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I think this overlooks one fairly major fact and the reason Microsoft became one of the most valuable companies in the world: businesses have employees. Employe

by dkrich 14y ago

I think this overlooks one fairly major fact and the reason Microsoft became one of the most valuable companies in the world: businesses have employees. Employees use productivity software. Productivity software cannot run on a tablet in any practical sense. Even if it could, most large companies (which are Dell and Microsoft's bread and butter) lag a good 10 years behind technology trends. This is why most employees are running Windows XP or 7 and the same stodgy Office productivity software they've been using for 20 years. It works and is universally accepted. If there is ever a drop in demand large enough that would render the desktop computer market small enough to halt production, I would bet that you will find that you no longer use it for productivity either. I'm a developer too and that is not a niche market. It's easy to think of it as such but the reality is that old-fashioned productivity isn't going anywhere. Tablets have replaced non-consumption and at best complement desktop machines.

Samuel_Michon 14y ago
“Businesses have employees. Employees use productivity software. Productivity software cannot run on a tablet in any practical sense.” Employees stuck in offices use productivity software. There are so many settings in which notebooks and desktops aren't practical, but tablets are. Places where specialized software is required. Tablets deployed in retail, healthcare, defense, airplanes, hospitality, parcel delivery, onsite sales and repair, city councils, classrooms, elderly homes, etc etc. Also, even productivity software works better on tablets in some cases. Nowadays, I use OmniPlan for iPad instead of Microsoft Project and Apple Numbers for iPad instead of the OS X version. I make website mockups on the iPad instead of on the desktop. For what I need to do, it's faster and more convenient.
- WayneDB 14y ago
  That's why employees should get a Microsoft Surface Pro. They get the full-featured operating system that they're used to and they can operate the full OS via touch, pen, keyboard or mouse. I've got one and I love it. No walled garden for me, thanks!
- dkrich 14y ago
  "There are so many settings in which notebooks and desktops aren't practical, but tablets are. Places where specialized software is required. Tablets deployed in retail, healthcare, defense, airplanes, hospitality, parcel delivery, onsite sales and repair, city councils, classrooms, elderly homes, etc etc." This is partially what I meant by "non-consumption." In few if any of those environments are tablets replacing desktops. They're making those jobs easier to do by integrating software where previously it wasn't possible. Perhaps it's replacing a clipboard and pen, but not really a desktop. "Also, even productivity software works better on tablets in some cases. Nowadays, I use OmniPlan for iPad instead of Microsoft Project and Apple Numbers for iPad instead of the OS X version. I make website mockups on the iPad instead of on the desktop. For what I need to do, it's faster and more convenient." This may be true, but I would argue that this is what would be defined as a niche market. People in corporate America using Word and Excel is not. However I do recognize that this might not always be the case. The tablet may come to surpass the desktop in enabling productivity which is why I said that if manufacturers ever halted desktop production, he/she would likely not be using desktops for productivity anymore, either. Chances are what he/she does isn't all that unique compared to the overall market.

by dkrich 14y ago

Samuel_Michon 14y ago

“Businesses have employees. Employees use productivity software. Productivity software cannot run on a tablet in any practical sense.” Employees stuck in offices use productivity software. There are so many settings in which notebooks and desktops aren't practical, but tablets are. Places where specialized software is required. Tablets deployed in retail, healthcare, defense, airplanes, hospitality, parcel delivery, onsite sales and repair, city councils, classrooms, elderly homes, etc etc. Also, even productivity software works better on tablets in some cases. Nowadays, I use OmniPlan for iPad instead of Microsoft Project and Apple Numbers for iPad instead of the OS X version. I make website mockups on the iPad instead of on the desktop. For what I need to do, it's faster and more convenient.

WayneDB 14y ago
That's why employees should get a Microsoft Surface Pro. They get the full-featured operating system that they're used to and they can operate the full OS via touch, pen, keyboard or mouse. I've got one and I love it. No walled garden for me, thanks!
dkrich 14y ago
"There are so many settings in which notebooks and desktops aren't practical, but tablets are. Places where specialized software is required. Tablets deployed in retail, healthcare, defense, airplanes, hospitality, parcel delivery, onsite sales and repair, city councils, classrooms, elderly homes, etc etc." This is partially what I meant by "non-consumption." In few if any of those environments are tablets replacing desktops. They're making those jobs easier to do by integrating software where previously it wasn't possible. Perhaps it's replacing a clipboard and pen, but not really a desktop. "Also, even productivity software works better on tablets in some cases. Nowadays, I use OmniPlan for iPad instead of Microsoft Project and Apple Numbers for iPad instead of the OS X version. I make website mockups on the iPad instead of on the desktop. For what I need to do, it's faster and more convenient." This may be true, but I would argue that this is what would be defined as a niche market. People in corporate America using Word and Excel is not. However I do recognize that this might not always be the case. The tablet may come to surpass the desktop in enabling productivity which is why I said that if manufacturers ever halted desktop production, he/she would likely not be using desktops for productivity anymore, either. Chances are what he/she does isn't all that unique compared to the overall market.