In other Microsoft news, the company is rumored to be working on its next generation operating system. Codenamed Windows Blue, it will be a low cost upgrade for existing Windows users that will be based on a subscription service for updates.
Details are extremely scarce at this point but it does seem like a probable move from Microsoft. It does seem like Microsoft has been moving in that direction for some time now. According to The Verge in reporting on sources in the know, Windows Blue will keep the Windows 8 name for branding purposes but the OS will receive a new SDK, UI changes, and performance tweaks during yearly updates. The updates are due in mid-2013, and the Windows Blue update service will span from Windows 8 to Windows Phone (Windows Server was not mentioned). Oddly enough, with the Windows Blue update Microsoft will stop accepting new Windows Store applications built to run on Windows 8. The Windows Store will continue to allow existing Windows 8 applications, but will require developers to rewrite their applications using the new SDK in order to get them on the Store for users running Windows Blue subscription service.
It is a lot to take in, and there are many unknowns at this point. Do you think Microsoft has a good idea with the yearly subscription model, or will it cause backlash from users used to the way Windows has worked for years. Especially those that buy an OEM system with a pre-installed OS and use it until something breaks. Will they be receptive to yet another subscription service for an OS that traditionally has been a one-time purchase?
Assuming it is a good idea, how much would you pay for yearly updates? Will the Windows Store be enough of a success to essentially subsidize the development cost and allow for cheap pricing on the subscriptions?
Find more details on the rumored Windows Blue subscription over at The Verge.
Yearly subscription is no
Yearly subscription is no different from paying for a normal upgrade every 3 years. I wouldn’t be surprised if the price is only $29.99 a year. For any company, subscription revenue is more valuable than one-off purchases because revenue/profit is a lot easier to predict.
5 computers/netbooks/tablets
5 computers/netbooks/tablets per year for $30.00 is reasonable, and make it easy to buy the subscription by purchasing the pre-paid card at Walmart, local grocery store, or Best Buy would be a good way to start. And it should be the full Professional version or higher.
Well, for companies it might
Well, for companies it might be warranted as mentioned by dagmaer34.
However for regular users.. looking how many of them are still on XP and that is a bit more then 3 years.. No chance..
If Linux or OSX use that to their advantage, we will see a nice shift in platforms.. Can’t wait for that.
I personaly have issues with regards to Win8.. and that is just because of the interface.. but like most users pay once and be done with it for the main operating system is the way to go..
I actually do not really have
I actually do not really have any problem with their interface.
I do have a problem with the way the platform appears to be headed, however — and I have definitely voiced it.
This is yet another sign of Microsoft heading towards one unified, hardware agnostic, curated/certified/censorred, subscription based, Windows formed around Windows RT.
So Microsoft is going to
So Microsoft is going to start charging for service packs…?
That’s basically what apple
That’s basically what apple does.
If you’re putting something
If you’re putting something out and not making money on it even if it’s just a patch to fix something you broke, you’re losing money. Seems to be the new way of doing business. Saw it coming along time ago when DLC’s started charging money for console users when PC users would get it for free.
I wish this was the 90’s again.
Well PC games are a one time
Well PC games are a one time entertainment. And DLC’s still require a purchase of the game that can work very well withouth the DLC’s. And again one time fee on the desktop.
But a subscription… what happens when do don’t pay next year subscrition. Do you loose access to your system unless you pay? Even Apple doesn’t force it.
I guess Win7… maybe.. maybe Win8 will be my last MS OS unless they come up with a better and safer solution.
This is the operating system, not a PC Game
The creeping crawling closed
The creeping crawling closed ecosystem of M$ starts with Blue and ends in a stinky Feces brown! Users of the M$ Metro/Modern #8 will find themselves neck deep in septic ooze, with a M$ 8 ball and chain shackled to their ankle, and only an M$ app store solution of, Hold your breath and wait, and may we have your credit card number! But where is my desktop they will cry, only to hear the M$ reply that the desktop is no more, just the M$ STORE!
whats the difference between
whats the difference between a mutual fund and buying stocks?
Pretty sure this is spam but
Pretty sure this is spam but as there's no spammy links.. mutual funds are usually managed and represent pieces of many companies (stocks or bonds) under one roof. They have relatively higher fees, mainly from fees paid to the fund managers.
Stocks represent ownership in a company, stocks are from a single company, are not as costly to maintain, but need to be balanced in a diversified portfolio by bonds with less risk.
If you ask me though, and I'm totally not a CPA and not responsible for any personal preference affecting your choices, ETFs are the way to go. really cheap and you can get a small piece of every company so you are really diversifying yourself. Combine that with bonds, maybe some gold, and your doing pretty well :P. Best advice though is to get an accountant :).
Go to any computer store site
Go to any computer store site and type in: Operating system. Windows is your only result. They have you all by the short hairs, that’s the only reason they want this model. Why charge a flat rate, when just about every computer in the world will be forced to sub to you?
Ya, scum move, by a scum company.
glad I switched to Linux
glad I switched to Linux prior to W7. I feel sorry the PC Gamers.
Don’t worry about gaming on
Don’t worry about gaming on Linux systems mang:) Valve’s Steam cloud service is now available on both Mac and Ubuntu and some other Linux distros. Not all the PC library is there, but a lot of game developers who deal only with Steam as their means of distributing their games to the public are now in-house porting their games to all three platforms to maximize exposure to a broader audience rather than making their titles arbitrarily available for only for Windows OSs.
A subscription based Windows
A subscription based Windows OS will be the undoing of Microsoft. No one will pay when you can own a Mac and get OS X Mavericks and all future OS X releases free as well as the growing popularity of Linux distributions like Ubuntu which have been free(with the exception of Lindspire OS which used MS drivers and things, however made its users pay for open source software like GIMP which is free by default). If MS goes this route, they will lose me and a lot of customers forever.
I pay to buy one product ,
I pay to buy one product , but i would never Pay yearly or monthly fees to use one , specially if i use it for years.
Forget it man , i prefer Linux. It has Wine for windows soft and its much more stable , i havent had problems with the hardware too.