Windows 7/8 strategy

[Robin Bignall]

Now that Win8 is soon to be shipped officially, what is M$'s strategy,
does anyone know? Is Win8 now the strategic product, with Win7 just
being maintained, or are they parallel developments, or what.

 

[Jeff Layman]

Now that Win8 is soon to be shipped officially, what is M$'s strategy,
does anyone know? Is Win8 now the strategic product, with Win7 just
being maintained, or are they parallel developments, or what.

See here for Windows 7:
http://support.microsoft.com/lifecy...=0&esdate=0&medate=0&spdate=0&Filter=FilterNO

I haven't seen anything official from MS for a similar support cycle for
Window 8. That will probably appear some time after it's launch next month.

No doubt the Win7 support cycle will be extended (as with XP).

 

[Robin Bignall]

See here for Windows 7:
http://support.microsoft.com/lifecy...=0&esdate=0&medate=0&spdate=0&Filter=FilterNO

I haven't seen anything official from MS for a similar support cycle for
Window 8. That will probably appear some time after it's launch next month.

No doubt the Win7 support cycle will be extended (as with XP).

A very useful table, Jeff.

This M$ site
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/release-preview
seems to imply that Win8 is the follow-on from Win7, and even if one has
a tower rather than a laptop, and no interest in touch screens, one
should upgrade. So, does one move from Win7 Ultimate to Win8 Pro to
keep up with the latest?

 

[Jeff Layman]

A very useful table, Jeff.

This M$ site
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/release-preview
seems to imply that Win8 is the follow-on from Win7, and even if one has
a tower rather than a laptop, and no interest in touch screens, one
should upgrade. So, does one move from Win7 Ultimate to Win8 Pro to
keep up with the latest?

I've no idea, as I won't be going to Win8. Of course MS wants you to go
from 7 to 8 (I am avoiding the term "upgrade"), as that's the way it
makes its money. In a few years it'll want you to go from 8 to 9, etc.

 

[BillW50]

I've no idea, as I won't be going to Win8. Of course MS wants you to go
from 7 to 8 (I am avoiding the term "upgrade"), as that's the way it
makes its money. In a few years it'll want you to go from 8 to 9, etc.

Wow! Windows 9... I can't wait! It has to be better than Windows 7 and 8.

 

[...winston]

"Jeff Layman" wrote in message I've no idea, as I won't be going to Win8. Of course MS wants you to go
from 7 to 8 (I am avoiding the term "upgrade"), as that's the way it
makes its money. In a few years it'll want you to go from 8 to 9, etc.
For an existing pc (upgrade/way they want you to go) that appears to be only route unless one goes the System Builder route (which
could be media or license and download)

For the details on licensing see Bott's article
http://www.zdnet.com/how-the-new-windows-8-license-terms-affect-you-7000003028/

 

[Robin Bignall]

For the details on licensing see Bott's article
http://www.zdnet.com/how-the-new-windows-8-license-terms-affect-you-7000003028/

Very informative. Thanks.

 

[Gordonbp]

I've no idea, as I won't be going to Win8. Of course MS wants you to go
from 7 to 8 (I am avoiding the term "upgrade"), as that's the way it
makes its money. In a few years it'll want you to go from 8 to 9, etc.

Actually it's not the way MS makes money. OEM installs and user-purchased
"upgrades" are very small beer in the MS Revenue stream...sales of Office
far outstrip Windows revenue..

 

[xfile]

Actually it's not the way MS makes money. OEM installs and user-purchased

"upgrades" are very small beer in the MS Revenue stream...sales of Office
far outstrip Windows revenue..

My two cents,

Retail upgrade indeed is pennies for MS in terms of revenue sharing, and
it's mostly for hobbyists. But OEM installs is one of the major revenue
streams.

More importantly, OS is not just a product by itself but a major platform
for the (MS) ecosystem, so it could bring other seamlessly integrated
products from Office Suites to Server Products to Development Tools to
Games, and on and on and on. This *ecosystem* concept has now been learned
by many other providers including but not limited to Amazon, Apple, Google
(Android and other web services), etc..

So it's more like a product introduction for other products which has very
important strategic role.

PS: I'm not trying to defend nor criticize MS or Windows 8, just to
elaborate their "strategy".

"Gordonbp" wrote in message

I've no idea, as I won't be going to Win8. Of course MS wants you to go
from 7 to 8 (I am avoiding the term "upgrade"), as that's the way it
makes its money. In a few years it'll want you to go from 8 to 9, etc.

Actually it's not the way MS makes money. OEM installs and user-purchased
"upgrades" are very small beer in the MS Revenue stream...sales of Office
far outstrip Windows revenue..

 

[choro]

My two cents,

Retail upgrade indeed is pennies for MS in terms of revenue sharing, and
it's mostly for hobbyists. But OEM installs is one of the major revenue
streams.

More importantly, OS is not just a product by itself but a major
platform for the (MS) ecosystem, so it could bring other seamlessly
integrated products from Office Suites to Server Products to Development
Tools to Games, and on and on and on. This *ecosystem* concept has now
been learned by many other providers including but not limited to
Amazon, Apple, Google (Android and other web services), etc..

So it's more like a product introduction for other products which has
very important strategic role.

PS: I'm not trying to defend nor criticize MS or Windows 8, just to
elaborate their "strategy".

"Gordonbp" wrote in message



Actually it's not the way MS makes money. OEM installs and user-purchased
"upgrades" are very small beer in the MS Revenue stream...sales of Office
far outstrip Windows revenue..

No wonder MS Office is known as MS's "Killer App". However, having just
got used to Win7, which I now quite like (though I don't seem to take
advantage of their Library system preferring to use my very own system
of sorting things out in folders and using Everything and Agent Ransack
for searches), I am NOT looking forward to Win8. --
choro
*****

 

[charlie]

No wonder MS Office is known as MS's "Killer App". However, having just
got used to Win7, which I now quite like (though I don't seem to take
advantage of their Library system preferring to use my very own system
of sorting things out in folders and using Everything and Agent Ransack
for searches), I am NOT looking forward to Win8. --
choro
*****

Criticize MS all you want, as long as you keep buying products from them.

(When the stock price goes up, so does my retirement income.) <BG>

Anyway, a retail price for Windows and the Office Suite is quite
different that the price paid by the government and large corporations,
which also differs from OEM pricing.

I cannot count the times a block of OEM systems were sold, and Windows +
Office reinstalled to the druthers of the customer's IT departments,
using the customer's keys and possibly "customized" versions of the
software. Control freak haven, don't you know.


Apropos of nothing in particular.
In the win 3.11 days, I was employed in the defense industry, and
although I worked for a defense contractor, my primary responsibility
was to a department and division of DOD, and so forth.

Anyway, the DOD department decided to have the various agencies, groups,
and divisions place "all" their computers and servers under central IT
control and management. This worked for the administrative side, with
just a few more or less surmountable problems.

The technical and engineering side was quite different, with multiple
classified networks, "peculiar" (unique) systems, and so forth. The IT
departments were basically told that they didn't have the knowledge,
resources, and clearance levels to even access the systems in question.
let alone "manage" them. The killing blow to the scheme was that the IT
department would be required to provide separate system management
personnel, in such a way that full knowledge of multiple systems did not
reside in single IT individuals. Compartmental organization and
knowledge, don't you know. The IT'ers eventually won the battle a few
years down the road, but it ended up costing far more money and effort
than you'd believe.

 

[xfile]

No wonder MS Office is known as MS's "Killer App". However, having just
got used to Win7, which I now quite like (though I don't seem to take
advantage of their Library system preferring to use my very own system
of sorting things out in folders and using Everything and Agent Ransack
for searches), I am NOT looking forward to Win8. --
choro
*****

Beyond any reasonable doubt, I don’t need Windows 8. Like you, I am
very satisfied with Windows 7 because it doesn’t give me any headache,
not even once. And adjustment is minor and tolerable.

The only thing tempting me is the upgrade price; I might buy it just
because I’m still a hobbyist in my heart

However, Microsoft is absolutely correct in response to the newly
emerged market trend of a *better implemented* touch-screen interface
for mobile devices and, possibly, computers. More importantly,
Microsoft is doing so with its own design concept (good or bad is
another story) without copying or borrowing from their competitors (Yes,
they ALL did but it was THEN).

I am expecting to see a new generation of Windows 8 based tablets,
smartphone, ultra notebook, netbook, and maybe several kinds of hybrids.
If that’s case, I might buy a few for my friends and relatives who
have absolutely no interest about computers and have very limited use of
computing devices and feel Apple products are too expensive and not yet
feel comfortable about the word – Android.

Methinks Windows 8 is geared toward the new generation of computing
devices though I won’t use the term “Post PC devices†because PC is not
over yet.

 

[charlie]

Beyond any reasonable doubt, I don’t need Windows 8. Like you, I am
very satisfied with Windows 7 because it doesn’t give me any headache,
not even once. And adjustment is minor and tolerable.

The only thing tempting me is the upgrade price; I might buy it just
because I’m still a hobbyist in my heart

However, Microsoft is absolutely correct in response to the newly
emerged market trend of a *better implemented* touch-screen interface
for mobile devices and, possibly, computers. More importantly,
Microsoft is doing so with its own design concept (good or bad is
another story) without copying or borrowing from their competitors (Yes,
they ALL did but it was THEN).

I am expecting to see a new generation of Windows 8 based tablets,
smartphone, ultra notebook, netbook, and maybe several kinds of hybrids.
If that’s case, I might buy a few for my friends and relatives who
have absolutely no interest about computers and have very limited use of
computing devices and feel Apple products are too expensive and not yet
feel comfortable about the word – Android.

Methinks Windows 8 is geared toward the new generation of computing
devices though I won’t use the term “Post PC devices†because PC is not
over yet.

HP and I suppose some others did/do have some desktop "all in ones" that
included touch screen and win 7 with support.

The military tried this over two decades ago. The killer at that time
was a combination of display narrow operating temperature ranges and
visibility under various lighting conditions. I was involved on the
fringe at the time, because of a project to replace an obsolete CRT
display on the B-52's. The temperature limits forced us to stick with a
new CRT display.

Initially, major proposed uses were "automating" Technical Orders
(service and repair manuals), and various color cockpit displays.
Eventually, enough of the problems were solved, and "Glass Cockpits"
are quite common on newer aircraft, down to light planes.

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

The only thing tempting me is the upgrade price; I might buy it just
because I¢m still a hobbyist in my heart

AFAICT, that problem is incurable (ask me how I know).

 

[Jeff Layman]

Actually it's not the way MS makes money. OEM installs and user-purchased
"upgrades" are very small beer in the MS Revenue stream...sales of Office
far outstrip Windows revenue..

Perhaps I should have said that's how it makes its money from OSs. It
most certainly doesn't make money from its last and previous releases as
it updates (or, more accurately, supports) those for free for a number
of years.

No, what we all need is the forthcoming OS with all those new bells and
whistles and flashing lights. Of course, each new OS has the power to
run the new Office suite (which you will need because of its new
flashing lights). And so on. But now it has caught on to the the apps
game. It will be interesting to see how its revenues from those
compares with that from its established sources (ie Office).

 

[xfile]

HP and I suppose some others did/do have some desktop "all in ones" that
included touch screen and win 7 with support.

The military tried this over two decades ago. The killer at that time
was a combination of display narrow operating temperature ranges and
visibility under various lighting conditions. I was involved on the
fringe at the time, because of a project to replace an obsolete CRT
display on the B-52's. The temperature limits forced us to stick with a
new CRT display.

Initially, major proposed uses were "automating" Technical Orders
(service and repair manuals), and various color cockpit displays.
Eventually, enough of the problems were solved, and "Glass Cockpits"
are quite common on newer aircraft, down to light planes.

B-52? WOW!!

 

[xfile]

AFAICT, that problem is incurable (ask me how I know).

OK. How you know?

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

OK. How you know?

Well, since you asked: by direct experience.

One reason I'm still chuckling is that I really didn't expect anyone to
take the bait

 

[xfile]

Well, since you asked: by direct experience.

One reason I'm still chuckling is that I really didn't expect anyone to
take the bait

Sometimes, taking the bait is a good opportunity to learn more.

In this case, I wouldn't be sure if I didn't take it though your answer is
similar to my guess



"Gene E. Bloch" wrote in message