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[W4KYR]

'Microsoft's most boneheaded product is about to be killed off'

And we thought it was just Windows 8 that was unpopular.....Now comes word that Microsoft is dumping Windows RT after a $900 Million write off last year (according to the article). People would complain that Linux could not run everything, well according to the article neither could Windows RT!

http://money.cnn.com/2014/07/23/technology/enterprise/microsoft-windows-rt/

"The biggest failure of Windows RT was that it took away the single best part of Windows -- the fact that it can run just about every app ever created. "

"Instead, Windows RT can only run apps built for the Windows Store. You know those strange-looking tile apps in Windows 8? Yup, those are the ones."

 "Still, you can't run iTunes. There's no Chrome or Firefox browser. You likely can't run your company's custom-built software. Pretty much anything that requires a desktop is a no-go.

OK, so that sounds kind of like an iPad or a Chromebook laptop, right? Sure it does -- so why not just buy an iPad for the same price? Or save $150 and buy a Chromebook? That's what most consumers were thinking anyway. "

[K5TED]

RT Surface was designed for doing email, playing videos and music, and using lite versions of Office apps, all of which it did well. RDP is particularly good, and VPN. Savvy users know where that goes...

It has adapters for driving projectors and big monitors, VGA or HDMI, and a decent wireless card.

It was quickly eclipsed, but served the purpose of getting the form factor out there.

Posted from my Surface Pro 3.

[W8JX]

RT Surface was designed for doing email, playing videos and music, and using lite versions of Office apps, all of which it did well. RDP is particularly good, and VPN. Savvy users know where that goes...

It has adapters for driving projectors and big monitors, VGA or HDMI, and a decent wireless card.

It was quickly eclipsed, but served the purpose of getting the form factor out there.

Posted from my Surface Pro 3.

I have a RT tablet and love it. Runs cleaner than regular windows. They will not abandon current version or updates for it and actually this is not new news. They have been talking about merging RT and Windows phone fo about a year now as MS actually has 3 versions of 8 and they are moving to two.

I will have to read up on this and if so get another RT tablet while I can.

[K1CJS]

In all actuality, in a manner of speaking, the company (Microsoft) that designed the ultimate dress maker's dummy (Windows) has tried in recent years to make that dummy into something that isn't at all wanted by the public.  Then they tried to make the dresses fit the dummy--something that is simply not done.

At least now, some saner heads at Microsoft have realized that and are now going back to the basic dummy--with subtle changes and removable dummy parts--that made them money for years.  Windows 8 will be relegated to the "lessons learned" part of Microsoft history, just as Windows Vista was.

No matter what the resident shills and kool aid servers here say, Windows 8 was and is a colossal blunder, even worse than Windows Vista.  You just can't force an unpopular product on the public, no matter if you're the only company that offers things like it.  There are simply too many other small companies and public offerings such as Linux out there--but Microsoft keeps on trying, first with Vista, now with Windows 8.  Oh, and don't forget their 'ribbon' campaign, and how Apache open office took a pair of scissors to that ribbon.  

One of these days, Microsoft is going to go off the deep end again, and this time it's not going to be just a bruised ego and a gored spreadsheet they'll get.  If they insist on their way of trying to force unpopular products on the public, one of these days, they're going to go under from doing so.

[K5TED]

In all actuality, in a manner of speaking, the company (Microsoft) that designed the ultimate dress maker's dummy (Windows) has tried in recent years to make that dummy into something that isn't at all wanted by the public.  Then they tried to make the dresses fit the dummy--something that is simply not done.

At least now, some saner heads at Microsoft have realized that and are now going back to the basic dummy--with subtle changes and removable dummy parts--that made them money for years.  Windows 8 will be relegated to the "lessons learned" part of Microsoft history, just as Windows Vista was.

No matter what the resident shills and kool aid servers here say, Windows 8 was and is a colossal blunder, even worse than Windows Vista.  You just can't force an unpopular product on the public, no matter if you're the only company that offers things like it.  There are simply too many other small companies and public offerings such as Linux out there--but Microsoft keeps on trying, first with Vista, now with Windows 8.  Oh, and don't forget their 'ribbon' campaign, and how Apache open office took a pair of scissors to that ribbon.  

One of these days, Microsoft is going to go off the deep end again, and this time it's not going to be just a bruised ego and a gored spreadsheet they'll get.  If they insist on their way of trying to force unpopular products on the public, one of these days, they're going to go under from doing so.

You do realize that to this day Vista owns nearly the same market share of OS's as the three latest versions of OSX combined, right?

Anti-Microsoft shills and kool-aid servers would do well to keep up with what people actually use in reality, considering it's all out there on the Internet, access to which, by the way, is done primarily through Windows machines.

[KD8MJR]

You do realize that to this day Vista owns nearly the same market share of OS's as the three latest versions of OSX combined, right?

Anti-Microsoft shills and kool-aid servers would do well to keep up with what people actually use in reality, considering it's all out there on the Internet, access to which, by the way, is done primarily through Windows machines.

That may be true but it's fairly apparent that Apple does not make PCs to make money, it's more like a way of keeping their base happy and keeping their foot in the door should something revolutionary happen in the PC market.  After all they give away the OS for free!

IMO MS is dead already, it's just so huge it's like waiting on a whale carcass to rot and disappear.

[K4NYA]

I'd have to amend your title to say "Microsoft's SECOND most boneheaded product...".  MS Bob will always be first on that list. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Bob

[K5TED]

I'd have to amend your title to say "Microsoft's SECOND most boneheaded product...".  MS Bob will always be first on that list. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Bob

No doubt http://www.technologizer.com/2010/03/29/bob-and-beyond-a-microsoft-insider-remembers/

[K1CJS]

I had forgotten about 'Microsoft Bob' and it's short life, (didn't just about everybody?) but I believe that the programmers tried to incorporate elements of 'Bob' into Win 8 and it's "intuitive" interface.  (Metro)  

If they did, kinda explains something about why 8 bombed, doesn't it?

[KD8MJR]

I'd have to amend your title to say "Microsoft's SECOND most boneheaded product...".  MS Bob will always be first on that list. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Bob

From a technical point of view I agree but as it has been noted by others, they do not even remember BoB.   MS never really invested heavily in Bob like they have with Win8 so while it might have been the biggest bonehead idea it never ended being the biggest bonehead investment.

As an investor I would be much more concerned about a CEO that goes all in with a dumb idea rather than one who pulles the plug before the company invested the farm on it.

[K0JEG]

Microsoft has always liked having a 2 tiered approach to their operating systems, ever since Windows NT and 3.1 days. They see the benefits of supporting 2 OSs because of the premium they can demand for the "business class" OS.

Apple does the same thing but differentiates with hardware. You want to have a basic web and email device? Get an iPad. If you want to do more, get a Macbook Air. Since the majority of MS's business is in software licenses, sell different operating systems, with differing requirements. The problem is the marketing department didn't do a good enough job of differentiating them, so "value" buyers who thought they were getting a deal on a Windows PC got less than they wanted.

And of course the tech media panned the UI. Not much you can do when the press is against you.

[W8JX]

Microsoft has always liked having a 2 tiered approach to their operating systems, ever since Windows NT and 3.1 days. They see the benefits of supporting 2 OSs because of the premium they can demand for the "business class" OS.

Apple does the same thing but differentiates with hardware. You want to have a basic web and email device? Get an iPad. If you want to do more, get a Macbook Air. Since the majority of MS's business is in software licenses, sell different operating systems, with differing requirements. The problem is the marketing department didn't do a good enough job of differentiating them, so "value" buyers who thought they were getting a deal on a Windows PC got less than they wanted.

And of course the tech media panned the UI. Not much you can do when the press is against you.

None of this makes any sense. With 8 on tablet or laptop you get email support and more included. With a RT tablet you get office too and outlook. Next year when they merge RT and Win Phone OS (which has been talked about for over a year yet some think it is earth shattering news) they will likely still have office with it. The apple comparison is even funnier because you pay more and get far less for dollar and nothing is as proprietary as Apple. They are far far worse than MS. When you talk value, Apple is not in that.

[K1CJS]

Microsoft has always liked having a 2 tiered approach to their operating systems, ever since Windows NT and 3.1 days. They see the benefits of supporting 2 OSs because of the premium they can demand for the "business class" OS....

There is truth in this, because after they combined NT and the older OSes to produce XP, they've went and developed an OS for servers that is similar to their main OS, but is geared more to larger companies that run large servers.