Doug's Mailbag: Windows 8 Test Impressions

Readers share their early assessments of Microsoft's test code for Windows 8:

So far I think that Windows 8 appears to be the least user friendly operating system that Microsoft has ever developed. There are numerous Windows XP users that hesitated upgrading due to the fear of change -- Windows 8 is not for the majority of PC users.
-Anonymous

I probably haven't given it a good enough test, but its doubtful I ever will, at least not anytime soon. First impressions are blah, boring, unimpressed, toooo much switching between Metro and Desktop, annoying. This may work on a touch interface, but it seems very anti-multitasking and too similar to a smartphone OS. At this rate I will milk my Win 7 for as long as I can. I have been reasonably excited with every new version of Windows since Win 95 preview. Not this time...
-Bryan

I've got it running in Virtual Box on my XPS. It runs fine but I see nothing -- and I mean NOTHING that I would want with this. Metro should have been implemented as a subsystem to the desktop, not the other way around. I'm likely to stick with Windows 7 for a very long time. For my mobile devices, iOS will do the job. I still like Microsoft but it's taking a direction with this one that I, as a developer, don't believe I will support.
-Bruce

Posted by Doug Barney on 03/09/20125 comments

PowerShell Shock and the 'Disappearing GUI'

IT pros using Microsoft-stack products partly do so because of their user-friendly graphical user interfaces (GUIs) and relatively good documentation. So, what's with this PowerShell barrage coming lately from Microsoft? Is it some craze, like bell-bottom pant cuffs coming back in style? Well, it would be, if bell bottoms could automate your wardrobe -- especially your tie collection.

Posted by Kurt Mackie on 03/09/201210 comments

Gartner: Windows 8 Won't Be Another Vista

Maybe the Windows franchise is too big to fail, but in any case, Gartner experts are debunking some negative talk that Microsoft will end up with another Vista dud when Windows 8 is released as a product. They point out that Vista had its own problems, but Windows 8 is just a different kettle of fish. For one thing, Windows 8 is much more compatible with Windows 7, Gartner explained in a blog post.

Posted by Kurt Mackie on 03/09/201210 comments

Doug's Mailbag: Is Your Software Bloated?

Readers respond to the idea that software is loaded with non-needed elements:

The main complaint seems to be related to the default installation. Windows has always had a custom install with a way to trim down to basics with both groups of items and sub-categories of apps/applets within them so as to allow the user to minimize the footprint on the HD. Hitting 'next-next-OK' results in bloat. Additionally there are ways to trim down services to make Windows run more efficiently and boot faster but most mainstream users don't bother to do that.

IT Pros can create a trimmed-down image with only basic functionality then add apps afterwards (for that matter you can trim Office bloat down to only what you need as well). Custom install has always been the way to go if you're concerned about disk space and streamlining performance.

On the other hand if you have good hardware (above minimal requirements for the OS etc.) the 'bloatware' factor is not even noticeable to start with. I'm talking i5/i7 with 64-bit Win7 OS, 64-bit Office 2010, and 8-12Gb RAM on an SSD drive or even a fast SATA one. People using dual- and quad-core Intel CPUs on IDE drives with 1 Gig or less of RAM (which, in some cases, shares with on-board video) will always whine.

That isn't 'bleeding edge' technology but defining 'bloat' as 'performance hit' means either you didn't trim down the OS/Office install and startup items/services OR your hardware is sub-par and you need to stay in a Win ME/98/XP world. This world is rapidly disappearing. I agree we have too many features and basic functionality that it is not as easy to get to or configure as it was in the days of 486 computers running DOS with Windows 95 thrown on top of it. But hey, the world moves on.

Users need to do the same or accept security risks inherent in an OS that is not being updated due to obsolescence and/or an OS that is open source. Quoting 'vendor app is not compatible' has no merit because vendors with decent developers keep up. Ant there's always another vendor of an app that will do the same thing that is compatible with the latest OS or version of Office.

As a Microsoft alumni let me tell you, the software world will always drive the hardware world into being better because the software is developed using state-of-the-art available hardware.
-Jim

I can't support this concept of baseline software and feature packs for one simple reason: Who decides what features are bundled into the packs? Just one look at your cable television bill and you will quickly understand my point. How many of those channels are you funding when you never watch them, just to get at one or two that you like in the bundle? I'm unwilling to buy add-ons based on some marketing exec's idea of what needs to be sold. Give it to me in the current everything-at-one-time mode or give me baseline plus inexpensive single feature add-ons.
-Glenn

Posted by Doug Barney on 03/07/20120 comments

4 Million Cloud Jobs by 2015?

The cloud is supposed to bring efficiencies to computing that, at times, can also mean efficiencies in the IT personnel needed to launch and drive cloud initiatives. In short, the cloud can seem like a job killer. At least that's the general perception among many of our Redmond readers. Popular perception often trumps facts and figures, even with good evidence to the contrary in the form of an IDC report -- albeit, commissioned by Microsoft -- that shows cloud computing will effectively create about 14 million jobs in the next three years.

The study show that a third of cloud -based hiring will form around mainly communications and media, banking, and manufacturing; also, half of all cloud-related jobs will originate in emerging markets (mainly China and India). IDC derived the data from forecasts it made from cloud spending trends globally.

Is the cloud having an effect on hiring where you are, or have you hired or plan to hire based on some cloud initiatives?  Let Doug know at [email protected].
-By Michael Domingo

Posted by Michael Domingo on 03/07/20126 comments

SQL Server 2012 RTMs

Microsoft has released the final SQL Server 2012 bits to manufacturers, but it should pick another date for the official release, else we think it's an April Fools' joke.
-By Michael Domingo

Posted by Michael Domingo on 03/07/20120 comments

Hyper-V Maddens Microsoft MVP

Commenter Aidan is correct -- I can't find a clue. In my haste,  working with some Hyper-V coverage on other sites, I made the big mistake of equating Hyper-V with anything having to do with Microsoft's virtualization efforts. Still, no excuse for my idiocy.

In any event, we'll leave this post up, mistakes and all, because there are some good discussions on other blogs about the issues around OnLive's licensing deal with Microsoft. Brian Madden's post is a good start (he links to other discussions), but check these other ones as well:

Posted by Michael Domingo on 03/07/20126 comments

A Million Test Spins in 24 Hours

Looks like there's some real excitement (or general curiosity) for Windows 8. Microsoft announced that the Consumer Preview, released last Wednesday, had been downloaded more than 1 million times in less than 24 hours.

I'm guessing that this number has at least doubled or tripled as of Monday, since many probably held off until the weekend to give it a spin. Microsoft hasn't given any download update since Thursday's Twitter announcement.

Posted by Chris Paoli on 03/05/20126 comments

IT Needs More Schooling

According to a recent IT Decision Maker blog post by Don Jones, you and your team are lacking some basic skills.

Now before you send the strongly worded letters to Don (you can contact him here), he's not the one that is saying your IT skills aren't up to par. That assessment is coming straight from you.

Posted by Chris Paoli on 03/05/20121 comments

Doug's Mailbag: No Free Lunch

Readers respond to the idea that privacy is sacrificed when using free software and services:

This article reminds me that in 1990s I recorded a video for a TV commercial that exclaimed, 'are you tired of trading your personal freedom for a trivial discount on obsolete equipment? Of course you are.' I thought then of what you write now -- The price of FREE is FREEDOM.

Everyone knows that there's no such thing as a free lunch. This doesn't seem that complicated. People would choose FREEDOM over FREE. However when you slap a pretty user interface over an experience people are gaga for more, especially when told they need it.

If there was a simple way to express what the cloud means for loss of freedom we would have a chance. But Redmond is all in on the cloud, so we can't go there anymore. It's a curious time. Does that mean my NK2 file is irrelevant, as I will no longer have a local copy of my data? Or is my only local copy at most a data backup with no local applications really? I don't know. I do know this I spend too much time in the Microsoft stack, and I cannot imagine it is easier to get things done with other tools. At most I need better tagging and search functions across local and synched folders in the Microsoft stack. I really do not need more tools then that, and I can connect to anything in a managed way.
-Larry

Something jumped to my mind as I read your freedom blog post. Not only are the companies building a profile of the user who agreed to their indecipherable EULA, but I would assume that the other end of conversations and subjects of posts are also being profiled and aggregated as well. Is that legal, and if not who is the offender, the friend using the service that harvest information from conversations, or the harvesting corporation?

It might be worth an investigative peek into the closet.
-John

Posted by Doug Barney on 03/05/20120 comments

Singing the Fat Software Blues

I have plenty of my own opinions, but I have more confidence in their veracity when you, the highly intelligent Redmond Report readers, agree.

When it comes to software, I'm like a shallow Hollywood man -- I like it lean and stylish. I'm not one of those pining for MS-DOS to come back, but I prefer early generations of GUI apps with fewer features and concomitant ease of use.

The problem is that simple software goes out of date. You can't run it because new OSes don't support it, and there are no security fixes.

Posted by Doug Barney on 03/02/20121 comments

The Price of Free: Freedom

There's no shortage of free stuff on the Web. Mail is free, search is free, YouTube is free and, if you don't mind breaking copyright laws, premium movies and music are free as well.

But all this comes with a cost. If you are a pirate, the music and movie companies may come after you. And the fines are stiff than a Dean Martin cocktail.

There's also the hidden cost of free services. FaceBook seems friendly on the surface, and it sure is making a lot of lucky folks filthy rich. But when you sign up, you surrender control of your data -- which has been sold to third-party marketers. And the newest Facebook feature lets friends (and parents and bosses) track your every single little move. Like a neck tattoo, this never really goes away.

Posted by Doug Barney on 03/02/20126 comments