Microsoft: 'We are not going to have three' Windows platforms

[jwoegerbauer]

Steve Ballmer's audacious vision of "One Microsoft, all the time," delivering a single, seamless user experience across a wide range of devices, from PCs to tablets to video-game consoles, will not be achieved without digital bloodshed. Windows will die, a Microsoft exec suggested last week..

Or at least, some form of Windows will die. Speaking at the UBS Global Technology Summit last week, Microsoft device and services chief Julie Larson-Green strongly hinted that further unification is a-coming.

"We have the Windows Phone OS," she said, as first reported by Citeworld and since confirmed by a Microsoft transcript. "We have Windows RT and we have full Windows. We are not going to have three."

While the straightforwardness of Larson-Green's words is somewhat shocking, the meaning at their core is not. Microsoft has been moving toward a unified user experience for a long, long time now, as evidenced by the cross-platform nature of Windows 8 itself, along with the proliferation of Live Tiles everywhere. The sweeping company reorg that accompanied Ballmer's "One Microsoft" proclamation placed a single person—Terry Myerson—in charge of Windows for all platforms, and Myerson hasn't been shy about his plans for the overarching Microsoft universe.

"We really should have one silicon interface for all of our devices," he said at a financial analyst meeting in September. "We should have one set of developer APIs on all of our devices. And all of the apps we bring to end users should be available on all of our devices… We want to facilitate the creation of a common, familiar experience across all of those devices, but fundamentally tailored and unique for each device."
So which operating system gets the boot?
Microsoft's Surface tablet blurs the line between laptop and tablet.

First things first: Windows 8 isn't going anywhere—at least not yet. The desktop is still a crucial part of the PC experience, as the multiple compromises in the Windows 8.1 update show.

Myerson gave another hint towards the future at the analyst meeting: "Windows RT was our first ARM tablet. And as phones extend into tablets, expect us to see many more ARM tablets, Windows ARM tablets in the future."

Both Windows Phone and Windows RT were designed for ARM processors, and while the two platforms are struggling in the marketplace, continued support for ARM's technology has crucial strategic value for Microsoft. A gentle merging of the two operating systems makes a lot of sense.

And indeed, a gentle merging of those two appears to be in the cards. Well-sourced rumors suggest that Microsoft's building a single, unified app store to bring the Windows Store and Windows Phone Store together into a cohesive whole, and we could see it as soon as next spring.
The "One Microsoft" future revolves around services and software common to all Windows devices.

Larson-Green's words suggest that in the short term, Microsoft's sees the need for both a true desktop operating system as well as a more restrictive mobile OS.

"We do think there's a world where there is a more mobile operating system that doesn't have the risks to battery life, or the risks to security," she said. "But it also comes at the cost of flexibility. So we believe in that vision and that direction and we're continuing down that path."

No, the death of the desktop is not yet imminent. But make no mistake about it: The splintered fiefdoms that represent Microsoft's operating systems today are but a temporary blip as Ballmer and company. get their cards in order.

In time, those fractured visions of Windows will die so that One Microsoft (and its focus on a common core and centralized cloud-based services) may live. Heck, one day a single flavor of Windows could power everything from smartwatches all the way up to table-sized tablets.

What are your thoughts on Microsoft’s vision and future plans? Have they gotten it right, or are they just digging themselves a deeper hole?

[gordon_s1942]

Without reading and dissecting every word and innuendo in this report, it does make good business sense to have as few as possible 'Platforms' working at one time and for the customer it means you dont have to try to remember where to press what to do that on this, like does anyone remember how to open File Manager in 3.1 now?
If this new development means that all Smart Phones, Tablets, Desk and Lap tops will all have a compatible O/S, to me it makes sense.

The major big problem for users is that some of our equipment wont handle the later O/systems and it means replacing what we now use even though its still working satisfactorily.

Again from the Business side, it simply cant remain static because after a time, that doesnt generate any income because 'everyone' has it.

Like all business decisions, it can make or break a company so its either stay as they are and slowly fade away or introduce new systems and weather the inevitable complaints from their users.

[Uncle Fester]

What are your thoughts on Microsoft’s vision and future plans? Have they gotten it right, or are they just digging themselves a deeper hole?

Today it is all about the mobile market. Microsoft will continue to dominate in the dwindling PC sector but:

another app store, more incompatibility? No, they are years behind Google and Apple.

Maybe if Windows enabled Android apps to run on a Windows system they could become a serious
threat for Apple.

There are new Operating systems for portables on the verge that will be compatible for Android apps and even Linux. Major Companies like Samsung are considering using them for the huge market in China where Google's dominance is not preferred and other heavily populated regions in Asia, where not everybody is wealthy.
I don't think Microsoft will get a foot in there due to their pricing policy.
I think many of them are now using Ubuntu in their schools.
I wonder how much our Department of Education would save if we did that too, but they seem to have too much money to waste anyway, while our kids are certainly not getting any smarter.
...better stop before I get into another rant about our deplorable education system and consequently dim future.

[admin]

Windows still accounts for 80% of people that visit Austech and is even higher on a few small websites I have.

[gordon_s1942]

Even the same brand Tablets arent compatible using the same O/s with all thats available.

I have a Galaxy Tab3 and it presently cant run this Foxtel Go but the Tab 2 can apparently.

I ran into another incompatibility using Android 4.1 on 2 different brands of Tablets.
The APP was Realestate.com which I loaded and ran successfully on an Aldi Bauhn 10 inch Tablet but when we bought the Galaxy Tab3 several months later, it couldnt even find the APP in Google store using the Galaxy but it was there either on a computer or the Aldi.
I emailed Realestate.com who didnt know their arse from their elbow who told me their APP wasnt available for Android.............duuhhh, then how come it was in Google store and I had it on the Aldi Bauhn Tablet?
About a month later I was looking through Google store using the Tab 3 and there was the Realeastate.com APP large as life so I downloaded it without any problems.

To me this is like a few years ago when you were installing peripheral devises and you had to chase up suitable drives or patches to suit both it and your computer.

[admin]

Even the same brand Tablets arent compatible using the same O/s with all thats available.

I have a Galaxy Tab3 and it presently cant run this Foxtel Go but the Tab 2 can apparently.

After having a play with this a while ago, I think its more to do with Foxtel and their anti piracy crap trying to block rooted devices.

I ran into another incompatibility using Android 4.1 on 2 different brands of Tablets.
The APP was Realestate.com which I loaded and ran successfully on an Aldi Bauhn 10 inch Tablet but when we bought the Galaxy Tab3 several months later, it couldnt even find the APP in Google store using the Galaxy but it was there either on a computer or the Aldi.
I emailed Realestate.com who didnt know their arse from their elbow who told me their APP wasnt available for Android.............duuhhh, then how come it was in Google store and I had it on the Aldi Bauhn Tablet?
About a month later I was looking through Google store using the Tab 3 and there was the Realeastate.com APP large as life so I downloaded it without any problems.

To me this is like a few years ago when you were installing peripheral devises and you had to chase up suitable drives or patches to suit both it and your computer.

Anytime an app is missing that you know is there, go to the Play Store on a Windows computer and it will be there. When you click on it to download it will ask to what device and show your listed android devices.

[jwoegerbauer]

With Windows 8 Microsoft introduced a major release of Windows, targeted at desktops, laptops, tablets, and home theatre PCs. Windows 8 targets two architectures: x86 (Windows on Intel or WOI) and ARM (Windows on ARM or WOA). WOA is also known as Windows RT, not to be confused with Windows Runtime or WinRT. Windows Phone 8 is Microsofts's transformed Windows 8 for mobile phones.
It's my oppinion that Windows's surface (tiles instead of icons) now is the same on all thinkable platforms is really great.

[Philquad]

who cares, i dont
im the one that has to fix up all the xxx up's that happen with it all
& im a cripple running a bedroom fix it service on the side
while they make millions, i make 20-50 a go for 1-3 hours work sorting it all out
lol
quote of the day: it takes 35 minutes to install windows, it takes the rest of your life to make it work

& joey mate, you should write more of what you think & not copy & paste stuff

[Philquad]

seriously (affter 9 stubbies)
50% of my fix it jobs are still xp (you need to think)
25% of them are windows 8 that need reverting to win 7 anyway
i blame the manufacture guys, hp ect
1 partition with a crappy recovery that deletes all you have got to default?
why cant they make the os default docs\pics\movies\email \ to a seperate partition by default?
their either really dumb or just keeping fixers in a job i reckon

[jwoegerbauer]

quote of the day: it takes 35 minutes to install windows, it takes the rest of your life to make it work

Never had any issues with Windows, regardless which desktop version, and I ran/run them all: started my Windows experience with Windows 3 (released 1990) ...

their .. just keeping fixers in a job i reckon

You should be pleased about this, it secures living costs for you ...

[Uncle Fester]

Never had any issues with Windows, regardless which desktop version, and I ran/run them all: started my Windows experience with Windows 3 (released 1990) ...


You should be pleased about this, it secures living costs for you ...

Yeah Phil4, I sure hear ya! ...and JW I think you are a bit distant from the everyday world.



I too do a bit of work (sometimes voluntarily) to get things running for the computer illiterate on a low income, usually the for the elderly or middle aged ladies with young kids.


Windows OS install usually runs fine but what do you have then, almost nothing !


Got to find and install all the drivers, readers, players, plugins, codecs, .NET, java, anti-everything and proper firewall, basic open source software, installing a start button on Win8, etc, etc , not even a printer will work unless you buy a new one that has Windows 8 drivers and better grab a new graphic card while you are at it.

4-5 hours work to make a useful system out of it... with no pay.
...and when you buy a computer with Windows pre-installed it is just full of demo garbage and spam/spyware that takes even more time to get rid of. Clean install with disk recommended.


I remember when I first started with Linux many years ago I spent hours installing things and tweaking to get things to run, while with Windows you usually got at least Microsoft Works pre-installed with lots of useful templates and could immediately use it properly, perhaps even with some photo editing and desktop publishing to get creative.



Today it is the other way around.
I just run the Kororaa Linux install disk and after 20 minutes the computer is usually totally complete and ready to rock. Even YouTube works of the box.


I wish I could convince them to use the Linux but they say they need Windows because that is what their kids are using at school.

[jwoegerbauer]

JW I think you are a bit distant from the everyday world.

Do NOT think so, LOL.

Thing is each Windows based computer I had/have was never for me a toy box, but a tool. Never overladed Windows (doesn't matter which version) with third party apps I didn't really need - for me third party apps in general all are suspect. Never installed any paraphernalia. I'm not a collector. Only thing I always installed was Open Office suite (didn't want to buy MS Office) and Firefox browser. Never changed drivers which by default come with Windows because these are valid for the hardware Windows supports and initially was installed on. And I never tried to modify Windows in a way it was foreseeable it must fail. For example never changed the default look and feel of Windows UI. This all due to fact that in my worklife I was PC specialist, network specialist and application programmer: at least the employer for this content paid me over years - got several travels to the USA as additional bonus given.

And today, despite being pensioner, I'm developing applications/utilities for Windows CE devices. Not for profit, just for fun of course - simply as hobby.

BTW: My laptop is configured as dual boot machine: can run either Windows or Ubunto. Yes I've a rudimentary knowledge of Linux.

... it does make good business sense to have as few as possible 'Platforms' working at one time and for the customer it means you dont have to try to remember where to press what to do that on this, like does anyone remember how to open File Manager in 3.1 now?
If this new development means that all Smart Phones, Tablets, Desk and Lap tops will all have a compatible O/S, to me it makes sense.

Also my oppinion.

[Uncle Fester]

Do NOT think so, LOL.

Thing is each Windows based computer I had/have was never for me a toy box, but a tool. Never overladed Windows (doesn't matter which version) with third party apps I didn't really need - for me third party apps in general all are suspect.

What you (and even I) need from a system is totally different to the requirements of a family with school kids who can not afford to spend thousands for Microsoft certified software applications.
I only install well known open source apps, like Libre Office and Gimp, etc but it all takes time, even modifing Firefox with child safe filters.
You can't simply leave things as they are.
What I am also trying to say is with a good Linux distro all these applications are correctly compiled and already installed for you and they used to supply proper applications on Windows too, many years ago when you bought a computer.

Never changed drivers which by default come with Windows because these are valid for the hardware Windows supports and initially was installed on.

So you are saying one should not attempt to upgrade Windows... other than also purchasing new hardware with it.

And today, despite being pensioner, I'm developing applications/utilities for Windows CE devices. Not for profit, just for fun of course - simply as hobby.

Which would be suspicious third party applications

[jwoegerbauer]

I too do a bit of work (sometimes voluntarily) to get things running for the computer illiterate on a low income, usually the for the elderly or middle aged ladies with young kids.

Windows OS install usually runs fine but what do you have then, almost nothing !

Microsoft's "Windows" is nothing else than an operating system. You and I and some others here know that the term "Windows" simply describes a feature of the operating system: running programs in windows. The only programs that indeed come with "Windows" is the explorer.exe program - or whatever it is called ( herefore one should look into registry under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Shell ), Internet Explorer and all the programs one can find in the "Windows" controlpanel. Every other application one find on a "Windows" computer has nothing to do with "Windows", is an "Add-On" that comes with the "Windows" distribution. As for example Microsoft Works, the poor man's Office suite.

I know most people aren't aware of this.

I wish I could convince them to use the Linux but they say they need Windows because that is what their kids are using at school.

"Windows" based computers have a market share about ~80%. Hence who is wondering?

[Philquad]

what about paint?
media player
notepad
wordpad
dvd maker

arnt they programs built into windows os?

[jwoegerbauer]

what about paint?
media player
notepad
wordpad
dvd maker

arnt they programs built into windows os?

All programs you don't reach with clicking Start->Control Panel aren't generic part of "Windows" operating system. They are so-called "Add-Ons" provided for free-of-charge by Microsoft, as with Windows 7 by default these are Calculator, Paint, Solitaire, Notepad, WordPad. AFAIK Windows DVD Maker only is provided by Microsoft with "Vista Home Premium" and "Vista Ultimate" and all Windows 7-versions except the "Starter"-variant and in Windows 8 Windows DVD-Maker simply is not present.

[Optima Collins]

AFAIK, 32 bit Windows 8 can run 16 bit apps natively. That would be a good compromise for having one interface on all platforms, but if it were up to me I'd go for 64 bit DOS. Now, that would be heaven Microsoft, what are you waiting for!

[jwoegerbauer]

AFAIK, 32 bit Windows 8 can run 16 bit apps natively. That would be a good compromise for having one interface on all platforms, but if it were up to me I'd go for 64 bit DOS. Now, that would be heaven Microsoft, what are you waiting for!

So you eagerly are awaiting 64-Bit DOS version? You obviously aren't a fan of Microsoft Windows.

You know Microsoft never relesed a 32-Bit DOS version. And I'm afraid they never will release a 64-Bit DOS version. And worst with the 64-Bit-variants of Windows OS Microsoft removed the DOS emulation (i.e. command.com) completely. We know the cmd.exe as it is left present with 64-Bit versions of Windows OS is a different command shell that can't really run 16-Bit DOS applications. Although that lets you do almost all the things that could be done with command.com.

What you currently can have is this:

• 64-Bit Windows, emulates 32-Bit Windows, no support for 16-Bit Windows / 16-Bit DOS.
• 32-Bit Windows, emulates 16-Bit Windows / 16-Bit DOS, no support for 64-Bit.

I believe the trend is going towards 64-Bit Operating Systems. Apple's iPhone 5S has an 64-Bit-processor inbuilt, ARM already have developed 64-Bit-processors for mobile devices too, Intel has followed.


BTW:

To run a 16-Bit DOS program under 64-Bit Windows as workaround you use freeware x86-emulator which simulates under all 64-Bit version of Windows a complete DOS-machine, of course combined with also freeware portable frontend program (latest release v2.6 - November 16, 2013) which even is Windows 8.1 ready.

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