News - Windows XP will continue to get security updates in China

[HEXUS]

Also, is there going to be a Bing-sponsored free edition of Windows 8.1?

Read more.

[aidanjt]

Could Microsoft possibly get even more schizophrenic?

[azrael-]

Will be exciting to see, when the first post-8 April Windows XP update arrives...

[TheAnimus]

Could Microsoft possibly get even more schizophrenic?

I'm not sure what you are getting at. Microsoft are worried that their operating system is being eroded by people using platforms which satisfy their needs, but cost a lot less (ie Tablets). They are also responding to the fact than an OS isn't really what's wanted, but an ecosystem. People want their apps, music, games, videos etc.

Having a product offering for that space makes sense.

Otherwise you behave like Xerox, be too focused.

[Corky34]

People want their apps, music, games, videos etc.

This person doesn't, i want to choose my own apps, music, games, videos etc.
If it is Microsoft offering those then fine, but if it isn't i want to be the one doing the choosing.

What gets me is in the article it says 70 percent of Chinese users haven't used Windows update in 13 years, why would people not keep their system up to date.

[crossy]

Meanwhile there has been speculation that Microsoft is prepping a version of Windows 8.1 that will be distributed for free.

So now they're planning to GIVE 8.1 away - not exactly a ringing endorsement.

[miniyazz]

60% of XP in China is pirated.. OK so far making great sense to continue providing updates just for China
70% of XP in China (presumably legitimate copies?) has never been updated.. again making sense to continue providing updates?

So most installations are pirated, and most installations have never been updated/patched, yet it makes economic sense to continue providing updates for people who won't use them anyway but not for the rest of the world who actually do use patches and buy legitimate copies of Windows?

I can only presume they're getting paid lots by these Chinese companies who somehow have a vested interest..

[rabbid]

So if they can give software away and still make and distribute XP updates, why are MS discriminating against us and not giving us free software or at least the xp updates they actually will still be making...

[Corky34]

Apparently something was lost in translation.

Microsoft denies extending Windows XP support for China
http://www.zdnet.com/no-xp-support-e...tag=RSS14dc6a9

Microsoft translates the actual language used in the post as:

Microsoft China has taken special actions to closely work with leading Chinese internet security and anti-virus companies including Tencent for them to provide security protection for Chinese Windows XP users before they upgrade to modern operating system.

[TheAnimus]

This person doesn't, i want to choose my own apps, music, games, videos etc.
If it is Microsoft offering those then fine, but if it isn't i want to be the one doing the choosing.

Then you, like me, will not be using the 'free tier' OS.

But MS would be stupid to ignore that Google are pushing through the useless without Google Play OS.

[rabbid]

This person doesn't, i want to choose my own apps, music, games, videos etc.
If it is Microsoft offering those then fine, but if it isn't i want to be the one doing the choosing.

Then you, like me, will not be using the 'free tier' OS.

But MS would be stupid to ignore that Google are pushing through the useless without Google Play OS.

so you wouldnt want the state enforced monitoring app*?!

i didnt quite get it there, what google are pushing & useless?


* speculation only!

[TheAnimus]

Erm.... Not sure I understand what you are talking about.

My comment about Googles OSes, Android and Crome OS, is that they are designed to be as useless as possible without the play ecosystem, with their app store, search, storage tie ins.

Everyone wants to be a music, storage space, apps, videos, search, provider.

Apple have completely missed the boat in this space, despite having the early lead. This is now a fight between Google and Microsoft. Chrome OS currently passes that could a complete idiot use it test (just), and it is completely tied into all of their revenue generation features.

It's kind of like Gillette shavers, the blades are where you make the money, give the handles away for free.

This is what Google and MS are racing to do it appears. Microsoft have spent a lot of time apparently re-engineering windows phone to run on even lower hardware, with only a 4gb core space requirement. Considering how well it's predecessor ran on a 800mhz single core, this could be quite compelling (compared to low end Android). If Microsoft produce a version of Windows RT, that is locked down, tied to their services, they could potentially provide it free without disrupting their other sales channels.

[rabbid]

i didnt read up far enough before replying, got carried away on another track after reading that privacy thread too, nvm!

thanks, makes much more sense now!

[crossy]

Erm.... Not sure I understand what you are talking about.

Funnily enough I was going to agree with rabbid ... whatcha talking about Willis?

My comment about Googles OSes, Android and Chrome OS, is that they are designed to be as useless as possible without the play ecosystem, with their app store, search, storage tie ins.

Hmm, you mean AOSP is "useless"? Granted it's "incomplete" without a user-accessible (i.e. not sideloading) way to add applications - but to say that it is "as useless as possible without the play ecosystem" is not the case. How about FireOS (Amazon), or Nokia's whatever-they're-going-to-call-it on their X series phones, or the bazillion of cheap Chinese knock offs? Or, my HP Zeen - runs Android, but no sign of anything Google shaped. Okay, I'm stretching the point on that last one, because the Zeen is the controller for my Photosmart eStation printer.

Yes, you need some way to do the things you say - but it doesn't have to be Google's. On the flipside though, someone's going to have to explain the compelling case for ChromeOS to me, because it seems to be a product like WindowsRT, merely done "because we can". Imho, ChromeOS would have been better using Android, and WindowsRT better with either a cut-down proper Windows, or Windows Phone 8, my preference being for the latter.

This is what Google and MS are racing to do it appears. Microsoft have spent a lot of time apparently re-engineering windows phone to run on even lower hardware, with only a 4gb core space requirement. Considering how well it's predecessor ran on a 800mhz single core, this could be quite compelling (compared to low end Android).

Agree/Disagree time. Yes, I've been very impressed with the way that WP8 makes use of "low end" hardware - lord only knows how it'd perform on something more upmarket, like a quad-core, 2GB RAM monster that seems to be de rigeur for mid- to high-end Android devices these days. The only exception is software updating (that's apps not the OS) - the initial download is fine* but then the WP8 device seems to go into a fugue - almost like it's trying to do something else too ... calculating pi to a million decimal places? Then again, Microsoft's software update process has never struck me as anything other than overly-laborious.

* strange thing I've noticed, our two WP8 devices seem to be able to get a higher sustained data transfer rate on Wifi when doing updates than the two Android devices. Not sure if this is a more efficient Wifi stack in WP8, or overload on the Google Play store.

[funnelhead]

Apparently this story has been denied. Shame as we have 600 XP machines at work, and I'm the one reinstalling them.

http://www.zdnet.com/no-xp-support-extension-for-china-7000026947/

[SunflowerWishes]

I still use XP (really need to upgrade!)