Rumor: not only could Windows 9/Threshold be free for 7 and 8 users, it could also potentially be fr
51 replies, posted
[QUOTE=itisjuly;45574561]Does anyone even use windows app store? Or even less, actually buy stuff from there?[/QUOTE]
I use it since I have problems with Netflix using browsers and the occasional Skype and Facebook. Maybe some poker or word finds. Never bought anything from it tho. Plus it's super convenient having Netflix auto start in full screen.
[QUOTE=itisjuly;45574561]Does anyone even use windows app store? Or even less, actually buy stuff from there?[/QUOTE]
The Windows app store has potential to be great. I want a place where I can download Steam/Opera/WinRAR/AVG and the Star Citizen launcher without going to different sites. Focus on applications and not "apps" and they'll do alright.
That's pretty cool. i hope we get it as a free upgrade.
[QUOTE=Kaabii;45574962]Apple is also a hardware company and the only computer vendor not sinking right now. Microsoft doesn't have a hardware business with huge margins to support Windows going free like Apple can with OS X. The cut of profits from the Windows App Store is not going to offset the lost Windows sales.[/QUOTE]
Actually one of the few. Lenovo isn't sinking either. Actually apple took a bigger hit in cmoputer hardware than lenova I think.
Well, I don't know about WinXP users but I hate to think I got 8 only to have 9 come out next year. :( So hard to stay hip in the tech world.
[QUOTE=froztshock;45574775]Really I'm fine with using 7 for gaming for quite a while. The only things that could get my to switch is if they release another exclusive directx version or whatever free version of windows 9 they release allows the computer to make use of more RAM than the version of 7 that I've currently got (home premium or whatever).
Now I'm reminded of how bullshit it is that they've got their lower tiers of OS set to literally limit the amount of memory they can index.
Other than gaming, I do everything else on Linux now so eh.[/QUOTE]
WTF dude how much ram do you have for gaming?
I have 16 GB and can use all of it on windows 8.1.1.
[QUOTE=Skanic;45575566]WTF dude how much ram do you have for gaming?
I have 16 GB and can use all of it on windows 8.1.1.[/QUOTE]
He probably does more than gaming and a 16gb limit for non gaming stuff can possibly be a problem depending on what he's doing. But then again if you are doing stuff that requires more than that you shouldn't use home version
[QUOTE=Skanic;45575566]WTF dude how much ram do you have for gaming?
I have 16 GB and can use all of it on windows 8.1.1.[/QUOTE]
Some of the potato-tier Windows versions (before Windows 8 anyway) had pretty hard limits on RAM for some reason, not just the 32/64 bit limit.
MS don't make massive dosh from normal user sales of Windows from what I gather, it's far too expensive for most people after all. Instead their money should be mostly coming from OEM installs and enterprise installs, as with Adobe really. Their product is massively pirated, but they survive because a legitimate business needs a legitimate license.
[QUOTE=hexpunK;45575666]Some of the potato-tier Windows versions (before Windows 8 anyway) had pretty hard limits on RAM for some reason, not just the 32/64 bit limit.
MS don't make massive dosh from normal user sales of Windows from what I gather, it's far too expensive for most people after all. Instead their money should be mostly coming from OEM installs and enterprise installs, as with Adobe really. Their product is massively pirated, but they survive because a legitimate business needs a legitimate license.[/QUOTE]
You'd be surprised how much that last point is not true.
[QUOTE=hexpunK;45575666]Some of the potato-tier Windows versions (before Windows 8 anyway) had pretty hard limits on RAM for some reason, not just the 32/64 bit limit.
MS don't make massive dosh from normal user sales of Windows from what I gather, it's far too expensive for most people after all. Instead their money should be mostly coming from OEM installs and enterprise installs, as with Adobe really. Their product is massively pirated, but they survive because a legitimate business needs a legitimate license.[/QUOTE]
With the exception of Starter editions it's always been 8GB or higher. 8GB being the limit for Home Basic. 8GB isn't that hard of a limit.
[QUOTE=Panda X;45575819]With the exception of Starter editions it's always been 8GB or higher. 8GB being the limit for Home Basic. 8GB isn't that hard of a limit.[/QUOTE]
That's the one I was thinking of, the starter editions! It's been a while since I've looked at the editions listings.
But even then, if you're using one of the versions with a RAM cap, you're probably not doing anything remotely intensive so it's not a problem worth complaining about.
[QUOTE=itisjuly;45574561]Does anyone even use windows app store? Or even less, actually buy stuff from there?[/QUOTE]
I buy games from choice of games, there multiple choice stories.
[QUOTE=Zatar963;45574615]If Windows 9 became free, Microsoft would seriously regain a lot of the market share they've lost in the past few years.[/QUOTE]
i don't think they would gain that much in reality. a lot of people already just pirate windows
[editline]3rd August 2014[/editline]
[QUOTE=wraithcat;45575110]Actually one of the few. Lenovo isn't sinking either. Actually apple took a bigger hit in cmoputer hardware than lenova I think.[/QUOTE]
not really
[quote=Anandtech]Mac sales were up again with 4.4 million Macs sold which accounted for $5.5B in revenue. Sales were up 18% and revenue was up 13% compared to Q3 2013, with an increase in sales of 7% over last quarter with revenue remaining flat.[/quote]
[QUOTE=wraithcat;45575110]Actually one of the few. Lenovo isn't sinking either. Actually apple took a bigger hit in cmoputer hardware than lenova I think.[/QUOTE]
Apple hasn't taken any hit at all. Mac sales are growing while the overall PC market is shrinking. Lenovo did have a growth of around 1% in Q2 of this year but their sales are on an overall decline from previous quarters and previous years. "PC" shipments also include Windows tablets and Chromebooks but Apple's Mac numbers don't include iPad. If they did Apple would be by far the biggest PC maker in the world and that's a reality that HP's CEO has admitted herself so it's clearly accepted in the industry.
My guess is it will be free for a limited time, if it is indeed free, like the discount on win 8 when it came out. So only current users would get it and future purchasers would still have to buy a license.
[QUOTE=Kaabii;45574962]Apple is also a hardware company and the only computer vendor not sinking right now. Microsoft doesn't have a hardware business with huge margins to support Windows going free like Apple can with OS X. The cut of profits from the Windows App Store is not going to offset the lost Windows sales.[/QUOTE]
Microsoft's unified OS will be the thing that makes or breaks this strategy, and I'd say they have a damn good chance of making it work. Not even Apple can say that the stuff you buy for OS X will work on your iPad, but Microsoft will be able to make that claim barring hardware requirements of course: you won't be squeezing Crytek onto your Windows Tablet, but all your office software? Sure! That's something both personal and corporate users can get behind.
Also you may want to look at the 2014 PC numbers, they're going back up. Seems 2013 was as bad as it was going to get.
This at a time when folks are talking about subscriptions to software, like the Adobe stuff.
If they do offer it for free, I bet it will be more like free-to-play, with some features being locked unless you have some sort of Win9 live account or purchase some sort of add-on package through their marketplace.
And folks will cheer it on cause humans love bullshit like this.
[QUOTE=FlakAttack;45579205]Microsoft's unified OS will be the thing that makes or breaks this strategy, and I'd say they have a damn good chance of making it work. Not even Apple can say that the stuff you buy for OS X will work on your iPad, but Microsoft will be able to make that claim barring hardware requirements of course: you won't be squeezing Crytek onto your Windows Tablet, but all your office software? Sure! That's something both personal and corporate users can get behind.
Also you may want to look at the 2014 PC numbers, they're going back up. Seems 2013 was as bad as it was going to get.[/QUOTE]
that's not something you need a unified operating system for
What I don't get is why they decided to delay the [url=http://www.reviversoft.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Windows-8-Start-Menu.png]Start Menu/Start Screen hybrid[/url] until Threshold, though, and aren't even gonna bring it back into Win8. It was already on track for one of the Win8.1 updates and I don't know why they still can't go along with their original plan along with bringing it to Threshold. It's - like - people's [i]one[/i] problem with Win8. If Threshold end up [i]does[/i] being free, then cool - water under the bridge and everyone can upgrade anyway. But if not they're just screwing over everyone who already owns Win8 and was waiting for this.
[QUOTE=.Lain;45580131]that's not something you need a unified operating system for[/QUOTE]
It's a massive help though. If every Windows OS is using the exact same kernel compiled for different target platforms, then recompiling apps between platforms becomes basic as hell. MS already have parts of such a platform in place with .Net, having the OS be the same at an even lower level should help even more.
Sorry, you need to Log In to post a reply to this thread.