Slashdot Mirror
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.'"
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
...is what Microsoft is trying to do with this release. It's obvious it won't help at all to stem the flow of pirate copies of the full version of XP, it certainly won't sell to businesses, and it'd be suicide for any hardware manufacturer to use it as their pre-loaded OS.
"..this limitation 'helps [users] stay organized and reduces confusion.'"
This new user base may be overseas, but they aren't retarded.
Microsoft went on to proclaim the security benefits of this latest release: "Only three instances of worms, spyware, and trojans can run at once!"
According to Microsoft, this limitation 'helps [users] stay organized and reduces confusion.'"
Because the poor, simple peoples of Asia can't handle the complexities of the full versions of Windows XP? I, for one, am offended.
According to Microsoft, this limitation `helps [users] stay organized and reduces confusion.'
Microsoft's new product: MS-DOS Reloaded?
Banu
Isn't this in their mission statement or something?
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!
Try Ubuntu GNU/Linux, it's great!!!
Are they worried about them being re-exported? If so, they should not cripple the functionality, but cripple the languages. Make it so that all the menus text boxes etc. are only in one language(that cannot be changed). I doubt people in the US want Thai menus etc. They should still be allowed to type in other languages though.
In the next version of slashcode, only three comments will be allowed for each post in order to reduce confusion among moderators.
Maybe it's targeted at those people still hanging on to WinME, which was lucky to run ONE app at a time...
- init
- getty (one instance)
- 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 funkyBut 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.
Carousel is a lie!
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]".
According to Microsoft, this limitation 'helps [users] stay organized and reduces confusion.'"
OK, so Windows XP Home is confusing to use then?
Can we expect this new clever feature in Longhorn?
*sigh*
Don't they even think before talking?
Beware: In C++, your friends can see your privates!
Why not limit it to only running 1 application at any time... that way users won't get confused at all
-- The universe began. Life started on a billion worlds...
-- Except on one where stupidity was there first.
so let's see...
1. Gator
2. Casino.net
3. Cydoor
hey! that doesn't even leave me room to run Bonzi Buddy!
ôó
Clearly, the three application to a session limitation and lack of networking were not features designed to make the OS simpler. They are limitations put in to intentionally criple functionality as that when a user sees a "starter edition" error message, they can also be presented with "That functionality is in the Home version. Please step up by paying..."
Three is clearly an arbitrarly chosen number based on research and testing... the marketing people were then given the number to work with and then spin it.
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*
"A witty saying proves nothing." ~Voltaire
"d'Oh!" ~Homer
Good, there's nothing to spy on.
Actually, I'm pretty sure it'd be three visible apps, not processes (malware would tend to run as a background process or service if it's smart); Windows NT and up (2K, XP) with no apps running has over two dozen processes active; just press Ctrl-Shift-Esc and count. "spoolsv", "svchost" a few times, "lsass", "services", "winlogon", "mdm", the necessary "explorer" and "System", etc.
Starter Edition sounds like a great example of legal price discrimination and turning a blind eye to piracy. Starter edition isn't exactly price discrimination. Price discrimination is when I charge a rich person $20 for a hamburger and a poor person $2 for the same hamburger, even though the hamburger cost me $1 to make. Why? Because I want all the money I can get from each person who can afford to pay. This is illegal. Starter Edition is not the same as Home or Professional, so it's not price discrimination, but the principal seems to be the same. Here's where the piracy comes in. Many people in California drive over the 65 speed limit on the freeway. In fact, you'll probably get honked at if you don't. You can even drive next to a cop at 75 with no problem. It's the unwritten law and what is expected. Publicly, Microsoft hates piracy, but to an extent, I believe they silently condone it. Here's why, and I'll use Adobe as an example. Some high school is playing with a pirated version of Adobe Photoshop at home. He can't afford Photoshop and none of his work is for profit or being sold. Adobe loses no money by his use of their product. Now, let's say he gets really good at Photoshop and some day goes pro. Either he, or his company, is going to buy Photoshop for him to use because 1) now he (or the company) has the money to make the purchase, and 2) it's the product that he knows. If he couldn't have pirated Photoshop back when he was a kid, he probably would have ended up using someone elses product and getting good at that. So, this type or piracy, though still illegal, is beneficial to Adobe. The real pirates they're trying to stop are the ones selling mass copies of their product. So this brings me to two, not necessarily exclusive, conclusions on Starter Edition. One) Starter Edition is a legal method similar to price discrimination to get any money possible from the Thais. Two) Starter Edition is a way to milk money from the piracy issue. People may buy this cheap OS instead of using Linux or pirating (because it's affordable). Then, having gained experience on the OS (similar to the high school kid with Photoshop) they will be more compelled to shell out for the full version than to switch to something they aren't accustomed to such as Linux. I feel the three application limit is not for simplicity, but to encourage an upgrade once the user gets used to Windows. An insightful poster earlier pointed out something good I hadn't considered that is relevant to piracy: This may simply be a Microsoft "tax" assuming that new computers come preloaded with Starter Edition. Even though the user is expected to install a pirated version of Windows anyway, they still payed a small increase for the system to be preloaded with Starter Edition.
I find this offer as inacceptable as the rest of the Slshdot crowd, but wouldn't it be possible that Microsoft knows it's market? I bet they made extensive research in Asia and it turned out that most people will be satisfied with an operating system as crippled as this. I am not really sure if I wouldn't try it if I was really short on money but wanted to run my favourite games or office app.
Maybe Linux might be 10 times more powerful but some people just like to use Word and IE? Maybe not everyone needs network because there is no broadband or LAN-Party around?
I know it sounds totally insane to us but maybe not so much to your mother or a thai. And don't forget that dealing with free operatingsystems still takes some time for a newbie, WinXP is commonly known...
This isn't a problem for MS. Their real intent is to prevent users from getting PCs with Linux installed by default. Users that get Linux installed by default might just realize that it's better than (or at least as good as) Windows and keep it.
On the other hand, users who've never seen anything else will be more likely to just replace the hobbled version with a pirated version of Wintendos and, thus, keep the MS monopoly healthy.
If a reasonably large minority of Taiwanese people/organizations were to start using Linux on a regular basis, this might start "The Domino Effect" (as per cold war thinking).
Free Software: Like love, it grows best when given away.