Microsoft officials earlier this month announced the company is cutting some key features, such as the WinFS file system, from Longhorn, the next major version of Windows, to meet its late-2006 deadline. That time frame, however, is also putting in question two significant development efforts: “Orcas,” a future version of the Visual Studio tool set, and “Avalon,” Longhorn’s presentation-layer subsystem.
Longhorn Changes May Affect Microsoft’s Tools Strategy
About The Author
Eugenia Loli
Ex-programmer, ex-editor in chief at OSNews.com, now a visual artist/filmmaker.
Follow me on Twitter @EugeniaLoli
This is the type of news that should be a great encouragement for open source software. If your business is tied (quite literally) to Microsoft, you are affected by wheather they decide to develop something or not (as in this case), fix something or not, admit that something needs fixing or not. Hooray for open source, where if something sounds like a good idea, there will probably be enough people to support it.
This is the type of news that should be a great encouragement for open source software. If your business is tied (quite literally) to Microsoft, you are affected by wheather they decide to develop something or not (as in this case), fix something or not, admit that something needs fixing or not.
Wow, what sound advice you give here. Because of the wisdom you have imparted here, I’m sure many thousands of software developers will be moving away from Windows (where 95+% of the userbase is) to an open source alternative. That certainly makes a lot of business sense, doesn’t it?
I am thinking that if you don’t have a huge company with billions of dollars backing a huge development effort, then you won’t be able to turn out complex software that does so much in a faster time frame than microsoft can. Open source is great, but something like windows is a pretty big chunk of software, and it works pretty well (why else are most of us using it everyday?) – so they realize they can’t make a deadline with every planned feature – that’s pretty normal in any software house…and I don’t think its saying anything more than that. And for the comments above, if a business is based upon open source to begin with, that doesn’t necessarily mean that if something doesn’t work right they can just fix it themselves – many people don’t have that talent or resources to do such a thing. Just my 2 cents.
Seems linux developers have managed to turn out a far more robust, and capable OS than windows, which runs on significantly more platforms, in far less time (if one takes Windows development as starting at version 1.0).
And yes, shipping dates do slip. However, when you trumpet to the world that, you’ll be shipping some serious bells and whistles, and then delay and delay, and then only release a minor point upgrade to your existing OS (when you have one of the largest amassed fortunes on earth sitting in the bank) you look kinda stupid.
and remember:
popularity != quality
often, there is a disconnect between those two concepts. Abuse of a monopoly can get you a pretty popular product, while collecting monopoly rents, and killing innovation. Doesn’t mean your products are any good, or that what you’re doing is good for the economy.
Matt
At present, a whole heap of coders working after band practice, and some who work full-time on FOSS code ARE outcoding Microsoft. MS has failed to provide a major desktop release in how long? Meanwhile linux and it’s associated applications are advancing at a pace that MS could only dream of.
With respect to the desktop, there are analysts reporting that linux has got a greater install base than Apple.
You keep holding on to the thin thread of hope that MS will retain it’s stranglehold on the computing world. Monopolies are so good for the consumers, and innovation, you should be pleased that MS has managed to evade any punishment for its monopoly abuses so far. With competition, MS might actually have to compete on a technical footing, and be forced to (actually) innovate, and lower prices. Then where would you as the consumer be?
Matt
Microsoft never forced anybody to buy their operating systems or any other software
Please… have you ever seen someone to put a gun on your head and tell you “buy my software or I kill you”…
I won’t be longer on this, you should understand by yourself that it’s like to say “the governement never forced anybody to buy a car”, what does it mean? NOTHING
Microsoft never forced anybody to buy their operating systems or any other software.
Ahem. What do you think about their OEM policy? Started in DOS era – new computers were sold with MSDOS preinstalled, then with Windows xyz preinstalled. I would call this “forcing”.
About outcoding Microsoft – IMHO won’t happen in foreseeable future. Maybe if big companies like Novell, Sun etc will unite and finance developing of one [linux based?] universal desktop/OS, then it would be possible. “a couple high-schoolers working part time after band practice with a sourceforge page” – never. Yes, they can code some exciting features, but not entire system.
Let’s flame
“the delivery of Avalon, the presentation subsystem of Longhorn, is still not assured for 2006 and that its fate is hanging in the balance.” Based on previous experience of Longhaul, the schedule is going to slip. But since Microsoft needs to put something out to satisfy it’s customers on Software Assurance the release of Longhaul isn’t going to be delayed again for it.
Plus neither Avalon nor Indigo will be ready enough to go into the “Whidbey” version of Visual Studio in 2005, and therefore there will not be many programs ready to take advantage of them when Longhaul does get released, if they are even included.
Quite frankly what is going to be left? WinFS is gone, Avalon is probably going, and there won’t be anything using Indigo. So we’re left with Windows XP, with .NET preloaded, and a communications layer that nobody uses.
Please… have you ever seen someone to put a gun on your head and tell you “buy my software or I kill you”…
I won’t be longer on this, you should understand by yourself that it’s like to say “the governement never forced anybody to buy a car”, what does it mean? NOTHING
Tell it to the fanboys. They seem to think that people are forced into buying windows.
Ahem. What do you think about their OEM policy? Started in DOS era – new computers were sold with MSDOS preinstalled, then with Windows xyz preinstalled. I would call this “forcing”.
Hmm, then I wonder why every computer I’ve bought in the past 15 years has come without an operating system installed on it?
Hmm, then I wonder why every computer I’ve bought in the past 15 years has come without an operating system installed on it?
People think that just because the big OEMs choose to preload Windows of their own free will, it is impossible to get a new PC without Windows on it. If Dell wants to sell desktop computers with Linux on them, there’s nothing stopping them from doing so.
I used to have some respect for Darius… not any longer
either you two guys have short term memory loss, or you just plain ignore the facts…
the reason Dell etc are able to sell pcs without an OS is purely because Microsoft was found guilty over and over for anti-competitive practices.
they were FORCING manufacturers to only include Windows with their pc. there was no opt out scheme. either the manufacturers gave windons with the machines or they would loose the license to supply windows with any of their products.
this was not just in a court in the us, it was in courts in almost every country in the world.
Do either of you two remember BeOS ? Why do you think they had a court case against Microsoft ? (hint: it was not about media player/internet explorer/ other bundled software)
It was because Microsoft was forcing manufacturers not to include an option for BeOS on their machines.
you where never forced to buy ms. there where always plenty of alternatives, people just didn’t want them. just to refresh your memory, in the early 90s there where amiga, atari, mac, acorn, sun, draco,…
later there where even other good oses for x86, but noone wanted them. what did you use back then? where you using ms?
and you are surely not forced right now. if you want to use linux you can even get it preinstalled.
the reason Dell etc are able to sell pcs without an OS is purely because Microsoft was found guilty over and over for anti-competitive practices.
I’ve never bought a Dell in my life. I just go down to the local PC shop and buy a system without an OS (which they’ve been doing since the early 80’s).
PCs have been coming without operating systems since there have been PCs.
Wrong again fanboy.
they were FORCING manufacturers to only include Windows with their pc. there was no opt out scheme. either the manufacturers gave windons with the machines or they would loose the license to supply windows with any of their products.
Notice you said either the manufacturers gave windons with the machines or they would loose the license to supply windows with any of their products so technically they did have a choice. However, I do see what you’re saying but the point is, MS is no longer allowed to do this, so OEMs are now wide open to ship whatever they want, and I still see very few of them choosing to ship anything else except free DOS.
There was Mr. Dell who thought that it would be good business to put together affordable PCs from components “Made in Asia,” slap Windows on top of it and sell through the Internet.
Mr. Dell got a sweet deal from Microsoft, $40-$45 per copy of Windows OS plus other discounts based on volume of sales. To get this sweet deal Mr. Dell had to promise Bill not to put any other OS on his computers.
Mr. Dell find out that people buy these computers like crazy, and his small empire, named Dell, blossomed.
That is fact.
++++++++++++++++++
There was Mr. Well who thought that it would be good business to put together affordable PCs from components “Made in Asia,” slap Linux on top of it and sell through the Internet.
Mr. Well knew he can beat Mr. Dell, because they both buy hardware from the same place, pay same for labor, and even use same huge retail chain (Internet) to sell computers back to back. But Mr. Well did not have to buy Windows from Microsoft, so no matter how much Windows did cost for Mr. Dell, Well’s computers were cheaper: Linux=$0.
Mr. Well was going to create a huge empire of his own, and name it Well Done, the only thing between his dreams and reality was demand.
If people were asking for Linux, if Linux was ready for desktop when Mr. Dell started his business- Mr. Well would be the winner.
Where is Mr. Well? Same place where was demand for Linux on desktop. Nowhere.
That is fact.
Everything else is foolish conspiracy theories and excuses.
Successful business does not need excuses.