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Cut-Rate Windows 'XP Starter Edition' in Thailand
zlel writes "Microsoft has decided on an official name - 'Windows XP Starter Edition' - for the stripped-down, cut-rate version of Windows that it first began offering in Thailand last summer."
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Is this the software equivalent of those first cigarettes behind the toilet block? You know, the ones that get you hooked for life?
They removed English from the OS for piracy concerns. Something about that stat 75% of all Asian installs were stolen.
http://jayceecorder.blogspot.com
Surely that implies all other editions are non-starters?
Good to see good journalism is going out the door - it would be nice for it to mention what makes it "cut-down".
I know it says "As part of the deal, Microsoft also stripped out some unspecified features from both products" but surely there must be more details available than that?
One night in Bangkok makes Bill Gates humble
Not much between despair and ecstasy
One night in Bangkok and Microsoft tumble
Can't be too careful with your company
I can feel the devil walking next to me
Howabout "Windows XP Trailer Park Edition" ?
However Thailand can have this nice stripped down version of XP.
I've read several stories about this stripped version of Windows, and what they all fail to mention is that it also lacks Product Activation. Sure, Product Activation in Asia is like duct taping your BMW's door shut in Detroit, but it's still significant.
People in Thailand can share their copies with their friends and family. But those of us in the rest of the world cannot. It just makes NO sense. We pay MORE for restrictions!!!
If someone says he and his monkey have nothing to hide, they almost certainly do.
Two features left out of this version:
-stability
-security
----
Go canucks, habs, and sens!
Does this include the undocumented features that allow a remote user to gain control of my system?
A stripped down version of Windows XP and Office XP could be infinitely better than the full versions in the USA if the right features were removed- remove active scripting and VBA from these products, take out a good percentage of the obscure features of Office that no one uses, and presto- a less bloated, more secure computing environment that just happens to have the MS logo on it.
Hell, for 38 bucks I would give it a try if they rolled it out here. Of course they won't do that, because this whole tactic is about training the next generation of PC owners (developing nations) to become dependant upon MS crack.
Urge to post... fading... fading... RISING!... fading... fading... gone.
Actually, I'm not surprised something like this has happened.
Microsoft is starting to see Linux as honest competition for the desktop market, and acting accordingly to become competitive again. I think you'll see something similar happen here - it wouldn't surprise me if the asking price for Microsoft software is cut dramatically in the next twenty-four months, and it also wouldn't surprise me if the quality starts to improve again.
All in all, this is a good thing, not a bad thing. The end users can only benefit from this.
Robert B. Marks
Author, Demonsbane in Diablo Archive
For some reason Clippy has managed to become the all-purpose whipping boy to use against Microsoft. After my first encounter with the creature I don't understand why this running gag is continually modded "Funny".
Is it because he's annoying? Well even if he is, there are still three easy opportunities to remove Clippy. The first is on install, where you can customize the installation to remove the "Office Assistant". The second is in Word instself, where you can permenently "Turn off the office assistant". Finally you can temporarily "Hide the office assistant".
Save your mod points for things that are truly worth it. Clippy has had enough.
Corporations: your universal scapegoat for all society's ills.
Don't be silly. The buying power of $38 in Thailand is much different from $38 in the US.
I'm in Bangkok at the moment actually, for the week. Perhaps some example prices:
1) dinner, with a beer: 80 Baht ($2)
2) 3 star hotel: 1000 Baht ($25)
3) Taxi to the airport: 400 Baht ($10)
4) Commuter train: 10 Baht (25 cents)
5) Recent LEGITIMATE video games: 400+ Baht ($10)
6) Recent LEGITIMATE DVDs: 200+ Baht ($5)
7) etc.
And that's all in Bangkok, not the countryside.
Anyways - if the actually expect people to buy a legitimate copy, they need to at least make an attempt pricing it properly. It's much more convincing to buy the $5 pirate copy of Windows (which you can get in the mall, in the street, you pick) when the legit version is hundreds of dollars! If the price comes down to a sane level, people will consider buying it.
Right here.
There's no place like
I was under the impression that MS wasn't able to make a version of Windows without all the bells and whistels... I guess it's okay now that all of their lawsuits have been settled. So they are guilty of anti-trust and they are liars, this isn't news.
;-p
When will the US see a version of Windows that is JUST an Operating System? I wouldn't even mind it if they included a separate disk with 'bundled' but optional software, like a music player, a photo album tool, and maybe some video editing software... heck for the good PCs they could even include some sort of DVD authoring tool.
A fool throws a stone into a well and a thousand sages can not remove it.
Then they'd realize there is a sect of users who would love something like this in the US and Europe. People that don't want the damn animated dogs telling them how to search, or Fisher Price UIs. People who aren't afraid to drag out the command prompt to do things and enjoy having options. Hopefully they get the message that there are still power users on Windows, but it certainly feels like an endangered species at times -- many UI innovations are little more than eye candy or making the UI easier for novice users. Meanwhile, most real power users have graduated to OS X or Linux where they don't have to feel like they are being talked down to.
All the bundled crap should be optional. That means I should be able to choose whether to install:
* IE, including disabling shell integration. Additionally I should be able to replace IE with an alternative browser that is used through the system, including applications that embed IE through COM.
* Media player
* Windows messenger
I should be able to fine tune which services are installed and have them explained to me at install time so I know exactly what ports are open. A compiler and build tool for C, C++ and C# should come preinstalled and in the path. You should be able to do anything from the console that you can do from the GUI.
If this seems outlandish, they could have it simply be two alternate modes of setup whereby you select your expertise level. Like, an "Express" install option versus an "Advanced" mode that lets you tailor everything you want.
(I tend to be an MS apologist, but this is one point where they really aggravate me.)
Well, you know I haven't RTFA, but since I have written extensively about it in my journal and was living there when it was introduced in response to a million pre-installed Linux machines, I'll comment anyway.
The menus are all in Thai, and cannot be modified, meaning that many installed programs wouldn't appear on the menus or possibly even run. It was only available on the"Eua Athorn" computers, a low cost Celeron socket 370 government program. In fact, though the legal copies could be installed when the computers were picked up, few people did it, and instead had their friend put a pirated copy from Panthip Plaza or similar place on for them.
It was a failure of an idea, and will continue to be. It was designed to start THais on legal software, and move them up to the full versions later. Few bought the idea, beccause it involved changing their old habit for a greater expense, and the brief shadow of government enforcement quickly faded away.
I had great hopes for the million Linux machine program, but alas.
Put identity in the browser.