The Ideas Behind Longhorn

An anonymous reader writes: "Fortune magazine is carrying an interesting article on the new and improved Bill Gates, as well as some details on Longhorn: 'Because Gates' geeks are completely overhauling the operating system, they'll also have to redesign most of the company's other software products and services to take full advantage, including the MSN online service, its server applications, and especially Microsoft Office, the productivity suite that accounts for nearly a third of the company's sales and profits. If this enormous undertaking succeeds, it will make computers more personal than ever. Equipped with Longhorn, your PC will keep track of how you work, whom you talk to, what sites you look at, how you make documents and whom you share them with, which data on the network are yours--making all those things easier.'"

Comments

Clarity is everything

[waldeaux]

... making all those things easier.

Uh, if "those things" refer to getting the work done, I already have that down pat - once you're over the learning curve, it's done. Vi is vi is vi (unless it's vivivi - the editor of the beast!).

However, it sounds as if "those things" actually refers to something else, namely the ability for some other entity to complete erode my privacy, have unprecidented access to my system (it is mine, like it or not), and leaving me open to unheard of security issues.

Thank you, but I prefer that *I* keep track of how I work, who I talk to, what I look at, how I make *my* documents, and with whom *I* share them. It's not up to the system to decide which data belongs to me since to do so it must analyze my things. To insinuate oneself either personally, or impersonally through the operating system would be simply rude.

You wouldn't tolerate your officemate or the person in the next apartment or even Richard Stallman rifleing through your desk/sock/nightstand drawers. Why should you tolerate it from Microsoft (or Apple, or Sun, or RedHat)?

Re:Clarity is everything

[Lysander Luddite]

"Thank you, but I prefer that *I* keep track of how I work, who I talk to, what I look at, how I make *my* documents, and with whom *I* share them. It's not up to the system to decide which data belongs to me since to do so it must analyze my things. To insinuate oneself either personally, or impersonally through the operating system would be simply rude."

Too bad your boss doesn't think so. He even has the law to back him up. Your boss wants as much info on you as possible. If he knows what info you access and how long your typing away on your keyboard he will use it to his advantage. And his boss will do the same t ohim all the way up the ladder.

User Configurable

[Sargent1]

I'm fine with my computer tracking what I do and working to anticipate my moves -- this kind of pattern matching is what computers are good for, and we're getting to the point that most of the time we've got the spare cycles lying around. But for any such system there better be two things about it:

1. Let me turn it off if I want to, either temporarily or completely, and
2. Give me control over where the information goes

Anyone care to lay odds on Microsoft giving me those two items?

Re:What it really means

[rmadmin]

I'm an opensource kiddie, and I agree with 'If there is a need for it, the open source community will eventually get it out.' On the other hand. The OS will know more about you... this scares me. Yes, it is intended to improve how you use your computer, but damn! Look at the potential risk they are taking with spyware, and crackers obtaining more information about you than you need. With Windows'(tm)(r)(c) current track record with spyware, I don't think I'd even trust a '100% built from the ground up' Windows. I've got a 2kpro workstation here at work. I've got numerous applications from Mcaffe's spam stopper to Adaware, and I still manage to get spam, and ugly ads I cant get rid of. Adware removes atleast 3 cookies(etc) a day. Then again, MS could do an unbelievable job on Longhorn and make it a tight, stable, and secure OS that is still packed with functionality. So I guess I'm just gonna sit back and see what happens. =)

P.S. Yeah, I tend to bash MS often, but they aren't 100% wrong 100% of the time. They do make some nice products.

Now I'm Scared

[Bilbo]

In an article that is gushingly Father Bill worship, the statements about Longhorn frankly scare the crap out of me. The computer will now know everything about you -- who you talk to, where you go, how you work. And all of this will be owned by Microsoft.

Anyone know of any old used Y2K bunkers that are up for sale?

Re:Linux FUD

[SuperKendall]

You mean, "Program Files/Publisher/Program" don't you? At least, for the ones that do install there - I still encounter programs that install in c:/.

I just love having to remember the publisher when looking for an App!! Sure you can usually change it but that is the default location, indeed the SANCTIONED location.

I really like how OSX handles this better, letting me set up (and alter!!) the structure of my applciations directory at will. Programs are just moved around, no install/deinstall just because I'd like it to live on a different drive.

Re:They Just Don't Learn

[Chris Johnson]

Good point. To some extent this is about Gates and co. inventing limbs to go out on, after which they can say to themselves, 'But we had to go out on this limb- which is why we are compelled to be totally contemptuous of whatever the court demands we do'.

It's an excuse to openly defy the court. Another doomsday plan. Brinksmanship. "You have to choose between either letting us eat up the rest of every industry one by one- or intentionally destroy poor us by sabotaging this stuff that we've bet the company on! Are you ready for that?"

This reeks of doomsday plan. Like hell they don't learn- that's been working OK for them so far. The question is, since MS must inevitably over-reach and collapse (when they pick a 'bet the company' plan that's too extreme, and call the world's bluff with it), when would be a good time for them to blow a gasket? They _can't_ continue this tactic forever without becoming the most wild exaggeration of every rabid slashdotter's worst nightmare. And, like Stalin said of the Pope, 'how many divisions does he have?' Microsoft is not prepared for a serious conflict with, say, a country, in the event of a power struggle, which is the ultimate destination of this sort of thing.

I daresay the bigwigs at MS have exit strategies, though. Or, and this is a disturbing thought- maybe they don't. Maybe their world really IS an elevator with no top floor, and no down button. If so, they are destined for great disappointment. Everything ends.