Windows 8

[Antome]

All devs have to do is recompile for ARM

That's like saying all devs have to do is recompile for 64 bit, only worse.
Sure, a couple years on, well-supported programs have gone 64-bit, but not that many.
Luckily, x86-64 still runs x86 programs, which meant unsupported programs would still run.
ARM is a different architecture entirely, which in certain scenarios can cause reasonable problems with compiling. Plus, there is no simple fall-back for incompatible programs.

 

[Bush]

All devs have to do is recompile for ARM

That's like saying all devs have to do is recompile for 64 bit, only worse.
Sure, a couple years on, well-supported programs have gone 64-bit, but not that many.
Plus, ARM is a different architecture entirely, which in certain scenarios can cause reasonable problems with compiling.

Ah, ok, nevermind. I knew it was a different architecture but MS made it sound so easy

 

[Antome]

It's not like programs couldn't be ported over, fairly easily in fact, but depending on the compiler, there is more to it than just hitting an "compile to ARM" button.

If it were that easy, steam should automatically be on linux. While they have their own intentions for not doing so already, there are some inconsistencies.

 

[bic]

If it were that easy, steam should automatically be on linux.

There's a big difference between "recompile for the same software stack running on another architecture" and "recompile for a completely different environment with a random mishmash of competing 'standards'". (There's a reason Google and Apple took their respective kernels and rebuilt everything above that in-house for Android and OS X, respectively.)

I'd like to see how much it takes to port .NET software, since (sort of like Java) it uses a runtime environment as a middleman between itself and the native OS.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Language_Runtime

 

[AfroLH]

I'm hoping Microsoft does something to make programmers' jobs easier.

Although it's Microsoft. So probably not. Or it will cost $300.

 

[Noah]

Basically the people complaining about Microsoft not supporting XP after 13 years of free updates are whiny babbys who don't remember a world where XP hadn't been invented yet or are hopelessly entrenched in using the 2 ghz Pentium 4 tower they bought in 2004 and are afraid of change. To put that in perspective that's basically like complaining about how Microsoft doesn't support Windows 98 anymore right now.

The retail version of Windows 8 is probably only going to come out a couple years from now. The first released milestone build of Windows 7 went out in January 2008, then the beta leaked in December, then the release candidate was opened in April 2009, and finally the RTM version came out in July 2009. Depending on how long they take to rework this UI, we'll probably see it on store shelves in 2013 or 2014.

Okay, first off, my XP computer was built by me, and it has x5 the specs you are talking about. I don't mind upgrading to new operating systems. The thing that pisses me off is that you never get any updates on the older ones, and the newer ones cost $150+. Windows 7 loses support in 2015, or at least most of the versions. This could be the year 8 is released, we don't know. If we do see it earlier, that's still only 1-2 years to upgrade. It's like Microsoft us forcing you to spend more money. XP has been out for a long time, and loses support in 2014. Windows 7 is a way better operating system, why not end XP support and force people to buy 7? I'm having trouble understanding this:

Retail: January 30, 2007

Extended support until 11 April 2017.

Vista (to me anyway) is complete flax. It has 10 years of support? Windows 7 had 6, or 10 if you bought Pro or enterprise. Come on Microsoft. Most people have home premium, or bought ultimate when 7 first came out.

 

[Antome]

Windows 8 Is certainly more optimised, even now. I went from below average settings in tf2, to average settings

 

[Noah]

Sweet, I might end up trying this. My graphics card doesn't work with 7, thus the reason for me using XP. Minecraft crashes every time I try to play it. Maybe it will work with windows 8, once there are drivers developed.

 

[Mako321]

What are you doing, running Intel integrated graphics with modded drivers?

 

[Noah]

No, I've got a Nvidia chipset with a Nvidia card.

 

[grossaffe]

It's not like programs couldn't be ported over, fairly easily in fact, but depending on the compiler, there is more to it than just hitting an "compile to ARM" button.

If it were that easy, steam should automatically be on linux. While they have their own intentions for not doing so already, there are some inconsistencies.

The differences between OSes are not the same as the differences in architectures. The problem with compiling for different OSes is that they have different libraries that need to be linked when you've gotten all your object files. With different architectures, the problem is that they have a completely different Instruction Set Architecture thus different assembly/binary coding.

 

[bic]

Okay, first off, my XP computer was built by me, and it has x5 the specs you are talking about. I don't mind upgrading to new operating systems. The thing that pisses me off is that you never get any updates on the older ones, and the newer ones cost $150+.

Sorry, I was mostly referring to my "but my XP works FINE why do I have to upgrade

" users and people in general who still think the Vista stigma applies to 7 because they look similar. (Heck it doesn't really apply to Vista anymore either. Install Service Pack 2, crank UAC down a notch, and you've basically got 7.) It's been bugging me for a year now at work (all the new PCs are licensed for 7 Pro with XP downgrade rights), but at least now the policy changed from "just fix XP" to "nuke and pave then install 7" now that we've got all the critical systems updated to the 21st century.

I'm hoping Microsoft does something to make programmers' jobs easier.

Although it's Microsoft. So probably not. Or it will cost $300.

http://www.microsoft.com/visualstudio

http://www.microsoft.com/express

 

[Noah]

Yeah, if Microsoft wants to keep customers they really shouldn't end support so soon.

 

[AfroLH]

I'm hoping Microsoft does something to make programmers' jobs easier.

Although it's Microsoft. So probably not. Or it will cost $300.

http://www.microsoft.com/visualstudio

http://www.microsoft.com/express[/quote]

I meant to port to ARM.

 

[Zero]

Sorry, but half a decade is plenty time of support for an OS. Technology changes so fast, that by then your rig will be completely obsolete and need an upgrade anyway. Yeah, upgrades should be much cheaper, but I much prefer this model compared to what happened with XP, where we got stuck with an outdated OS.

 

[Noah]

Guess it's a good thing I have a mac, once 7 drops support, no way I'm feeding Microsoft more money.

 

[Zero]

Its a pretty good system, compared to Apple's yearly OSX versions.

 

[Noah]

I don't really care. Microsoft needs to stop being a bunch of chinese asses, and actually think about their customers.

 

[robm]

Has anyone gotten 8 to work in a VM yet?

 

[Mako321]

I don't really care. Microsoft needs to stop being a bunch of chinese asses, and actually think about their customers.

OH MY GOD WINDOWS RELEASES AN OS EVERY 3 YEARS WHY ARE THEY SUCH CHINKS
ON THE OTHER HAND, APPLE MAKES A GREAT YEARLY OSX REVISION HURF DURF DICKS IN MY EARS CAN'T HEAR YOUR COMMON SENSE