RXC: "... the company's decline from desktop dominance."

[link|http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/pulpit20050224.html|Cringely at PBS]:

How can giving away software tools be bad? Look at how Microsoft is doing it. Their anti-virus and anti-spyware products are aimed solely at users of Windows XP SP2. This has very different effects on both the user base and the software industry. For users, it says that anyone still running Windows 98, ME, or 2000 has two alternatives -- to upgrade to XP/SP2 or to rely on non-Microsoft anti-virus and anti-spyware products. Choosing to upgrade is a 100+ million-unit windfall for Microsoft. That's at least $10 billion in additional revenue of which $9 billion is profit -- all of it coming in the next 12 months.

That $10 billion, by the way, comes from you and me, and comes solely because of Microsoft's decision to offer "free" software.

Yup. And it gets worse. But there may be a silver lining.

Oh, and on the Cell:

Here is where I guess I'm updating some of the information from last week's Cell Processor column. I mentioned in passing IBM's Cell workstation only to hear this week from some people who have seen prototypes. Those (9 nanometer [sic. I'm sure he meant 90 nm]) prototypes were running both SUSE Linux and IBM's own AIX and represent IBM's post-Lenovo micro strategy.

First the performance numbers, which I am told are comparable to systems running a pair of Xeon processors, which would cost roughly $3,000 from Dell. IBM's price point, however, is $1,000.

The IBM hardware strategy is to sell a box that contains no Microsoft code at all, and so requires no license payments to Microsoft and possibly no license payments to ANY company, including Intel.

But will there be a mature-enough, easy-enough-to-use, compatible-enough desktop Linux for it soon enough? It'll be great for servers, but it's rare that the hardware and software are available in close timing. It would be great if this was one of those magical times. I hope IBM is paying attention to graphics driver issues. A great way to build hype for the Cell is to have it be a killer game machine independent of its work with Sony on the PS3.

Cheers,
Scott.

Post #196,318 by Another Scott 2/25/05 10:26:14 AM Reply	RXC: "... the company's decline from desktop dominance." [link\|http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/pulpit20050224.html\|Cringely at PBS]: How can giving away software tools be bad? Look at how Microsoft is doing it. Their anti-virus and anti-spyware products are aimed solely at users of Windows XP SP2. This has very different effects on both the user base and the software industry. For users, it says that anyone still running Windows 98, ME, or 2000 has two alternatives -- to upgrade to XP/SP2 or to rely on non-Microsoft anti-virus and anti-spyware products. Choosing to upgrade is a 100+ million-unit windfall for Microsoft. That's at least $10 billion in additional revenue of which $9 billion is profit -- all of it coming in the next 12 months. That $10 billion, by the way, comes from you and me, and comes solely because of Microsoft's decision to offer "free" software. Yup. And it gets worse. But there may be a silver lining. Oh, and on the Cell: Here is where I guess I'm updating some of the information from last week's Cell Processor column. I mentioned in passing IBM's Cell workstation only to hear this week from some people who have seen prototypes. Those (9 nanometer [sic. I'm sure he meant 90 nm]) prototypes were running both SUSE Linux and IBM's own AIX and represent IBM's post-Lenovo micro strategy. First the performance numbers, which I am told are comparable to systems running a pair of Xeon processors, which would cost roughly $3,000 from Dell. IBM's price point, however, is $1,000. The IBM hardware strategy is to sell a box that contains no Microsoft code at all, and so requires no license payments to Microsoft and possibly no license payments to ANY company, including Intel. But will there be a mature-enough, easy-enough-to-use, compatible-enough desktop Linux for it soon enough? It'll be great for servers, but it's rare that the hardware and software are available in close timing. It would be great if this was one of those magical times. I hope IBM is paying attention to graphics driver issues. A great way to build hype for the Cell is to have it be a killer game machine independent of its work with Sony on the PS3. Cheers, Scott.
Post #196,364 by admin 2/25/05 5:15:29 PM Reply	Now, if the prototypes run Mac OS X... Regards, -scott anderson "Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson..."
Post #196,365 by Another Scott 2/25/05 5:28:49 PM Reply	Why then we'd all get berets! Even marlowe!
Post #196,399 by pwhysall 2/26/05 2:26:17 AM Reply	ICLRPD Why then we'd all get berets! Even marlowe! Peter [link\|http://www.ubuntulinux.org\|Ubuntu Linux] [link\|http://www.kuro5hin.org\|There is no K5 Cabal] [link\|http://guildenstern.dyndns.org\|Home] Use P2P for legitimate purposes!

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