Could there be a free, ad-supported Windows in MS......

[JMH]

Could there be a free, ad-supported Windows in Microsoft's future?

en Microsoft Chief Software Architect Ray Ozzie outlined his suggestions for Microsoft’s gameplan back in 2005 (via his “Internet Services Disruption” memo), he was a big advocate of Microsoft introducing ad-supported, free software and services. Since that time, Microsoft has been dabbling with ad-supported products on a variety of fronts, including the forthcoming consumer version of Office Web Apps and Office Starter products.

Source -
Could there be a free, ad-supported Windows in Microsoft's future? | All about Microsoft | ZDNet.com

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there
Who on earth would want to use that model.

I find reading some Websites too unbearable due to the commercials on them - and just imagine how annoying it would be if you were trying to design a complex query for an Excel Spreadsheet with say random music or flash being played every so often.

No thanks -- this Idea is surely destined for the Garbage Can pronto.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[swarfega]

Agreed, same with the cloud idea.

 

[severedsolo]

sadly i think it could happen one day, when it all goes to the cloud, a day that i am not looking forward too

 

[pparks1]

I certainly could see some people doing this. There are lots of people who aren't willing to pay for Windows...but yet feel they should be able to run it on all of their computers. This would give them an outlet to do that legally.

 

[severedsolo]

what makes you think those people who currently pirate it wouldn't continue to pirate the "upgraded" version?

 

[MattRainier]

I think that so long as there is a fully functional, non-open-source OS, people will pirate it - probably just to see if they can.

As to ad-supported Windows...I hope never, but even so, forget it - I'll shell out a little extra to get rid of the ads. I hate commercials.

 

[pparks1]

what makes you think those people who currently pirate it wouldn't continue to pirate the "upgraded" version?

It's why I said, "some people". I certainly don't think all who pirate would go this route, but I do believe that some would use the "free version". Tons of people use free versions of AV products and such which can be limited in features or supported with ads or pop-ups to buy full blown products...rather than pirating the commercial AV products. I think the same could happen in this scenario.

 

[Lee]

I was part of the test team for MS Office Starter Edition a few months back; this allowed me to see what MS is doing and their reason for it. The Officer Starter is designed to replace the out going MS Works (no longer being developed, so hold on to the latest edition). The purpose of Officer Starter is to give purchasers of new computers (Win 7 OS) a chance to use Word and Excel without having to put out a great deal of money. It allows them a chance to see what is available to them if they would like to upgrade. Also the ads that are in both of these applications is located in the lower right corner of the screen (on a 1920 - 1200 screen they cover about 2 to 3 square inches). After about an hour of use you really don't notice the ads which are about Microsoft products.

Albeit, I agree with those who would not use an OS or application that spouts ads; heck both on my Windows machine, and Apple iMac using FF ad block is always on.

 

[Lebon14]

I would love to see what a free Microsoft OS will look like... but... I don't want ads inside an OS...
To that matter, if MS release a free ad-supported OS, there will always be someone who will provide a patch that removes them :]