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Microsoft slips WinXP holdouts $100 to buy new Windows 8 PCs

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  Microsoft slips WinXP holdouts $100 to buy new Windows 8 PCs Paul Sture <nospam@sture.ch> - 2014-03-22 11:27 +0100
    Re: Microsoft slips WinXP holdouts $100 to buy new Windows 8 PCs Johny B Good <johnny-b-good@invalid.ntlworld.com> - 2014-03-22 15:25 +0000
    Re: Microsoft slips WinXP holdouts $100 to buy new Windows 8 PCs RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com> - 2014-03-22 19:05 +0000
      Re: Microsoft slips WinXP holdouts $100 to buy new Windows 8 PCs "Aaron W. Hsu" <arcfide@sacrideo.us> - 2014-03-22 14:21 -0500
        Re: Microsoft slips WinXP holdouts $100 to buy new Windows 8 PCs polygonum <rmoudndgers@vrod.co.uk> - 2014-03-22 21:18 +0000
          Re: Microsoft slips WinXP holdouts $100 to buy new Windows 8 PCs greymausg <maus@mail.com> - 2014-03-23 09:27 +0000
      Re: Microsoft slips WinXP holdouts $100 to buy new Windows 8 PCs Marek Novotny <mach2@hushmail.com> - 2014-03-22 15:52 -0500
        Re: Microsoft slips WinXP holdouts $100 to buy new Windows 8 PCs "John" <j@j.j> - 2014-03-25 16:02 -0700
          Re: Microsoft slips WinXP holdouts $100 to buy new Windows 8 PCs RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com> - 2014-03-25 23:32 +0000
            Re: Microsoft slips WinXP holdouts $100 to buy new Windows 8 PCs Rich <rich@example.com> - 2014-03-26 00:53 +0000
            Re: Microsoft slips WinXP holdouts $100 to buy new Windows 8 PCs "John" <j@j.j> - 2014-03-26 16:14 -0700
          Re: Microsoft slips WinXP holdouts $100 to buy new Windows 8 PCs Huge <Huge@nowhere.much.invalid> - 2014-03-26 08:37 +0000
            Re: Microsoft slips WinXP holdouts $100 to buy new Windows 8 PCs "John" <j@j.j> - 2014-03-26 16:23 -0700
              Re: Microsoft slips WinXP holdouts $100 to buy new Windows 8 PCs Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2014-03-29 08:00 +0000
                Re: Microsoft slips WinXP holdouts $100 to buy new Windows 8 PCs Huge <Huge@nowhere.much.invalid> - 2014-03-29 10:35 +0000
                  Re: Microsoft slips WinXP holdouts $100 to buy new Windows 8 PCs john <j@j.jj> - 2014-03-29 14:59 +0000
                Re: Microsoft slips WinXP holdouts $100 to buy new Windows 8 PCs Will Honea <whonea@whonea.net> - 2014-03-29 14:43 -0600
    Re: Microsoft slips WinXP holdouts $100 to buy new Windows 8 PCs Marek Novotny <mach2@hushmail.com> - 2014-03-22 15:48 -0500
    Re: Microsoft slips WinXP holdouts $100 to buy new Windows 8 PCs Shadow <Sh@dow.br> - 2014-03-29 16:51 -0300
      Re: Microsoft slips WinXP holdouts $100 to buy new Windows 8 PCs Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> - 2014-03-30 11:14 -0400
        Re: Microsoft slips WinXP holdouts $100 to buy new Windows 8 PCs Shadow <Sh@dow.br> - 2014-03-31 01:11 -0300
          Re: Microsoft slips WinXP holdouts $100 to buy new Windows 8 PCs Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> - 2014-03-31 10:09 -0400

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#1885 — Microsoft slips WinXP holdouts $100 to buy new Windows 8 PCs

<http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/03/22/microsoft_windows_xp_100_dollars_windows_8/>

"In an attempt to lure people off its 13-year-old Windows XP operating
system, Microsoft will pay $100 to XP users who upgrade to a new Windows 8
PC.

The promotion, run via the Microsoft Store website, is open to users who
ditch their Windows XP systems and buy new machines.

The money-off offer applies to PCs costing $699 or more that are bought
from Redmond's online shop. The deal – which throws in 90 days of tech
support and a download of software to migrate files all for free – will
run through 15 June, nine weeks after official support for Windows XP is
set to expire on April 8."

It doesn't sound so generous when you consider that buying software online
from MS seems to come at full retail whack.  You can usually find the same
product elsewhere for less.  Dunno about their hardware pricing policy.

-- 
Paul Sture

"In that case," said Napoleon, "let us wait twenty minutes; when the enemy
is making a false movement we must take good care not to interrupt him."

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#1895

On Sat, 22 Mar 2014 11:27:20 +0100, Paul Sture <nospam@sture.ch>
wrote:

><http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/03/22/microsoft_windows_xp_100_dollars_windows_8/>
>
>"In an attempt to lure people off its 13-year-old Windows XP operating
>system, Microsoft will pay $100 to XP users who upgrade to a new Windows 8
>PC.
>
>The promotion, run via the Microsoft Store website, is open to users who
>ditch their Windows XP systems and buy new machines.
>
>The money-off offer applies to PCs costing $699 or more that are bought
>from Redmond's online shop. The deal – which throws in 90 days of tech
>support and a download of software to migrate files all for free – will
>run through 15 June, nine weeks after official support for Windows XP is
>set to expire on April 8."
>
>It doesn't sound so generous when you consider that buying software online
>from MS seems to come at full retail whack.  You can usually find the same
>product elsewhere for less.  Dunno about their hardware pricing policy.

 They do seem overly keen on pushing their latest "Consumer
Interface". I wonder what _other_ 'hidden agenda' (apart from the
bleedin' obvious) might be lying in wait behind all of this? :-(
-- 
Regards, J B Good

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#1900

On 2014-03-22, Paul Sture <nospam@sture.ch> wrote:
> "In an attempt to lure people off its 13-year-old Windows XP operating
> system, Microsoft will pay $100 to XP users who upgrade to a new
> Windows 8 PC.

I personally think nothing will come of it.  THere are millions of
dial-up internet users out there in areas that otherwise provide
ADSL/equivalent as well, and they're not upgrading.  Why? Not because
they don't understand the benefit - they just don't care.  Maybe they
don't get on line all that much.  It seems to me those old XP holdouts
are probably the same kind of people.  THey're not sitting back, waiting
for the right offer, they just don't care.  Eventually their boxes will
get 0wned and they'll be forced to replace them, or some such fate.

Unless they're trying to capture hold-out businesses?  My company ran XP
until last year, and now we're on Win7 (which is pretty damned good).
But those businesses probably also know what they're getting into, and
have chosen to stay put because of unique apps or custom workflows or
other such truck that wouldn't be possible on newer, incompatible
versions of the OS.

In either case, I suspect this offer will go unredeemed, probably.

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#1903

On Sat, 22 Mar 2014 19:05:01 +0000, RS Wood wrote:

> Unless they're trying to capture hold-out businesses?  My company ran XP
> until last year, and now we're on Win7 (which is pretty damned good).
> But those businesses probably also know what they're getting into, and
> have chosen to stay put because of unique apps or custom workflows or
> other such truck that wouldn't be possible on newer, incompatible
> versions of the OS.

I have a friend who is doing a series of XP -> Win 7 upgrades for a 
company. The problem appears to be more one of management than about 
technology. I think it's difficult to quantify the benefits of upgrading, 
and it's all too easy to quantify the cost. Couple this with a dirth of 
clear, well documented upgrade paths written by competent engineers that 
know a thing or two about what the company does, and, well.... 

Other than the horrible confidence Microsoft instills in customers 
concerning the privacy of their data, Windows 8 is one of the most 
innovative and forward thinking operating systems. That's also probably 
why some businesses are very scared of it. 

-- 
Aaron W. Hsu | arcfide@sacrideo.us | http://www.sacrideo.us
Please support my work: https://www.gittip.com/arcfide/

לֵ֤ב חֲכָמִים֙ בְּבֵ֣ית אֵ֔בֶל וְלֵ֥ב כְּסִילִ֖ים בְּבֵ֥ית שִׂמְחָֽה׃

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#1906

On 22/03/2014 19:21, Aaron W. Hsu wrote:
> On Sat, 22 Mar 2014 19:05:01 +0000, RS Wood wrote:
>
>> Unless they're trying to capture hold-out businesses?  My company ran XP
>> until last year, and now we're on Win7 (which is pretty damned good).
>> But those businesses probably also know what they're getting into, and
>> have chosen to stay put because of unique apps or custom workflows or
>> other such truck that wouldn't be possible on newer, incompatible
>> versions of the OS.
>
> I have a friend who is doing a series of XP -> Win 7 upgrades for a
> company. The problem appears to be more one of management than about
> technology. I think it's difficult to quantify the benefits of upgrading,
> and it's all too easy to quantify the cost. Couple this with a dirth of
> clear, well documented upgrade paths written by competent engineers that
> know a thing or two about what the company does, and, well....
>
> Other than the horrible confidence Microsoft instills in customers
> concerning the privacy of their data, Windows 8 is one of the most
> innovative and forward thinking operating systems. That's also probably
> why some businesses are very scared of it.
>
Being also involved in many upgrades and replacements, I see all too 
many companies struggling with the cost of changing from XP. Most 
particularly those companies which are less financially strong now than 
when they bought their XP boxes. Upgrading existing machines is often 
very short-sighted - the machines have given their best for many years, 
now all too many have disc drives that sound bad, USB sockets that don't 
work, video capability not up to even very ordinary monitors of today, 
filthy keyboards and mice, ... Yet the cost of even a fairly low-end 
machine after allowing for a Pro OS (so it can join the company's 
domain), and all the setting up is pretty darned significant.

-- 
Rod

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#1907

On 2014-03-22, polygonum <rmoudndgers@vrod.co.uk> wrote:
> On 22/03/2014 19:21, Aaron W. Hsu wrote:
>> On Sat, 22 Mar 2014 19:05:01 +0000, RS Wood wrote:
>>
>>> Unless they're trying to capture hold-out businesses?  My company ran XP
>>> until last year, and now we're on Win7 (which is pretty damned good).
>>> But those businesses probably also know what they're getting into, and
>>> have chosen to stay put because of unique apps or custom workflows or
>>> other such truck that wouldn't be possible on newer, incompatible
>>> versions of the OS.
>>
>> I have a friend who is doing a series of XP -> Win 7 upgrades for a
>> company. The problem appears to be more one of management than about
>> technology. I think it's difficult to quantify the benefits of upgrading,
>> and it's all too easy to quantify the cost. Couple this with a dirth of
>> clear, well documented upgrade paths written by competent engineers that
>> know a thing or two about what the company does, and, well....
>>
>> Other than the horrible confidence Microsoft instills in customers
>> concerning the privacy of their data, Windows 8 is one of the most
>> innovative and forward thinking operating systems. That's also probably
>> why some businesses are very scared of it.
>>
> Being also involved in many upgrades and replacements, I see all too 
> many companies struggling with the cost of changing from XP. Most 
> particularly those companies which are less financially strong now than 
> when they bought their XP boxes. Upgrading existing machines is often 
> very short-sighted - the machines have given their best for many years, 
> now all too many have disc drives that sound bad, USB sockets that don't 
> work, video capability not up to even very ordinary monitors of today, 
> filthy keyboards and mice, ... Yet the cost of even a fairly low-end 
> machine after allowing for a Pro OS (so it can join the company's 
> domain), and all the setting up is pretty darned significant.
>

OTOH, if its not broke, don't fix it. Keep backups.


-- 
maus
 .
  .
...

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#1905

On Sat, 22 Mar 2014 19:05:01 +0000, RS Wood wrote:

> Unless they're trying to capture hold-out businesses?  My company ran XP
> until last year, and now we're on Win7 (which is pretty damned good).
> But those businesses probably also know what they're getting into, and
> have chosen to stay put because of unique apps or custom workflows or
> other such truck that wouldn't be possible on newer, incompatible
> versions of the OS.

The company I am with has a fair amount of XP. I raised a red flag and 
yes they truly do not care. The machines it is running on are so awful I 
can't believe they still are used. Thankfully I am allowed to provide my 
own hardware, which I gladly do. But I see how slow those machines are 
and what a productivity hit they are subjected to and they still do not 
care. 

Some business owners are just completely clueless. 

-- 
Marek Novotny
A member of the Linux Foundation
http://www.linuxfoundation.org

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#1996

"Marek Novotny" <mach2@hushmail.com> wrote in message 
news:RJidnRUHp5BoarDOnZ2dnUVZ_sOdnZ2d@supernews.com...
> On Sat, 22 Mar 2014 19:05:01 +0000, RS Wood wrote:
>
>> Unless they're trying to capture hold-out businesses?  My company ran XP
>> until last year, and now we're on Win7 (which is pretty damned good).
>> But those businesses probably also know what they're getting into, and
>> have chosen to stay put because of unique apps or custom workflows or
>> other such truck that wouldn't be possible on newer, incompatible
>> versions of the OS.
>
> The company I am with has a fair amount of XP. I raised a red flag and
> yes they truly do not care. The machines it is running on are so awful I
> can't believe they still are used. Thankfully I am allowed to provide my
> own hardware, which I gladly do. But I see how slow those machines are
> and what a productivity hit they are subjected to and they still do not
> care.
>
> Some business owners are just completely clueless.
>
> -- 
> Marek Novotny
> A member of the Linux Foundation
> http://www.linuxfoundation.org

No we are not - I don't know about Windows 8 (except I have had to repair a 
few machines with it on it privately)(and I hate it - it stinks and is 
basically unusable for normal computer usage) but I do know of many 
nightmares of people trying to upgrade their existing hardware to windows 7 
from XP and they basically had to either toss the stuff, or go back to XP. 
I am the sysadmin here - and I have told my boss about the XP debacle - do 
you suppose that replacement of all that hardware, new software, and 
training for all our nearly retired staff is cost effective?  No it's not. 
Windows was and is garbage - only designed to require you to purchase new 
equipment to "keep up with the Jones'es".   I figure that since I am an old 
fart, and been using computers since MSDOS 3.3, I don't feel like changing 
anything, the boss isn't going to spend that kind of money on equipment, and 
almost all of us are going to retire in a few years anyway. Whoever comes 
after us can do whatever they want with their brand new expensive systems, 
but I'll bet you dollars to do-nuts that the new machines will never last as 
long as these old workhorse machines have done! - even with XP (I'm a die 
hard linux guy myself, but since that is what the boss wants, and has 
purchased and spent considerable amounts of money on the specialized 
proprietary software applications that we use over the last 12 years, XP is 
what we are using!)

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#1998

On 2014-03-25, John <j@j.j> wrote:
> No we are not - I don't know about Windows 8 (except I have had to
> repair a few machines with it on it privately)(and I hate it - it
> stinks and is basically unusable for normal computer usage) but I do
> know of many nightmares of people trying to upgrade their existing
> hardware to windows 7 from XP and they basically had to either toss
> the stuff, or go back to XP.  I am the sysadmin here - and I have told
> my boss about the XP debacle - do you suppose that replacement of all
> that hardware, new software, and training for all our nearly retired
> staff is cost effective?  No it's not. 
>
> Windows was and is garbage - only designed to require you to purchase
> new equipment to "keep up with the Jones'es".   I figure that since I
> am an old fart, and been using computers since MSDOS 3.3, I don't feel
> like changing anything, the boss isn't going to spend that kind of
> money on equipment, and almost all of us are going to retire in a few
> years anyway. Whoever comes after us can do whatever they want with
> their brand new expensive systems, but I'll bet you dollars to do-nuts
> that the new machines will never last as long as these old workhorse
> machines have done! - even with XP (I'm a die hard linux guy myself,
> but since that is what the boss wants, and has purchased and spent
> considerable amounts of money on the specialized proprietary software
> applications that we use over the last 12 years, XP is what we are
> using!)

Interesting to hear an insider's perspective, and I can appreciate the
cost of having to upgrade the hardware to deal with the new OS. I had a
similar experience with a Mac.*  So, question: you make it sound like
you're going to hang your boss out to dry, and fuck it.  What's your
plan for the next couple of years before retirement?  Firewall/Proxy/a
bit of luck?

* Mac experience: new version of itunes comes out.  OK, download it -
new itunes only works with OSes higher than X.Y.  I'm running
SnowLeopard, just one decimal higher than the limit, and Mavericks
won't run on my hardware.  So the next decimal increment of Itunes
will require an OS higher than the one I've got, which will require I
buy new hardware so the new OS can be installed.  But I'm going to put
my foot down and not do it.  Converted all my itunes music to non-DRMed
format, and I might bail on Apple.  No reason a Mac mini I purchased in
2010 needs to be replaced because of a software upgrade.  

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#2004

RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com> wrote:
> On 2014-03-25, John <j@j.j> wrote:
> No reason a Mac mini I purchased in 2010 needs to be replaced because
> of a software upgrade.

Why yes, there is, what other way do you get to feed the amazing Apple
money machine..... :)

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#2045

"RS Wood" <rsw@therandymon.com> wrote in message 
news:lgt3lj$lcr$2@solani.org...
> On 2014-03-25, John <j@j.j> wrote:
>> No we are not - I don't know about Windows 8 (except I have had to
>> repair a few machines with it on it privately)(and I hate it - it
>> applications that we use over the last 12 years, XP is what we are
>> using!)
>
> Interesting to hear an insider's perspective, and I can appreciate the
> cost of having to upgrade the hardware to deal with the new OS. I had a
> similar experience with a Mac.*  So, question: you make it sound like
> you're going to hang your boss out to dry, and fuck it.  What's your
> plan for the next couple of years before retirement?  Firewall/Proxy/a
> bit of luck?
>

Naw - he's retiring too - the business is currently for sale, and as soon as 
it's sold, all of us old guys are retiring immediately. (that represents 80% 
of the staff)  It has nothing at all to do with computer development or 
anything (all old school stuff, like products that are no longer necessary 
for consumers nowadays) we are expecting whoever buys it will do something 
completely different with the land and buildings

> * Mac experience: new version of itunes comes out.  OK, download it -
> new itunes only works with OSes higher than X.Y.  I'm running
> SnowLeopard, just one decimal higher than the limit, and Mavericks
> won't run on my hardware.  So the next decimal increment of Itunes
> will require an OS higher than the one I've got, which will require I
> buy new hardware so the new OS can be installed.  But I'm going to put
> my foot down and not do it.  Converted all my itunes music to non-DRMed
> format, and I might bail on Apple.  No reason a Mac mini I purchased in
> 2010 needs to be replaced because of a software upgrade.

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#2009

On 2014-03-25, John <j@j.j> wrote:

> Windows 8 ... it stinks and is 
> basically unusable for normal computer usage) 

> Windows was and is garbage - only designed to require you to purchase new 
> equipment to "keep up with the Jones'es". 

Do you expect people to take you seriously when you spout nonsense like this?


-- 
Today is Setting Orange, the 12th day of Discord in the YOLD 3180
A non-empty Hausdorff topological space is a continuous image of the unit
interval if and only if it is a compact, connected, locally connected
second-countable space.

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#2046

"Huge" <Huge@nowhere.much.invalid> wrote in message 
news:bpfhutFd3oiU1@mid.individual.net...
> On 2014-03-25, John <j@j.j> wrote:
>
>> Windows 8 ... it stinks and is
>> basically unusable for normal computer usage)
>
>> Windows was and is garbage - only designed to require you to purchase new
>> equipment to "keep up with the Jones'es".
>
> Do you expect people to take you seriously when you spout nonsense like 
> this?
>

I don't care if you take me seriously or not - you know what I am saying, 
the people who agree with me agree, and the people who don't don't!

>
> -- 
> Today is Setting Orange, the 12th day of Discord in the YOLD 3180
> A non-empty Hausdorff topological space is a continuous image of the unit
> interval if and only if it is a compact, connected, locally connected
> second-countable space. 

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#2121

In message <lgvnfs$5ds$1@jefelex.eternal-september.org> 
  John <j@j.j> wrote:

> "Huge" <Huge@nowhere.much.invalid> wrote in message 
> news:bpfhutFd3oiU1@mid.individual.net...
>> On 2014-03-25, John <j@j.j> wrote:
>>
>>> Windows 8 ... it stinks and is
>>> basically unusable for normal computer usage)
>>
>>> Windows was and is garbage - only designed to require you to purchase new
>>> equipment to "keep up with the Jones'es".
>>
>> Do you expect people to take you seriously when you spout nonsense like 
>> this?
>>

> I don't care if you take me seriously or not - you know what I am saying, 
> the people who agree with me agree, and the people who don't don't!

But the people who agree with you are at best ignorant and at worst
stupid.

I *detest* Windows 8.0, but it is certainly not "unusable" nor is it
"garbage". It's not even as bad as Vista, if you want the truth. 8.1 may
even be reasonable now that they've backed off some of the idiocy. (I
honestly don't know, my PC is staying on W7).

And keep in mind, 95% (or more) of my computer usage is OS X and BSD, so
not exactly a Windows fan here.

-- 
The world is made of four elements: Earth, Air, Fire and Water.  This is
a fact well known even to Corporal Nobbs. It's also wrong.  There's a
fifth element, and generally it's called Surprise. --The Truth

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#2123

On 2014-03-29, Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> wrote:
> In message <lgvnfs$5ds$1@jefelex.eternal-september.org> 
>   John <j@j.j> wrote:
>
>> "Huge" <Huge@nowhere.much.invalid> wrote in message 
>> news:bpfhutFd3oiU1@mid.individual.net...
>>> On 2014-03-25, John <j@j.j> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Windows 8 ... it stinks and is
>>>> basically unusable for normal computer usage)
>>>
>>>> Windows was and is garbage - only designed to require you to purchase new
>>>> equipment to "keep up with the Jones'es".
>>>
>>> Do you expect people to take you seriously when you spout nonsense like 
>>> this?
>>>
>
>> I don't care if you take me seriously or not - you know what I am saying, 
>> the people who agree with me agree, and the people who don't don't!
>
> But the people who agree with you are at best ignorant and at worst
> stupid.
>
> I *detest* Windows 8.0, but it is certainly not "unusable" nor is it
> "garbage". It's not even as bad as Vista, if you want the truth. 8.1 may
> even be reasonable now that they've backed off some of the idiocy. (I
> honestly don't know, my PC is staying on W7).
>
> And keep in mind, 95% (or more) of my computer usage is OS X and BSD, so
> not exactly a Windows fan here.

Precisely.


-- 
Today is Pungenday, the 15th day of Discord in the YOLD 3180
A non-empty Hausdorff topological space is a continuous image of the unit
interval if and only if it is a compact, connected, locally connected
second-countable space.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#2127

On Sat, 29 Mar 2014 10:35:17 +0000, Huge wrote:

> On 2014-03-29, Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> wrote:
>> In message <lgvnfs$5ds$1@jefelex.eternal-september.org>
>>   John <j@j.j> wrote:
>>
>>> "Huge" <Huge@nowhere.much.invalid> wrote in message
>>> news:bpfhutFd3oiU1@mid.individual.net...
>>>> On 2014-03-25, John <j@j.j> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Windows 8 ... it stinks and is
>>>>> basically unusable for normal computer usage)
>>>>
>>>>> Windows was and is garbage - only designed to require you to
>>>>> purchase new equipment to "keep up with the Jones'es".
>>>>
>>>> Do you expect people to take you seriously when you spout nonsense
>>>> like this?
>>>>
>>>>
>>> I don't care if you take me seriously or not - you know what I am
>>> saying, the people who agree with me agree, and the people who don't
>>> don't!
>>
>> But the people who agree with you are at best ignorant and at worst
>> stupid.
>>
>> I *detest* Windows 8.0, but it is certainly not "unusable" nor is it
>> "garbage". It's not even as bad as Vista, if you want the truth. 8.1
>> may even be reasonable now that they've backed off some of the idiocy.
>> (I honestly don't know, my PC is staying on W7).
>>
>> And keep in mind, 95% (or more) of my computer usage is OS X and BSD,
>> so not exactly a Windows fan here.
> 
> Precisely.

<ot>
<rant>
Okay - I was a little hot-headed there when I first posted this reply 
(since at the time I was at work with XP) and I admit I have not tried 
the 8.1 "user experience" but the W8 desktop is terrible, and after 
comparing it with Vista for functionality, it is better than that, but I 
still will never have it on any PC I own - I refuse to pay my money (of 
which there is very limited supply) on anything that I use that will 
bombard me with advertizments and other share or ransomware as soon as I 
turn it on, especially since the newest users of computers at large are 
not even aware that the ransomware is not even needed - so they blow 
their $$$ on feeding the machine that will continue to vacuum up their 
money at ever increasing rates.
</rant>
</ot>

I do have to say after considering that $100 buy back plan, that it is 
only by extortion that MS will ever move into the future. 

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#2130

Lewis wrote:

> I *detest* Windows 8.0, but it is certainly not "unusable" nor is it
> "garbage". It's not even as bad as Vista, if you want the truth. 8.1 may
> even be reasonable now that they've backed off some of the idiocy. (I
> honestly don't know, my PC is staying on W7).
> 

Usability is a nebulous property.  Since I'm solidly retired and not 
depending on any particular computing environment for a living anymore, I 
volunteer my time to the numerous non-profit organizations in this area so 
I've had considerable experience with both the XP -> Win 7 and XP -> Win 8 
migrations in smaller operations;   every case has been a fiscal disaster.  
Win 7 was not really that bad but the retraining cost still took a healthy 
bite out of productivity whereas Win 8 not only requires extensive training 
(lost productivity) but the entire operating paradigm continues to stifle 
productivity.  The immediate cost of acquisition is relatively small when 
one considers the loss of productivity in nearly all the cases I've seen.  

-- 
Will Honea

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#1904

On Sat, 22 Mar 2014 11:27:20 +0100, Paul Sture wrote:

> It doesn't sound so generous when you consider that buying software
> online from MS seems to come at full retail whack.  You can usually find
> the same product elsewhere for less.  Dunno about their hardware pricing
> policy.

I just wonder how long Microsoft can last with this software model in the 
face of emerging open source software. I truly don't see the point in 
Windows or office. If I were a huge corporation I'd be a participant in 
LibreOffice and Linux as a method of getting any feature or function I 
wanted and didn't already have. 

That method ensures I have what I need and will continue to have what I 
need regardless of what a single company decides is best. 

-- 
Marek Novotny
A member of the Linux Foundation
http://www.linuxfoundation.org

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#2129

On Sat, 22 Mar 2014 11:27:20 +0100, Paul Sture <nospam@sture.ch>
wrote:

><http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/03/22/microsoft_windows_xp_100_dollars_windows_8/>
>
>"In an attempt to lure people off its 13-year-old Windows XP operating
>system, Microsoft will pay $100 to XP users who upgrade to a new Windows 8
>PC.

	Microsoft makes at least 4 times more selling user info to the
government and advertisers than it does selling the OS.
	XP is more foolproof (literally). You need to give up all your
private personal info just to activate Win8.
	XP started with "no personal info is required to register".
Anyone remember back to those days before they planned 9/11 ?
	Can you blame them for pushing windows 8 ? (think as a
bloodthirsty salesman, not as a civilian in a free country).
	[]'s
-- 
Don't be evil - Google 2004
We have a new policy  - Google 2012

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#2140

On Sat, 29 Mar 2014 16:51:44 -0300, Shadow <Sh@dow.br> wrote:

>	XP is more foolproof (literally). You need to give up all your
>private personal info just to activate Win8.

I'm curious what this means. What information does Win8 require that
earlier versions don't?

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