- May 15, 2015
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Valiant Technology - 4 min read
I find myself wondering if Windows 10, considered the “last version of Windows,” is just window dressing (no pun intended).
Apple released the “iMac” in 1998, but there are still “iMacs” released today. They are all officially known and marketed as “iMac.” All other nicknames, code names and versions are coined to be unofficial, colloquial. But they OBVIOUSLY still revise, overhaul and improve the iMac line.
This is the same situation with MacBook Pro and iPod. iPhone was slightly different in having a number designation, but Apple mostly keeps their names simple, and allows that name to become a brand in and of itself.
No one can say, “The iMac is a piece of sh%t.” Which iMac are we talking about? We can mock the current MacBook generation (it really is a joke), but the last MacBook that Apple made was pretty good for the money. They had the white one, the black one that I LOVED, and then for a brief while an early solid aluminum body one.
Think about that branding strategy: It doesn’t matter what’s in it, or if its new, old or indifferent. It’s still an iMac.
Where Have All The PC’s Gone?
Microsoft isn’t going anywhere, folks. No one will ever take over. Remember, 93% of the market uses them. Here’s the Fourth Quarter market share for shipments in 2014, according to IDC.com:
Windows
- Lenovo – 19.9%
- HP – 19.7%
- Dell – 13.5%
- Acer Group – 7.7%
- Others – 32.2%
Not Windows
- Apple – 7.1%
The “End of Windows” only affects me in that I cannot sell Windows licenses, but since those margins were terrible, and the version control was annoying, I don’t mind. Remember that long list of sub-versions? It’s a nightmare getting the wrong one.
I still recommend Windows (and Mac) at the desktop, and I recommend Windows as an operating system for servers, except for weird circumstances that may demand Linux.
What’s In A Name?
Imagery from the Microsoft Vista era (via The Joy of Tech) and it’s as on point today as it was then. This last version will still be Windows. It just won’t be Windows 3.1, Windows Millennium Edition, XP, XP 64bit, XP Sp2, Vista, Vista Home, Vista Home Premium, Vista Ultimate, 7 Business, 7 Premium, 8, 8.1 (yes, those are all real product names). Now they will all, and forever more, be simply “Windows.”
But really, Microsoft? The “last Windows ever” has seven distinct versions of the f%cking OS?
I can understand Mobile being unique, and industry devices can be pretty cool (think robots, factories, etc.), but frankly that is probably damned near identical to mobile. Here’s the latest report of all the different iterations of what Microsoft plans to unveil, via RedmondMag.com on 5/13/15:
100% of these specific versions are horsesh%t. “Pro” versus “Enterprise?” WHY?! “Home” versus “Education?” What’s the difference?! It’s all marketing. They remove parts of the program to cater to different markets, and to avoid “confusing the consumer” with unneeded features.
If it’s all FREE, what’s the point? Protecting “Enterprise” subscriptions? Make one meaty product and let people use the parts of it they want to use. This sounds like a lot of people trying to protect their department. If there was one product, and all the spin-offs were one Windows entity, there would be redundancies in development and support, and a lot of people looking for a new job.
After this last edition, I suspect there will be a new single name. Some branding agency out there is making a lot of money dreaming up a new word. I suspect the new product will sound something like a Cadillac, or a Cirque de Soleil show: think “Mystere” or “Escalade” or “Vantage” or “Xperience.” I tease them about this, because I am CERTAIN they will get the name wrong.
On the brighter side, their concept is sound, and I look forward to a flat, free, open ecosystem for people to work in. The fact that they are supporting iOS and Android apps within the framework of the operating system is completely bonkers. Think about that–you can run windows apps, iPhone apps, android apps, all from your computer–that’s amazing!
