Vista and media
April 28th, 2007I can finally play media, like a DVD or an .AVI file, in Vista. Not using Windows Media Player (that moans about the need to buy a decoder when I want to play a DVD!), but using vlc. Even vlc did not work at first, but that just needs a setting and it works. A bit of googling found the solution here [link].
While Ubuntu makes it easier and easier to play media types, Windows makes it increasingly difficult. Maybe that is what the “media center” is all about (I had wondered) - just a few codecs. Vista business does not have the Media Centre. You have to upgrade to Ultimate.
So by going against the trend, is MS shooting itself in the foot? I am not so sure. Predictions here that Vista will be MS’s undoing seem premature, what with a 65% rise in profit due to Vista.
April 29th, 2007 at 7:54 am
> Predictions here that Vista will be MS’s undoing seem premature,
> what with a 65% rise in profit due to Vista.
Nobody here claims that Microsoft will be undone anytime soon. But there are lots of reasons to take those figures with a grain of salt.
First off, 1Q2006 was weak, and this bias is reflected in the the quarter-to-quarter comparison. Look at the MS earnings report, all the way down at the bottom, for the nine-month comparisons. Revenue and operating profit for Windows (”client products”), compared over a nine-month period, were only up 13-15%. That is solid, I guess, but hardly a “Wow!”, especially if you’re introducing a new product that has been seven years in the making.
Secondly, MS has changed its accounting method for Vista revenue compared to XP, carrying more revenue forward. This should probably shave a couple more percentage points off that 13-15% rise.
Third, increased income for Vista may reflect Microsoft’s power to extract (extort?) more revenue from the channel, without actually creating more value for the end customer. OEMS and chip builders are clamoring that the usual positive effect from a new OS on systems and aftermarket sales is MIA.
Over the years, Microsoft tactic has been to grow the pie for OEMs and tech partners and then to claim an ever bigger piece of it. It’s still unclear what will happen if MS can no longer grow the pie. There are already signs that MS may have to discount heavily Vista to make it a “success” - and not just in China.
IMHO, it will take a year or so before we can expect to see some useable data on Vista’s economic performance seep through in Microsoft’s investor reports.
All said, I can’t blame Microsoft for trying to put a brave face on Vista’s problematic launch, but I can blame you for believing their spin — or at least, for pretending to believe it…
April 29th, 2007 at 10:16 am
MS will stop licensing Windows XP to OEMs and terminate retail sales of the operating system Jan. 31, 2008. That should boost sales of Vista a tad.
What the PC industry lacks is a killer 64 bit mainstream application. With that people would have a real reason to migrate over. The gaming market will be first with these kind of applications
Here is an article about the Crapware as per your recent experience in purchasing the Lenovo
http://tinyurl.com/3264p4
April 29th, 2007 at 12:43 pm
Peter: I agree it sounds like Vista is not the success it is made out to be. Dell etc offer the choice, XP or Vista. Who would want an OS that will not play media? That used to be the Linux drawback - now it is Windows. It is preposterous that my PC (Windows Business) will not, out of the box, play a DVD without me having to add a purchased Codec to Windows Media Player.
Fastman: yes, noted. And that crapware (grandeurware and commerceware, terms ™ me) is one of the things leading to Windows’ troubles. I see a lot of discussion now about that. And amazingly,we let MS get away with making this into a moneyspinner.
So what shall I do with Nancy’s PC (my wife)? Ubuntu? The halts due to Genuine Advantage Warnings are getting out of hand, and with Nancy doing Office, browsing and email I see no reason not to. And the new Ubuntu is cool. And free ($). And free (no grandeurware, no “call home”s)…