Good news for the desktop!

[pulsoft]

Re: Good news for the desktop!

Just how much is there to be improved? (I mean REAL improvements).

Many so-called "improvements" between OS platforms have really been largely cosmetic ... change the look and move things around just to make it look different ... and worth the upgrade!

Why are so many still hanging onto XP? Because there is not a compelling-enough reason to "upgrade" to W7 or W8 ... along with needing a more-powerful system and having to re-learn how to do things! (The furore over Microsoft's removal of the user-familiar "Start" button in W8 [and the subsequent workarounds!] shows what happens when changes are taken too far and for no justifiable reason).

Similarly, just how many more incarnations of MS Office can there be? I originally used Office 2000 and like most users, I used a very small subset of the available features. I upgraded to Office 2007 several years ago, but I'm not using any more than I did in the 2000 product!

Slightly off the topic I know, but why would you buy MS Office when you have superb free products with very similar look and feel out there? http://www.kingsoftstore.co.uk/kings...-freeware.html
The professional version has VBA as well at only �50. With regard to the MS OS licences take a look at Linux see http://www.ubuntu.com/download/deskt...dows-installer
this Ubuntu product installs Linux on the same PC as your Windows machine and you can select which OS you wish to work with at boot up time, a totally painless install experience.
The look and feel of the Linux OS is superb and if a novice with Linux it won't take you long to get used to the look and feel...
Any way, my related point is that the larger IT software suppliers such as MS are of course aware of of the competition and low cost if not free alternatives emerging out there and to continue existing in the style they have become accustomed to, use their massive capital assets to revamp existing products, repackage them with bells and whistles and a new name, and then announce the next big thing in software - ta da... They consistently do this and it seems these days on a more frequent basis, appealing to the mass and corporate market by deluging them with promotional emotional (don't be left behind) advertising. Sadly, I believe it will ever be thus, and alas to the detriment of the more innovative yet smaller IT software suppliers out there, offering value for money real alternatives.
To some degree, this need to improve drive also affects established software companies such as Alpha. I can understand this to a certain degree, it's just that I would prefer fixes/improvements to the desktop as a priority followed by even more excellence on the web side of the product.

I feel as if I rambled a bit too much there, never mind...

Paul

[mronck]

Re: Good news for the desktop!

Slightly off the topic I know, but why would you buy MS Office when you have superb free products with very similar look and feel out there?

Very simple : exchangeability. We have done extensive research after the consequences of using open source office software in stead of Microsoft Office products, and detected blocking issues in corporate information exchange situations. When you are "alone on the planet" in your business efforts, that won't hurt. But if you are part of a larger corporate organisation with whom you need to work together, all using Microsoft Office, that will turn out to be a "no go" area.

[milesjg]

Re: Good news for the desktop!

Even more good news for the "desktop." .....Linux anyone ?

http://www.pcworld.com/article/20319...e-desktop.html


http://www.informationweek.com/byte/...-way/240151632

[forskare]

Re: Good news for the desktop!

Even more good news for the "desktop." .....Linux anyone ?

http://www.pcworld.com/article/20319...e-desktop.html


http://www.informationweek.com/byte/...-way/240151632

These links refer to the 'Windows' desktop, not Al[ha Five desktop.

[milesjg]

Re: Good news for the desktop!

These links refer to the 'Windows' desktop, not Al[ha Five desktop.

...and it runs on...? The OP and the content of most of this thread (minus Mayans and dogs) appears to be "the desktop."

[Tau Delta]

Re: Good news for the desktop!

We have done extensive research after the consequences of using open source office software in stead of Microsoft Office products, and detected blocking issues in corporate information exchange situations. When you are "alone on the planet" in your business efforts, that won't hurt. But if you are part of a larger corporate organisation with whom you need to work together, all using Microsoft Office, that will turn out to be a "no go" area.

One reason Alpha 5 exists in the first place is that people were willing to take a leap of faith - and an extensive one at that. Any company that is not willing to consider and delve into better alternatives (read creative, useful, efficient, lean, easy to train, operate and manage, with cheap to free up-front costs, etc.), is not staying competitive. Why would you include such companies in your scope when considering the future plans of your businesses. I tend to steer away from companies that are slow on their feet - even big ones. Most MS products are a bloated mess of difficulty that keep IT guys like me employed... What am I saying??? Please don't read this.

[DaveM]

Re: Good news for the desktop!

MY Opinion!

Any large corporation that can afford a developer(s) should hire top quality people do do just their inhouse programming with an eye of the future. Eye on future means expansion and the tools that can make everything grow as the company grows.

From the above, I really don't think many of the programs out there today can supply the tools do that, because it would entail desktop, internet, iphones, tablets, and more that is probably coming. They will have to make a large corporation tah may double the size or more in 5 years able to do that simply by adding "nodes" and not suffer speed loses by doing so.

There are some programs that can do that too. They are not cheap to they are almost free or free. The only real problem with open source is the code you write is also open source(with a few exceptions). There are open source programs that can take on the calleges of a large corporation if the company has the right programmers. In almost any large company, there will not be just one program used but several that work well together and some others that are totally incorporated in to the final application.

Did I say that correctly? I am not asking anyone to agree(or no) with me, just my opinion.

If an alpha programmer happens to find they are hired into a position withing the IT department, then alpha may have an open door to be one of the programs or the main program inside the corporation. We never know which one (or several) of us may someday be that person. Then the question is whether alpha is strong enough to handle it. Mostly, I think alpha is strong enough.

[mronck]

Re: Good news for the desktop!

One reason Alpha 5 exists in the first place is that people were willing to take a leap of faith - and an extensive one at that. Any company that is not willing to consider and delve into better alternatives (read creative, useful, efficient, lean, easy to train, operate and manage, with cheap to free up-front costs, etc.), is not staying competitive. Why would you include such companies in your scope when considering the future plans of your businesses. I tend to steer away from companies that are slow on their feet - even big ones. Most MS products are a bloated mess of difficulty that keep IT guys like me employed... What am I saying??? Please don't read this.

Things sometimes just are not that simple that only the own opinion matters. As I have stated in the post you commented on, sometimes there is an obligation for interactivity ruled by inter-corporate guidelines. If you are part of a chain, you need to have your links straight or you will fail. If Microsoft is the standard, there can be situations where you are more or less forced to use Microsoft or else be ignored in a corporate situation. I have been there. It is not always a matter of "better" or "innovative" or "competitive" or "cheaper" but rather that you can be compliant.

[kkfin]

Re: Good news for the desktop!

Things do not go always as planned. What next?