According to the 2 articles below, Microsoft are apparently toying with the idea of creating a free version of “Windows 8.1 with Bing” pre-populated with their apps and services.
Copying Google much … IMHO it won’t work, Google can give their OS away because they make a sh*tload from their search engine, people will no doubt gladly take this freebie, then switch to using Google.
Well you couldn’t give me Windows for free heheh. More people are turing on to Linux Mark- 2 guys on a music forum I am on have just got Linux and love it!
They’ll have to give it away, it’s less ‘popular’ that Vista and that’s saying something.
I was in PC world the other week, walking past the laptops I couldn’t even bring myself to touch the screen of a win8 machine, it’s ugly as sin, ‘can I run you through a demo?’ I heard . . . . . . . No, I said, you couldn’t pay me to take this away. . . . I replied
Keep up the good work MS, couldn’t have thought up a better advertising campaign for alternatives if I tried, I heard about this ‘giveaway’ on the Mint facebook group last week, made me laugh, well, they’ve tried everything else so far in their quest for world domination, it was only a matter of time before this little gem occurred . . . .
Edit: Needless to say, I won’t be requesting a copy, I’ll just donate to Mint on my next download, as usual
Ok, so Windows is quite useful for some things like playing DVD’s, and I keep Windows 7 on a laptop partition just in case. Oh, yes, and for submitting TAX returns because it seems to beyond HMRC to get the Adobe application to validate companies house submissions properly on Linux/Adobe (!)
However, you have to wonder, if M$ aren’t making any money (literally) from Windows, how long will they be making it and updating it. So when you come to splash out 400 quid on M$ office (for Windows) will you be thinking twice and picturing that free copy of Open Office / Libre Office … which costs nothing and runs on both Windows “and” Linux ??
Moreover, will M$ continue to produce Office for (free) Windows and not produce it for (free) Linux ??
what’s the point? It’s not like they would need to continue to promote Windows - if they get no revenue from it - they’ll be promoting office itself, yes ??
We can all see where this is going - even M$ … the office for Linux announcement can’t be too far off now …
This is nothing but a (in american terms) a “Hail Mary” pass.
But they’re going about things the wrong way yet again.
They’re hoping that by giving away Windows, Office will be the draw (you can see it in their advertising) … so effectively they’re relying on Office to drag along Windows … it won’t work, instead Windows will drag Office down with it
People (at home) have already left Windows, and because of the lack of Office on iOS/Android are quickly learning to live without Office … and there are plenty of options springing up to fill the gap (Kingsoft Office is available on pretty much everything) … Businesses will eventually follow suit so their workers can work on their own devices
If they’re smart they’ll decouple Office from the quickly fading Windows and get it out there for everything before they find it’s too late and nobody cares any more.
Maybe they’ll bully app developers to bolster their Windows Store (their BIGGEST failure, mobile computing wise, imo).
By bully, I mean incentivise beyond what Apple & Google can offer. Or maybe they’ll switch their own developers into app making, then media campaign the hell out of it. Anyway, I’m under the impression that they’re nicking Google’s business model - free OS, recoup with apps. Basically, micro-transactions!
Does seem pretty desperate, I certainly wouldn’t want M$ shares anyway!
There’s a HUGE difference between a search giant branching into other software where if it fails, they still have search and no damage to their credibility … and a failing software company who’s credibility is already in question being seen do be desperately attempting to grab market share.
Not only will this fail, but they’ll alienate their own shareholders in the process, and their public iimage will go even further down hill.
It’s too late for Windows, it’s already dead … the only question is will Microsoft be able to abandon the sinking ship and save themselves, or are they too tied to it ?
Microsoft also equals “Office” and “Xbox”, and to a lesser extent “Skydrive” and “Azure”, etc.
The question is will they cling onto Windows at the expense of those, and drag those down too … or have the foresight and bravery to abandon the sinking ship that is Windows, cut the rope and sail off on the boat that is their other projects (some of which are quite good and not yet tarnished by the Windows brush)
Lol, Skydrive & Azure? Without Windows, they are nothing
Xbox…interesting one. I’d bundle M$ games into that one too. If Windows died, I think XBox would continue, but M$ wouldn’t look a single thing like it does now. It would be like a whole new company, there’d be no comparison. Hell, if I was CEO, I’d probably rename it.
Skydrive & Azure? Without Windows, they are nothing
Currently yes, but there’s no reason why they NEED to be … there’s no reason they couldn’t offer cloud solutions for non Windows platforms under the Skydrive and Azure branding
You’re probably right, they’d get nowhere on other platforms … and their diversifying into other markets record has been abysmal in the long term (think stuff like Encarta/Money/Silverlight/Sidekick/Zune amongst many others, all gone now) … but currently that can’t be measured or assumed.
My point was they are recognisable Microsoft projects that need not be tied to Windows and would probably be better of if those ties were cut.
