Mailbag: What To Do About Windows 7, More
Last week, Doug shared some of his
confusion
over Windows 7. Here are some of your thoughts about the direction Microsoft
should go with its next OS:
Microsoft is running out of time to GET IT RIGHT. If Win 7 doesn't hit
the mark directly on the head, then no one will really care after that. I
feel the new OS should be based on the Singularity core, be x64-based and
use VM technology for any compatibility issue with older programs. Microsoft
should not spend one more second working on x32 except for security patches.
All of its OS development efforts should be focused on getting a core with
legs, without messing it up with all sorts of features. Something like Win
2008 Server Core.
-Rob
Here's my list of advice for Win 7: Make it capable of virtualization
as Server 2008 Hyper-V and App-V. Make it as light as possible (Google did
that with Chrome and it works). Remove IE from Windows. Eliminate drivers
and services from its core and keep them on the installation DVD for further
installation when needed. Make it more video-efficient without the crashes
caused on Vista. Make it 64-bit with 32-bit capability for legacy apps. Eliminate
Windows Media Player and Windows Media Center; videos, pictures, music and
folders should open and organized without any delay. Increase touch-screen
use and features.
-George
You are on the wrong side of this one. The reason many of us dislike existing
desktop OSes and are moving away from the them is even more compelling with
super fat clients. They need even greater capacity and more expensive end
user machines; they have huge patch management issues, as well as end user
usability complexity and manageability issues; they're an IT support nightmare
and need massive training schedules for IT staff; they're overkill (90 percent
or more of users only use an Office suite, including e-mail and a browser);
they add unnecessary complexity which adds risk to systems; they come at a
higher cost in all IT departments that consumes funds at more stategic areas.
Long live the thin client and cloud computing. Down with fat clients
and non-virtualized servers.
-Ray
A few more of you chime in on Microsoft's new patent on a tool to clean
up online gaming language:
If the game owner has the choice to censor or not, then this is a great
benefit. It allows parental control of online gaming. Which is as it should
be done.
-Ken
We're already blurring the lines between reality and the virtual world
and this just contributes to it. People are beginning to think like computers.
-Bruce
And one reader's epic
rant about the evils of software authentication left Dave wondering:
I just read Dr. John's hyperbolic rant against software activation and
registration. I've never had a problem with MS activation that took over five
minutes to solve, but I agree that registration is quite annoying.
However, I wonder if I'm misinterpreting his point. It seems like he's
saying that the pains of activation and registration are driving him to Linux,
where there are no comparable apps, and therefore no activation or registration
hassles. If that's the case, why not just give up the computer altogether?
-Dave
Got something to say? Say it here! Leave a comment below or send an e-mail
to [email protected].
Posted by Doug Barney on October 28, 2008