What is Digg?186 Comments
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -11/+49So, Office will be some bloated AJAX thing? Or a collection of .asp pages. With ads? And I have to lease it?
I can hardly wait. - senfo, on 10/12/2007, -3/+40You can't relate Netflix and iTunes to the Office suite --they're two totally different ideas with two totally different markets.
What many of you fail to realize (or acknowledge) is that many government offices (including contractors) have private LAN's configured that have NO connection to the outside world. The information stored on these machines is extremely sensitive (read top secret) and there's simply no way that an ASP will provide anywhere near adequate protection because a connection to the Internet must be present. Government offices and contractors are a HUGE market to Microsoft and ignoring them would spell disaster to the company. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -2/+24Please don't sensationlize headlines. With Digg's demographic of "stupid" making up the largest percentage of users, this will eventually be passed around the internet as an article saying Microsoft is done making OSes. Which is, of course, entirely untrue, and is not mentioned anywhere in the article.
- iteachgeeks, on 10/12/2007, -0/+18senfo
couldn't these government agencies simply run web services software on an internal LAN server? - estvir, on 10/12/2007, -4/+21heck no, they've already started work on the next one (blackcomb/vienna).
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+14We have tried using some online software at our company. NetSuite was the last one. Disasters. I have never come across a web app (a BIG one) that wasent a train wreck.
- jhowe, on 10/12/2007, -7/+16Did you even read the article? It's not about the end of the operating system in general, it's about the end of the OS running directly on your computer.
- AwesomeMonster, on 10/12/2007, -3/+12Problems with Digg....
1) STUPID HEADLINE, all this meant is that bill is looking into web based programs, not that hes giving up on OSes.
2) Mac fan boys instantly write "LOL ITS ABOUT TIME AMIRITE!?!? ROFLCOPTER!" who ALSO haven't read the article... - Philodox, on 10/12/2007, -2/+11The article makes *repeated* mention of the fact that Microsoft owns 90ish percent of the desktop market, and that is part of the reason why they have been successful in dominating whatever industry they decide to move into. So then if Vista is MS's last OS how does it expect to continue that advantage? As cacoe mentioned, nowhere in the article does it mention that Vista will be the last, infact I'm sure it won't be since it's one of MS's most profitable products.
- bluehouse, on 10/12/2007, -5/+14interesting read... bad title
- dfj225, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7iteachgeeks
For businesses, I still don't think web services are the way of the future. IT went through that error, when everything was run on a mainframe and users at their desks just ran thin-clients. It turns out, that it is more beneficial to have a full computer and software installation at the user's desk than to have an entire office share the same machine (mainframe).
Web services make a little more sense for home users, since they may want to access their information from various computers at various locations. However, I still don't see every app moving over to some "Ajax" or "Web 2.0" amalgamation. To me, that would be undoing all the progress that has been made in developing desktop environments. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -2/+9Of course MS is going to jump on the Web 2.0 bandwagon, but this is a very misleading title. No, they will not stop making OSes. That's an outlandish assumption. You lost my Digg.
- antoniojvr, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7I agree with senfo because I live that life. Contractors and gov agencies are very tied in to Microsoft products.
- Outdoor83, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7Love him or hate him, Bill Gates is an incredible businessman with excellent vision. If he says that the future is in web-based aps, he's probably right. He didn't get to be one of the richest men in the world without hitting homeruns on major decisions over and over again.
And to everyone saying it's gonna be some ASP pages and whatnot: I doubt it. ASP isn't well-suited to that type of development. If Microsoft has to invent a new technology that requires a different web paradigm than we have now, they'll do it: they can just arbitrarily have their OS do it by default and force the rest of the world to adapt (not the first time this will have happened).
We all hate Microsoft because we're not their market and they make life harder for us (ever remotely troubleshoot a Windows box? ick). But they are great at getting people without technology degrees to do things they want to do with computers with relative ease. You think you'd have broadband Internet access to your distant suburb if only tech people wanted to use computers? Doubtful. All of these mortals use Windows to get things accomplished easily, get interested in technology, and then demand investment that helps the rest of us. Stop hating on Microsoft so damned much -- without them, the Internet is a niche market with niche-level financial investment. - IanAction, on 10/12/2007, -3/+9Yeah, I'm sure they're done making software. Because nobody uses word or PowerPoint, and all those prepackaged Windows Licenses just don't make any money. ::rolls eyes::
- CrumbleBeeHaHa, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6Anyone who's studied computer science knows that there will be an OS installed on every personal computer for many, many years to come. Computers can't organize and manage themselves (atleast not yet, maybe when AI finally takes off the story will change...).
I predict that Blackholm/Vienna will be a tiny micro-kernal that runs the newest version of the .NET framework. Essentially the CLR (common language runtime, part of .NET) will act as the OS as well as a "virtual" computer. .NET itself is set up precisely to solve the problems of a web-services based computing network (which is where the internet is heading). The problem with .NET now is that there's no guarentee that it's installed even on Windows computers. If .NET BECOMES the operating system, then that guarentee can be made (atleast for the 90% of ppl running Microsoft software).
Just my thoughts... - TheGentleman, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6Err... so, we're all going to install Linux and start up firefox to reach our online microsoft OS'es?
- Namain, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6They actually use a naming scheme based on skiing mountains in the Rockies, Blackholm was supposed to be the next version of windows, however Microsoft decided that they needed a release between Blackholm and XP so they made Vista. The codename Longhorn comes from a small Chalet at the base of Blackholm.
- CarpetFilter, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5If you can get a patent for a text based advert, I'm going to apply for a patent for sitting in a chair.
- krazedkaoz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4If this happens I'm switching to linux.
- ForbesBingley, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6I know you guys are probably sick of hearing people say this -- I get sick of myself saying this!
But .. I just don't see Microsoft making the kind of headway that they're used to.
If you look at this from the point of view of Microsoft, they have to make a $1 billion case for whatever they set their sights on. Anything less is a phenomenal waste of their capacity and resources.
If you look at the overall trends in this industry, ever smaller players are moving quickly to create new growth areas that rarely get anywhere near a billion dollars, but are totally sustainable business models for smaller business.
Often, you'll see entire ecosystems sprout around them. Look at MySpace.com as an example.
I just do not see Microsoft getting their way, here. Not least because for them to succeed, they need to control things from one end to t'other. And with the pressures exerted on them via a renewed commitment to shared standards and the likes of Linux et al, where does that leave Messieurs Gates & Balmer?
Now, these are clever guys, there's no doubting that. But cleverer ideas by even cleverer people have been defeated by nothing more than marketing.
Just ask Microsoft. They know... - senfo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4iteachgeeks,
Sure, that would work fine. But it /appeared/ that Microsoft was leading towards hosting these services and not distributing them. Maybe I'm assuming too much.
Ultimately, however, I think consumers having to pay a subscription to utilize these services would be the ultimate downfall (again, *assuming* that there are subscription rates). - m0nkei, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5im going to get a load of minus diggs but i loved that roflcopter part :D
- geneticerror, on 10/12/2007, -8/+12online services do seem to be the next big cash flow for the IT industry. iTunes sells millions of songs a month and netflix shows that online movie stores can make a good profit (they may even cause blockbuster to go out of business).
but on the other hand if microsoft controlled most of the patients for new internet technologies then they may be able to take a nice slice of the profits while just sitting back and relaxing. - RatBagu, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4iteachgeeks:
That could be a possibility, but there would be a "work stoppage" if the server that ran those web-based services went down. (Which always happens) If the office suite was client based, then they could create their sensitive documents without a problem, even if their "services-based" server went down. - OperatorNo9, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4I am so going to slap the next person, or Script Kiddie, that replaces the S with a dollar sign.
- moisie, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5The problem I have with many of these internet powered services is that by and large they're about shifting our computing experience into the browser - onto the internet as opposed to bringing the internet into our computing experience. iTunes is one of the notable exceptions, without the internet you can't use it's internet store but it's a very stable experience. Outside of the logic of how you get the data and how you do the transactions you wouldn't know you were on the internet, it's just like navigating your music library - which is within the same application. Most web based services feel almost flimsy in comparison.
- vdxc, on 09/29/2008, -0/+3Windows Vienna is meant see the end of a start menu (this was orignally planned for Vienna and then moved to the Longhorn project and then back to Vienna)
- luchid, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3@toddffw:
I don't minf unobstrusive ads like the ones google places and I would be all for it if Microsoft offered an ad-subsidized version of their online services. However, knowing them they'll probably put flashing banners and videos and crap all over it. Just look at hotmail, and even their new Windows Live Mail. - rocu, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4What's also scary is that if everything moves online, I can envision the lawsuits flying because online software vendors will get hacked, data will be lost, and lawyers will get rich. Granted, some people will be smart enough to download and make backups, but two things will happen: 1) A whole industry will spring up to ensure content is protected 2) A whole industry will spring up to sue said content providers when uptime and data loss occurs.
- astrotrain, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3"The Internet has performed an illegal operation error and must reboot... sorry for the inconvenience"
"I created the next version of the Internet.... and made it crash!"
-Bill Gates (in the future) - plkrtn, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Reported for being completely inaccurate.
Just because the story talks about moving towards a services based customer sales relationship, and no point, nowhere does it talk about Microsoft discontinuing production of Operating Systems. A ***** headline posted to get you to the front page, well done. - MasterDwarf, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3You used to upgrade because dos was ok, but we needed more. Then the OS went 32 bit and things were good. Office became a cash cow, Win95 propelled MS into money heaven. IE was released and kicked Netscape to the roadside. How many releases of Office are needed nowadays? Does my mom need anything more than Win2K or XP? MS makes you think you need to upgrade, but do you really? They have to keep up with the times.
Funny, if you read the article, and look at MS history, they have always been behind the curve. They wait for someone to become successful and then they emulate them, buy them, offer it for free, etc. It's amazing that they are where they are because much of what they do is not due to innovation or originality but sheer marketing and brute force. IMO - anorris, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4I believe they meant the iPod was their biggest revenue source
- in4mation, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Yes, but what if the market for OS's and desktop apps shrinks because people are adopting web based services? Then they would have 90% of whatever is left of it.
I personally don't think that OS's and desktop apps are going to disappear. But I do think that the market is going to expand into new territory in the coming years. The net is going to be more pervasive and as a result people are going to expect their data to be available wherever they are and on whatever device they have at hand. That's where services are going to flourish the most. - DJNewStyle, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2If they host the software and you write anything.. they now have the potential to store everything you've written.
- srodolff, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3If this is true, this will be an uphill battle for Microsoft.
1. They will no longer be an exclusively monopoly. They will have numerous competitors.
2. Microsoft is way behind on the development curve. Many others companies will have offering before Microsoft.
It should be interesting. - spadgos, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3it's easy. don't upgrade. even better, get OpenOffice. (gasp!)
- DCstewieG, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2We're not talking about Active Server Pages. Here it's Application Service Providers.
ASP != ASP Confusing, yes. - DoctorShim, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2If Microsoft wants to compete with other services, like Google Search, then charging for them wouldn't be a smart idea. Stuff like Messenger Live or MSN Search has to remain free of charge, and they have to be genuinly useful.
- codacu, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4I find this highly unpractical and insecure.
1. The whole thing will be slow
2. if a server crash, a incredible amounts of people can loose the work the were working on.
3. Web browsers are known to have many security risks, so this is bad.
4. Privacy issue, microsoft could see allot private/secreat stuff like documents. - heydigital, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Vista was not mentioned once in the entire article. Inaccurate.
- vdxc, on 09/29/2008, -0/+2Microsoft don't do text adverts, have you used Windows Live Mail? It has a massive flash advert on the welcome page and another flash 728x90 banner on the top of each page which doesn't fit with the design
- MrKite, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2and the cycle continues... remember when businesses used dummy terminals that were networked to UNIX servers? Here it comes again! There's suddenly no need for bloated OS's anymore (just like back in the 80's). As long as you have enough memory and a network connection to app servers, file servers, and the Internet, that's all you'll really need.
Everything is cyclical. EVERYTHING. - twistymcgee, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_%22Vienna%22 here's a link to the wikipedia article on vienna.
- alecks, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3uhm... many would argue that their development tools are "bettern than anything else". I personally would argue that their hardware support is better than anyone else.
- allarise, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3yea i agree w/ iteachgeeks
i'm already there on my laptop for the most part -
no Office - just writely, etc
no Outlook - just gmail, 30 boxes, etc.
no AIM - just meebo, etc.
no media on it - just tunneled content from my dekstop through hamachi, orb, etc.
the operating system I run is almost entirely irrelevant, it's fairly easy today to replace ALL traditional programs w/ online services, however I can't say I'm down to do it all under the microsoft banner. - jinglejangle, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Microsoft is all about reaction.
- JayWright, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I think Gates is a bit late on this. He should have started moving in this direction a long time ago, so MS could have been AHEAD of the curve. Now they are just the last ones to actually catch on--behing Apple, Google, etc.
This won't be the end of just Windows, it could be the end of Microsoft. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2He mentions a concern for the fact that they're down to 8% growth versus 49% a DECADE ago. I wouldn't be too worried considering the fact that a decade ago people needed to just buy a computer let alone anything more advanced, etc. and now everyone has them so obviously you won't be seeing the same numbers.
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