Microsoft has an interesting reputation....

[Coke Robot]

I've noticed something: people generally bash on Microsoft even though they use and even like their products.

With the release of Windows 8, this has got me thinking, and observing, people's tendencies towards Microsoft. It's odd. Let me start off with this. I was once talking to someone and I told them about Windows 8. They exclaimed that Windows 7 just came out last year. They said that Microsoft always has new versions of Windows like every year and when there's a new version, they crash the old one as to make you upgrade. Some claim that all they do is search your computer to make sure you didn't pirate Windows and try to make as much money off you as they can. I've come across this sentiment not just with one person, but with many.

To counter that with reality, most of those people I talked to use apple products. In reality, apple LITERALLY updates ALL their products on a yearly basis, effectively making the previous verision not the best iphone or mac ever. They also seem to make previous products run slower, like the iphone, as to make the brainwash victim upgrade only to go through the annual release of a new apple product and face "software glitches" that are really hardware faults. And unlike Microsoft, apple does try to take every dollar they can off you through newer product versions and get you to buy three devices that one could easily do.

Now, Microsoft generally updates their products every two to three years. They support their products for at least five more years after the new one is released. They make sure the older version is effective and secure, and try to get you to update to the newer version after some time.

I've also been seeing a LOT of bashing on Microsoft for their changes. Like for instance, bing, their search engine. Bing is integrating social networking as a means of getting perspective and furthing some searches based from your social network(s), but haters gonna hate. People throw eggs at Microsoft saying that isn't innovation and bing sucks. Windows Live is being ditched for a new set of apps for Windows 8. Of course, naysayers gonna nay. They say there's no point and it sucks. Windows 8 is really the biggest change, and yes the most innovative, since Windows 95 came out. Shooflies gonna shoo. They say it's stupid, looks like a kid's toy, the ribbon is useless, it's turning into apple, and third party developer's can make better addons to make Windows 7 better like 8. Microsoft, in order to be a software company and stay relevant, they have the Windows Phone to compete with communist-totalitarian controlled iphone and anarchic android. Of course, complainers gonna complain. They say it's too simple and doesn't have 500,000,000,000,000 apps to do every stupid thing and waste every bit of time being entertained like a simpleton and not use a product that should be a modern phone that put your people first.

I just have to take a step back here and look at this situation. If you look at what some people have to say about Microsoft, and then look at what they use technologically, Microsoft is part of their daily lives, from either xp at work, 7 at home, Xbox in the living room. One would think that a company that has so much prevalence in daily lives, one would think they would get a little more love and support. Oddly enough, they don't. apple seems to though, even though the facts are there about them. What's even more odd is when you ask if some of those people use a PC or a mac, they ALWAYS will say a PC running Windows. Windows is the best over mac.

I can't really wrap my head around this enigma-paradox, and I thought I would share this to everyone and see what discussion can be spurred...

 

[BillWindows]

You mean you've only just noticed, this has been going on since DOS. People love dumping on Microsoft, it's almost an international sport. Steve Jobs is a God and Bill Gates is a villain. Yet reality is the reverse of that. Steve Jobs really was a villain who trampled over his friends and family. Bill Gates has given away something like 40 billion dollars.
Without Microsoft, the world would be a much different place, without Apple there would be no iPhone and iPad. I spend a lot of time on the net, when there is mention of Apple good or bad, everyone sticks up for Apple. When Microsoft does something good people rubbish it.

This has been going on for years and I can't see any end in sight. Windows 8 has really stirred things up and the haters are really hating. But, I've said this before, there is no choice for Microsoft, there will be no more chances, this is it. IPads are being called PC's, iPhone users are going to go to iPads and then eventually onto Macs. The world is turning to touch and Microsoft has to be there. Have a look at my username I'm typing this on an iPad, I wish it were a Windows 8 tablet, but it's not here.

Microsoft is still doing quite well at the moment, but the winds of change are upon them, look at Nokia and RIM, to see what could happen if you don't adapt. I can understand some people not being able to adapt, it just seems there are a vast majority at the moment, let's hope this changes a little before the final release or after it.

 

[GMan]

Failures in upgrading Windows are always not Microsoft's fault nor problem. It is always from 3rd party security software, or poor drivers installed such as old wireless or sptd.sys, for example. So any upgraders - take note. Other causes include faulty hardware, or poorly configured bios settings. (I was taking my chances with latest sptd.sys on Windows 7 and it crashed my machine last night. Needless to say, it is now removed, heh. Recommend PowerISO as always.)

There has been a minor problem of the Windows Audio service not being able to be started when upgrading from XP to 8, and there is a simple fix for that. I have not determined the cause of even this, but I would still say it is due to "user error" as defined below, although it could be something Microsoft needed(s) to fix on their end. Very tiny issue here with known fix.

lol about crashing old Windows to make people upgrade. All Windows versions are perfect stability and remain that way, until there is user error. User error is defined by me as installing poor software or making unwise tweaks.

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On a technical aspect, I always stand up for Microsoft because their work calls for it. On other choices they make like creating Metro, I speak my mind too. So, I am not a fanboy nor a hater. I say it always how it is without prejudice.

 

[lehnerus2000]

I guess you have forgotten about the XP WGA debacle.

 

[GMan]

I guess you have forgotten about the XP WGA debacle.

Never really knew of it since I didn't really help people too much then and didn't suffer from it myself.

Quick research seems to indicate McAfee as a large percentage of the trouble seen, with a patch created, for their registry cleaner.

 

[lehnerus2000]

I guess you have forgotten about the XP WGA debacle.

Never really knew of it since I didn't really help people too much then and didn't suffer from it myself.

Quick research seems to indicate McAfee as a large percentage of the trouble seen, with a patch created, for their registry cleaner.

It didn't affect me.
I don't think it had any affect on pirates either (only legitimate users, like most DRM).

McAfee has had a bad reputation for many years.