Windows 8 plans leaked

[nerp]

Not that anyone really needs another opinion on this, but I can't sleep. When reading the following, just know that I like/have liked/haven't liked Microsoft/Apple/Linux in the past for different reasons:

5.) Camera-based log-in. Seriously? This is what we developed high performance processors for? I mean, sure, I guess it's nice, but.... how are you going to make sure people don't hack it with a photograph of me? And, as someone else said, how hard is it to remember a password? The real kicker, I think, is that this is going to make it REALLY easy for you to forget your password (after all, you'll only use it when the camera system doesn't work).... combine this with better HDD encryption and, Houston, we may have a problem.

They're thinking about machines that aren't your typical desktop. A iPad competitor that is locked down but opens up only when family members look at it to read and most importantly, when a keyboard interface sucks. Smaller keyboardless machines. Maybe.

7.) Apps and Settings follow me. This I like. BUT, I don't necessarily like the Cloud storage issues (your mileage may vary). Keeping some things synced (bookmarks, files, calendar, contacts, etc.) painlessly would be GREAT. But, I use different programs on different computers. AutoCAD might be on the most-often used apps of my work computer, but NEVER be used on my laptop. And do I really want work files accessible on my home computer (and vice-versa?) Surely my employer doesn't want those security headaches.

I hear ya. I got my own shit figured out with WHS and hamachi so it's not like I need the handholding.

By the way, even though that was supposed to be an internal presentation, it really did suck as far as graphics go. Far smaller firms have internal graphic artists who help make these presentations (or at least make sure that the fonts don't change halfway through a slide for some reason).

It's a glimpse into the different corporate culture.

 

[Nothinman]

NO they havent changed, dunno what that guy is talking about.

They should. Most of the development focus is on desktop and Android stuff these days. Most of the low level stuff is done and working already.

Agreed, at some point that might be what's necessary. But it does seem irresponsible to tout the feature without SERIOUSLY explaining that encrypted means encrypted.

You can only hold people's hands so much, at some point they need to man up and understand what they're doing with their data.

Sorry -- I don't know what you're saying here. More my ignorance than anything else. Can you explain?

Steam is online game distribution software that lets you play your games from anywhere, all you need is the Steam client and you can download/install your games. It doesn't restrict you from installing the games on any hardware at all, it's up to you to determine if the game will actually run or not.

Sadly, I think you're right. On the whole, I think that Apple makes the right limiting decisions most of the time.

But when they don't you're screwed. It's funny how virtually everyone with an iSomething's reply to any kind of comment about not being able to do something is "All you need to do is jailbreak it first..." as if that makes it ok.

If only MS/Linux employed designers who could determine which features to remove access to (or, as Apple sometimes does, makes access to those features preferences for those who are interested in changing them -- through obscure key-strokes or terminal commands.) Again, not to make light of your concerns -- Apple dominance would be a bad thing. But they can show MS and Linux something about selectively offering options.

Actually Gnome has been going down that path for years now and I find it really frustrating. It's one of the reasons that I don't run a full Gnome desktop on my Linux boxes.

I think that's one of the reasons why open source development is always going to require some (if not a lot) of paid labor -- for a lot of people, optimizing boring functions or doing the minutia of interface design isn't going to be something they do on their free time.

That applies to everything though, no matter how much you enjoy something there's always going to be aspects that you don't like. In general, I'd much rather work on a low level tool or script to automate something for myself than a GUI app for something.

 

[bullbert]

Is it just me or did that presentation seem very weak? That looked no better than the average presentation from college kids. I expected more out Microsoft.

Really? I have learned to always expect garbage out of Microsoft, especially for the first one or two major versions, regardless of the product. And even THEN, I have been usually been disappointed with the quality and reliability. Poor products frequently are the result of poor specifications and unclear goals.

I used to like Microsoft, back in the mid-80s, but that was before I learned of their business practices. Without daddy setting Bill up with some of the best lawyers in the nation, Microsoft would have died 30 years ago.

 

[wirednuts]

win7 is the best os yet and still, people hate.

as far as win8, they have been saying they want to go 'cloud os' for a decade now. win7 was always supposed to be the last 'offline' os. now with this news, its pretty much certain that if you dont have internet, you probably wont want win8 for any reason.

 

[KeypoX]

win7 is the best os yet and still, people hate.

as far as win8, they have been saying they want to go 'cloud os' for a decade now. win7 was always supposed to be the last 'offline' os. now with this news, its pretty much certain that if you dont have internet, you probably wont want win8 for any reason.

I dont mind the cloud as long as its a cloud working with me not against me. IE Steam works against you.

Things like bookmark sync, and dropbox type things. Are great, but It would suck to not be able to still do everything locally.

 

[Nothinman]

I dont mind the cloud as long as its a cloud working with me not against me. IE Steam works against you.

Things like bookmark sync, and dropbox type things. Are great, but It would suck to not be able to still do everything locally.

How does Steam work against you? My experience with it is pretty limited but I haven't had any problems with it's restrictions and much prefer it to the normal DRM that comes with games.

 

[Piotrsama]

That RESET feature sounds pretty interesting.