“In such a scenario, Microsoft is investing money in software development, and even though the final product is great (and I use that term loosely) by itself, it is not so significant a change that people will upgrade immediately. I expect a lot of people to stick with their current office suite even when Office 12 becomes a retail reality; same could be the case with Windows Vista. Having said that, it’s also a given that there is no way software development can come to a halt. What option does that leave the software industry with?”
I’d hate to see it happen for two reasons:
1.) It’s sickening to force ads on people on something they work on, even more than it’s sick to “give them free content” while advertising in the middle of their entertainment (yea, I don’t like TV lately, there’s so many ads you feel like you’re spending your life watching them).
2.) Almost everyone who tries this approach fails, and the ones who succeed almost invariably anger their customers by constantly increasing the number of ads as people get more numb to the ads.
Advertising is simply not effective. We don’t need it invading and destroying something else.
I think MS will figure out how to sell their expensive products. There is no reason to make Windows or Office free.
MS can always threaten developing countries to pay lisence fees and get profit from those countries.
“MS can always threaten developing countries to pay lisence fees and get profit from those countries.”
These developing countries can use something else that suits them better. Why don’t you go to your job and tell your boss you want to give away your services for free.
I found that this article was far to speculative to be considered journalism. First of all, Google did not invent ad-supported software. It is a farily old model drawing from a very traditional advertising model popularized with television and radio. Secondly, ad-supported versions of Vista and Office would likely be feature limited (considering the cash cow that these products are for MS). As such, businesses would likely opt for paid versions. Thus, this would not solve the ‘getting users to upgrade’ on the enterprise side of things. Thirdly, your average joe would upgrade for eye candy alone, as evidenced with many of the XP upgrades. Lastly, let us not forget that a major distribution channel for windows is through OEMs. As such, consumers will ‘upgrade’ to Vista simply by buying a new computer. The ad-supported model may work for Office, but it seems like it would be a ridiculous model for Windows Vista.
If the users had Windows 98, upgrading to Windows XP is more than eye candy. You can’t compare the two versions.
I agree with you that there was a lot of difference in functionality between XP and 98; however, from personal experience, a lot of people that I know upgraded to XP solely because it looked better. Some people I know even put up with sluggish performance (because their hardware wasn’t up to par for running XP) just to have an improved GUI.
You’d have to worry how this strategy would effect the developing world. After all, no one is going to be paying top dollar to sell ads to Tanzania, there is no purchasing power there. Not to mention the fact that they won’t have widespread broadband access in the near term, which makes all of these net-centric remote application strategies problematic for most of the world. Of course, the shrink-wrap box price of Microsoft applications is already problematic, but at least the off-line up-front model works everywhere, if just at a slightly different country-wide price-point.
Hopefully they’ll just all move to Linux, and make it their own.
Customers perchasing Windows gets MS only one sale, where as ads gets them a revenue stream that keeps flowing month after month. And well, they need more money.
Any sort of advertising built into the OS could easily alienate users further, pushing them to alternatives. It makes the OS seem cheap and unprofessional, too.
Of course, they’re already getting ad revenue by setting the default homepage to MSN and the default IE search to Microsoft’s. Also, dont’ they get paid by all those companies to include links to their sites in the bookmarks that ship with IE? Some sort of deal in WMP. It links to their site where they have advertising.
I don’t think consumers will stand for much more advertising than the non-obvious things like these.
“If one year down the line, someone tells me that I need to pay $300 for a new OS with easier functionality, but nothing particularly path breaking (as was the jump from Windows 98 to XP), I would (along with many others) answer with an annoyed “No, thank you.”
If at any time, someone tells me that I need to pay $300 dollars for any OS, I’d say ‘No, thank you’. Maby It’s me getting used to the free operating systems that are out there, maby not, but 300 dollars IMO is over kill, when for the same amount of money i can buy a whole decent computer.
I guess they can’t give it away.
Microsoft is a business, a very profitable one. Having and ad – supported version of their software will mean bad business for them. The average buyer knows there is no free lunch. The below average one knows that free stuff is usually crippled. And why the hell should i bother my cpu time with useless garbage? Remember the subscription – based OS? Yeh, right…
What is more interesting is the visual studio express editions. That is a smart marketing move, and these products have very good chances of surviving on their own because they target a specific market. Do you see ads in there?
Probably, should Microsoft ever decide to offer some of their software for free, this would mean that they offer editions fit for specific purposes, with complete, yet limited features when compared with the full version big brothers. How many people use ALL of the features Excel has to offer?
This direction is also something supported byt the sql 2005 express edition.
I would pay 50 bucks for an express – like version of office, as I would for the express tools. I would not even care to download a 500$ suite if it was provided as a free product, but with ad – support.
I actually happen to know more than one person who would put up with the ads so that they could have the new OS, or other app.
It’s people that put up with the free/reduced versions of NetZero and such that would do this. And they are out there.
Opera tried adware, users generally hated it. It’s also the best way to get around Proxomitron, which I’ve used for years. The whole Win economic benefit system is based on selling new hardware with the Win-Vista logo certification. That’s one reason why MS has so much market inertia in the States, and one reason why the MIT people won’t let Americans subsidize the cheap laptop for the rest of the world. Product activation make reinstalling a major pain, and Win doesn’t know how to cleanup after itself, nor does it have proper cleanup utilities.
The answer is that MS is moving into the hardware business with Win-MCE (HDTV) and XBOX-360 which long-time “enemy” and “competitor” IBM provided the key technology for.
The majority of computer users are stupid, mindless sheep.
They are the ones whose eyes will glaze over with delight when they fondle the next Wintendo offering in the stores.
They are the same who when asked what kind of computer they have respond “Windows”.
These are the people who are nothing more than virtual nipples to be milked for money and spread the dark philosophies coming from the Electronic Mordor.
Chains fall upon us all by the rule of big corporate devils because of the permissiveness of the mass public.
In time if this idiocy continues, all open source will be illegal at the whim of corporation number one with the votes in the politicians pockets.
Lovers of open source need to make their voices heard peacefully before it’s too late.
Open source hippies they call some of us, failing to realise that the hippy culture served to stir more action and thought than much of the current generations of pale skinned, overweight, ipod clutching couch lizards who whine if they’re not in an air conditioned environment and forced to walk further than a block for anything.
Attack my spelling, grammar, abuse of the Enter key, what have you, but you know deep down in your soul that I am right, and because of this you will either ignore this post, or attack it.
The majority of computer users are stupid, mindless sheep.
People in general are stupid, mindless sheep. Your critisisms hold true outside the computer industry as well.
I’d have to say you’re both right – sadly.
However, people get even stupider while buying a PC. I’ve sold all kinds of stuff – clothes, electronics, furniture, food and yeah, PCs – and for everything non-computer related, they’ll go shopping. If they’re looking for a TV, they’ll shop for it: visit a few stores, check out websites, read ads, compare prices… plus they have a basic understanding of what a TV IS. But when it comes to PCs, most people don’t know anything about them and don’t want to know. I’ve tried going out my way to put in simple words what a CPU is, what’s RAM useful for, etc. but generally people would politely stop me and say something sounding like “Look, we don’t wanna know, just show me a nice, shiny-looking computer and I’ll take a good look at the price.” They’re more interested in how their monitor will fit with their furniture than in the monitor’s quality is. Damn.
The same goes for software. Antivirus sales were a good example : when I asked which AV product they wanted to buy, I would get a puzzled look followed by “You mean there’s more than Norton around ?” Heck, I even recommended some people to try OOo instead of MS Office (my boss would’ve killed me if he knew) : it’s free, so if you don’t like it, uninstall and buy MS Office. Simple ? Well, obviously, no. New software frightens people, it seems. “It’s not like trying a new car” said one freaked out customer. The poor man must still be having nightmares.
I never thought about suggesting anything else than Windows, back then, even though I was an avid Linux user. People generally don’t like Windows but they’re willing to buy expensive software instead of learning a new OS, a new way doing things. So yeah, they WILL pay for Vista even though they don’t like/need it. Kinda reminds me of my grandma and her VCR.
Edited 2005-11-18 18:04
” “It’s not like trying a new car [trying another office suite]” said one freaked out customer. The poor man must still be having nightmares. ”
I almost agree with the dude. In Word, you need a training class just to stop the darned thing from finishing you sentences for you. He probably figured other packages (like OO) were equally obtuse.
Nah, this comment is posted all around in OSNews and Slashdot. You’re probably new here … no point answering to this copy-and-paste troll
people shouldn’t have to know a lot of details about computers… they want to *USE* them, not be a sys admin.
Much like you shouldn’t have to know how to tune the engine in the car (or care if it’s a V8, dual exhaust, etc). You just want to get in your car and drive the thing.
people shouldn’t have to know a lot of details about computers… they want to *USE* them, not be a sys admin.
Much like you shouldn’t have to know how to tune the engine in the car (or care if it’s a V8, dual exhaust, etc). You just want to get in your car and drive the thing.
And what happens when it breaks? Or in the car
situation, what if it runs out of fuel/gas?
Get someone else to fix it for you?
Fully knowing they’re gonna rip you off, because you
don’t know jackshit. How do you think most woman feel
about buying a car or getting a car repaired? Or not
realising that they forgot to fill up?
And knowing Microsoft, you really reckon they’re the
saints of generosity? They’ll bleed you dry as soon as
they get the chance! They’re vampires.
They rely on people like you who want something to work
and don’t understand the bits inside. They can do what
they want and say something is new, when it clearly is
not. They can lie, cheat, etc…And the customer, will
continue to pay for things that shouldn’t need updating, etc.
I don’t think you understand that computers ARE complex
tools. Making things easy without telling people of
the problems that may encounter or educating them is
what we get today…A large bunch of infected Windows
boxes, that are still infected, floating shit on the
web…Do you really enjoy the Internet this way?
Have you ever cleaned a Windows box with 10000+
infected bits of malware? (Because that number is what
was detected…What about the undetected ones?)
People need to know at least the basics of security.
They need to be aware of the potential issues out
there, and what they need to keep their boxes running.
Giving them “black boxes” which will eventually break
or be infected with something nasty, is another repeat
of what Microsoft has done.
No one wants to do that again…Except for Microsoft,
and possibly companies like Symantec…Who feed off the
Microsoft Money Making Machine.
Your life sucks, so mine should too?
You are forgetting one thing though. These stupid people are the ones who made Bill Gates rich, and MS a giant. If you want them to switch to something other then MS products, may you should stop insult them, and instead try to educate them.
… Some of these stupid sheep also use a counterfeit copy of Windows. Isn’t that so nice! 60% of the users dont buy a copy and Bill has to keep a damned price tag of 120-150$ OEM copy and $300 for retail.
Amd then too Microsoft records 80% profits. Heck this is insane.
If anything they should bring their prices down, rather then give it away for free but with advertisements.
I think the biggest reason Businesses don’t upgrade to the latest Microsoft products is because of the cost of upgrading. Apple sells a 5 licensed copy of OSX Tiger for $199.99US on it’s website for the general public. Windows XP goes for $299.99US for a single license. The price for MS Office is even worst.
ALl microsoft has to do is reduce the price of the full version of Windows to $125 and Office to $200 and the would make another few billion.
“Recent reports claim that Microsoft is thinking about giving away software for free and basing its revenue on a model…”
Isn’t it pretty much standard practice these days to provide some links, or maybe even just one when you make such a claim?
The whole article is speculation based on articles which were speculation based on “internal memos” and sound bites from low ranking Microsoft henchmen.
Since the author leaves us to do the work ourselves, heres one I found http://news.com.com/Microsoft+eyes+ads+as+consumers+close+wallets/2…
Its based on an internal memo from MSN employees about how junk like Microsoft Works and OneNote is not profitable, and maybe could they could ad-based, thats it. Nothing about free window/office.
O/T
yea, i said onenote is junk, its horrible editor wrapped in really nice organization features. the editor is so bunked though it makes any good features moot, i stuck with it one whole semester. maybe its called one note because thats how many you’ll take before you want to heave your laptop against the wall.
Edited 2005-11-18 17:47
There is a huge difference in my mind between the non-intrusive, text-only ads seen on Google search results, and forcing ads into an offline work environment, even if they too were text-only. It’s taken for granted that in publicly-accessible information spaces such as the web, TV, radio, newspapers and magazines, ads are ubiquitous and here to stay in one form or another. But you can escape all that by sequestering yourself, at least temporarily, within the confines of your own, private OS environment. If even that becomes riddled with ads, your last media haven will have been compromised.
“If one year down the line, someone tells me that I need to pay $300 for a new OS with easier functionality, but nothing particularly path breaking (as was the jump from Windows 98 to XP), I would (along with many others) answer with an annoyed “No, thank you.” ”
Are you freaking kidding me? 98 to XP was like the introduction of decent security and stability in a Microsoft OS. 98/Me was a freakin BSOD nightmare. If you configure XP properly, you will virtually NEVER have BSOD for anything short of critical driver or hardware failure.
I’m not a Microsoft fan boy by anymeans, but you know 99% of the bad press they get on Windows XP security/spyware is because of improperly configured systems. Yes, yes, its arguably Microsofts fault because they should make things clear during the install and make it secure by default (By default, you’ll always be Admin :/). If you run as Administrator all the time in Windows XP, it’s as bad as running as root all the time in linux.
You give your browser full control access to your Windows and Program Files directory and then you say how much Microsoft sucks when you get spyware! I say quit your bitching and RTFM. You should switch to Admin (FUS is great for this) to install software, change system settings, and change file/registry permissions . Otherwise you should always be a User. Users have very little permission, they can only write to their home directory, the “all users” directory, and their user registry hive by default. That will stop almost all viruses and spyware in its tracks. The only way anything malicious could persist after a restart is in your user’s autostart places (startup folder, registry runs) which are relatively easy to monitor.
The only way any viri or malware could break out of your user is to exploit a privilege escalation vulnerability which are pretty rare, and even if there was one, if you use Automatic Updates, the odds that you would get hit by malware using one of these attacks before it has been fixed it slim to none.
Conclusion, 98 to XP, new world. Come on guy.
Nope. That was Win2k. WinXP security? Remember Sasser and Blaster? You didn’t have to even browse to get them
yah youre right, win2k, but the article specifically mentioned 98 to xp, i should have said XP was the introduction of decent security and stability in a Microsoft Consumer/Desktop OS
and sasser, etc., anyone who knows about running with least privileges also knows to have a properly configured firewall which completely mitigates those remote exploits.
windows is already for free thanks to bittorrent heh heh
“MS can always threaten developing countries to pay lisence fees and get profit from those countries.”
why would they pay ms or any U.S. company when they can get counterfeit goods?
http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=1323136
The governments should vote an MS tax that everybody would pay whether they use MS products or not. MS products would be free, and MS would make even more money.
Practically every tech news site has been bombarded with this “news” from “super-secret” MS Research.
It’s pretty apparent that they leaked this on purpose to get feedback. Of course, geeks would hate it.
Frankly, Microsoft has outlived its usefulness. All we need now is a stable, open OS. App vendors and hardware manufacturers can provide the innovation.
Stardock made Windows pretty.
BSD gave Windows Internet functionality.
Realmedia, Winamp and Quicktime gave us WMP.
Ad nauseum.
Now Vista is going to try to replace PDF with XPS, Flash MX with Sparkle, HTML&EMCAScript & Flash with XAML.
If Microsoft wants to compete on a level playing field with things like Office, that’s cool, but do we need to keep subsidizing them to clone stuff, much of which is already free, and charge us for it through OS bundling?
Eventually, every industry matures, what was once unique becomes common and interchangeable due to multiple vendors. Microsoft won’t be exempt from this.
… win98 amd winxp claimig they’re about the same, oboviously judging on the interface. ’nuff said.
you don’t think all those aol icons are placed there for free, do you?
I wonder if car-oriented people have the same complaints about everyone else as we do… “They don’t CARE that the transmission and auto body were made by overpriced, overrated manufacturers! They just want the car to be a chick magnet!”
Count the copies of Windows you own.
I think I have unintentionally purchased so far.
2 copies of Windows 98.
3 copies of XP home edition.
All in situations where I did not need or want the software, I know it is possible to buy a PC without Windows but it is not easy now and it was harder before.
Still I would hate to owe Microsoft anything, especially if in exchange they feel they own my PC.
…and that the ads are offensively huge, obnoxious, irritating, and hard to hack out of existence. I hope the end result is a product as annoying as Microsoft Bob.
That will give many Microsoft users the extra incentive to switch away from Windows to something better and Free, perhaps Linux, perhaps something that comes after Linux.
-Gnobuddy