4 ms·

The problem is the limited api for windows universal apps. This is a nice price point but I doubt its going to be as capable as the ipad 2018 or chromebooks on

The problem is the limited api for windows universal apps. This is a nice price point but I doubt its going to be as capable as the ipad 2018 or chromebooks on low end hardware because windows desktop apps struggle with less than a core i5 behind them.

nailer 8y ago
Can you upgrade Windows S to a regular Windows? I want to see if this can run vscode and powershell.
- SifJar 8y ago
  Windows S is now just a "mode", can easily switch to Windows 10 Home instead
  - i_don_t_know 8y ago
    Can you switch to Windows 10 Professional? (Paid upgrade would be fine.)
    - wklauss 8y ago
      You can. And if I recall correctly it's free for the first year.
      - hsivonen 8y ago
        Ars Technica say $50, but it could mean a preinstall. https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018/07/cheap-surface-go-now-official-399-10-inches-pentium-processor/ https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018/07/cheap-surface-go-now...
kingosticks 8y ago
Since Microsoft are more into Linux these days, might we see a consumer device running something other than Windows, or is that still too wacky? I'd be interested in this if it had vaguely decent support for Ubuntu (or whatever), up to the same standard as Dell's project Sputnik effort. If they truly have shifted their focus to Office/Cloud stuff then surely this starts to become more likely. Or just my wishful thinking.
- dvfjsdhgfv 8y ago
  You're kidding, right? Professing love for Open Source by releasing a code editor or buying GitHub is one thing, profit margins are another. Why would they voluntarily help in increasing desktop Linux market share? It's literally in the worst interests of the company.
  - jonhendry18 8y ago
    "Why would they voluntarily help in increasing desktop Linux market share?" In hopes of attracting developers to Azure rather than AWS
  - kingosticks 8y ago
    No. The worst interests of MS today would be to build products around competing cloud platforms.
- ekianjo 8y ago
  > Since Microsoft are more into Linux these days, You have bought way too much into the Microsoft PR. Microsoft does not love Linux, they just use it as a cash cow when it's convenient for them (in the server space, for Azure services) but that's the extent of it. Don't expect to see any real Microsoft offering like Office on any Linux distro.
  - kingosticks 8y ago
    No... and I never said they 'love Linux' either! I just know they use it more for enterprise than they previously did and I know they are no longer focused on Windows as they once were. A decent MS Office experience on Linux would be nice for some maybe, but personally I have no interest in that. I am assuming you can use Office 365 in any web browser (i.e Chrome/Firefox on Linux) but I confess I have never tried.
    - kingosticks 8y ago
      And I've just found out you can get a version of Office for chrome OS. So Yeh, they are way ahead of you.
candiodari 8y ago
Thankfully you're not limited to windows universal apps on this thing (you can choose to be so limited for security reasons though). This means ridiculously good gaming on the go, absurdly large software library (runs most software from windows 3.0 onwards) ... I'll be getting one.
wklauss 8y ago
> I doubt its going to be as capable as the ipad 2018 or chromebooks on low end hardware. Forget 2018. This processor is roughly equal to the A8x (think iPads from 2016) and I doubt it will handle normal Windows 10 well on the 4 GB / 64 GB configuration.
pjmlp 8y ago
UWP API space is still more feature rich for desktop applications than iPad or ChromeOS. Besides that have been improving UWP in every Windows release and are incrementally merging both worlds, as shown at a few BUILD 2018 sessions. Next Windows 10 Office will be store only, also demoed at BUILD 2018.
ZuLuuuuuu 8y ago
UWP APIs are pretty capable and rich with features. If you are talking about the app selection in the store, that is another thing. And Windows 10 works pretty well on lower spec machines as well, it was designed to work efficiently even on mobile devices.
WorldMaker 8y ago
UWP apps are not as limited as people seem to think they are. They require a different programming model, but are capable of just about everything you'd want to do with a non-UWP app. Fluent Design is even pushing out a lot of "Enterprise" controls lately to bridge the gap in making sure that apps that want things like Fluent ribbons, traditional menu bars (why?) and dense scrolling datagrids (ugh, sigh, we will never be rid of the business pox of spreadsheets) have official options now (and at least some ability to fit in beside other Fluent Design controls). Beyond that, traditional Win32 applications are allowed in the Store now (have been for some time), so S Mode isn't even limited to UWP anymore. Applications like iTunes are already in the Store, with better, more reliable install/update/uninstall now.

nailer 8y ago

Can you upgrade Windows S to a regular Windows? I want to see if this can run vscode and powershell.

SifJar 8y ago
Windows S is now just a "mode", can easily switch to Windows 10 Home instead
- i_don_t_know 8y ago
  Can you switch to Windows 10 Professional? (Paid upgrade would be fine.)
  - wklauss 8y ago
    You can. And if I recall correctly it's free for the first year.
    - hsivonen 8y ago
      Ars Technica say $50, but it could mean a preinstall. https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018/07/cheap-surface-go-now-official-399-10-inches-pentium-processor/ https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018/07/cheap-surface-go-now...

kingosticks 8y ago

Since Microsoft are more into Linux these days, might we see a consumer device running something other than Windows, or is that still too wacky? I'd be interested in this if it had vaguely decent support for Ubuntu (or whatever), up to the same standard as Dell's project Sputnik effort. If they truly have shifted their focus to Office/Cloud stuff then surely this starts to become more likely. Or just my wishful thinking.

dvfjsdhgfv 8y ago
You're kidding, right? Professing love for Open Source by releasing a code editor or buying GitHub is one thing, profit margins are another. Why would they voluntarily help in increasing desktop Linux market share? It's literally in the worst interests of the company.
- jonhendry18 8y ago
  "Why would they voluntarily help in increasing desktop Linux market share?" In hopes of attracting developers to Azure rather than AWS
- kingosticks 8y ago
  No. The worst interests of MS today would be to build products around competing cloud platforms.
ekianjo 8y ago
> Since Microsoft are more into Linux these days, You have bought way too much into the Microsoft PR. Microsoft does not love Linux, they just use it as a cash cow when it's convenient for them (in the server space, for Azure services) but that's the extent of it. Don't expect to see any real Microsoft offering like Office on any Linux distro.
- kingosticks 8y ago
  No... and I never said they 'love Linux' either! I just know they use it more for enterprise than they previously did and I know they are no longer focused on Windows as they once were. A decent MS Office experience on Linux would be nice for some maybe, but personally I have no interest in that. I am assuming you can use Office 365 in any web browser (i.e Chrome/Firefox on Linux) but I confess I have never tried.
  - kingosticks 8y ago
    And I've just found out you can get a version of Office for chrome OS. So Yeh, they are way ahead of you.

candiodari 8y ago

Thankfully you're not limited to windows universal apps on this thing (you can choose to be so limited for security reasons though). This means ridiculously good gaming on the go, absurdly large software library (runs most software from windows 3.0 onwards) ... I'll be getting one.

wklauss 8y ago

> I doubt its going to be as capable as the ipad 2018 or chromebooks on low end hardware. Forget 2018. This processor is roughly equal to the A8x (think iPads from 2016) and I doubt it will handle normal Windows 10 well on the 4 GB / 64 GB configuration.

pjmlp 8y ago

UWP API space is still more feature rich for desktop applications than iPad or ChromeOS. Besides that have been improving UWP in every Windows release and are incrementally merging both worlds, as shown at a few BUILD 2018 sessions. Next Windows 10 Office will be store only, also demoed at BUILD 2018.

ZuLuuuuuu 8y ago

UWP APIs are pretty capable and rich with features. If you are talking about the app selection in the store, that is another thing. And Windows 10 works pretty well on lower spec machines as well, it was designed to work efficiently even on mobile devices.

WorldMaker 8y ago

UWP apps are not as limited as people seem to think they are. They require a different programming model, but are capable of just about everything you'd want to do with a non-UWP app. Fluent Design is even pushing out a lot of "Enterprise" controls lately to bridge the gap in making sure that apps that want things like Fluent ribbons, traditional menu bars (why?) and dense scrolling datagrids (ugh, sigh, we will never be rid of the business pox of spreadsheets) have official options now (and at least some ability to fit in beside other Fluent Design controls). Beyond that, traditional Win32 applications are allowed in the Store now (have been for some time), so S Mode isn't even limited to UWP anymore. Applications like iTunes are already in the Store, with better, more reliable install/update/uninstall now.