Can Free Windows 9 Upgrades Help Microsoft Win the Platform War?

[belardo]

I totally agree with Lenovo thinkpads. I've used some, and they're the best laptops I've used. Except when I was in college where we could loan some brand new Lenovo laptops (R series) but they were from a bad batch and half of them had to have the motherboard replaced (but was on warranty). I usually see some very good quality with Levnovo.

Also, I see a lot of people complaining about having a lot of bugs, but it is not the experience I'm having with it.~~ They are both on SSD so the laptop starts and is ready to use in 2 seconds flat on 8, while the desktop takes about 20 seconds. It's also much more stable than win 7 was on my desktop.

About ThinkPad R-Series... those used to be the bottom end models. I bought my R-Series for $550 off the shelf back in 2007/8 and use it today... an old Core-2 tech. They were replaced by the SL (which became todays L series)... now Edge is pretty much bottom Back when I got my R-Series, this is what I was looking at. A Lenovo Consumer model for $650. It had 4GB RAM, vs the R's 1GB. It had a 250GB HD vs's the R's 60GB. It had a faster Core-2 CPU, easily. But Lenovo had Vista and I was looking at the headache of installing XP on it. Then I noticed in the business section... THINKPADS! So for $100 less, I got a better NON-GLOSSY screen (they suck!!), less memory and CPU and GPU power... and it was worth it. Today, it runs Windows 7 with 2GB RAM installed.

Check out Thinkpad support... and you'll see why they are STILL the best thing you can buy. Why? When you call them, you get an ENGLISH Native speaking human. Hold times are short... and on their website... you have EVERYTHING you need to rebuild/reload a Thinkpad! Yep, even a 2000 model... drivers out the ears. Technical manuals (So I was able to take apart and install the wifi-upgrade card), parts list - for every screw and up. Nobody... NOBODY else has that kind of support.

Its nice you had no bugs or major issues with Win8... plenty of other people DO... My Windows 7 is very stable. it wakes up in about 2 seconds too. My Win7 desktop rarely ever needs a reboot (a program / MS updates)

 

[urbanman2004]

That would be a bad business strategy on M$'s part. Apple was able to accomplish this task b/c their free OS is capable of running only on their proprietary hardware that they sell (aside from using it on a hackitosh which Apple's core customers exclusively bought their hardware that came w/ the OS).

 

[coolitic]

I have never heard of this "platform war"

Generally, each OS' is defined by a kind of people.

Mac is either for the less knowledgeable or a few people who use it for work

Windows (and I mean windows 7) is an OS that works for most people.

Linux is for the more advanced users although most people dual-boot with windows due to most applications work only for windows.

 

[axehead15]

I have never heard of this "platform war"

Generally, each OS' is defined by a kind of people.

Mac is either for the less knowledgeable or a few people who use it for work

Windows (and I mean windows 7) is an OS that works for most people.

Linux is for the more advanced users although most people dual-boot with windows due to most applications work only for windows.

If anything is for the less knowledgeable it is Windows lol. Only people who are biased think that people who use Mac don't know anything.

Mac is a much cleaner, lightweight OS compared to Windows. Also, Linux you don't need to dual-boot because you can use WINE. That being said, WINE makes it run pretty rough on legacy hardware.

 

[MidnightDistort]

I have never heard of this "platform war"

Generally, each OS' is defined by a kind of people.

Mac is either for the less knowledgeable or a few people who use it for work

Windows (and I mean windows 7) is an OS that works for most people.

Linux is for the more advanced users although most people dual-boot with windows due to most applications work only for windows.

If anything is for the less knowledgeable it is Windows lol. Only people who are biased think that people who use Mac don't know anything.

Mac is a much cleaner, lightweight OS compared to Windows. Also, Linux you don't need to dual-boot because you can use WINE. That being said, WINE makes it run pretty rough on legacy hardware.

You can also use Virtualbox if WINE doesn't work for you.

 

[ToineF]

Call it Windows. Make it free. Create a centralized software and drivers store, but let users also download and install stuff the way it is now too.
I just solved all the problems.

That's very true. They should have a centralized software and driver platform. I guess that's what they are doing with windows store.

As for the price. I remember when windows8 was released they had a big promotion and the pro version was 40$ so I got one at that price. Now I have they key and i can reuse it for my computer.

I think they should do the same for win9... have a promotion at first to everyone jumps on it... and later on bring it back to a normal price.... I would say around 50$ would do it.

 

[christinebcw]

As long as they give me the option to choose how I want the OS to look and feel I am willing to upgrade...

Yes. Get Microsoft to understand the distinction between UI and OS.