Newsflash - 2007: The year MS re-invents hardware lock-in.
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| Author | Content |
|---|---|
| tqk Jan 30, 2007 7:21 AM EDT |
This kind of thing can't possibly fly, can it? Even grandma, who knows nothing about computers, isn't naive enough to fall for this crap, is she? The iPod/iTunes generation, yes, but grandma? What a ridiculous century this is turning out to be. I wonder what price MS will charge to run the WinDebian installer. |
| azerthoth Jan 30, 2007 7:29 AM EDT |
I'd guess about twice what ever they charge for their 'Completely Ultimate Extreme Fantastic Windows Robber Baron' Edition. |
| Sander_Marechal Jan 30, 2007 7:40 AM EDT |
Quoting:This kind of thing can't possibly fly, can it? Ofcourse not, but that doesn't mean they're not going to try. Read the patent application. The kernel + the DRM module + an interface to the webshop will be given away for free. Well, at least we stop paying the MS tax :-) Knowing MS's track records it'll be in development for 7 years after which they realised they just produced an equivalent to BSD 4.2 written in ActiveX, then simply bolt on a new UI to Vista Server and wrap the "Add/Remove applications" and every option/configuration dialog in Windows in a DRM layer. Want to disable Clippie? That's $50 please! The funniest thing is that in 7-10 years when this will probably come out, DRM will likely be history and we all enjoy fixed-fee blanket licensing worldwide. |
| schestowitz Jan 31, 2007 2:23 AM EDT |
Forget about hardware lockin. There are attempts to corrupt and 'Vistacise' the Web, using formats and so-called 'standards' to force non-Windows users out of the loop. It's not just about locking _existing_ Windows users. |
| Libervis Jan 31, 2007 3:51 PM EDT |
It's "lock-in" and "lock-out". They lock existing users with no brains to think for themselves in and the rest out as irrelevant. This is of course assuming that the majority of computer users in the world are really *that* dumb. But if they are not, then MS will be shooting a yet another bullet in its foot, this time a deadly poisoned one! This whole movement towards deliberately defective anti-technology is so bizarre that it looks like we're living in some sort of a simulated fantasy world. It's incredible. These people are just out of their freaking minds. |
| techiem2 Jan 31, 2007 3:54 PM EDT |
Gone out of their minds while trying to get into your bank account... |
| jsusanka Jan 31, 2007 3:58 PM EDT |
"This kind of thing can't possibly fly, can it? Even grandma, who knows nothing about computers, isn't naive enough to fall for this crap, is she? The iPod/iTunes generation, yes, but grandma?" well when the government writes web pages for on os and browser and they force countries to use their software using WIPO and WTO as fronts then yes this could fly - and fly high. |
| deck Feb 01, 2007 7:36 AM EDT |
This will fly. These are the actions of a company that has a monopoly and uses (really abuses) it to their own ends. MS is certain that they can make this fly. And I believe that they can and will do it whether they have a patent or not because of their monopoly position. A commenter on Groklaw has speculated that this is a trial balloon by MS to see how this modular crippled OS will be reacted to. It has been pointed out that the only difference with this and some prior, very similar systems is that it is done over the internet. Delivery by the Internet is not very unique (Linspire anyone?) and may not be enough for them to obtain a patent |
| bigg Feb 01, 2007 7:56 AM EDT |
> This will fly. These are the actions of a company that has a monopoly It might fly. More generally, MS is changing its business model. Why did people go with Windows in the first place? Mostly because it's cheap. (In the view of those people - in other words, Windows 98 added a few dollars to the cost of a PC eight years ago). If MS decides to act like a monopolist, and you believe in free markets, they will likely run into some roadblocks. I see a lot of people making comments that MS can do anything they want. Not really. Just as the dot com bust showed there was no "new economy" where you didn't need a business plan to get funding, the same boring old laws of supply and demand still apply to MS. It might work, but let's use some caution here, this is far different from slapping a low-end OS on every PC that comes off the assembly line. I have faith in the intelligence of people. That's especially true if you give them sufficient reason to investigate alternatives. To act like a true monopolist, there needs to be no good substitutes. I see two good substitutes for most people in Linux and Mac. |
| jimf Feb 01, 2007 8:01 AM EDT |
> Mostly because it's cheap. Wow, It sure isn't now... and much more of a pita to bootleg ;-). This is just another example of MS driving the 'customers' away, and ultimately, putting itself out of business. |
| Sander_Marechal Feb 01, 2007 8:39 AM EDT |
Well, if this new modular DRM'ed OS ever sees the light of day, there will be two big advantages: 1) Since the core OS is given away for free, us Linux folk don't pay an MS tax anymore. 2) End-users are finally confronted with the cost of Windows. Most now "feel" it's free because it came with the comuter. That will change when they have to pony up $25 to open more than 5 windows, $50 to run multiple applications, $40 to get more than 500 kbps on their DSL line, etcetera. It'll drive people to Linux :-) |
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