XP Starter Edition Examined

de la mettrie writes "C-Net reports that analysts do not recommend using Microsoft's new 'Windows XP Starter Edition', a low-cost XP version aimed at the Asian market (and previously covered on Slashdot). The report notes that numerous networking features are removed, and the Starter Edition allows only three applications to be run concurrently. According to Microsoft, this limitation 'helps [users] stay organized and reduces confusion.'"

Comments

I'm going to be laughing at this one for days

[Anonymous Coward]

Starter Edition allows only three applications to be run concurrently. According to Microsoft, this limitation 'helps [users] stay organized and reduces confusion.'"

MWA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

Re:I'm going to be laughing at this one for days

[eln]

Well it certainly helps reduce any confusion in comparing it to a half-decent operating system.

Re:I'm going to be laughing at this one for days

[pHatidic]

The asians are a smaller people, so they need proportionately less.

/the karma hit is worth it just to make that joke :)

Re:I'm going to be laughing at this one for days

[TheOtherAgentM]

Also, it will allow users to prove that Windows is causing all the crashing, rather than just the numerous applications.

Re:I'm going to be laughing at this one for days

[Anonymous Coward]

Sounds like Gnome! Du, dum tsss.

Re:I'm going to be laughing at this one for days

[hawaiian717]

An average student: Winamp, a word processor, a web browser. If the student needs to use his email for a moment, he'll have to close something.

Guess this hypothetical student will just have to use Mozilla Suite instead of the separate Internet Explorer and Outlook Express. Darn. ;)

Re:I'm going to be laughing at this one for days

[VistaBoy]

That's why you use the full Mozilla, so it comes with a mail client built right in. Well, unless Microsoft has determined that Mozilla is too "confusing" for the starting user, and therefore will immediately end any instance of mozilla.exe ;).

Re:I'm going to be laughing at this one for days

[Teun]

Why laugh, this is just what I need!

Now all I need is someone to convince my boss the TCO is lower...

Re:I'm going to be laughing at this one for days

[jtra]

It won't take long to exceed that limit. An average student: Winamp, a word processor, a web browser.

As long as they only run all aplications inside Emacs, it is no problem ;-)

Re:I'm going to be laughing at this one for days

[Zaiff Urgulbunger]

Nope - Starter Ed. is limited to very small fire arms, slightly blunt knives and various kitchen implements.

Re:I'm going to be laughing at this one for days

[Dogtanian]

As long as they only run all aplications inside Emacs, it is no problem ;-)

I was going to make a comment about Emacs not coming with a decent text-editor... but then I remembered it has a vi clone built in. :-P

Now I'm going to get modded into oblivion by the rabid masses of Emacs zealots.

Damn, that was stupid.

Re:I'm going to be laughing at this one for days

[libcoder]

This limit is new? I use Windows on a computer and it won't run more than 3 applications at once. Everytime I try, it says that it's illegal and it won't make an exception, or something like that.

In other news

[cpu_fusion]

Microsoft went on to proclaim the security benefits of this latest release: "Only three instances of worms, spyware, and trojans can run at once!"

in order words...

[havaloc]

...it's a non starter.

Increased productivity

[mukund]

According to Microsoft, this limitation `helps [users] stay organized and reduces confusion.'

Microsoft's new product: MS-DOS Reloaded?

Re:Increased productivity

[Waffle Iron]

Microsoft's new product: MS-DOS Reloaded?

There are more advantages to DOS than just the simplicity of single-tasking. Before version 2.0, DOS didn't support directories. Could reverting to DOS 1.0 simplify searches and end user confusion over file system hierarchies as well? I think that the WinFS team should take a look.

(Opens search dialog:) => Where is the 3rd quarter inventory report for Consolidated Products?

(The animated dog instantly replies:) => It's on C:

Windows, simplified.

[BubbaThePirate]

A:Tech Support, how may I help you?

B:MAH SCREN LOKS R3AL BIG AND UGLY11!!!11! OMG AND Y CANT I RUN AIM OUTLOK AND SURF PORN AT DA SME TIEM??!!? OMG LOL AND MAH N3TWORK IS ACTNG UP!!!! WTF AND W3 AL R TEH SAME DESKTOP!1!1! OMG

You must be new here

[teamhasnoi]

Instead, because of the unnecessary limitations introduced in XPSE, Microsoft will likely be perceived as pushing an upgrade path and frustrating users.

Isn't this in their mission statement or something?

Re:What I want to know...

[djblair]

I think MS will sleep soundly knowing NOBODY will pirate this OS.

UOS

[gcantallopsr]

I've just developed the Ultimate Operating System. It further reduces confusion among users by issuing a HALT instruction right after a bare minimum startup. I've successfully tested it under x86 and x86-84, and I'm looking for PowerPC 32/64 developers. GNU GPL license. Most compact kernel ever (I call it vendeko-kernel). And no problems with drivers, since it doesn't need them!

Re:But of course

[mkosmul]

In the next version of slashcode, only three comments will be allowed for each post in order to reduce confusion among moderators.

Restriction of movement means clarity!

[Anonymous Coward]

Or in other words: FREEDOM IS SLAVERY

Three? We should be so lucky...

[Soulfader]

Maybe it's targeted at those people still hanging on to WinME, which was lucky to run ONE app at a time...

Re:What I want to know...

[cpu_fusion]

> What I want to know is what Microsoft is trying to do with this release.

Microsoft market research had concluded that hatred for Microsoft was lowest in asia, so they pulled together, worked long nights, and have tackled that problem with the usual Microsoft gusto.

No, no, no, they're right!

[Saint Aardvark]

Limiting the OS to three running processes helps things IMMENSELY. For example: recently my dad asked for help installing Linux on his laptop. I got a copy of Mandrake Linux and customized the kernel thusly:

struct ps {
[ the usual stuff here...]
} [3];

Remake the package, remake the CD and off it went. Now, when he boots his laptop, here's what runs:

1. init
2. getty (one instance)
3. login (which execs into bash)

And boy, was it worth it: I no longer have to answer any questions about GNOME, mounting a USB pen drive, modem drivers. why KOffice messes up the PowerPoint presentation he's trying to read, why he can't run those funky .pif email attachments from his friends, or any of that crap.

But hey, I know he's going to learn, and will eventually outgrow StarterLinux(tm). I've let him know that once he's got the hang of this he can $$upgrade$$ to Full-On-Whiz-Bang Linux. In fact, if he wants to send the money to me I'll even order it for him.

Dilbert

[twalk]

This one always sticks in my mind: "Employees will be leased and branded in order to improve morale!"

Re:Dilbert

[Afrosheen]

I think it was "leaSHed and branded". Leased and branded only applies to Manpower outsourced people.

Just look at the quote!

[Ieshan]

Just look at the quote. Microsoft originally said, "the limitations helps [those pitiful wastes of resources who use our software] stay organized and reduces confusion."

Media kindly substituted in "[users]".

Why not re-release DOS?

[Anonymous Coward]

With only one application running it's even less confusing!

Hopefully, this is a security measure

[bastard42]

So, a box can only have one worm and two spyware programs? Sweet.

User doesn't notice worm. Check.
User is annoyed by one set up ads. Check
User clicks yes and installs something else. Check.
User can't run MS Office. Awesome.

I only have to get rid of 3 things.
Rinse and Repeat as necessary.

Why can't we get this here. Or at least post the registry hacks so I can limit user functionality too.

Re:Useful for TCO "analyses"

[brennz]

tco or tc0? :D

darn

[Anonymous Coward]

Darn, I got Sasser, Blaster, and Netsky running. Now I can't play the sims.

Re:What I want to know...

[jez9999]

First, Microsoft created a non-multitasking OS.
Then, they created a multitasking OS.
Then, they created a pre-emptive multitasking OS.
Now, they have created... a triple-tasking OS.

It's not a step backward, honest!

Windows XP DOS Edition?

[atcurtis]

Why not limit it to only running 1 application at any time... that way users won't get confused at all ....

I know this is going to be modded flamebait

[Anonymous Coward]

And probably rightly so, but:

According to Microsoft, this limitation 'helps [users] stay organized and reduces confusion.'

I can virtually hear gnome developers right now crying out eureka!
God have mercy on us!

only three?

[binarybum]

so let's see...

1. Gator
2. Casino.net
3. Cydoor

hey! that doesn't even leave me room to run Bonzi Buddy!

What a demonstration!

[WarMonkey]

What a demonstration! MS has to SPECIFICALLY TRY to come up with something EVEN WORSE to make XP look good by comparison.

Pity that there isn't a trading floor for Washington state food stamp futures...

Re:They Should Call it Lindows

[Anonymous Coward]

Everyone in Asia already calls Windows 'Rindows'.

Re:What I want to know...

[mangu]

MS replies: "Now they can afford the starter/crippleware version, so it is cutting into our market."

To which third world nation will reply: "we have reached a 100% efficiency in fighting piracy - there is not a single pirated copy of your starter/crippleware version for sale anywhere in our country".

mmmm.... design conference

[phyruxus]

Lead dev: Guys, Angela, we're got to get this XP Starter Edition finished. Where do we stand?

Dev A: We're on target with everything except the usual... the numerous bugs

Lead dev: Features, call them features..

Dev A: --features, we couldn't adapt are a security haz- er, configuration issue.

Lead dev: Okay, noted. Siramanthar?

Dev B: Marketing says the configuration issues will not greatly impede sales. But like all our releases, it leaks memory like a sieve. I've spent the last thirty straight days staring at teh debugger... it's just too arcane. The original code was written under the influence of a beer whose like I have not yet tasted.

Lead dev: About that; I've got a solution from above, but it's not pretty. (developers eye each other uneasily.) We're going to limit the user to running only three programs at a time.

Dev C: Isn't that throwing the baby out with the bathwater?

Dev A: Won't our users laugh at us?

Dev B: I don't even want to think about what slashdot will say about this....

Lead dev: People, this is direct from the central Hive. We have no choice. Besides, it worked for the celeron. Now, Make Your Time. *clap*

Re:What I want to know...

[TibbonZero]

People pirate crap all the time, just look up N'Sync on any filesharing service...

Re:MS, encouraging piracy (nudge nudge wink wink)

[arose]

In a surprising move Apple users around the world have started replacing the native Mac OS X that came with their hardware with pirated versions of Windows XP. Aparently they were inpired by a comment of a certain 'mrchaotica' on the popular technology newspage slashdot.org. In unrelated news Apple support has been flooded with angry phone calls.

reminds me of....

[zogger]

... the concept of the "training bra". A whole lotta something to try and cover a whole lotta nuthin......

In a countermove, the Slashdot starter edition ...

[scruffy]

... uses light colors on a white background to help users stay squinted and confused.

Only one program needed:

[Anonymous Coward]

I'll just install VMWare and install Linux on it.

Woah

[Anonymous Coward]

Hello, I'd like to order a pizza.. extra cheese.. no peppero... hey wait, this isnt a phone. Sorry, I have 5 applications running, I'm so damned confused :(

Emacs...

[Liquid Len]

I mean, 3 apps ? That's two more than really needed if you can have Emacs run on this thing...