Author Topic: Microsoft thread  (Read 61198 times)

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Offline The Chief

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #375: November 21, 2011, 07:25:00 PM »
I'm starting to come around to the Metro UI in Windows 8 because I'm better understanding what their plan with it is.  Right now, there are no real Metro programs (I hate the word "app") so we can't really see what it will be like.  Right now, the desktop is the "app".

As far as the OS itself, it's a remarkable accomplishment particularly at this stage in it's development.  It's pre-beta and it's incredibly stable and usable.  I also like reading the Steven Sinofsky blog (Building Windows 8 ) because I like "seeing" the thinking behind the operating system...unlike what they give you in Cupertino.

Yep.  I forget if I've mentioned it in this thread but I've been using 8 Dev build (with the tablet interface turned off, as I don't need it) as my daily driver at home for about a month now.  It's got some quirks and incompatibilities as you might expect from such an early build, but overall it works remarkably well.

Offline PC

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #376: December 05, 2011, 07:26:13 PM »
Quote
IE9 Leading Modern Browser on Windows 7 Worldwide

Browser market share numbers are always interesting because they can be interpreted in a variety of ways. We’ve said for some time now that the thing we care about most is that the web experiences we all enjoy are getting better every day through a modern browser like Internet Explorer 9. The growth of IE9 on Windows 7 has been exciting to watch since our launch in March.

Last month, we mentioned that IE9 was on a path to be the number one modern browser on Windows 7 worldwide.  According to Net Applications, IE9 usage share on Windows 7 worldwide is now higher than all versions of Chrome and all versions of Firefox – second only to IE8.  That’s great news for consumers and developers alike who can benefit from the richer web experiences and standards support in IE9!

http://windowsteamblog.com/ie/b/ie/archive/2011/11/30/ie9-leading-modern-browser-on-windows-7-worldwide.aspx

Offline The Chief

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #377: December 05, 2011, 07:39:48 PM »
I am a Windows fan, but that's a pretty specific set of conditions, and IE is still the default browser in Windows, so this isn't really something to crow about.

Offline PC

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #378: December 05, 2011, 07:44:13 PM »
Well, Windows 7 has been out for more than a year and IE9 has been out since March and it wasn't always the case.  IE9 on Windows 7 had to grow to get to be #1.

Offline The Chief

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #379: December 05, 2011, 08:28:30 PM »
I guess.  It's not like it's not on Windows Update though.  The only less meaningful measuring stick would be Chrome versions since they release constantly and silently auto-upgrade themselves :?

Offline HalfSmokes

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #380: December 26, 2011, 06:09:42 PM »
Any advice on a cheap windows laptop for my wife. It needs at least a 15 inch monitor since she does a crap load  of spread sheet and data base work and will be running citrix 90% of the time. I'm basically looking for the lightest specs that will still run smoothly on windows, but have no idea because I haven't shopped for a windows machine in years

Offline GburgNatsFan

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #381: December 26, 2011, 06:16:27 PM »
We've had very, very good luck with Toshiba laptops. Even the lightest weight i3 processors are probably more than you need. Here's one at Best Buy: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Toshiba+-+Satellite+Laptop+/+Intel%26%23174%3B+Core%26%23153%3B+i3+Processor+/+15.6%26%2334%3B+Display+-+Matrix+Graphite/4034101.p?id=1218450210501&skuId=4034101&st=toshiba%20laptop&cp=1&lp=1

Now, everyone proceed to tell us the horror stories you've heard about Toshibas. :)

Any advice on a cheap windows laptop for my wife. It needs at least a 15 inch monitor since she does a crap load  of spread sheet and data base work and will be running citrix 90% of the time. I'm basically looking for the lightest specs that will still run smoothly on windows, but have no idea because I haven't shopped for a windows machine in years


Online Slateman

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #382: December 26, 2011, 10:20:37 PM »
Acer aspire 5755? Microsoft Store in Tysons has them for 499

Offline PC

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #383: December 26, 2011, 10:23:35 PM »
I saw this one at Tiger Direct and wanted it SO MUCH but don't need a laptop right now.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1626726&CatId=4938

Offline PC

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #384: January 21, 2012, 09:19:29 PM »
Any advice on a cheap windows laptop for my wife. It needs at least a 15 inch monitor since she does a crap load  of spread sheet and data base work and will be running citrix 90% of the time. I'm basically looking for the lightest specs that will still run smoothly on windows, but have no idea because I haven't shopped for a windows machine in years

So, which one did you get?

Offline HalfSmokes

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #385: January 21, 2012, 09:33:03 PM »
So, which one did you get?

Holding off and letting her firm to get her a higher spec hp- basically a compromise for her taking less maternity leave this time around will be her working from home for a few extra weeks before returning

Offline Kevrock

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #386: January 24, 2012, 10:48:26 AM »
I'm sure the reason is the slow merging of ios and osx (also known as driving osx users to windows and Linux)

Windows is is doing the same thing...

:lmao: I spent a few minutes trying to figure out what the hell USSR stood for in relation to computers before just giving up.

Same.

Offline HalfSmokes

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #387: January 24, 2012, 10:53:56 AM »
Windows is is doing the same thing...

Windows will always keep office users in mind, apple seems to be disregarding their computers (rumors that mac pro is on the chopping block) in favor of their more portable offerings

Offline Nathan

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #388: January 24, 2012, 10:54:37 AM »
Windows is is doing the same thing...

Same.

Ugh, yeah, that Metro bullcrap.  Even when you turn it off you get a dumbed down start menu.  It's actually HARDER to use trying to figure out how to do things.  You can reg hack it to go back to a normal UI.

Of course that's in an early beta of 8, so who knows what the GM release will be like.  Hopefully a lot of that crap is out or at least easily turned off.

Offline The Chief

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #389: January 24, 2012, 11:20:44 AM »
Windows is is doing the same thing...

No, Windows is embracing both.  It's a simple matter of renaming a DLL in the Dev preview to get the 7 start menu back and disable the metro interface while retaining the new explorer features.  I feel quite confident that The release version (if not the betas) will have a user-facing option to do the same.  As it should be.  The Dev preview was primarily an early look at the tablet side, with all other concerns being secondary (though I have found it to be a very competent and usable day-to-day OS nonetheless.  Windows 8 on something like an Asus Transformer = best of both worlds.

Windows will always keep office users in mind

This.

Ugh, yeah, that Metro bullcrap.  Even when you turn it off you get a dumbed down start menu.  It's actually HARDER to use trying to figure out how to do things.  You can reg hack it to go back to a normal UI.

Of course that's in an early beta of 8, so who knows what the GM release will be like.  Hopefully a lot of that crap is out or at least easily turned off.

Refer to my comments above.  Also, Metro has been quite successful, hence the porting of it from Windows Phone 7 (where it originated) to Windows 8 and Xbox.  The general style of Metro (flat rectangular tiles) has also been widely emulated across the web, Google being the most prominent example.

Of course there's more to Metro than just looks.  I am reserving judgment on the Win 8 implementation until I get a chance to mess with certified release hardware.

Offline HalfSmokes

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #390: January 24, 2012, 11:21:32 AM »
Who would have thought that osx and windows 'improvements' may give Linux its window to get mainstream

Offline Kevrock

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #391: January 24, 2012, 11:22:22 AM »
Windows will always keep office users in mind, apple seems to be disregarding their computers (rumors that mac pro is on the chopping block) in favor of their more portable offerings

Completely disagree with that about Windows. They make changes in every release that irk me, a business user. I mean they change things about Server 2008 to copy changes from XP to W7, changes that are obviously aimed at the casual user. They've buried things that I need to get to quickly when I'm administering a server.

Offline The Chief

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #392: January 24, 2012, 11:22:39 AM »
Who would have thought that osx and windows 'improvements' may give Linux its window to get mainstream

Desktop Linux will never go mainstream, but if you remove the word "Desktop", Linux is already mainstream via Android (and in the server community of course...  different type of "mainstream")

Completely disagree with that about Windows. They make changes in every release that irk me, a business user. I mean they change things about Server 2008 to copy changes from XP to W7, changes that are obviously aimed at the casual user. They've buried things that I need to get to quickly when I'm administering a server.

Sounds like picking nits to me.  Or resistance to change ;)

What do you have trouble finding that was easier to get to in older versions?

Offline HalfSmokes

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #393: January 24, 2012, 11:50:34 AM »
Desktop Linux will never go mainstream, but if you remove the word "Desktop", Linux is already mainstream via Android (and in the server community of course...  different type of "mainstream")

I think if windows and Mac continue on their paths, in a couple of generations, people who don't want a phone OS on their desktops will start giving Linux a serious look

Offline The Chief

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #394: January 24, 2012, 11:57:20 AM »
I'd hope we'll all be using something much more sophisticated by then.  I want Star Trek dammit! :evil: :twisted:

Offline HalfSmokes

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #395: January 24, 2012, 12:01:39 PM »
I'd hope we'll all be using something much more sophisticated by then.  I want Star Trek dammit! :evil: :twisted:

i was referring to software generations, but if you think in term of human generations (about 16-20 years according to wikipedia) we've only gone from windows 95 to windows 7 which doesn't seem like an enormous leap

Offline The Chief

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #396: January 24, 2012, 12:08:21 PM »
i was referring to software generations, but if you think in term of human generations (about 16-20 years according to wikipedia) we've only gone from windows 95 to windows 7 which doesn't seem like an enormous leap

Depends on your perspective I suppose.  I love Windows 7 and consider it a big step up from Vista.  I can't stand using XP anymore, to say nothing of pre-2000 versions of Windows.  But to borrow an Apple joke, have the changes been revolutionary?  Of course not.  Neither have the changes to Mac OS.  Or the changes to computers themselves, aside from the arrival of smart phones and tablets.

I don't think Linux will ever be mainstream because within the next 10 years I don't think "computers" as we know them today will be mainstream anymore.  Of course we could just have another 10 years of evolutionary changes and still be using mice and keyboards on a daily basis.  Cash rules everything around us.

Offline Kevrock

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #397: January 24, 2012, 12:13:15 PM »
Sounds like picking nits to me.  Or resistance to change ;)

What do you have trouble finding that was easier to get to in older versions?

Not sure if this is a joke. Our conversation started with a feature that takes 10 minutes to get used to and can be disabled.

Offline The Chief

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #398: January 24, 2012, 12:14:46 PM »
Not sure if this is a joke. Our conversation started with a feature that takes 10 minutes to get used to and can be disabled.

I thought it was obvious :lol:

You didn't answer my question though.

Offline Kevrock

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #399: January 24, 2012, 12:18:02 PM »
Oh, okay.

I haven't made a list, but changing around control panel, computer management, generally burying features that power users or admins would need but normal users wouldn't.