Are Microsoft's days numbered?

The web becomes a platform

http://news.com.com/Microsofts+nightmare+inches+closer+to+reality/2100-1012_3-5877197.html?tag=nefd.lede
from WinCustomize Forums
CNET is reporting that Microsoft may indeed be seeing the beginning of the end of its technology dominance. As an internal Microsoft memo predicted, the web is becoming a platform.  So does this mean that Google will eventually be the one in charge of our underground sugar mines or will Microsoft, for the foreseeable future, continue to be managing them?
17,882 views 44 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
What goes up must come down. Simple philosophy that proves itself true over and over throughout time.
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
That's so true! One day, we will all say remember Microsoft? How do you like your new Google machine? But seriously, that would be detrimental! I could not imagine my life without Windows, maybe that's the whole problem??? Something to ponder...
Siege of Centauri
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Microsoft has an OS market share of over 90%, they're not going anywhere. I can't stand doomsayers.
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The murmurings are starting to get louder and Google are staying very quiet about it all aren't they? I think their public position is still that they are not in competition with Microsoft but you have to smile while reading that.

I don't have a crystal ball or any great inside knowledge but one thing that strengthens my belief that Google will become a threat to Microsoft is the speed at which they develop software that is not only stable and extremely usable but also very well thought out. Gmail was the first web application that really worked as you would expect an application to work. To call it web based email is almost unkind. Or take a look at Googles news, the way it is completely assembled automatically without any human intervention. If you were to ask any typical geek whether that was really possible to do, a completely automated news service that would be a world wide success, I think most would have laughed at you.

Microsoft on the other hand still seem to react so slowly to what their customers want, I can see Google running rings around them if it came down to comparing features and most useful features.

some real competition for Microsoft is long overdue, so perhaps I'm being a little biased here, wanting it to be so.
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Funny... Google OS... ONLINE!!!!

Did you guys visit Start.com???
Very interesting.
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
don't forget about adobe(macromedia).

its already proven that flash is a commandable application development field and it will only get stronger.

will an xml/flash based operating system existing compeltely online and using remote documents and applications soon be seen?

actually it already has.. www.ego7.net

just imagine.. your desktop computer is simply a terminal feeding directly into the internet via high speed connection. your news, all of your interactive content, streams directly to your desktop without different applications to assit them. your media exists remotely. you're working on a spreadsheet with a guy in china. you're playing a game streamed directly from easports.com. your televsiion is delivered to your desktop thrugh the internet. all natively.

its lookin' real groovy
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Microsoft will be around for a good while.

Companies will never use an "online OS" environment because
of the major security issues and I myself can't see me
using it either.

Even though Microsoft has been doing things wrong in the past
when it comes to userfriendlyness of their OS and applications,
I feel, from what they have shown of their coming Office and Vista
products, that they may finally be starting to do things right.

If they can make their products userfriendly without getting in the way
of "power-users", they are about to experience a new golden age
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Even though Microsoft has been doing things wrong in the past
when it comes to userfriendlyness of their OS and applications,
I feel, from what they have shown of their coming Office and Vista
products, that they may finally be starting to do things right.


This illustrates my point exactly, it's taken them years to start to get close to bringing an OS to market that actually looks like it might feel modern, but it still isn't here and a tiny (in comparison) company like Apple has stormed ahead with their OS, bringing in features now that not even Vista will have in a years time.
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
One could only hope this is the begining of the end.
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top

They will probably be around in one form or another until Windows comes to an end.

Who will be the big bad wolf everyone complains about next?

Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Anything that creates competition is good for all of us in any industry....I can't see Apple being that really because they've been around too long & still cater to a small esoteric group, company, or agency. You aren't going to get massive changeovers with the prices they charge & very little upgrade/mod capabilities! Microsoft needs stiff competitors that can challenge them from the ground up in every aspect of computing.
Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Oh well this is funny. Actually Microsoft has a lot of competitors, that have much more delight solutions in their portfolio.
But the truth is: it's about suppressing competition. This is the only thing Microsoft is _really_ good in.

There's the speaking "The higher they climb, the harder they fall." Some day in the future people will remember Microsoft, but they wont be able to tell you anything initiated by Microsoft. They'll only know that there was this corporation but there will be hardly anyone who will know how they actually made their money.
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Companies will never use an "online OS" environment because
of the major security issues and I myself can't see me
using it either.

Well that is now.... but never say never.
Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
You folks are dreaming if you think MS is ever going away. They may do what other large companies have done in time, change their name, but they will be around as long as we use computers and no little upstart like Apple is going to change that. As for Google taking over market dominance while "not" being in competition with MS, HAH! Fat chance.

Rodger

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Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
thomassen: "Well that is now.... but never say never."

Hehehe, true true.

Though I can't see it happen unless there are new laws
ordering people to log on through BigBrotherOS
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Of course their days are numbered.

However, that number is awfully big!
Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Though I can't see it happen unless there are new laws
ordering people to log on through BigBrotherOS


I have no idea about the logistics of this but I could see a situation where I'd want to use an OS that was online rather than local. Processing power could attract me. When we surf dynamic sites like Wincusto it is the remote server that is doing all the processing and all the local machine has to do is display the results. If you could provide me with much greater processing power for processor intensive tasks then I'd be all over an online OS.
Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top
You guys should rememebr that the Internet 2.0 will be out in 10+ years and security problems might not be as crazy as the original internet is.

Security issues will always be a problem, but keep in ming there is a such thing as the intranet. Why does the company be totally on-line with their OS? They can be a online OS on their own system.


Not to sound like a commercial, but every system has its down side. Having your OS on the internet, intranet, darknet or extranet could be no more dangerous than having a computer connected to the internet, intranet, darknet or extranet.

I'll admit though that now instead of taking 2 steps, you now only need to take one to get to their OS... but with most data shared through some sort of LAN, WAN or whatever, you can get at it anyway.


Besides, this is where its going anyway. Just ask Microsoft in the batter against Netscape. The internet will be the next OS.
Reply #20 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Oh and don't get me wrong... there will still be desktop computers and laptops. Client side vs server side will still be the argument, but online OS doesn't mean all the processing is on the server side. It can just send the info and your computer sorts it out and put is into a GUI form; Does calulations and send it back.

Plus, what about all those games, your secret stash of naked girls, and stuff that you just want at home and no where else for safe keeping?

Heck... I'm working on a project and I do't want anybody else to see, I got it on my compter... it might not even be connected to the internet!
Reply #21 from WinCustomize Forums Top
How will an Internet Operating System deal with all the local hardware communications for all the users on the planet?
Reply #22 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The program cannot be displayed
The program you are trying to run is currently unavailable. The program might be experiencing technical difficulties, or you may need to adjust your online windows settings.

Please try the following:

Click the Refresh application button, or try again later.


See if your Internet connection settings are being detected. You can set Microsoft Windows to examine all your private stuff and automatically discover things it can use against you (if your network administrator has enabled this setting).

Some applications require 128-bit connection security and a valid credit card. Click the Help menu and then click About renting online applications to determine what strength security you have installed and whether you can afford it.

If you are trying to reach your porn folder, make sure your Security settings can support it. Click the Tools menu, and then click online hidden folder Options. On the Advanced tab, scroll to the Security section and check settings for kinky SSL 4.0

Click the Back button to try another program.

Reply #23 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Microsoft's going to be around for a long time still, but Google is eventually going to sneak up behind Microsoft and deliver a blow that draws blood at the very least.
Reply #24 from WinCustomize Forums Top
~
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View


~
Reply #25 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Remember VHS VS Beta?


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