Comments on: Microsoft eyes making desktop apps free

Documents show some insiders are questioning whether existing software should be supported by ads, CNET News.com has learned.

[Earl Benser]

MS has enough problems...

... with it software as it is. Trying to introduce ads, and reactive ads
at that, is just asking for headaches.

[Thunder Johny]

asking for headaches

http://www.analogstereo.com/daihatsu_copen_owners_manual.htm

[Captain_Spock]

A better strategy for "Microsoft" would be....

... to release "some" of the source-codes which it apparently has for Widnows' "Half-Brother" - IBM's OS/2 and let the world see how an unrestrained OS/2 would perform in the marketplace. This may in fact bring Microsoft some of the services revenues it will be seeking in the very near future!

[Captain_Spock]

An important issue that will have to be considered...

... will be that of the question of "security"; thus, there will still be considerable overhead costs to users of the free software from Microsoft!

[aabcdefghij987654321]

OS/2

Sheesh, talk about the zombie OS, It's dead, deal with it.

[i_made_this]

i agree with MSFT - they must make desktop...

...apps free. in their drive to web based computing, i'd bet money they know that they must also make for-pay ISP provision a service that comes without advertising and brings with it the full security suite they've been trialling. how to package these concerns may well be what's taking so long on the still-distant release dates for IE7 and the Vista o/s. i found it surprising from the article that they're making as much as $7 per computer on the current o/s.

[BMR777]

Isn't Windows Buggy Enough?

Isn't Windows buggy enough without the thought of making an "Ad Supported" version of it? Also there would be a killer breed of adware that can't be removed without deleting Windows.

Also, It's only a matter of time until someone finds a way to overwrite MS ads with their own, no matter what MS does, there will be someone who finds out how to exploit the built in ads. Even worse, other adware will try and maybe remove the MS Adware, thus rendering Windows inoperable.

This is a great idea, without the ads! Ad-Supported Windows - BS.

What MS Should do is offer a "lifetime" purchase, which basically entitles you to a new version of Windows for life. They should also have "Family Packs" for multiple PCs. I have XP Pro on Three PCs and Home on one. That is ******* EXPENSIVE! I can't wait until a copy of XP can be bought for $50 for a full version.

Brandon Rusnak
http://www.rusnakweb.com

[montgomeryburns]

Hell Yes

Apple sells 'family packs' of its more popular software (OS X
included). I have an OS X family pack that cost only a few dollars
more than the single user license, and I get to install it on FIVE
macs. Why would a household be forced to buy the same piece of
software for every computer it owns?

[ben::zen]

Price is an Obstacle

Yeah, Windows is expensive, but I've found that most software I need to run has a linux port, or replacement. I dual boot Ubuntu/XP MCE, and I spend most time in Linux. Anything that doesn't run, there's WINE for, or Windows, as a last resort.

[R. U. Sirius]

The Empire is Crumbling

This has to be about the worst strategy I have ever heard. The OS that excels in giving shelter to malware, spyware, viri, and all sort of fun little goblins, would make itself even more prone to attack by introducing desktop adware.

Would the public be stupid enough to use this? I suppose some would. But I have my doubts that this would be widely adopted, and would likely begin the first steps towards a crumbling Windows empire.

[Captain_Spock]

Not going to happen!

Should this scenario play out as your are predicting have you taken into consideration what happens to the world's mountains of data that will be locked up it Microsoft's proprietary software format since as it is widely believed that over 90% of the desktop space is under control by this company's products. What needs to be urgently addressed is a move by Microsoft towards the adoption of of the proposed Open Document Format (XML...) and the voluntary release of certain source-codes so as to safe guard against lock-ins in case of catastrophic failures such as the one you have described above. I am quite certain that after "Enron" and other similar scenarios there are certain controls in place.

Revenge of the Ads?

Hmm, does this remind me of Revenge of the Ads or Return of the Ads.
[Note: substitue Sith or Jedi and its almost funny]

[Yuhong2]

No

No, unlike malware, that won't make the OS be prone to attack.

[FutureGuy]

hold your breath..

?for the empire to crumble and you will only turn blue. With over 40 billion in bank it has enough money to continue at its present pace without a penny coming in. With around 20% increase in revenue last quarter that it still has plenty of penniesss flowing in. So hold your though and sorry to break this news to you ;)

[Ikohs]

If MS does something like this

Time to move to Linux full time.

[Jebulon]

Microsoft Windows is good for you!

Put a chip in your brain, and upgrade to Microsoft Beast Edition 666!

--Illuminathan.

[eric_sato]

no MS only Linux

Yes Steven, ful time linux. i totally agree.
Another way is ask the anti-virus software to block all the adware:D

http://mindyou.xffer.com

[Thunder Johny]

Linux full time

http://www.analogstereo.com/vacuum/miele_s5280_medicair_vacuum_cleaner.htm

[technewsjunkie]

Free MS software costs too much!

Not really.
I do think that they should charge for media player and the other
app.s that are bundled, the IE/Browser for another.

WHen people have to PAY for a product and not get it as the
default
then they compare products on the MERITS. This unfair
bundlling/integrating of monopoly software (Windows, Intenet
explorer, Office) stifles innovation, but also makes writing
software easier. This dicotomy has been the problem. But now
Open Source, Free software is changing, restoring things for the
better IMHO.

[SithTracy]

Agree - Open Source has some great products.

OpenOffice.org 2.0 is an excellent office suite... Those who use PGP, should look at GNU Privacy Guard. Google is involved with some cool things that are free (Picasa, Gmail, Google Earth)... okay - those are not open, but they are good and you can't beat the price. I also like what someone said about making OS/2 open... doubt it would happen, but I think it is a great idea. It was a decent OS that got lost in the Microsoft Shuffle. The thing that has been missing for Microsoft for a long time is competition... they swallowed it up and lived the high life for a while and now it's coming back... and they can't buy it, because it is already free. At least they got their new XBOX coming out before their new competition (HA!).

[Thunder Johny]

dicotomy

http://www.analogstereo.com/nakamichi/nakamichi_bx300_service_manual.htm

[PCCRomeo]

Works & Money : Worthless!

The only software that you currently have to pay for you need from Microsoft is Windows and Office (and that's only because it's made a standard by most schools and businesses). Works and Money are 100% worthless!

[code007]

I agree, MS Works worthless!

I agree totally with you. MS works is worthless and should be discontinued from MS suite of products. It causes formatting issues between word and works and is plain confusing. Also MS Money is useless cause Intuit (Quicken) has more of a market when it comes to financial software (including quickbooks).

[Thunder Johny]

100% worthless

http://www.analogstereo.com/citroen_berlingo_owners_manual.htm

[System Tyrant]

Other Operating Systems.

This has absolutly nothing to do with the topic.

I notice that a lot of people have been commenting about OS/2 lately. I went over to IBM and noticed at the end of 2006 they will officially wash their hands of OS/2. I think IBM really did screw up with OS/2. They could have had the best OS around, but like most things IBM does they never put anything behind it.

They aren't the only ones who had something promising to only watch it fade into history. BeOS had lots of promise, but the guy who owned it sold it to Palm and then it just went away. There is a community out their working on a Clone/whatever of BeOS, but Palm owns the code and I don't think they open sourced it.

There has been a lot of software that was really good, but for whatever reason they faded away or became outdated. Maybe IBM could open source some of the OS/2 code, but probably not going to happen.

[Deaide]

Fade Away

{There has been a lot of software that was really good, but for whatever reason they faded away or became outdated.}

They didn't make any money for the people involved and people tend to stop doing things they get no return from.

[Robert Wiseman]

A value proposition for Microsoft

My suggestion to Microsoft is to continue to sell Window OS as shrink wrap product. Put all Application Programs on the web and price them at diffrent level of users experience: from free (more ads interruption) to some fee (less ad) and higher fee (no ad). This business model will protect the current revenue stream while expanding the new market and revenue.

[Thunder Johny]

business model

http://www.analogstereo.com/citroen_saxo_owners_manual.htm

[heystoopid]

Oh well

An interesting to direct users to other alternative unintrusive/invasive operating software systems!

[Thunder Johny]

unintrusive/invasive

http://www.analogstereo.com/citroen_synergie_owners_manual.htm

[shaamjones]

Might be a good idea

I've paid for Money from 2001 to 2004 and finally I stopped upgrading it because Microsoft was upgrading it too often for me to pay for it.

If MS made Money free and got its revenue from ads, I'd be a happy camper.

-Shaam

[Captain_Spock]

Other Strategies that...

Microsoft could adopt would be to outsource parts of its software development to countries such as Brazil and India (making it easier for acquisition and adoption in these countries also) to help bring down the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) to users of its products... this will in turn allow for the people in these underdeveloped countries to afford more American made goods and services that they presently find difficult to obtain and afford. Well, with regards to the questions of ads... don't we all find our eyes glued to the television screen during the half-time -- come Super Bowl! therefore a few occational ads on the computer screen ought not to be a bad idea!

[Thunder Johny]

questions of ads

http://www.analogstereo.com/nissan_350z_owners_manual.htm

Windows is already supported by ads

It's called Spyware.

[Yuhong2]

But...

But the spyware and adware advertising supports other businesses.

[Thunder Johny]

Spyware

http://www.analogstereo.com/acura_legend_owners_manual.htm

[Blito]

Free wouldn't work without opensourcing it

Ok, Ad were and always was the best money making
strategy; it's the most direct but without Open
Sourcing Windows, MS doesn't want to play with
the other children in the sandbox so they don't
get the benefits of other Ad revenue. When you
have such a thin business model (AD strict) set
up it is imperative that you get cooperation from
other companies and organizations like Linux,
Gnome and Konqueror. For instance, a closed
solution not under Shared Source would be very
difficult to interpolate with other software so
Ad revenue would be very limited to MS'
'ecosystem.'

I suggest MS focus on what I call sub-
applications to their prime OS geared toward
their live site so people are inclined, but not
forced, to use their search engine plus tools
like even a desktop tool, like Gnome,
Ad-Supported that can be even used on Linux, BSD,
Solaris ETC.
This would also prove useful in privacy
situations because people would trust MS more by
being able to see the code plus writes would be
more inclined to write code that was very safe
and geared towards people's privacy.

They must break it up to become stronger. This is
where the action is.

[Thunder Johny]

Gnome and Konqueror

http://www.analogstereo.com/jeep_wrangler_tj_owners_manual.htm

[scotthi]

Possible Free Microsoft Software

I do not feel that I would like to see Microsoft start including commercials in their software products. Even though I, along with other users, would like to receive free software, I feel the correct place for commercial ads is on the Internet solely. Users should not be subject to view ads while trying to be productive. I believe that most users would be forced to look at other options should ads be introduced into offline applications.

[Blito]

Like OpenOffice

I think they should take the Sun, Google solution
to where they will show ads for OpenOffice at the
initial download or just get an ad or two in the
support forum.

[Thunder Johny]

commercial ads

http://www.analogstereo.com/buick_skylark_owners_manual.htm

[grnbeagle]

Microsoft needs to work on...

Microsoft started as an O/S software and desktop application company. Google is an internet company where ad campaign makes sense. It seems adding ads in desktop application is going overboard. They should invest more on web development and create cool and different products people can get excited about and serve ads from there. These days Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft are copying one another, and one company who can come up with a really unique product should lead the race. Merely copying other's ajax portal sites is not sufficient. (look at start.com or live.com and netvibes.com) Apple doesn't put ads on their software, but sold tons of ipods. Microsoft needs to work on product development than debating about adding ads in their existing desktop products.

[Thunder Johny]

ajax portal

http://www.analogstereo.com/volvo_940_owners_manual.htm

[jamieb22]

Microsoft is too late, the Linux world has already beaten them to it!!!

Have you guys heard of a service called CosmoPod?? THey've been offering an online KDE desktop for 1 year now. Most recently, they have upgraded their servers. Check it out at www.cosmopod.com.

[Tanjore]

Majority of us don't know about it!!!

The issue I have with open source is simple. How do I find these gems to use them as there are many of them and I don't know where to find.

I am sure someone will post a response message and say 'Here you go!! take the link'.

I hope someone will create a one single website where people can go and download opensource software. I also hope this website gets branding.

[Yuhong2]

But...

Yes it may be too late, but I think it is not too late for this to stop Windows piracy.

[SwamiMan]

Simple Solution

Making an ad supported OS is the worst idea I have ever heard. The solution to selling more shrink wrapped software is simple...lower your prices. Microsoft has been gouging the public with crappy software for way too long. If the govt had split them up for being an illegal monopoly, the separate divisions would have been more competitive, innovative and cost effective for consumers.

[Rolndubbs]

Yeah..

Just like splitting up Ma Bell lowered phone services costs. Oh wait, it didn't.

[Thunder Johny]

illegal monopoly

http://www.analogstereo.com/chrysler_fifth_avenue_owners_manual.htm

[Johnny Mnemonic]

Still too expensive...

The costs are still too high.

[Thunder Johny]

still too high

http://www.analogstereo.com/jeep_owners_manual.htm