that company would be screwed royally.
Somehow... to me this conjures up the image of someone trying to revive a beached whale by French-kissing its blowhole...
They need to trashbin the whole RT program, it confuses consumers and damages the brand.
IIRC, they promised to support it for 3 years?
At some point there has to be a major shift in momentum away from Microsoft...there just has to be. I feel there's the mood to and that's why Microsoft can't make it in the mobile arena. I just really hope we start to see a seismic shift from the desktop as well.
stick a fork in it.
MS has improved the OS and it sales show that. But the guys selling hardware cant rely on the OS selling there machine, as the OS hardware requiremnts are going down not up.
Quote:
Originally Posted by timgriff84
Thats what happens when your new OS keeps selling at the same rate as your record breaking last OS. Hardware vendors sales may be down, but the funny thing is Windows sales are massively up. If hardware vendors want there sales up they need to make better hardware, otherwise people are just going to continue the move to just upgrading there current machine.
MS has improved the OS and it sales show that. But the guys selling hardware cant rely on the OS selling there machine, as the OS hardware requiremnts are going down not up.
All good points, but there are two things to bear in mind:
Cost. Windows7 was over a hundred dollars when it was released. Microsoft saw that Windows8 was facing adoption problems on launch and so immediately dropped its price to $40, which is more palatable for folks who want to just try it out to see if it meets their needs.
Counting. Microsoft figures include OEM purchases and end user purchases in the figures. If you do buy a new machine then you have to have Windows8 on it, though you can downgrade for free. The question is how many of these machines are being downgraded?
I think MS should have kept the desktop and tablet metaphor entirely separate, personally. Having used Windows8 on a laptop, I find the massive buttons more of a hindrance than a help (great on a tablet though). If things were going as well as they'd hoped then I'm not sure they would talking about restoring the start menu and including an option to start up in desktop mode; as climb-downs go it doesn't get much bigger than that.
Still, I think another problem is the press: they make up a lot of stuff. I never thought Vista's problems were anywhere near as big as the press made out.
The only way to bring this puppy back to life is with a defibrillator
The smell of blue smoke will be more entertaining than using one.
Interesting you should say that. Apple used to get that a lot, and still does to some extent. Their failures were always grossly exaggerated. But also their successes are excessively hyped. That's the media for you. Nothing by half measures.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rayz
All good points, but there are two things to bear in mind:
Cost. Windows7 was over a hundred dollars when it was released. Microsoft saw that Windows8 was facing adoption problems on launch and so immediately dropped its price to $40, which is more palatable for folks who want to just try it out to see if it meets their needs.
Counting. Microsoft figures include OEM purchases and end user purchases in the figures. If you do buy a new machine then you have to have Windows8 on it, though you can downgrade for free. The question is how many of these machines are being downgraded?
I think MS should have kept the desktop and tablet metaphor entirely separate, personally. Having used Windows8 on a laptop, I find the massive buttons more of a hindrance than a help (great on a tablet though). If things were going as well as they'd hoped then I'm not sure they would talking about restoring the start menu and including an option to start up in desktop mode; as climb-downs go it doesn't get much bigger than that.
Still, I think another problem is the press: they make up a lot of stuff. I never thought Vista's problems were anywhere near as big as the press made out.
Quote:
Originally Posted by macxpress
The platform was dead from the beginning. Once again, Microsoft was way late to the party and its too late to join in on everyone copying the idea of the iPad. And I don't mean that they copied the iPad like Samsung did...I just mean they're joining in the tablet game way too late and its simply too late for them. IMO, they did the same thing with the Zune.
You can't beat Apple by basically doing the same thing Apple does. You have to do something innovative...something completely different and make people think they need it. This is what Apple does better than anyone.
Well, Microsoft was innovative and completely different, but I think you meant that the difference should be in a GOOD way, not in a Fisher Price way.
Quote:
Originally Posted by s.metcalf
Windows Server is very immature too, in fact every Microsoft OS is because they're all shit from the ground up. Yet IT managers still shell out $800 for each license when superior alternatives are available for free. Any administrator that buys Microsoft should hang their head in shame.
You totally miss WHY IT managers buy Microsoft OS: Job security. They are indispensable because only they have the training and experience to keep the shitty network of cheap hardware and buggy OS software running.
Quote:
Originally Posted by s.metcalf
Microsoft sell themselves on compatibility and existing tools and software but building reliance on this closed source corporation is worse in the long run in comparison to building your own software and tools.
Fortunately one doesn't have to build one's own software. Corporations have alternatives to Microsoft servers and software, it's not easy to switch away from Microsoft but it is going on at an increased rate over the last few years.
Quote:
Originally Posted by s.metcalf
At some point there has to be a major shift in momentum away from Microsoft...there just has to be. I feel there's the mood to and that's why Microsoft can't make it in the mobile arena. I just really hope we start to see a seismic shift from the desktop as well.
It's unlikely that MS Win 8 will get much of any use in the enterprise and institutional environments. The conversion to Win 7 is in progress yet, and there is no reason to make another move. Win 7 is proving to be" good enough" to do the job. I doubt MS for tablets will catch on as the Pro OS requires a ton of RAM and power just to operate (and RT is just not compatible with anything)... and finally iOS by Apple on the phones and iPads have proven to be "good enough" as well. BYOD is in full swing and acceptable to most customers.
Despite the fact that nowadays even in Enterprise the iPad dominates adoption, because people slowly learned to move on, to forget two decades old tools and are discovering that custom tools, made for purpose and designed for touch input are so much more empowering and productive than running legacy software with a stylus, there's a simple reason for this:
Microsoft has never learned it's lesson. They have been trying for over a decade to introduce new computing form factors and they always based it on their Windows technology and brand. What they didn't realise is that the average consumer (and by this I mean really average technophobe, not the kind of people voicing their opinion on boards such as this) just doesn't care at all.
What people want is beauty, simplicity and easy of use. Power comes though this and not through "raw" power allowing you to run apps made in 1997 on a modern tablet.
IMHO Microsoft also highly overestimates the impact of Office. This might or might not drive enterprise adoption, however the average consumer doesn't give a damn about Office and hence I believe their whole marketing campaign to be flawed. Those people that make decisions regarding IT adoption know about Surface and Surface Pro. Those that don't (regular consumers), certainly won't get impressed by ads showcasing how Powerpoint works. Sorry, that's just not a selling point for most people because they simply have no use for it.
And of course we have a brand problem, I'm not sure why Microsoft doesn't realise this. Windows is huge because of historic reasons, because it still ships on almost all classic PCs sold today and people are used to it for a long time now. However, at the same time I believe when looking at the big picture, there are actually very few people that like it or that associate Windows with something pleasant. Windows does not run on most modern mobile computing devices and people just don't want it there, because in contrast to XBOX, Windows just doesn't really have a good reputation amongst consumers. People hated it on their PCs, people cursed it and people will generally rather say "eeewwwww" than "cool" when you tell them about a phone running Windows.
Despite the Metro attempt to really come up with a "unique" interface, Microsoft has just never had the guts to come up with something completely new and this is what cost them. They have always tried to push their Windows on any form factor and this has lead to nothing but mostly horrible experiences. And yes, even Surface is a horrible experience. We might argue about a few good ideas in there but that's about it.