Comments on: Gartner: 'Steer away' from cheap Windows XP

That's the research firm's verdict on Microsoft's stripped-down Starter Edition for developing countries.

[David Arbogast]

Consistent with Statements

Microsoft SAID that removing features would cripple the OS. Imagine the bad press they'd get if a court remedy had forced them to severely cripple the version distributed in the US.

You pay less, you get less.

OK, so I paid even less for Mandrake Linux...

...so why is it that I got *much* more for my
money?

[simcity1976]

3 apps Geez

even for new users that (dumbs founds me) I bet most of those new users will switch to linux after a few months of that.

No they won't

I wish you people would stop trying to convince people that Linux is viable for consumers. It isn't. What will happen with this is people will just steal the full version of Windows XP. Like with the music industry they are bringing it on themselves. In this case they are begging for it.

Robert

Is MS racist or just thinks everyone is incompetent!?

I was reading through the article when I came upon the close where a MS rep basically said that the reduction in fetures and number of active programs "helps them stay organized and reduces confusion."

I'm sorry, but I am greatly offended by this comment by the MS rep. Is the implication of this statement that Asians are mentally inferior and thus requires a dumbed down operating system!?

Does this reflect MS's official corporate viewpoint?

I will definitely be sure to let my Asian friends know what MS thinks of their business with such an offensive statement and what amounts to a slap in the face product for the Asian market.

[Orion Blastar]

XP Crippled edition

I would rather have MS provide just the Core of XP without the add-on software like Media Player, and others, than provide this rip-off.

Cutting out LAN access means that schools cannot use it to share files on a server. Hence MS will lose sales of Windows 2003 Server and other server applications. Plus home users trying to use Wireless LANS will be upset that they are cut out of doing so. I suppose Network printer sharing is disabled as well?

Three applications at once limit? Please, how are they going to run MS-Office and keep Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook all open at once to get tasks done? Using OLE between them to combine data, means they will be seriously limited. It also means trying to do development in a school using Visual BASIC is next to impossible as VB needs other applications open to do DDE, COM+, and other features.

In my opinion, all Microsoft is making is drink coasters and not XP Starter Edition CDs. If they tried to pull this sort of thing in the US, they would have a serious backlash against them.

[phoobar]

just can't do anything right

yeah that all makes a lot of sense doesn't it to sell them something they don't want and/or will wind up hating but hey that's what microsoft does best.