Topic: The effects on the market place of Vista Starter Edition

[Nemesis]

In response to the announcement of Microsoft's innovative 3-application limit, Apple corporation has said it will release a version of OS X that will allow only one application to run at a time, but in a more friendly and artistically enhanced environment than Windows Reduced Vista(tm.) Apple announced the special version late Sunday evening, at a special event entitled "You're the One." Steve Jobs emerged from his semi-retirement to explain how Apple's invention of this one-to-one relationship between users and applications would "revolutionize computing." Jobs stated that the new OS would also herald a return to the one-button mouse, single monitors, and Apple's new "One-at-a-time" network stream technologies.

Overnight, the Linux community, leveraging its well known security advantages and high speed development based upon open source and developers active in all time zones at once, has released a beta of "Linux Zero", which they claim is the most secure operating system in the world, and the least confusing, by virtue of its enforcement of zero applications running. Linux authority Linus Torvalds said "if an application can't run, it can't bring worms or viruses into the system. In addition, user interaction is now limited to pressing the power button." Waxing optimistic, he went on to say that "We think even Windows users can learn to do this." He told this reporter "In fact, the price is zero, too!"

An unconfirmed rumor also developed this weekend of an OS that is so carefully and explicitly restricted that consumers interaction with it is limited to attempting to install it; as the rumor goes, completing the installation requires permissions that users simply do not have available to them. Such an operating system would provide the ultimate consumer safety net. When asked to comment, both Jobs and Torvalds derided the rumor as being propaganda. Both OS mavens insisted that technology wasn't up to such a challenge yet. The rumor, however, persists.

When contacted by the press for comments on these new developments, Intel explained that multi-core processors were designed specifically for reduced application counts. It is only now that the leading OS manufacturers are revealing their deep strategies for the decade of 2010 that Intel is able to comment on the real rationale for multiple cores. Technical Leader Sanji Ramahasmiran" laid out several reasons why systems with few- or single-application loads would benefit directly from multiple cores. He said "Our new 8-core dies will allow switching the same single task cyclically from one core to another, thus reducing the activity levels to 1/8th that of single-core designs and operating in a greener fashion, contributing less to global warming, and simplifying programmer APIs in any properly designed operating system."

Simply as a personal observation, I always enjoy seeing how competition ensures that corporations compete for the marketplace by leveraging their core competencies and working to out-do one another. The end users always benefit. No matter who your favorite OS manufacturer is, the industry finds a way to work to bring you the latest developments. Isn't technology wonderful?

I found this on Slashdot.

[Pestalence_XC]

Article must be a hoax.. systems are being designed and developed currently to multi-task 50 to 60 programs with the OS environment to manage it all.

Currently on my system, I usually have no less than 8 apps running at any one time, counting start-up programs.. That is unless I am in a demanding program like Age of Conan.. then I need all the CPU/GPU HP I can get.


I could be mis-intrepiting the article.. but to me it states cutting the ability of running apps down to 3 or 1.. how beyond STUPID can that be.. the article must be a hoax.

[Bonk]

Ya, that is a typical high-rated slashdot post. Granted, it is somewhat amusing.

I believe the 3 app limit of Win7 Starter is true though, I've seen it in a number of places. I understand it will be excusively distributed through OEMs of netbooks and kiosks and the like (where it does sort of make sense).

[Nemesis]

Article must be a hoax.. systems are being designed and developed currently to multi-task 50 to 60 programs with the OS environment to manage it all.

Really?  What could possibly make you think that?

An unconfirmed rumor also developed this weekend of an OS that is so carefully and explicitly restricted that consumers interaction with it is limited to attempting to install it; as the rumor goes, completing the installation requires permissions that users simply do not have available to them. Such an operating system would provide the ultimate consumer safety net.

I wouldn't classify it as a hoax. 

[toasty0]

Article must be a hoax.. systems are being designed and developed currently to multi-task 50 to 60 programs with the OS environment to manage it all.

Really?  What could possibly make you think that?

An unconfirmed rumor also developed this weekend of an OS that is so carefully and explicitly restricted that consumers interaction with it is limited to attempting to install it; as the rumor goes, completing the installation requires permissions that users simply do not have available to them. Such an operating system would provide the ultimate consumer safety net.

I wouldn't classify it as a hoax.

Yeah, /. has never been hoaxed before.

[Nemesis]

Yeah, /. has never been hoaxed before.

In this case it wasn't.  It appears that people here are thinking it was posted as an article.  I never intended to imply that, it was a posting in response to an article on Windows 7 Starter Edition.

I did write Vista in the subject that was an error on my part it should have been Windows 7 Starter Edition.

[Pestalence_XC]

I can understand the limitation of the Starter Edition of Windows 7.. basically give them a taste of the crack and get them addicted..

Now so long as this is limited to only the starter edition.. then great. But I run Windows 7 Ultimate Edition x64.. with the capability for use of multiple cores and being able to use more than 128 GB RAM DDR3.. this OS is definately designed for massive multi-tasking.

Windows 7 2 limitations are legacy software support that afficts freelanced code in software prior to DirectX 9 and V C++ .NET and the other limitation is currently the hardware available on the market today at the consumer lvl.

Now I see MS using the Starter package as Here, try this out and see how you like it.. but I feel that something like this could backfire for MS..

What they should do is allow Corps to have a full copy of Ultimate Edition (since like Vista, the CD Key is what allow features to work / not work).. and allow a Corp exec to use the software for 30 days free.. after which they would either have to buy a key, or uninstall..

The only way to truly evaluate an OS is by putting the full thing through its paces.. not limiting the capabilities of the whole picture..

Would you buy an OS based on 1/100th of its capabilities, or would you buy it after testing the OS out to its max potential for your particular industry need?

IMHO.. a poor business decision for MS and Apple if they keep going forward.

I use to work for a Data Entry service for AT&T for account transfers and new accounts.. requires a minimum of 6 applications onpen at once.. There is no way for a Limited starter edition to even be tested by the IT department to evaluate the software because the base Starter kit would be incapable of allowing full testing in the Production department environment..= FAIL for MS / Apple.. Testing would have to be done on maybe the Basic edition of the Enterprise Edition to get proper results of the OS with thier software environment.

[Bonk]

Pestalence, I am amazed at how thoroughly long-winded you can be sometimes.    (It is generally a good thing. We love you for it.)

But after you've said all that, check what I posted above:

I believe the 3 app limit of Win7 Starter is true though, I've seen it in a number of places. I understand it will be excusively distributed through OEMs of netbooks and kiosks and the like (where it does sort of make sense).

A credible link on the subject: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124018108488732939.html

As I understood, the target is netbooks. The salient quote:

Brad Brooks, corporate vice president for Windows product marketing at Microsoft, said it created Starter so it can offer Windows 7 on even the least expensive netbooks. Even with its limits, Mr. Brooks said Starter is an easier and more reliable operating system than Windows XP.

"When you see Starter on netbooks, there are a lot of impressions that it is limited," said Mr. Brooks. "It's a pretty robust operating system for customers at the price points we're giving it to them."

(emphasis added)

So in that light it makes sense. Think: glorified See & Say.