Why Windows 8 isn't the monster hybrid some tout it as...

[legacy7955]

The only people that are claiming the "PC is dead" are the marketing agencies working for big corporations. LOL

I think a more nefarious angle of this is that with LESS computing power, and LESS user control, their dreaded black cloud can become a dominant force and make these big companies more money. Greed is a large element of what is driving the cloud crap.

I honestly think that is the agenda. Of course I don't like it one bit, I will NEVER accept the Cloud as they see it. Hopefully the general public will come to realize how potentially dangerous it is.


As for Windows 8 Metro being a monster hybrid, well that is EXACTLY what it is.

Worse yet is that Microsoft is FORCING you if you have Windows 8 to ALWAYS boot to metro at all times. You have NO choice.
How is that for satisfying the customer, it seems more like they are sticking it to them.

Oh and I am NOT going to stop using the term "metro" for ..uh the metro UI.

I think the only and REAL reason why they have decided they don't want to use it is that the reaction to the UI is so utterly negative that they HAD to drop it.

 

[HippsieGypsie]

I don't know if anyone's noticed, but computers are getting smaller and more portable. They have been shrinking since the 40's. I think the only viable argument here is for a good sized screen.

The Smallest Computer in the World

 

[pparks1]

I don't know if anyone's noticed, but computers are getting smaller and more portable. They have been shrinking since the 40's. I think the only viable argument here is for a good sized screen.

The Smallest Computer in the World

Don't forget storage space, good sized video cards for real gaming, optical drive use as DVD's and BluRays aren't gone yet, full size quality keyboards and mice. Nothing quite like having a small computer, with a dozen peripherals plugged into it to make you wonder why you moved to such a small device in the first place. Like these ultrabooks that are so small they don't have onboard ethernet and assume that everything is wireless. Well guess what, wireless is just slow as crap compared to a 1Gbps cat 5 connection.

 

[Coke Robot]

I don't know if anyone's noticed, but computers are getting smaller and more portable. They have been shrinking since the 40's. I think the only viable argument here is for a good sized screen.

The Smallest Computer in the World

Don't forget storage space, good sized video cards for real gaming, optical drive use as DVD's and BluRays aren't gone yet, full size quality keyboards and mice. Nothing quite like having a small computer, with a dozen peripherals plugged into it to make you wonder why you moved to such a small device in the first place. Like these ultrabooks that are so small they don't have onboard ethernet and assume that everything is wireless. Well guess what, wireless is just slow as crap compared to a 1Gbps cat 5 connection.

Guess what, not everyone has a 1 Gbps connection. Wireless is better than wiring cable in every nook and cranny when one simple wireless router covers the same span cost effectively. Shoot, charging soon will be wireless. And, not everyone needs a full sized keyboard when some laptops do have one and some with number pads. If they work fine for them, great.

And then there's storage space, one can get a 2.5 inch terabyte hard drive for laptops and connect a four terabyte external drive.

Or better yet, if one needs more, build a desktop.

 

[pparks1]

Guess what, not everyone has a 1 Gbps connection.

This is true. But if you do and you have run the cabling, it's nice to move files when the limiting factor is your hard drive (unless you have an SSD), then it's nearly 100MB/sec. Most of your wireless routers have gig ports in them.

Or better yet, if one needs more, build a desktop.

That was my point, a super small computer or tablet is not going to be the complete death of alternatives.

 

[burtie]

Well this thread only goes to prove how divided and diverse the computer world is. I think its safe to say the desktop, laptop or tablet won't be going anywhere for a long time!

 

[lehnerus2000]

Control

The only people that are claiming the "PC is dead" are the marketing agencies working for big corporations. LOL

Agreed.

I think a more nefarious angle of this is that with LESS computing power, and LESS user control, their dreaded black cloud can become a dominant force and make these big companies more money. Greed is a large element of what is driving the cloud crap.

I honestly think that is the agenda. Of course I don't like it one bit, I will NEVER accept the Cloud as they see it. Hopefully the general public will come to realize how potentially dangerous it is.

Don't forget control.

Once they have your data, they have you "over a barrel".
Corporations and Governments will be able to peruse it at their leisure.

As for Windows 8 Metro being a monster hybrid, well that is EXACTLY what it is.

Worse yet is that Microsoft is FORCING you if you have Windows 8 to ALWAYS boot to metro at all times. You have NO choice.
How is that for satisfying the customer, it seems more like they are sticking it to them.

Oh and I am NOT going to stop using the term "metro" for ..uh the metro UI.

I think the only and REAL reason why they have decided they don't want to use it is that the reaction to the UI is so utterly negative that they HAD to drop it.

Agreed.

This supermarket thing is just a convenient cover story.
"We didn't want to back down, but this supermarket is just too powerful for us to fight."

 

[jimbo45]

Not sold on 3D huh? Me either, most due to the fact that I cannot see it. I had a wandering eye as a kid and this left me incapable of seeing any of the 3d movies and tv stuff.

It annoys me when all these new movies come out in 3D and they want to charge me extra. I should get some sort of medical card and pay the standard rate.

Hi there
tried watching a Football match ("Soccer" in US) in 3-D in one of my (many !!) favourite Bars in Brussels City center.

Found the photography not nice at all --the whole perspective was too narrow and unnatural - seems like you are watching from a "Dogs height" or about 20 cm from the ground perspective compared with the normal 2-D - and I still find it strange to sit indoors in a darkish pub drinking beer while wearing things that look suspiciously like Police Dark shades !!. After 20 mins I gave up -- the experience gave me a headache too -- so I won't be using a 3D Monitor anytime soon either.

Now proper Holographic Projection -- I could go for that !!!! -- still need many years of hardware improvement for that to work but might arrive quicker than we think.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[HippsieGypsie]

Well this thread only goes to prove how divided and diverse the computer world is. I think its safe to say the desktop, laptop or tablet won't be going anywhere for a long time!

Well stated, burtie. I think it's also safe to say that the consumer has the final say to where the market heads. We all have different needs and uses.

My two posts here is stating futuristic computing, where we've come from (http://www.eightforums.com/chillout-room/7538-personal-computer-related-memories-i-remember.html), and where we might be headed. I consider myself a 7 to 8 out of a 10 scale so far as savvy, so, this "prole" may not be as experienced as the "elite" here in computers so far as to "create content", but I do create some. I own a building business, using construction business tools such as bookkeeping, estimating, technic/product research, lightweight CAD/drawing programs, and the like. I don't know computers as much as the forum Pros here do, but I do use one. BTW, Kat, I would have died for your lappy/technology back in my hay day of the mid 90's through the building/housing crash in 2007/8!

My use is probably not as heavy as some of you Pros here. I can't/don't sit behind a computer all day, for I have to install materials during daylight then do computing in the evenings. I have not been doing so much of that during these economic times and nearing the age of retirement. In fact my company is down to 3 employees -> Me, Myself, and I. I got bored so I installed 8 RP and joined this forum. I learn a lot from everyone here.

This will be the last message I'll type from my old Netbook -- much as it has been fine --but the new laptop actually weighs less and with a decent I7 processor as well --there's no competition anymore. The Netbook I'm donating to a colleague.

These new Ultrabooks if you can afford them should blow away any tablet in the universe and they also have great looks too -- making the Ipad look positively "Old Fashioned".

Thanks, Jimbo. I probably learn more from you here than anyone else. You seem to have this "5th sense" in computing. You always seem to find a happy medium and present it in a direct, humble way. The Ultrabooks do seem to meet this criteria between a PC and a Pad -> Portable, yet powerful. I assume you're running 7? Preinstalled?

All in all, though, the market seems to be headed in the Pad direction presently for the most part and M$ seems to be targeting that. Whether one thinks this is a toy or the next computing device remains to be seen. The consumer and market will tell. Bottom line, it's about making $mula$ and making as much of it as we can or want.

 

[chev65]

I don't know if anyone's noticed, but computers are getting smaller and more portable. They have been shrinking since the 40's. I think the only viable argument here is for a good sized screen.

The Smallest Computer in the World

Don't forget storage space, good sized video cards for real gaming, optical drive use as DVD's and BluRays aren't gone yet, full size quality keyboards and mice. Nothing quite like having a small computer, with a dozen peripherals plugged into it to make you wonder why you moved to such a small device in the first place. Like these ultrabooks that are so small they don't have onboard ethernet and assume that everything is wireless. Well guess what, wireless is just slow as crap compared to a 1Gbps cat 5 connection.

The new wireless standard coming out soon called 802.11ac will run at 1Gbps, still there are limitations to using wireless connections like signal strength channel crossover and so on. Plus it will be quite awhile before businesses and home networks have updated hardware to support 802.11ac.

If your wireless is really that slow now there are simple adjustments that can be made that will dramatically increase wireless N performance.

And the desktop PC platform isn't going anywhere I agree.

 

[pparks1]

If your wireless is really that slow now there are simple adjustments that can be made that will dramatically increase wireless N performance.

Wireless N?? I'm still on wireless G.

 

[jimbo45]

If your wireless is really that slow now there are simple adjustments that can be made that will dramatically increase wireless N performance.

Wireless N?? I'm still on wireless G.

Hi there
I really get amused when I've seen people boast about how their ISP provides download speeds at an incredible rate but they are still messing around with 54 kbs wireless !!!!!!. Seems a total waste to me to pay for that type of download availability and not use a WIRED connection.

The new "Ultrabooks" provide decent wireless connection (assuming your router can deliver it) and a USB2==>LAN works reasonably well -- hopefully USB3==>LAN will appear soon.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[MadHorseman]

Hi Jimbo,

G is 54Mbits not Kbits....!! I'd love to have an ISP that I throttled with that internal bandwidth!!

Regards

 

[pparks1]

Hi there
I really get amused when I've seen people boast about how their ISP provides download speeds at an incredible rate but they are still messing around with 54 kbs wireless !!!!!!. Seems a total waste to me to pay for that type of download availability and not use a WIRED connection.

Jimbo, Wireless G is 54Megabits per seconds, not kilobits per second. From my living room, I get a solid 24Mbps over my wireless G. My Internet provider provides 15Mbps on my download speed, so my wireless is still faster than my Internet.

The new "Ultrabooks" provide decent wireless connection (assuming your router can deliver it) and a USB2==>LAN works reasonably well -- hopefully USB3==>LAN will appear soon.

My router is an ancient Linksys WRT54GL....but it's stable as a rock so until it dies, I'm sticking with it.

 

[Coke Robot]

One day, I want to have a tablet PC and my desktop PC and I want to do a hand gesture to grab a file, and throw it between the two PCs......instantly.

 

[jeffrys]

"Seems a total waste to me to pay for that type of download availability and not use a WIRED connection"

Words of wisdom.

Although 54 MB is already ok, but not fast enough.

I only use wired connections, currently the download speed is 120mb/sec......the need for speed.

Only wired for extra security.

Jeff

 

[Mustang]

Re 3D viewing, when I recently bought a new Sony LED large screen TV, it came with a bonus Sony Bluray DVD Playstation, 3D goggles, free games, and plug in 3D free to air receiver, valued at about $650. I sold it ASAP for $250, just to get rid of it. Wouldn't give you a plugged nickel for 3D.

My ADSL2 LAN wired service is rated at 100MB/sec. Real time use: 0.5MB/sec.

 

[Fredledingue]

Hipsy Gipsie, IMO it's smart strategy from Microsoft all these amrtphone stuffs (just W8 for Desktop is terrible but ok, I'let that for a moment) But every one has their own need and wishes. Personaly I realy don't need and DO NOT WANT a computer that I carry with me all the time and certainly not a cell-phone sized computer. The reason is that I don't want to carry it with special care, I don't want to break it, to hae falling in water, being stolen or forgotten in some place. I have no such a device. My mobile phone doesn't even display colors and I'm very happy with it. And I don't need it. In fact I save a lot of time not bothering with yet another gadget or instrument. But I need a desktop PC which stands always on the same place, don't risk of falling on the floor or being taken away by the kids. It has a large keyboard, a mouse, a large monitor. I realy need double deck DVD burners and I realy need two HD, which I can replace at any moment if one fails. I cannot imagine a computer where I cannot quickely replace the DVD drive or the HD, or where I don't have two HD and two DVD drives. I hate laptop keyboards and cannot work with a mouse. Even the mouse is the minimalist pointing device since I'm used to using a A4 sized drawing tablet. If one part fails on a laptop it's only a question of luck if a repair shop can fix it. Usualy after 3 weeks usualy your get a call from the guy telling that they can't. Either they don't find the part or it's so expensie you better buy a new laptop. With a desktop PC you can fix anything yourself in a matter of hours. Laptops have their use when you realy need to carry all your works with you on a daily basis. But it doesn't make life easier all the time. If I'm away from my computer, I take paper and a pen and write things down. It's much easier than carrying an electronic device all the time with me. Paper beats smartphone by a long shot, IMO.

 

[Mustang]

Call me rigid if you want, but no amount of rationalization or theoretical argument will convince me that Win8 is anything but a hybrid dracula monster! And laptop to replace tower ... surely thou jest!

Hell with extreme mobo, i7 extreme CPU, SATA3 SSD HD, 12GB RAM & 3 SLI bridged GTX graphics cards, I have to bolt my tower to the desk to stop it going into orbit. Plus umpteen USB external devices, 2 DVD burners, 2nd internal HD and 1 eSATA HD, etc, etc.

 

[Coke Robot]

Hipsy Gipsie, IMO it's smart strategy from Microsoft all these amrtphone stuffs (just W8 for Desktop is terrible but ok, I'let that for a moment) But every one has their own need and wishes. Personaly I realy don't need and DO NOT WANT a computer that I carry with me all the time and certainly not a cell-phone sized computer. The reason is that I don't want to carry it with special care, I don't want to break it, to hae falling in water, being stolen or forgotten in some place. I have no such a device. My mobile phone doesn't even display colors and I'm very happy with it. And I don't need it. In fact I save a lot of time not bothering with yet another gadget or instrument. But I need a desktop PC which stands always on the same place, don't risk of falling on the floor or being taken away by the kids. It has a large keyboard, a mouse, a large monitor. I realy need double deck DVD burners and I realy need two HD, which I can replace at any moment if one fails. I cannot imagine a computer where I cannot quickely replace the DVD drive or the HD, or where I don't have two HD and two DVD drives. I hate laptop keyboards and cannot work with a mouse. Even the mouse is the minimalist pointing device since I'm used to using a A4 sized drawing tablet. If one part fails on a laptop it's only a question of luck if a repair shop can fix it. Usualy after 3 weeks usualy your get a call from the guy telling that they can't. Either they don't find the part or it's so expensie you better buy a new laptop. With a desktop PC you can fix anything yourself in a matter of hours. Laptops have their use when you realy need to carry all your works with you on a daily basis. But it doesn't make life easier all the time. If I'm away from my computer, I take paper and a pen and write things down. It's much easier than carrying an electronic device all the time with me. Paper beats smartphone by a long shot, IMO.

Actually, you'd be pretty surprised how fairly easy it is to repair a part in a laptop. The only thing I've come across that required a new motherboard was due to a damaged charge port that couldn't be repaired. Usually, a good laptop will have a separate little PCB board for that connected to the motherboard for easy replacement. Other than that, hard drives are real easy to replace, DVD drives can be popped out fast, and with a little bit of time, the screen can be replaced as well.

But for me, a Surface Pro beats notebook, binder, and paper altogether with a digital pen. A fountain pen is more my taste, but oh well.