Why Windows Blue heralds the death of the desktop

I tried the W8 test version, it looks like a video game, and it took me 5 days to get MY stuff working. I'm an architect, and I don't think I can draw in AutoCad with my finger on a touch screen. It took me 1/2 an hour just to figure out where the shutdown button was. There really are people who WORK on a computer every day who don't appreciate M$ changing horses in the middle of the stream. But, really what this is about, is M$ (and all the other SW co's) are trying to give you a dumb terminal, and move all the software to the cloud so they can sell yearly subscriptions and not lifetime licenses. Then, you can only customize what they will let you. Keep you eyes peeled for the eventual demise of the desktop. It's all about the $$.

I don't know why M$ won't come out with a business version of Windoze that has no gee-gaw. Just install the blank OS and boot to a blank desktop with a blank taskbar.

It looks like I'm going to be on Win 7 for some time.

TVeblen said:

Apple resurrected itself by abandoning for-work Tools and focused on Toys. The iPod was the start. Now they rule the world when it comes to Toys and gadgets.

They were able to do this because Microsoft ruled the world of Tools anyway. They had nothing to lose.

Now Microsoft wants a piece of the Toys market (and in their minds, more than just a piece) and they are willing to give up the Tools market to do it.

Sort of reminiscent of IBM in the 1980's.

Reminds me more of CBM (Commodore Business Machines). At one time, they had the educational market cornered but walked away from it since they didn't feel it had enough of a future (the best thing that ever happened to Apple). They abandoned their C64 and C128 markets to promote the Amiga, which was actually much better than its predecessors (unlike Win 8). The backlash from their C64 and C128 markets sounded CBM's death knell. Now, most people under 40 have never even heard of CBM.

Sarris said:

...It looks like I'm going to be on Win 7 for some time.

You and me three (hey, it rhymes).

Sarris said:

But, really what this is about, is M$ (and all the other SW co's) are trying to give you a dumb terminal, and move all the software to the cloud so they can sell yearly subscriptions and not lifetime licenses. Then, you can only customize what they will let you. Keep you eyes peeled for the eventual demise of the desktop. It's all about the $$.

This is probably the endgame for all the software developers. Adobe announced no more boxed versions of software, only cloud and digital download. At the same time they coincidentally announced what a huge success their cloud subscription service was. So expect the downloads to be discontinued some time -probably sooner rather than later.

Probably M$ is watching this with interest - would certainly earn them more money if their OS was on monthly subscription and of course all the new hardware only worked on the latest M$ cloud OS.

Sorry, my suspicious mind is working overtime. Will stay with W7 for as long as possible then if the above is the case look elsewhere.

mart4494 said:

...Adobe announced no more boxed versions of software, only cloud and digital download. At the same time they coincidentally announced what a huge success their cloud subscription service was. So expect the downloads to be discontinued some time -probably sooner rather than later...

I can live with downloaded software. They will lose me if they go to cloud only.

Lady Fitzgerald said:

TVeblen said:

Apple resurrected itself by abandoning for-work Tools and focused on Toys. The iPod was the start. Now they rule the world when it comes to Toys and gadgets.

They were able to do this because Microsoft ruled the world of Tools anyway. They had nothing to lose.

Now Microsoft wants a piece of the Toys market (and in their minds, more than just a piece) and they are willing to give up the Tools market to do it.

Sort of reminiscent of IBM in the 1980's.

Reminds me more of CBM (Commodore Business Machines). At one time, they had the educational market cornered but walked away from it since they didn't feel it had enough of a future (the best thing that ever happened to Apple). They abandoned their C64 and C128 markets to promote the Amiga, which was actually much better than its predecessors (unlike Win 8). The backlash from their C64 and C128 markets sounded CBM's death knell. Now, most people under 40 have never even heard of CBM.

Sounds exactly like what Microsoft's been doing, except the desktop market instead of the educational market.

History is bound to repeat itself, aye?