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Hewson on MS Word revision
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Posted by Franz Grieser
Jan 10, 2013 at 09:54 PM
Well…
>The whole concept of Windows 8 has been to have an OS that transcends
>the hardware barriers, so that you can run it on desktops, notebooks,
>tablets, phones and whatever else might come out in the future.
Well, at the moment Windows 8 RT is a different beast as WIndows 8 für Intel/AMD machines. Both share the same GUI but underneath it, there’s 2 different OSses.
This means: x86/x64 apps do not run on Win 8 RT. This means for example no Outlook on the Surface RT, only on the expensive Pro edition - and Microsoft will not provide a RT edition of Outlook (for technical reasons).
Franz
Posted by Alexander Deliyannis
Jan 10, 2013 at 11:24 PM
Franz Grieser wrote:
>Well, at the moment Windows 8 RT is a different beast as WIndows 8
>fur Intel/AMD machines. Both share the same GUI but underneath it,
>there’s 2 different OSses.
>This means: x86/x64 apps do not run on Win 8 RT. This means for example
>no Outlook on the Surface RT, only on the expensive Pro edition - and
>Microsoft will not provide a RT edition of Outlook (for technical
>reasons).
Yes, understood. That’s why I said “the concept is…”. Of course, in theory there is no difference between theory and practice, but in practice there is :-)
In the past Microsoft had done similar exercises in convergence, that took quite some time before they were fully implemented, e.g. uniting the Windows NT infrastructure with the Windows 95/98 interface. The various Windows CEs and Mobiles had little to do with Windows outside the name.
But it will get there eventually. Whether the world is willing to wait is another thing. Convergence may be Microsoft’s strategy, but it doesn’t own the rights to it. For example, Ubuntu Linux now has a version that can run in modern smartphones and tablets, therefore reducing the need for Android installations.
Posted by MadaboutDana
Jan 11, 2013 at 04:39 PM
More damaging (to Microsoft) is their apparent intention to continue with per-device (as opposed to per-user) licensing. So you’ll need multiple licences for e.g. MS Word to run it on multiple devices (including your brand spanking-new Surface). This is in direct opposition to the iOS/Android model, which works - more or less - on a per-user basis (buy once, run on many different devices).
Moreover I have a very strong suspicion that Surface RT will end up exactly like Windows CE - something that could have been very good, but was so hobbled and restricted by Microsoft that it gradually died off. I still have an old WinCE handheld PC - a lovely machine, especially for the time it was made, i.e. late 90s. Occasionally I take it out, look at it, play briefly with Pocket Word - what a joke! - and weep.
Posted by Stephen Zeoli
Jan 11, 2013 at 05:02 PM
MadaboutDana wrote:
>I still have an old WinCE handheld PC - a lovely machine, especially for
>the time it was made, i.e. late 90s. Occasionally I take it out, look at
>it, play briefly with Pocket Word - what a joke! - and weep.
I still have my NEC Mobile Pro, which was a great little computer running WinCE. I do the same as you, pull it out, tap the nice keyboard and wonder if it is worth trying to get it running again.
Steve Z.
Posted by MadaboutDana
Jan 11, 2013 at 05:41 PM
Yup, mine’s an NEC MobilePro, too - my HP and my LG machines both died off (see? I’m not just a CRIMPer, I’m a gadget freak!), but the NEC is still going strong. I like to joke it has the same benefits as an iPad: same weight, same battery life, plus a touchscreen - and a physical keyboard! But I’m lying, of course… It could have been an iPad! Ten years earlier than Steve’s effort, too! Woe! Guess who was in charge of Microsoft back then. Yup, it was Steve “there’s a kind of magic” Ballmer…