Microsoft store fusion and pricing tiers

[martinrox1568]

What set Android back "hell of a lot"? Not even iOS has this much restrictions on the developers.

Yes, developers aren't the best at creating GUIs. Giving them guidelines is a good idea. Forcing them to create GUIs for mobile, tablets and desktops is not a good idea.

I agree with some of your post, but I don't see how that ties in with "let's force developers to sell their apps at the prices we want them to, and let's force everyone to design their apps to work on 3 platforms no matter what the developer wants!".

I agree that it's not a great idea. However I still kinda see why they did it. Planning on purchasing an app and knowing the cost off the top of your head isn't a bad idea. And I think that prices Will be about what they were going to be anyway. However I'm sure some issues will arise eventually

[mr moose]

It's not the fact that it's a gaming/workstation PC, it's the fact that desktops and laptops aren't tablets. So why shoehorn a tablet interface into it?

You unfortunately missed my point. 

I am an enthusiast, but I can certainly speak for a multitude of average users. I hear a lot of valid gripes about Windows 8 on a daily basis from the average consumer, young, old, smart and experienced with windows. I understand there are growing pains when it comes to a new operating system but it's different. Many people compare it to when Vista came out, I can tell you that it's certainly worse than that, Vista was buggy, 8 is just stupid and un-intuitive to the average user. Whatever you think of Chris Perillo his thoughts and opinions mirror those of the average consumer. The thing is, his statements were made before it was released and he was right on every level. I'm not too big of a fan of Apple either, but I can tell you that more and more people are buying Mac since the release of Windows 8, but it's just their unwillingness to learn a new operating system right? At least Apple doesn't fundamentally change the way their OS looks and feels. If it isn't broke, don't fix it.

 

I can understand your point, but I think your experiences might be localized,  Mac sales actually went down in the last quarter of 2013 and the top 5 pc/windows vendors all posted an increase.  Windows 8 has even overtaken windows 7 in terms of market growth. I think people will always bitch and gripe, and to an extent MS is listening by forcing everyone to 8.1 with the new start button/menu, however I think it is only a small deviation in an otherwise long term plan. 

 

I am hearing loud and clear that you hate windows 8, that's fine, I hated windows 7 at first, because I went from using predominately xp to 7 and me being me got head fucked by the new documents/libraries layout.  But I reckon (predict/guess/assume/consider/postulate) that windows 9 will be almost identical to 8 as far as the UI goes.

[GoodBytes]

Every new version of Windows, without exception, at least starting from Windows 95, where I remembered back then, people complained about new version of Windows.

As a company, even if you listen to users, you can't please anyone, and the great majority of the times, things calm down, people gives the new OS a chance, gets used to it, and like it.

 

Microsoft is not stupid. Even before anyone knew anything about Windows 8, let alone a single leak of any kind, Steve Ballmer said multiple times that Windows 8 will be a very risky OS. It mean it changes the entire direction of the company, and changes a staple of the OS it built AND perfected, the Start Menu. Much like Windows 95 was. Windows 95 start menu was not like at all. People rejected the OS, much like Windows 8. And based on what I have been told, and reading, the same story happened with GUI based OS. Terminal was said it was better and faster. Ignoring the fact that with a GUI based OS, beside the fact that it is easier to get started, and learn the system, you can have a 1 click solution that would other wise take multiple commands to type and remember, especially back then, where you could not do a Google search. The concept of the Internet was not very existent, if you know what I mean.

And yes, the mouse was hated as well.

 

So, assuming you are the one at the top of Windows team, knowing and experiencing the above, would act differently?

And remember, you can't go: "Ah, I'll put options for everything and anything!". This is not what made Windows. What made Windows is that it's easy to use, however gives you the power and flexibility you need to be productive.

 

Like Windows 95 Start Menu, it was improved continuously at every version of Windows practically. Windows 8 Start Screen will have the same treatment. It will balance things out. But you need to start somewhere.

Yes, the Start Menu will come back, but expect it, much like the classic start menu option in XP, to disappear in Windows 10, or possibly Windows 9, if Microsoft telemetry data suggest that few people uses it.

[Sharp_3yE]

They should have done this in the beginning when they released RT. in fact, I have stated before that RT should have never existed, they should have used the windows phone OS on the ARM powered Surface but scaled up and better optimized for tablets.

Too much confusion around their platforms, which is funny because Microsoft bashes Google for fragmentation when in fact Microsoft is worse in many ways because they have almost complete control of hardware and software integration. Yet they have 4 separate mobile platforms, windows 8.1 (Surface PRO) Windows RT, Windows Phone 8, and their new android based Nokia phones.

Their whole idea of "one user interface across every device" doesn't play out too well when you have 4 incompatible app stores at play. But this is a smart move for them, though a little late I think...

I personally HATE that idea. Why do you ask? Because, tablets and phones are completely different things. A laptop, desktop, and tablet are different things. I want an OS that is optimized for the tablet. I want an OS that is optimized for phone. I want a OS that is optimized for Desktop and Laptop. All of this while giving a similar feel to each one while also connecting to each other. Also, I want my tablet to also be able to be used like a regular PC to I can use it like a walking around touch device or a sit down typing mouse device. Windows 8.1 gives that experience and can very well be optimized for each experience. A tablet is not like a phone. I would hate windows tablets if they were just a bigger phone. Kinda why I don't like ipads.

[beebskadoo]

I personally HATE that idea. Why do you ask? Because, tablets and phones are completely different things. A laptop, desktop, and tablet are different things. I want an OS that is optimized for the tablet. I want an OS that is optimized for phone. I want a OS that is optimized for Desktop and Laptop. All of this while giving a similar feel to each one while also connecting to each other. Also, I want my tablet to also be able to be used like a regular PC to I can use it like a walking around touch device or a sit down typing mouse device. Windows 8.1 gives that experience and can very well be optimized for each experience. A tablet is not like a phone. I would hate windows tablets if they were just a bigger phone. Kinda why I don't like ipads.

that's why I said optimized for tablets. Make it based on WP8 so the apps are compatible.

[mr moose]

I personally HATE that idea. Why do you ask? Because, tablets and phones are completely different things. A laptop, desktop, and tablet are different things. I want an OS that is optimized for the tablet. I want an OS that is optimized for phone. I want a OS that is optimized for Desktop and Laptop. All of this while giving a similar feel to each one while also connecting to each other. Also, I want my tablet to also be able to be used like a regular PC to I can use it like a walking around touch device or a sit down typing mouse device. Windows 8.1 gives that experience and can very well be optimized for each experience. A tablet is not like a phone. I would hate windows tablets if they were just a bigger phone. Kinda why I don't like ipads.

 

That is why you are a tech enthusiast, however 70% of MS's sales are corporate and only 10% of their revenue is consumer/domestic (this includes enthusiasts like you and me).   What this means is that their products are going to be optimized for the corporate/business demographic, not the enthusiasts who likes to tinker and/or have a different OS iteration for each device.

 

I know it's sad, I miss the days when we used to decompile the explorer.exe and change the "start" button to the "fart" button. even though it can be done now it's just not the same and technology is changing so much that just when we get excited about something they go and change it all (like overclocking, it's no longer an art form nor a science but a one click operation)

[beebskadoo]

That is why you are a tech enthusiast, however 70% of MS's sales are corporate and only 10% of their revenue is consumer/domestic (this includes enthusiasts like you and me). What this means is that their products are going to be optimized for the corporate/business demographic, not the enthusiasts who likes to tinker and/or have a different OS iteration for each device.

I know it's sad, I miss the days when we used to decompile the explorer.exe and change the "start" button to the "fart" button. even though it can be done now it's just not the same and technology is changing so much that just when we get excited about something they go and change it all (like overclocking, it's no longer an art form nor a science but a one click operation)

wait... Fart button?

Please teach me your ways...

[Sharp_3yE]

that's why I said optimized for tablets. Make it based on WP8 so the apps are compatible.

But that's just like android then. Android tablets are designed for tablets but still that mobile format. I don't want that either. I personally want what they are finally doing right now. Everything is together and streamlined yet the tablet is optimized for tablet or can be used like a laptop, and desktop is desktop. Phone is completely different. That is what I personally like and wanted.

[Sharp_3yE]

That is why you are a tech enthusiast, however 70% of MS's sales are corporate and only 10% of their revenue is consumer/domestic (this includes enthusiasts like you and me).   What this means is that their products are going to be optimized for the corporate/business demographic, not the enthusiasts who likes to tinker and/or have a different OS iteration for each device.

 

I know it's sad, I miss the days when we used to decompile the explorer.exe and change the "start" button to the "fart" button. even though it can be done now it's just not the same and technology is changing so much that just when we get excited about something they go and change it all (like overclocking, it's no longer an art form nor a science but a one click operation)

I was just talking about the structure of the system. I personally don't want it like how apple or android is. I don't want my tablet and mobile phone to be almost the same because a tablet to me is more like a slim laptop meant for touch. So, id rather have a tablet have different looking apps then a phone. I'd also want to use a tablet for maybe some desktop work as well. I don't just want it to be a bigger phone like android and ipads. That just limits the tablet to much in my opinion. So, I just really do not like his idea of how he thinks things "should" have been. I like this approach better.

 

I am just really glade they are finally pulling their crap together and doing things right.

[Giddyguy]

i tried very hard to be supportive of Microsoft's efforts with Windows Phone 8 and the Windows 8 store however at this point have given up at the incompetence of these stores. Why are all the big apps from IOS and Android still missing (or take 6 months to be ported onto windows) this far into the maturity period of the ecosystem. I don't care anymore and on my Surface Pro, I don't download any modern apps.

[mr moose]

wait... Fart button?

Please teach me your ways...

I'm pretty sure this is common as mud now, but fun none the less,  ass you can see there are many other windows notifications that can be changed also.

 

http://www.instructables.com/id/Change-the-start-button-in-Windows-XP/