Do we need another Windows OS?

Microsoft made a case this week for Windows RT, its stripped down version of Windows 8. But do we need a third version of Windows?

It's been about five months now since Windows RT debuted. And this week Microsoft made a case to CNET for the new operating system.

Michael Angiulo, corporate vice president, Windows Planning, Hardware & PC Ecosystem, told CNET: "It was a ton of work for us and we didn't do the work and endure the disruption for any reason other than the fact that there's a strategy there that just gets stronger over time."

And he went on to spell out reasons why RT is necessary.

Source

A Guy

 

[Ray8]

GNOME is somewhat like the traditional interface used in just about every iteration of Windows up to version 7.

That is true of GNOME 2.x (the best version).

GNOME 3 adopted the Apple(?) idea of a single disembodied menu (i.e. you can't swap from one window to another, by clicking on the menu bar in the second window, because there are no menu bars in either window).

GNOME 3 is hated almost as much as Unity.

It seems that a lot of long-time Linux users have swapped to KDE, XCFE, or some other desktop environment (GUI).

That's true. I'm not that experienced a Linux use, so GNOME is all the same to me. I gave up on Ubuntu and have been getting used to Mint and find it quite good. I avoided the earlier version of Mint, while playing with Ubuntu since 10.4, but Mint appears to have jumped a generation with version 14. I also like the Cinnamon interface.

 

[Lomai]

Intel will be a big player in this with their new Haswell chip. If it lives up to its fanfare of better performance and low wattage it could replace ARM in tablets and then we won't need RT.

Jim

RT isn't going away.. Haswell or not. And we allready have a hybrid in the Surface Pro. Microsoft is going to make some form of Surface Mini at 5-7" that will replace Surface RT and compete with the iPad Mini. Could also be a form of phablet. Not much reason to make a tablet at the small form factor without the capability for cell phone access anymore tbh.

One can only hope that the market assessment turns out right ...

 

[vrosa]

For me Gnome and Unity are just different ways of navigating. To say the truth both are fairly good to me right now.

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there
not quite sure of what this thread is REALLY trying to say.

Do we NEED another OS - probably not for classical applications (What's wrong with W7) -- but do we NEED a new BMW model, a NEW DVD player, a NEW TV etc etc. Also probably not. But that's surely to miss the point.

A few years ago I was 100% satisfied with a "Bog standard" LCD TV -- now though with new services, much faster Broadband, etc there are things on my new SMART TV that I would really miss not having on it these days -- direct internet streaming, Network media playing, etc.

I've given my old DVD recorder / player to the Charity shop as I certainly won't use this type of device any more -- on the very rare times I want to play a physical DVD I just plug in a cheap (25 EUR) external DVD device to either a computer and stream it to the TV --or the latest TV's play these (as well as HDD's) directly from the USB slot.

So do we Need a new OS -- if we want to take advantage of current and newer services and devices -- Yes.

If you are happy with a traditional Non Touch desktop and work with "classical applications" -- then probably No - at least not while W7 fulfils all the boxes.

I'm sure that even the most ardent tablet fan wishes at times for a more sophisticated or functional device such as an Ultrabook.

It's all very well saying tablets have enough processing power and capability to perform windows functions these days - but I'd hate to rely on using a tablet for making a complex spread sheet or doing Photoshop while travelling -- they are horrible to use --the whole "weight distribution" (what little there is of it) is all wrong -- a tablet is a Horrible form factor for these types of jobs - even the Hybrids don't from what I've seen so far "feel right".

But we DO need OS's that incorporate different devices -- and making loads of different OS's is not the best use of a company's manpower. Incidentally same with a Restaurant --if you see in the window - "157 choices of Dish today" then you know it's time to move on -- pretty well all decent Michelin Starred restaurants have a very few selections on the menu at any one time.

As far as Linux is concerned I've never like GNOME - always preferring KDE as a desktop. Probably why I stuck with Red Hat and Suse ( now Opensuse ). I still don't see Linux as a desktop for "The masses" though -- as a server fine but there are too many issues for using Linux as a desk top over large company LANS. I'm not saying it's never been done but the TCO and savings in switching from Windows aren't actually anything like the initial projections suggests.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[Ray8]

Jimbo - sometimes less is more.

 

[jimbo45]

Jimbo - sometimes less is more.

? not quite sure what you mean here.

BTW I don't think Ms will make a 5 - 7 inch Phablet -- these are REALLY HORRIBLE devices -- too big and bulky to be used sensibly as a phone -- I always burst out laughing when I see one of these slabs being used a s a phone and the wretched user is spitting all over the screen. Even the very desirable new Samsung Galaxy IV phone (the new one) is a bit of a 5 inch monster -- about the absolute maximum size you could conceivably call "A mobile phone". The Galaxy IIIs is about the optimum maximum size for a smart phone if you also need internet etc capabilities.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[Ray8]

Jimbo - sometimes less is more.

? not quite sure what you mean here.

Cheers
jimbo

Pop Quiz: Who Said, "If I Had More Time, I Would Have Written You a Shorter Letter?"

 

[jimbo45]

Jimbo - sometimes less is more.

? not quite sure what you mean here.

Cheers
jimbo

Pop Quiz: Who Said, "If I Had More Time, I Would Have Written You a Shorter Letter?"

As a person who usually listens to Classical music I Still haven't a clue what you are saying.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[Ray8]

? not quite sure what you mean here.

Cheers
jimbo

Pop Quiz: Who Said, "If I Had More Time, I Would Have Written You a Shorter Letter?"

As a person who usually listens to Classical music I Still haven't a clue what you are saying.

Cheers
jimbo

OK. You have a lot of insight and knowledge to convey, but your posts are usually very, very, long. That detracts from the message that you're trying to convey, because it simply gets lost in the verbiage. Some may have the patience to read and attempt to understand every sentence, but I suspect that most will not.

You really need to take note of the theme in the link. Can I convey my message in less words?

 

[jimbo45]

Pop Quiz: Who Said, "If I Had More Time, I Would Have Written You a Shorter Letter?"

As a person who usually listens to Classical music I Still haven't a clue what you are saying.

Cheers
jimbo

OK. You have a lot of insight and knowledge to convey, but your posts are usually very, very, long. That detracts from the message that you're trying to convey, because it simply gets lost in the verbiage. Some may have the patience to read and attempt to understand every sentence, but I suspect that most will not.

You really need to take note of the theme in the link. Can I convey my message in less words?

Hi there
That's me -- I'm not part of the "Twitter" generation where I have to convey everything in 140 characters or less or even worse - the Facebook stuff.
The whole point surely of The WRITTEN word is that it can be perused leisurely and re-read multiple times.
If people don't want to read that's their choice.

Actually I wonder if one could learn even something basic like simple arithmetic if they were restricted to "Twitter" like responses only.


Sometimes the enjoyment of a load of people's posts and threads is not purely just on the content - but the writing style / content / wit (or lack of it) and all sorts of intangibles.

Writing everything in a Machine like and boring way just IMO loses half the fun and spontaneity of the Forum.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[Hopachi]

As a person who usually listens to Classical music I Still haven't a clue what you are saying.

Cheers
jimbo

OK. You have a lot of insight and knowledge to convey, but your posts are usually very, very, long. That detracts from the message that you're trying to convey, because it simply gets lost in the verbiage. Some may have the patience to read and attempt to understand every sentence, but I suspect that most will not.

You really need to take note of the theme in the link. Can I convey my message in less words?

Hi there
That's me -- I'm not part of the "Twitter" generation where I have to convey everything in 140 characters or less or even worse - the Facebook stuff.
The whole point surely of The WRITTEN word is that it can be perused leisurely and re-read multiple times.
If people don't want to read that's their choice.

Actually I wonder if one could learn even something basic like simple arithmetic if they were restricted to "Twitter" like responses only.


Sometimes the enjoyment of a load of people's posts and threads is not purely just on the content - but the writing style / content / wit (or lack of it) and all sorts of intangibles.

Writing everything in a Machine like and boring way just IMO loses half the fun and spontaneity of the Forum.

Cheers
jimbo

Good point!
Respect to those who know and want to write properly.

 

[Ray8]

That's me -- I'm not part of the "Twitter" generation where I have to convey everything in 140 characters or less or even worse - the Facebook stuff.
The whole point surely of The WRITTEN word is that it can be perused leisurely and re-read multiple times.
If people don't want to read that's their choice.

Actually I wonder if one could learn even something basic like simple arithmetic if they were restricted to "Twitter" like responses only.


Sometimes the enjoyment of a load of people's posts and threads is not purely just on the content - but the writing style / content / wit (or lack of it) and all sorts of intangibles.

Writing everything in a Machine like and boring way just IMO loses half the fun and spontaneity of the Forum.

Cheers
jimbo

I'm not suggesting Twitter like responses, but something a tad more concise.

In my past life, I've had to draft Ministerial Briefs for our Federal Government and, in doing so, you have to be able to convey often very complex issues into one A4 page in 14pt text, where almost a quarter of the page is taken up with headings and other non-informative text.

Anything that you write on a forum is not perused at leisure, as evidenced by the fact that so many posts are misread, where even short posts are scanned and assumptions made regarding content. Forums aren't a place for navel gazing and pontificating, concepts and ideas need to be conveyed clearly and succinctly.

Don't over-estimate the value of your dissertations.

 

[jimbo45]

That's me -- I'm not part of the "Twitter" generation where I have to convey everything in 140 characters or less or even worse - the Facebook stuff.
The whole point surely of The WRITTEN word is that it can be perused leisurely and re-read multiple times.
If people don't want to read that's their choice.

Actually I wonder if one could learn even something basic like simple arithmetic if they were restricted to "Twitter" like responses only.


Sometimes the enjoyment of a load of people's posts and threads is not purely just on the content - but the writing style / content / wit (or lack of it) and all sorts of intangibles.

Writing everything in a Machine like and boring way just IMO loses half the fun and spontaneity of the Forum.

Cheers
jimbo

I'm not suggesting Twitter like responses, but something a tad more concise.

In my past life, I've had to draft Ministerial Briefs for our Federal Government and, in doing so, you have to be able to convey often very complex issues into one A4 page in 14pt text, where almost a quarter of the page is taken up with headings and other non-informative text.

Anything that you write on a forum is not perused at leisure, as evidenced by the fact that so many posts are misread, where even short posts are scanned and assumptions made regarding content. Forums aren't a place for navel gazing and pontificating, concepts and ideas need to be conveyed clearly and succinctly.

Don't over-estimate the value of your dissertations.

Hi there
actually I'm quite pleased even if only ONE person reads it.

The good think about the net is people can either take it or leave it at will. If I Valued my dissertations as you put it I'd probably direct them to a commercial venture where I could get PAID or to an academic institution where you could get a decent reputation from your peers.

Sometimes COMPOSING the post is half the fun -- makes a change from the strict rigour of mathematical and engineering projects.
If people don't like it --that's their choice I'm afraid.

However I seem to have a few reputation points so SOMEBODY must be reading them.

"A Leopard can't change its spots".

Cheers
jimbo

 

[Ray8]

What would one do without reputation points?

 

[jimbo45]

What would one do without reputation points?

Hi there
your comments might be short but they are really OBSCURE. All the reputation points do is basically show a) someone has READ a post and b) presumably they have been Helped like a problem has been solved.

I see you originally worked having to condense a document for some type of Government department.

That document must have been a total model of complete Obfuscation -- fits the bill PERFECTLY for most government documents from any jurisdiction.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[lehnerus2000]

That's true. I'm not that experienced a Linux use, so GNOME is all the same to me. I gave up on Ubuntu and have been getting used to Mint and find it quite good. I avoided the earlier version of Mint, while playing with Ubuntu since 10.4, but Mint appears to have jumped a generation with version 14. I also like the Cinnamon interface.

I used GNOME 2.x on my Ubuntu install.
I replaced Ubuntu 10.04 with Linux Mint 14 MATE in January.

I haven't tried Cinnamon (I read that it has an invisible hotspot in one of the corners).
I find MATE to be quite usable.

A gadget that I used in Ubuntu doesn't work in the MATE though (a bar chart showing mounted drive usage - GTK DiskFree).
It uses Caja instead of Nautilus as its file manager.
It seems identical to me but I keep forgetting the name.
I can't install VMware Workstation as my bundle is too old (v7.1.2).

 

[Hopachi]

I can't install VMware Workstation as my bundle is too old (v7.1.2).

Get a newer bundle to apply the needed kernel patches, 7.1.5 or 7.1.6 and you can use your own legit key with those.

 

[whs]

Jimbo. I read every letter you post. You have very good views and address the subjects in a balanced fashion. Keep them coming. Don't worry about the twitter generation. They can live with their IMs, instant food and instant coffee.

 

[Lee]

Hi Jimbo,

Don't change. Of all the responders here on the Eights you are probably one of the few who I read all the way through and not just scene. . .

Ray8, and believe it or not you are also. . .

. . .and now it is time to head down to Sun Valley and get in a round of "Golf." . . .

 

[Coke Robot]

As a person who usually listens to Classical music I Still haven't a clue what you are saying.

Cheers
jimbo

OK. You have a lot of insight and knowledge to convey, but your posts are usually very, very, long. That detracts from the message that you're trying to convey, because it simply gets lost in the verbiage. Some may have the patience to read and attempt to understand every sentence, but I suspect that most will not.

You really need to take note of the theme in the link. Can I convey my message in less words?

Hi there
That's me -- I'm not part of the "Twitter" generation where I have to convey everything in 140 characters or less or even worse - the Facebook stuff.
The whole point surely of The WRITTEN word is that it can be perused leisurely and re-read multiple times.
If people don't want to read that's their choice.

Actually I wonder if one could learn even something basic like simple arithmetic if they were restricted to "Twitter" like responses only.


Sometimes the enjoyment of a load of people's posts and threads is not purely just on the content - but the writing style / content / wit (or lack of it) and all sorts of intangibles.

Writing everything in a Machine like and boring way just IMO loses half the fun and spontaneity of the Forum.

Cheers
jimbo

I have to say, I enjoy reading your posts jimbo, length doesn't matter for me. As long as the point is convey and explained well, it's great. Although there is a saying that pertains to writing that relates to a woman's skirt: long enough to cover the topic, but short enough to keep it interesting.