[GLLUG] Continuing Life for Old Tech

[Charles Ulrich]

I saw this article yesterday, but I'm not sure what to make of it. I
think what it boils down to is that third-party apps on the mobile
version of Windows 8 will be sandboxed, just like Apple has been doing
for years on the iPhone/iPod/iPad. Mozilla can't even release Firefox
on the iDevices because Apple forbids apps which compete with theirs.
(Although history has shown that they are curiously selective about
enforcing this.)

Charles

On Thu, May 10, 2012 at 10:29 AM,  <frank.dolinar at comcast.net> wrote:
> Regarding Windows 8, and apart from the fact that I think the Metro
> interface is just plain ugly, here's a reason not to switch...  from a post
> this morning on Slashdot:
>
> Microsoft Blocks 3d-Party Browsers In Windows RT, Says Mozilla Counsel
>
> Posted by timothy on Thursday May 10, @08:47AM
> from the embrace-extend-extinguish dept.
> nk497 writes "Mozilla has accused Microsoft of trying to go back to the
> 'digital dark ages' by limiting rival browsers in the ARM version of Windows
> 8. Third-party browsers won't work in the desktop mode, and Metro style
> browsers will be limited in what APIs they can use, said Mozilla general
> counsel Harvey Anderson, forcing users to move to IE instead. Mozilla said
> it was the first step toward a new platform lock-in that 'restricts user
> choice, reduces competition and chills innovation,' and pointed out that
> such browser control was exactly what upset EU and U.S. regulators about IE
> in the first place. Anderson called on Microsoft to 'reject the temptation
> to pursue a closed path,' adding 'the world doesn't need another closed
> proprietary environment.'"
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: "Clay Dowling" <clay at lazarusid.com>
> To: "glluG" <linux-user at egr.msu.edu>
> Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2012 8:57:28 AM
> Subject: [GLLUG] Continuing Life for Old Tech
>
>
> Chic, this article made me think of you:
> http://www.itworld.com/hardware/270936/living-computing-fossils-old-tech-holding-dear-life
>
> Best piece from the whole article: 40% of all personal computers run
> window XP, a ten year old operating system.  I realized after reading it
> that I've got a machine running XP in my basement.  I think that
> Microsoft might have hit a sweet spot with XP: it looks nice and is very
> reliable, so there hasn't been much incentive to upgrade.  Windows 8 is
> likely to change that, because the OS is supposed to be able to scale
> available services to match hardware capabilities, and administration
> will move from the GUI to the CLI on servers.  But for most users, there
> still might not be a lot of reason to switch.
>
> Clay
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