Microsoft Windows 7: Keep An Open Mind
The VAR Guy woke up this morning and realized he needed a fresh start with Microsoft. For almost two years, our resident blogger has noted 10 mistakes Microsoft made with Windows Vista, and 10 ways to fix the situation. The VAR Guy ultimately jumped to Ubuntu Linux in mid-2007. But now — as Microsoft gears up for Windows 7 — it’s time for our resident blogger to reengage with the software giant. Here’s why.
Fact is, Microsoft isn’t all evil — despite what the open source crowd asserts. During the mid-1990s, The VAR Guy applauded Microsoft again and again for freeing companies from expensive, proprietary Unix hardware and software. Anybody else remember the age of RISC-based computing and the price tags attached to those systems?
Alas, Microsoft lost its way toward the end of the century, and the company has made its share of mistakes in recent years — Windows Millennium Edition and Vista were among the biggest.
Now for the Twist
But a healthy, competitive Microsoft is good for the software industry. Nobody wants to go back to the days of Windows and Office being monopolies. However, when Microsoft delivers solid products every rival is forced to work twice as hard to continue innovating.
Fact is, businesses and consumers should be very pleased with the current competitive market — where Apple, Microsoft and the Linux crowd (Canonical and Novell in particular) are competing fiercely on the desktop. The battle between Microsoft and Linux is particularly fierce in the fast-growing Netbook market.
Fast forward to 2010 and we could see a resilient Microsoft deliver a solid Windows 7 release. That would force Apple, Canonical and Novell to raise their games to new levels.
Keeping Up with Open Source?
The VAR Guy still thinks open source is the best way for software companies to deliver innovative, high-quality software in a predictable, timely manner.
But when Windows 7 arrives, our resident blogger is willing to give Microsoft another chance to earn a place on his desktop.
The VAR Guy is updated multiple times daily. Don’t miss a single post. Subscribe to his newsletter, RSS and Twitter feed.
Give microsoft a second chance? Not in this lifetime.
the gap between linux and windows is getting wider, making the game of cachup always harder,
also when your model is to copy functions and features off your rival, you will never catch up with them, as you have to wait and see what they do before you can copy is.
Then you have the problem of either being quick (but still behind) or good.
and Linux/FOSS dont seem to be able to achieve either
dave: You say the gap between Linux and Windows is getting wider. Who do you consider to be in the lead?
The VAR Guy Says:
“Who do you consider to be in the lead?”
@The VAR Guy:
“Lead, follow, or get out of the way.”
— Thomas Paine —
@The VAR Guy:
“Lead, follow, or get out of the way.”
— Thomas Paine –
Or the fourth unmentioned option…..
“go a different direction entirely.”
Those of us more concerned with the FOSS philosophy than price will most likely never turn back to a company like M$.
😉
“also when your model is to copy functions and features off your rival, you will never catch up with them, as you have to wait and see what they do before you can copy is.”
Come on! Microsoft has been copying features since the beginning from Apple.
Don’t get me wrong, Microsoft has come up with their share of innovations, but they are no different than any other developers. Open Source or otherwise.
Microsoft does not get it. They hear what we want, but they refuse to deliver. All they really need to do is create a safe, light, desktop environment and kernel, and let the rest of the community take care of 3rd party software.
“Microsoft does not get it. They hear what we want, but they refuse to deliver. All they really need to do is create a safe, light, desktop environment and kernel, and let the rest of the community take care of 3rd party software.”
I actually think they are finally starting to get it. Question is, how much are we actually going to see. I actually had high hopes for Vista before its release because they claimed it was going to have a much better security model. They had the right idea… but wrong execution.
Keep in mind, I haven’t used Windows as a desktop in over 7 years now. Not because it is a bad interface or desktop, but because I was tired of spending more time fixing and maintaining my system than being productive on it.
I haven’t looked back since, but I am always interested in seeing new systems, even if from Microsoft.
“But a healthy, competitive Microsoft is good for the software industry. Nobody wants to go back to the days of Windows and Office being monopolies. However, when Microsoft delivers solid products every rival is forced to work twice as hard to continue innovating.
Fact is, businesses and consumers should be very pleased with the current competitive market — where Apple, Microsoft and the Linux crowd (Canonical and Novell in particular) are competing fiercely on the desktop. The battle between Microsoft and Linux is particularly fierce in the fast-growing Netbook market.”
———————————————————————–
When did windows and office stop being a monopoly..? and with that.. i have yet to see a “fair” competitive market when it comes to MS…
and on the desktop you say..?? the only one i will agree with you on is on the netbook market, where linux was the first and MS came in after…. and even then.. with all the money MS can throw at vendors to “prefer” windows over linux.. that competitive market will soon dwindle…
i not sure if you have been keeping up with news in the industry.. but novell, redhat and conical are not competeting in the desktop arena… while they may sell and or give away desktop OS’s.. they could care less about the desktop.(if you search the web you’ll find quotes by novell and redhat about the desktop..)..they want the backend…
after switching to linux back in the 1997/98 time frame, there really is not way i would go back to being locked in.. i really donlt care how great their OS’s may turn out to be… once you have actually felt in control of your pc (as i felt when i first re-compiled my first kernel, or compiled my first FOSS… but i guess it is a personal experience) why would i want to give that up…
Hello VAR Guy,
you are making assumptions:
1. “Windows is going to release on time.” Did it ever release on time. Did it ever? I also recall how once Vista was released, the opportunity for Linux would be over.
2. “Windows is being improved.” Isn’t it just going to look different anyway?
I have bought Vista for my gaming. All I found was different looks and incompatibilty with my favorite games and driver problems. The best Windows I had was Win2k, it was the first NT based release and with a nice UI. After that, I got the option to buy variants of Windows with less features, like “Vista Home Basic” now.
3. “One can switch back to Windows”. I know people who try Linux for a brief period and then go back. I cannot imagine anybody to be able to go back after many years of using it, there would be way too much things missing.
4. “Windows next will force to up the games”.
Well, at the speed Linux develops its multiple desktops, is there any chance that Windows next will be able to compete with a KDE 4.6 which will be available at the time?
I believe they will have lots of users who already run KDE as their desktop shell on their OS by then already. They might not bother for a new look of the UI shell they don’t use.
Honestly, to keep an open mind is a good idea. But if you want that, look towards Gnome, KDE, XFCE, E17, etc. or OpenSolaris, PC-BSD, etc. kernels.
Windows can’t add much anymore. That’s why Win2k was the climax release.
Yours,
Kay
Microsoft has so much money because they united the IBM-PC compatibilities inconstancies. They road the chaotic and scattered train that was the fragmented IBM-PC market. This again as I said, force PC HARDWARE to standardize, which Microsoft did well to do.
That they deserve.
HOWEVER, in that time, deals were made with OEMs, that are very VERY EVIL, well corporate america is cut throat, MS is no different. OEM like COMPAQ was put out of business because they tried to introduce Linux and other OS alternatives, pissing off MS execs, and cutting license deals for that OEM. Killing it because MS DOES NOT WANT OTHER OSes ON THE MARKET. Netbooks is a perfect example of MS cutting in, albeit legal, because they fear COMPETITION and loss of MONOPOLY.
REMEMBER, MS is the most insecure, POS OS on this planet, responsibe for the most a lot of the SPAM. (Ever hear of the BOTNET using malware and infected WINDOWS computers to deliver spam? Google it please, BOTNET.)
Have you not read the LONG LONG list of law suites against MS at groklaw.com ????
GET REAL… 90+% is NOT fair competition, and they continue to stiffle innovation, by simply locking everyone out.
ISV and OEM lock out… remember that.
Giving MS a second chance? You agree that Vista is one of the biggest mistakes MS ever made, nevertheless, they are making Windows 7 another Windows Vista (http://blogs.computerworld.com/vista_r_i_p#comment-113898). Please don’t tell me you were bribed too… (http://boycottnovell.com/2008/11/02/microsoft-dell-laptop-incenstives/)
Good post, and interesting read. Just a thought or two.
Market share for a company isn’t important, profitability is. RedHat is doing just fine with their market share no matter how small they are. And as long as they keep their profitability up, they can innovate and pull from the rest of the FOSS community.
As far as the comment above about Linux playing catch-up with Microsoft…. this is true in some areas. Not in others. So let’s not be too broad there. Everyone copies everyone, keep in mind this is a good thing, no matter what the consumer wins!
In the long run, doesn’t matter of the FOSS community likes or doesn’t like in Windows 7. It’s what the market demands.
Kay @11: Thanks for reading. A few responses…
1. The VAR Guy never said Windows 7 would be released on time.
2. The VAR Guy never said Windows would be improved. That remains to be seen. But our resident blogger senses that Microsoft will learn from painful lessons from Vista. You can’t release bloated software on under-powered hardware and promise a great user experience.
3. Competitive Set: You mention OpenSolaris. Interesting technology. But do you really see it as a viable, volume desktop???
Thanks again for reading.
Juan @13: Microsoft hasn’t bribed The VAR Guy (yet) but he does accept direct deposit. Kidding aside, let’s hope Windows 7 is lean and competitive, to keep the FOSS crowd focused on their innovations as well.
We won’t be waiting until 2010 for Windows 7. Asus were quoted in a news storey saying they would have Windows 7 on new systems mid 2009. The fact Windows 7 is looking so polished already, it’s basically Vista with touch from Surface thrown in and a few touch ups. Asus will probably be shipping Windows 7 in mid 2009.
A healthy competitive mark is always good. But I just don’t think we can have that with Microsoft around in it’s current form. It’s simply too big and powerful with a complete nutter at the helm.
When Microsoft can basically bribe governments into supporting them then nobody can compete. http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/11/04/microsoft-pays-south-korea
The VarGuy would be a fool to be suckered in by Microsoft again. Windows 7 might look good. But it’s still Vista under the hood.
I am happy that you will have a choice to consider Windows 7 on its technical merits. The almost absolute majority of the business I work with will have little or no freedom to choose; there is still too much lock-in from the decades of Microsoft dominating the market. Two many pieces of the puzzle in their IT structure are directly tied to Microsoft.
For those of us with the freedom to choose, I wonder if we should contribute money to those companies, such as Microsoft, who have, and still are, seeking to remove that freedom. Even if they have ceased monopolistic practices, they still occupy that status, in all practical terms.
Before you declare the market for the desktop competitive, I suggest you select ten arbitrary businesses from your local phone directory and have a visit to see what operating system they use and which office suite. Ask about their plans to use Apple/Linux or OpenOffice/Symphony, etc.
p.s. Yes, there is pleasure to be gained at the hands of a monopoly, such as the pressure put on the RISC prices (kudos to Intel, as well). If there was no benefit, the monopoly would have been hard pressed to form. What we cannot identify is the cost in inhibiting innovation the Microsoft monopoly has exacted. Those RISC prices could have dropped under more natural competitive pressures while the breadth of competition should have driven innovation at an aggressive pace.
Microsoft still is a monopoly. They don’t compete… they destroy. Not cause they are so smart… no because they are a monopoly. Who do they destroy… next ? Could it be VMware… Could it be Adobe… Only open source had the luck to not be crushable by a monopoly. I say slice Microsoft 7 ways… then we will have competition Remember the baby bells. Not a bad thing I do say.
The VAR Guy, thanks for your response. I didn’t mean to sound harsh or anything of that sort, really. I’m really sorry if I did. And I completely agree with this: “keep the FOSS crowd focused on their innovations.” There’s a lot of work ahead. So, everyone, let’s get to it, shall we? 😀
Juan Pablo: No need to ever apologize to me. As long as the language isn’t offensive, The VAR Guy welcomes ALL comments on this site. Thanks for reading and visiting — and interacting.
What I find interesting is that even you, of all people, seem prepared to give MS a go with what their marketing team have termed a new OS. It’s not a new OS. It’s the optimisation and work that should have gone into Vista BEFORE vista was released.
I for one can’t stomach the thought that I paid (full price) for a product that was 2 yeas premature to then have to pay again to use the same product in working order.
It’s like buying a a 2010 car in 2008 with no wheels only to pay full price for it again in 2010 with wheels.
You really sound like you’ve had the wool pulled over your eyes too.
They do not deserve a second chance. What WE (the consumers) deserve, is the product we originally paid for. What do you think the chances are than I can expect a nice new copy of Windows 7 shipped to my door to replace the Vista I used for a week and discarded in disgust?
Only a fool would fall for that deal, even if the OS was worth having which is highly unlikely.
Cheers,
Arkay.
Arkay: You know, your argument is pretty darn strong. Most consumers that purchased “vista capable” PCs deserve their money back. But as a so-called journalist, The VAR Guy does test most mainstream operating systems at one time or another. So he’ll give Windows 7 a try… …
But, your note was a strong argument against such a move.
Don’t forget to mention all the M$ DRM and phone home spyware in Windows since XP.
Activation, Genuine Advantage and DRM are insulting to honest users and a joke to hackers anyway.
DRM and Malware are not problems or issues with a decent *nix Box. You spend more time using a Linux box then you do fixing the security and malware problems. When was the last time you had to Defrag or Virus scan a *nix box??
Install Windows and you’re usually searching for the right Win Driver. Install Linux and most commodity hardware is supported out of the box. If a popular device isn’t supported now it probably will be in 6 most when most Distro’s update.
Window’s takes years to update the OS and Linux is constantly evovlving so which is more state of the art??
From the ground up *nix has been engineered to be a multi user, secure, networking OS. Windows was built as a standalone platform that’s been hacked and features tacked on more as bloat then useful. Yes the NT kernel is decent but everything about that stinks.
If you like Windows and you’ll probably like Win 7. If you like Windows that much they by all means stay with Windows but keep your eye on the Penguin.
In time as Linux continues to mature its polish, ease of use, eye candy..etc will get ever better.
Forget the Command Line horror stories and media codec issues. Those things were problems a few years ago and have changed radically.
You point and click your way around Linux as easily as you would in Windows on the major Linux Distro’s. Yes, underneath Linux you still have that dreaded Command Prompt that was scary in the old M$ DOS days but that it’s use is optional and rare these days. Many Geeks and advanced users who know how to use that dreaded command line can do some amazing things with it to control the OS. Even M$ has and is making it’s PowerShell command line more potent on the server end. One bash command can do the work of several mouse clicks and without the eyecandy running a terminal is far faster.
Installing Media Codecs Disto’s can’t ship built it because of possible legal issues in some countries can easily be installed with a few mouse clicks in the GUI package manager.
With Live versions that can run off a USB stick, CD or DVD you can try out the latest *nix technolgy without touching your Windows install. You can try out different Distro’s to see which one ya like best if you decide to install it on your hard drive.
Installing modern *nix is a few simple mouse clicks in a GUI. No dreaded command line, no serial numbers, no phone home crap.
In the ‘good ol days’ *nix most certainly lived up to the urban legend nitemares about it but that’s ancient history.
Ubuntu, Mandriva and OpenSUSE are all polished, easy to use *nix that growing numbers of users find appealing as an option to Windows.
Sure while I like and recommend Ubuntu or one of its variants based on Debian I won’t discourage or disparage someone who likes and wants M$ Windows or a Mac. I believe there’s room at the table for all major OS players.
Even if you absolutely HATE and DESPISE Linux you don’t want it killed off either. Linux and Apple have forced many changes and improvements to Windows as M$ has to better compete to keep its market share.
Windows, *nix and Apple each have their pluses amp; weaknesses.
What’s ‘good’,better’ or ‘royally sux’ depends on the end user and what they what in a computer and what they are going to use it for .
If I get flamed by both M$ amp; *nix ‘fanbois’ I know I got this post right…
I’m sorry, but it seems to me that all you said there was “Windows 7: Maybe it won’t suck!”
I doubt it, but for the sake of debate, let’s say it doesn’t suck. So what? Sure, maybe Windows 7 will fix all the things they should have fixed in Windows ’98… er, I mean Windows XP… no, Vista now? Yeah, Vista. But so what? Somebody else already fixed that stuff. Somebody already showed up with a DRM-free, secure, customizable, aesthetically appealing, did-I-mention-secure, easy to upgrade, generally enjoyable and user-friendly system (oh, and the filesystem doesn’t drag ass either). It’s GNU/Linux, and it has been for years.
I may have been interested in a new-and-improved, non-suck (or even less-suck) version of Windows… around 2002. But Microsoft missed the boat, they lost my business, and they’re just not getting it back.
@worf007 That’s exactly what I was going to write. @petem is what I was thinking also. Microsuck knows how to copy UI as well as anyone. @dave you are so wrong! @var guy I have been a GNU/LINUX user since fedora core1 and I’m thinking about trying windows7 also just as a virtualbox for when I need to help a customer or vpn to work.
I’ve always thought that Microsoft’s philosophy of ‘Embrace and Extend’ was the perfect (and healthy) strategy for competing with Unix/Linx/Open Systems.
@Rich 27: “Embrace and Extend” or “Embrace and Replace”?
I won’t try it for 2 reasons, Windows 7 will be neither free as in free beer, nor Free as in Freedom.
Additionally Windows 7 will continue to integrate COM (ActiveX) into the System, which means a major security hole will remain present.
Even if Microsoft gave Windows 7 away, I would still not touch it, as it would still not be Free.
I moved to Linux in the period 2000-2002 because I wanted to escape the whole Virus/Anti virus thing. I chose Linux because it seemed to give me everything I needed, and it was free. I later learned the real value of Linux, it’s Free.
You overlook the greatest benefit of FOSS software: Freedom.
Last time I checked, Microsoft won’t let you look at the windows source code. Last time I checked, Microsoft controls what you do whether your going through the headache inducing process of registering windows, or encountering DRM in windows media player. And last time I checked, you have to pay for a copy of windows. Linux is free.
Even if windows 7 were technically superior to gnu/linux, I still wouldn’t buy it. I want to feel like I own my computer. I want to have the ability to fix it when things go wrong, and know how it works. Long live FOSS.
lol give MS another go?
EM, no thanks. I have had enough with them evil bastards.
Many of you people seem so young. Then again, I’m not old. So what is it that makes this strange breed of pop fans so amusing? Perhaps it’s because they fail to see the reason most people create FOSS in the first place.
The worst bunch of you act like it’s some kind of music event where the idols get up on stage and try to put on the best performance to please the crowds. Well, that’s what you are – a crowd.
FOSS is created by engineers for engineers. That’s really what it boils down to and don’t even me convince you of anything else.
Why do we want software to be free(as in freedom)? So we can use it and more importantly, build with it the way we want to. I have no qualms about shelling out cash for a watch. I do think the idea of paying to use friction is a bit stupid though. That’s what some software licenses amount to. When anyone understands how to program, like understanding the physics behind the watch, they are more likely to resent paying for logic especially when often it’s flawed logic. To pay for functioning watch that keeps time for years, is great pleasure. You feel proud of handy work of a great watch maker. You resent paying money for some piece of #### watch. As human beings become more intelligent and more people learn logic, the more we will resent paying for someone else’s bad programming.
Did the VAR Guy just use 400 words to say that he will try the next Windows when it comes out? Does he get paid to do this? I think I want to be a journalist, too.
@sims, I’m not sure what your argument is, but in point of fact I pay for my Free Software, I subscribe to the Mandriva Powerpack edition, as much as anything to help keep it Free. The value of that Free software is considerably greater than the price I pay, and is considerably greater than the price Microsoft charges for their closed non Free product.
@Mike 34: Um, The VAR Guy might be guilty as charged. And he is looking for more bloggers for this site…
How many second chances does the VARGuy think Microsoft deserves? Microsoft have consistently failed to deliver on what they promised. And then they rip us off into the bargain.
Take for example Windows Vista. If memory serves me right Windows Vista was built from a Windows Server 2003 baseline. Windows Server 2003 32-bit version supports way more that 4GB of memory space. But Vista stops at 4GB. And about 300MB to 500MB of that is taken by system devices. Why? Wasn’t Vista supposed to be an improvement?
“The VAR Guy applauded Microsoft again and again for freeing companies from expensive, proprietary Unix hardware and software.”
Errmmm … Okay. So they gave us crap expensive proprietary Microsoft software instead??? And remember it was IBM that invented the affordable desktop PC and their need for an OS that gave Microsoft it’s big break.
Tell you what, let’s get Microsoft’s market share down to 30% and THEN we’ll talk about how new stuff coming out from Redmond is just healthy competition for Apple and Linux.
Fact is Linux made a far way, as I read before there isn’t one os without it’s issues. But for now people are finally realizing that free software isn’t that bad as ms wants it to be.
Linux had it bad kernels but still I prefer to update 20 Linux boxes then 5 windows boxes. Point is ms doesn’t care for it’s users, they only care for money. finally more companies switch to Linux because there fed up with crashing systems, fucked up systems because people installed illegal or other software.
The current depression is terrible for everybody but the further we go, the more company there are who use open source software. Other people will follow, the more the better.
Concerning whatever 7: you can’t make a new house by cleaning up an older one. Our clients didn’t switch to vista because they already knew the quality of vista from there home pc. Some even paid to use xp while other are happy Linux users at home… and on there work!!!
A second chance?
Forget Microsoft!!! build your own software!!! and use it for free!!!
Remember Governments and extensions of their Organizations are not here to serve the people!! The truth is the people are here to Server the controlling Organizational force that limit and restrict knowledge amp; technology telling you what you can and cannot do with it, even though you pay for the goods that you own!!!
They restrict and hold all manner of knowledge and knowing of how to do things for self!! Or charge very high prices not affordable by the majority!!!(Keeping things far and well out of reach)!!!!
(They call it National Security!!!!)
The reason for this is to limit freedom and introduce restriction of rights!!! Use of anything for free is against the law in their eyes!! !(nothing can be free!!!)
In reality making perfectly, Legal Laws, Illegal!! Human rights become Illegal!!! Giving becomes Illegal, borrowing becomes Illegal!!!(You cannot do this or that for some BOGUS reason!!!!)
Once you know how to do thing for self, life become better for yourself, and the controlling Organization cannot maintain their position of luxury power and control!!!
Everyone should be self reliant and not depend on anyone!!! Only helped by them that care so everybody benefits!!!
Thats the purpose of Open Source (Its a human right)!!! You can know how to do Advanced things for free!!!