Microsoft Looking For New Ways To Monetize Windows

[shafe88]

Well if they switch windows to subscription based only, Microsoft basically gave Linux a free sucker punch. Other than games, I bet most people wouldn't even miss windows if they switched to Linux. Facebook and Email is no different on Linux than it is on Windows. So far it looks like windows Vista will be my last windows OS, I will not pay a monthly fee just to use windows when I can get and use Linux as long as I want for free.

 

[WilliamChan4]

I think the best solution for Microsoft moving forward would be to increase their fees to OEMs suppling computers with Windows preloaded so that users can have OS updates for the lifetime of the device. The "Licence Key" would be hard-wired into the BIOS so it cannot be moved to another system. In this way, Windows could move to a rolling release model without "major versions" which would also decrease legacy support costs.

 

[synphul]

I agree, subscription services suck. I don't trust the cloud with my privacy or sensitive business data. That's why I stopped with adobe cs6 and didn't bother with the new cloud crap. They assume everyone has fast internet, no not everyone does. Until reliable high speed internet becomes mandated in ALL areas, I'm not going to be punished and/or forced to pay another monthly fee for service I can barely use because I don't live in an internet connection hot spot. I hate steam as well for this. If I pay for a game and purchase the damn thing, I should be able to run it on my pc all day long without ever having to connect to the internet. All that does is hurts my performance and cripples my experience in a situation (non mmo) where it's irrelevant. That's like buying a car and the manufacturer telling you how and when you can drive it. Excuse me? I paid for it, I OWN it. It's not a rental. If they want to make windows a rental, fine - price it for what it's worth, $5. If the insist on going the route of adobe with the cloud crap I'll be too happy to turn all my system over to *nix.

 

[synphul]

While we're on the subject of windows, they need to realize that mobile devices are mobile devices and pc's are not. Win8 was a flop because it failed to harmonize and treated everyone's powerful pc like a playtoy mobile device.

Tablets and smart phones are cute but let's face it they're dumbed down compared to a pc and lack the features and performance needed for REAL work. Why would I want a touch screen to flit around the internet on my pc? How does it help using cad programs or photoshop or illustrator by putting fingerprints all over my screen? Leave the touch crud for powerless platforms best suited to ordering pizza.

Every time they dumb down windows for the masses they make the mistake of breaking key features like advanced networking some of us require and know how to use. They need to leave the fine tuning power user options in there, not make us all suffer because someone else can only handle one click solutions.

I didn't build a custom rig for it to behave like a $5 tablet. If I wanted a tablet or mobile device, I would have bought one. That's where they're losing money. Look at the lower retail prices of win 8/8.1 vs the now outdated end of life cycle win7 - and the fact that many users after giving win8 a chance jumped ship and reverted BACK to win7 should tell them something. It's not a pricing model problem, it's a crappy product problem. While they're at it, they need to stop punishing users for upgrading their hardware. The fact they bought it and are using it on their system (not sharing it with all their friends etc) and are using it legitimately after legitimately paying for the product isn't good enough? That's bull. I don't have to keep paying chevy every time I put new wheels or tires on my car or get locked out of my vehicle because a year down the road I wanted to upgrade the speakers. They need to get a grip over there in seattle and get over themselves. All they're doing is successfully pissing off the very hand they're relying on to be fed by.

 

[turkey3_scratch]

Cloud this, cloud that, hey I got an idea! These new things called hard drives.

Aside from that, I'm using Windows 10 and like it a lot. Free would be a huge step, and a good one also.

 

[Retrowire]

If they really make an OS that is dedicated to a cloud of some sort, I'm going Linux. Down with the cloud!

 

[iam2thecrowe]

If they really make an OS that is dedicated to a cloud of some sort, I'm going Linux. Down with the cloud!

totally agree. Linux distro's like Mint come with a lot of out of box support and are very easy to use and install compared to what was around 10 years ago. I already have Ubuntu on my older laptop, it does all the basics just fine and hardware support is pretty good. We are nearing a crossroads where most people have experienced other os's other than windows, weather it be ios, android, mac OS and could potentially shift away from windows if they ah heck up windows 10. I would be one of them. Even the gaming community is getting stronger for linux with many steam games and steam OS supporting it. Come to think of it, the only reason i run windows at home is for game and hardware support.....For the average joe internet, movies and documents are all they need a pc for, and linux can certainly do that.