Microsoft is objectively a pretty terrible software company

[IndyColtsFan]

Explain to me how these two statements contradict one another:


Also, direct me to where I mentioned Apple aside from their hand in Windows development.

MS would've developed Windows with or without Apple. That's what you're missing.

 

[Gunslinger08]

No software would be #1 if it didn't run on Windows.

Your logic is.... well....

This is basically the anthropic principle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthropic_principle) applied to software. Basically, Office has to run on Windows to be successful because Windows is so successful. If Windows didn't exist, Office would run on a different OS in whatever format was applicable to that OS.

 

[rudeguy]

Zune HD is the best mp3 player and software ever made to this day (iPod touch and iTunes still isn't as good), the Surface wasn't perfect but new hardware is coming out soon and will make the Surface 2 Pro the best tablet/ultrabook on the market, and Windows Mobile was good for its era. Everything people love about Android - custom ROMs and themes, the ability to run emulators, being able to overlock the CPU, etc - all existed on Windows Mobile first.

The real problem it had was Microsoft didn't refresh it with capacitive touch and an app store fast enough, almost everything else would have improved with better hardware had it been continued. Windows Phone is good, though, much cleaner and smoother, and with an interface that is easier to use than iOS 7, even though it's locked down like it and lost the openness of WM.

I hate to say it...but I'm holding out for a Surface/tablet device for my new work computer. I've looked at every Ultrabook out there and right now there just isn't anything worth the money. You need to drop $1600+ to get the features I need with a decent screen size.

Hopefully the next generation will give me portability, expand-ability (USB host support...come on!) and a decent screen size. If I'm going to have to go down to a 14" screen, I might as well get a tablet that can be used as a laptop. That would help me a lot and make it more usable at home.

BTW..what's so hard about a tablet with USB host support?

 

[Soundmanred]

Keep fighting kid. This is providing me with some grade-A entertainment

His teacher will not agree when she grades his assignment.

 

[mikeymikec]

Office would not be the #1 productivity suite if it did not run on Windows.

Are you now conceding your attempted point about having to use/own Windows in order to use MSO?

I think it's somewhat difficult to predict what would have happened if you remove an OS that has something like a 90% share of the home/business user OS market. It's like claiming that IE wouldn't exist now if MS hadn't abused its monopoly to demolish Netscape.

Office's non-Windows versions are about as popular as Windows Phone and other flops.

Office for Mac is a flop? What do you base that on?

 

[Rakehellion]

DOS was not even invented by Microsoft. They actually purchased QDOS from Seattle Computer Products and just renamed it to DOS and made some trivial changes.

Office is actually composed of products they purchased in the past.

So they're just the world's most successful patent troll.

 

[Gunslinger08]

So they're just the world's most successful patent troll.

Wat? Do you not understand the difference between obtaining an overly broad patent and purchasing the rights to software or an entire company?

 

[Soundmanred]

I don't understand business in any way, shape or form.

Finally something we can agree on!

 

[mikeymikec]

So they're just the world's most successful patent troll.

Educate yourself:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patent_troll

I'm just wondering if any forum user has failed so spectacularly to make any valid points in their own thread as you have here.

 

[Rakehellion]

Are you now conceding your attempted point about having to use/own Windows in order to use MSO?

It doesn't matter what a person can do to use Office. A single consumer does not drive a business.

Office for Mac is a flop? What do you base that on?

The fact that they failed to update it for years at a time or the $350 mil revenue for their entire Mac division.

 

[zinfamous]

So they're just the world's most successful patent troll.

Why do you keep bringing Apple back into this? I thought you said they were irrelevant?

 

[zinfamous]

The fact that they failed to update it for years at a time or the $350 mil revenue for their entire Mac division.

Numbers mean nothing without a frame of reference. Why is this bad?

Please compare to the revenue generated by non-Office productivity suites designed for OS.

 

[Sheep221]

Windows 8, Surface RT and newest stuff like outlook are pretty crap idd.
Yet I think that every win version from 1.0 to Win 7 had always something innovative and intuitive in it. Windows is the most popular system for the reason, the fact that windows is graphics-based system with GUI stolen from Xerox Alto doesn't mean that it is single copycat of it. Most notable release was probably Windows 95, because windows 7 and technically also windows 8 still feature the same desktop controls.
I also think that MS faced quite good challenge when dealing with compatibility issues at the time computers started to be freely constructed by many various companies.

This is 100% troll thread

 

[Rakehellion]

Why do you keep bringing Apple back into this? I thought you said they were irrelevant?

Neither the post you quoted nor the one I quoted mentioned Apple.

 

[Rakehellion]

Windows 8, Surface RT and newest stuff like outlook are pretty crap idd.

Bing
Silverlight
Windows Mobile
MSN Messenger

 

[BladeVenom]

http://www.polygon.com/2013/4/18/424...venue-increase
Overall revenue for Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Division — which encompasses everything Xbox 360-related, along with Windows Phone and Skype — rose 56 percent to $2.53 billion in the quarter that ended March 31, from $1.62 billion in the quarter that ended March 31, 2012.

Overall, the Xbox group has lost $4 billion for Microsoft. -- http://www.businessinsider.com/chart-of-the-day-microsoft-losses-on-xbox-2012-6

 

[GoSharks]

Overall, the Xbox group has lost $4 billion for Microsoft. -- http://www.businessinsider.com/chart-of-the-day-microsoft-losses-on-xbox-2012-6

Which would only matter if they were still adding to that loss.

 

[zinfamous]

Neither the post you quoted nor the one I quoted mentioned Apple.

Of course it did. Here it is again if you're still confused:

So they're just the world's most successful patent troll.

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Counter

Encarta was the shit back in the day!

 

[rockyct]

I hate to say it...but I'm holding out for a Surface/tablet device for my new work computer. I've looked at every Ultrabook out there and right now there just isn't anything worth the money. You need to drop $1600+ to get the features I need with a decent screen size.

Hopefully the next generation will give me portability, expand-ability (USB host support...come on!) and a decent screen size. If I'm going to have to go down to a 14" screen, I might as well get a tablet that can be used as a laptop. That would help me a lot and make it more usable at home.

BTW..what's so hard about a tablet with USB host support?

I'm not sure what you mean by USB host support. The Surface Pro is essentially a laptop in a tablet form factor. The Surface RT can use keyboards, mice, flash drives, etc.

As for the new models, Paul Thurott is as respected as any source and this is the details he has: http://winsupersite.com/windows-rt/surface-2-details-emerge
http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/surface-pro-2-details-emerge

He doesn't expect there to be any large Surface devices this year but there is a Surface Mini coming later in the year.

 

[Sheep221]

Bing
Silverlight
Windows Mobile
MSN Messenger

Windows Mobile at the time was very convenient OS and Messenger to date is best communication program I ever used, ICQ, skype, also facebook and more are just bad copycats of what MSN was, yes I don't like they cancelled it, but I used for years without a problem.
In case of Silverlight, Bing and more you are trolling again, because these multinational companies are always creating new products, some are more successful than others, some are replaced or abandoned, yet I don't think how this define the MS being "objectively a pretty terrible software company".
I'm sure you know nothing about computers, how programs are designed and written and how business ideas are interpreted and implemented in real world.
And in fact MS compared to other companies is not really a money-leeching one, so I guess that's also something notable to mention.
While I don't consider any company to be good or bad or evil or terrible, I don't even defend the MS, I'm contradicting the crap you trying to spread that's all.

 

[Lifted]

Microsoft is objectively a pretty terrible software company

Zune

Surface

Xbox

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/software

something used or associated with and usually contrasted with hardware

Derp.

 

[Rakehellion]

And who writes the software for those products?

 

[ultimatebob]

And who writes the software for those products?

For a product like the Zune, it's more like firmware than software.

 

[88keys]

And who writes the software for those products?

Somebody who is a helluva lot smarter, talented, qualified, successful and probably better looking than you.