4 ms·

Three words: embrace, extend, extinguish. Microsoft will push for better interoperability between the two OSes, however MS will notably utilize proprietary fea

by ihsw 13y ago

Three words: embrace, extend, extinguish. Microsoft will push for better interoperability between the two OSes, however MS will notably utilize proprietary features (disk access protocols or some-such) and encourage handset manufacturers to utilize and rely on these proprietary interfaces. What's the problem with this? More features are better, right? Wrong. When it comes to Microsoft, they will happily and quickly change proprietary communications protocols and file formats so that competitors -- AHEM, partners -- cannot keep up with these changes. At some point in the future, MS will ignore requests for technical specifications on the changes made and the partner's features will languish into obsolescence. Features built on top of this integration between the two OSes will be half-baked and second-rate compared to the native Windows Phone experience, and they will be frequently incomplete or unstable. MS will be using this opportunity to influence the direction of Android (and its derivatives), and they will be pushing it directly into the ground. Integration between the two OSes will break and Android will be left out in the cold.

benologist 13y ago
Eighteen words: better or worse than Google using their deep pockets to make free alternatives until there aren't alternatives? Microsoft can't stop the success of other platforms as we've seen repeatedly in the 8000 years since that catchphrase hit the intertube forum messages. Interoperability will happen eventually regardless of whether MS initiates it or the EU demands it, because one day someone's going to be pissed off they're expected to "re-buy" half their apps and forget everything else just because they bought a new phone.
- nemothekid 13y ago
  Judging by Google's tracking record, worse, much much worse. Google Chrome vs. Microsoft's IE6, Android vs WinMo 6/6.5, Gmail vs. 2004-2009 Hotmail. I'd rather put up with Google's decent-but-free alternatives than Microsoft's we-are-the-leader-so-we-will-stagnate-until-the-EU-demands-it-which-could-be-6-years-maybe-more.
Mikeb85 13y ago
This cannot be stressed more. Microsoft's business practices have not changed, nor has their mission, this is just another ploy to lock consumers into their ecosystem....
- pedalpete 13y ago
  Wouldn't you say that all the competitors are following in Microsoft's footsteps? It isn't like Apple and Google are not also trying to lock you into their platforms.
  - ekianjo 13y ago
    Apple, yes. Google... not that much, for now at least. You can still decide not to use their appstore or their applications at all when you run Android.
  - psbp 13y ago
    Eh, Apple and Google have a pretty good thing going right now. I'm not sure if we need microsoft to come in and potentially rain on everyone's parade. I know "competition is good", but microsoft isn't very good at competition.
  - Mikeb85 13y ago
    Apple definitely is. They used the same strategy by switching to x86 and making it easy to run Windows on a Mac. Google is a bit different, since they have a distributed platform that you can use on literally, any OS. They definitely want people on their platform, but so far they haven't taken any steps to 'lock' people in (I mean, they renewed their contract with Mozilla, they open-sourced Chromium/Chromium OS, Android, etc...). I suspect most people are in Google's ecosystem simply because it's better. And until Google say, makes Chrome and Google services run only on Chromebooks and Motorola phones, I'd say they haven't behaved the same as Apple and Microsoft.
    - pedalpete 13y ago
      I find this interesting, does platform lock-in have to mean that you've bought a technical platform (OS)? Google locks you in by having your data on their services. The new 'lock-in' is cloud storage and cloud based apps. I think the big money isn't from directly locking in consumers, but rather locking in enterprise. That's where Microsoft also made a ton of its money.

by ihsw 13y ago

benologist 13y ago

Eighteen words: better or worse than Google using their deep pockets to make free alternatives until there aren't alternatives? Microsoft can't stop the success of other platforms as we've seen repeatedly in the 8000 years since that catchphrase hit the intertube forum messages. Interoperability will happen eventually regardless of whether MS initiates it or the EU demands it, because one day someone's going to be pissed off they're expected to "re-buy" half their apps and forget everything else just because they bought a new phone.

nemothekid 13y ago
Judging by Google's tracking record, worse, much much worse. Google Chrome vs. Microsoft's IE6, Android vs WinMo 6/6.5, Gmail vs. 2004-2009 Hotmail. I'd rather put up with Google's decent-but-free alternatives than Microsoft's we-are-the-leader-so-we-will-stagnate-until-the-EU-demands-it-which-could-be-6-years-maybe-more.

Mikeb85 13y ago

This cannot be stressed more. Microsoft's business practices have not changed, nor has their mission, this is just another ploy to lock consumers into their ecosystem....

pedalpete 13y ago
Wouldn't you say that all the competitors are following in Microsoft's footsteps? It isn't like Apple and Google are not also trying to lock you into their platforms.
- ekianjo 13y ago
  Apple, yes. Google... not that much, for now at least. You can still decide not to use their appstore or their applications at all when you run Android.
- psbp 13y ago
  Eh, Apple and Google have a pretty good thing going right now. I'm not sure if we need microsoft to come in and potentially rain on everyone's parade. I know "competition is good", but microsoft isn't very good at competition.
- Mikeb85 13y ago
  Apple definitely is. They used the same strategy by switching to x86 and making it easy to run Windows on a Mac. Google is a bit different, since they have a distributed platform that you can use on literally, any OS. They definitely want people on their platform, but so far they haven't taken any steps to 'lock' people in (I mean, they renewed their contract with Mozilla, they open-sourced Chromium/Chromium OS, Android, etc...). I suspect most people are in Google's ecosystem simply because it's better. And until Google say, makes Chrome and Google services run only on Chromebooks and Motorola phones, I'd say they haven't behaved the same as Apple and Microsoft.
  - pedalpete 13y ago
    I find this interesting, does platform lock-in have to mean that you've bought a technical platform (OS)? Google locks you in by having your data on their services. The new 'lock-in' is cloud storage and cloud based apps. I think the big money isn't from directly locking in consumers, but rather locking in enterprise. That's where Microsoft also made a ton of its money.