Why do you choose Microsoft products?

[RavenSword]

Simple question. Whats makes you choose Microsoft products, whether that be Windows, Surface, Windows Phone, etc. over other competing products? what do you feel they offer you that the others dont? and what would you say to others that are considering making the switch to their products? did you use something before and had a bad experience that made you switch?

 

[anon(8657436)]

My Galaxy Grand was my first smartphone and it ran good for the first 2 months then started freezing up, rebooting. I rooted it and put the best ROM I could find but it became a monthly ritual and pissed me off. I saw my first WP in one of friends hand, it was a 920, loved the interface and I decided to go for it. This January I got my Lumia 520. Will upgrade next year when I top in my college's second year (hopefully get good marks). I choose it because of interface, smooth and lag free, camera. The only downside was a loss of some games and youtube. I usually show them the interface, smooth functioning and the camera and they go drooling over my phone. Converted 6 people so far,. my dad will join them later this year after some more dual SIM WPs come on.

 

[anon(7900571)]

Interesting question. I used to use google services way back in 2009 but I want to get rid of them because of privacy concerns. I was bored of android (mobile here ) and I don't want to use chrome book (though some pals forced me to get one but I didn't ). So it was the right time to replace google services with Microsoft ( all my data , contacts , spreadsheets are in one drive , I do use office online and office 2013 , windows 8.1 on all my devices thus makes sense to use other Microsoft services to enjoy the seamless sync services ) I tried using open office but later ended up buying office 2013 home and student edition. Live tiles are refreshing so I have them on my PC , net book and phone.

 

[anon(7900571)]

Ohh I don't won't to get scroogled :winktongue:

 

[thron]

I haven't been a fan of Google's for a very long time, so I consciously go out of my way to try & avoid any product they offer.
I'm not an Apple fan, either. I never liked Macs & the iphone doesn't offer anything I need that I can't get from a cheaper phone.

I have been using the Windows OS on my PC's since the mid 90's so when it came time to buy a new phone it was a no-brainer.

Microsoft isn't without their own issues, but I feel they're the lesser evil of the 3.

 

[kencaz]

I have not always favored MS. I used MS DOS, then when Windows 286 came out I installed and uninstalled in the same day. I went to OS/2 and resisted MS until Windows 3.11 out of necessity. Have since been using MS almost exclusively other then always having a Linux Box handy. I really never really paid attention much to the windows Interface until 8.0. I really loved the Metro interface and the idea of APP's along side my regular programs. Avoided the first surface because the APP availability was slim at best.

As for phones Always used Android since was open and easy to root. IPhone never crossed my mind, EVER. Never even paid attention to windows phone 7, only started looking at WP 8.0 because it mimicked the Metro interface so much. I really liked the idea of having a single echo system for my DT, LT, TABLET, PHONE all in one... Microsoft is really doing a good job and lately been on the rampage putting out some really kickass apps since WP-8.1 release. Only thing I regret a little is Getting my Lumia 928 only weeks before the Icon became available. I really love the 928, however, a little underpowered and needs a slightly bigger screen; the Icon fits both of these very well. Only thing really holding me back from getting my Icon now is I am not sure if I can get WP 8.1 on it.

In a nutshell, did not always like MS but it has really grown into a great OS and I think it will only continue to get better.

KC

 

[RavenSword]

I have not always favored MS. I used MS DOS, then when Windows 286 came out I installed and uninstalled in the same day. I went to OS/2 and resisted MS until Windows 3.11 out of necessity. Have since been using MS almost exclusively other then always having a Linux Box handy. I really never really paid attention much to the windows Interface until 8.0. I really loved the Metro interface and the idea of APP's along side my regular programs. Avoided the first surface because the APP availability was slim at best.

As for phones Always used Android since was open and easy to root. IPhone never crossed my mind, EVER. Never even paid attention to windows phone 7, only started looking at WP 8.0 because it mimicked the Metro interface so much. I really liked the idea of having a single echo system for my DT, LT, TABLET, PHONE all in one... Microsoft is really doing a good job and lately been on the rampage putting out some really kickass apps since WP-8.1 release. Only thing I regret a little is Getting my Lumia 928 only weeks before the Icon became available. I really love the 928, however, a little underpowered and needs a slightly bigger screen; the Icon fits both of these very well. Only thing really holding me back from getting my Icon now is I am not sure if I can get WP 8.1 on it.

In a nutshell, did not always like MS but it has really grown into a great OS and I think it will only continue to get better.

KC

what apps did they release after 8.1 out of curiosity?

 

[cw1988]

I have always used windows on a computer since I was a kid playing with windows 3.11(I believe that was what it was) and then I have progressed through every release of windows up to the current 8.1, even through the horrible ME stage and questionable vista. Aside from growing up with windows as a general use OS, I became interested in software development which I worked towards making a career out of via school choices and uni so windows was always my number 1 choice.
My uncle was an apple enthusiast due to type of work he did so required a mac but I never saw or felt the same love for apple computers, I always found them boring, lacking I an overall function and generally a bit of a cumbersome setup(we are talking 6/7 years since I saw an apple OS)

For windows phone there isn't much of a reason, I love the interface and wp8 was actually my first smartphone. My wife had an iphone which I liked but would never buy one for myself(she now has a Lumia 625), my mother in law has a nexus 7 which I think is laggy and awkward and a galaxy ace phone which I feel the same about.
Windows all the way, I want to get a surface as well because I'm excited how Microsoft has this idea of everything being connected in terms of settings, documents etc over all Microsoft devices, seem less gap in technology where ever you are. Its the future.

 

[aximtreo]

For those of you old enough to remember Compaq, I had the first luggable Compaq computer. It was the size of a two suiter and weighed in at just over 30 lbs. I use to carry it on the plane and sling it in the overhead compartment. It ran Dos 1.1 or something in that range.

From there I just stayed with MS products up to and including my 928 & ICON plus laptops and DT's. It is a comfortable and safe decision to make. Add to this the ability to more than do what I need it to do and you have my story.

By the way, the Compaq I am speaking about was 1983 or there abouts. Long time!

 

[anon(6038817)]

I consider myself technology agnostic. I love trying all different brands and platforms. But I naturally gravitate towards what works best for me.

For desktop and laptop computers, I have extensively used and tried Macs and several different flavors of Linux, but I always come back to Windows. For me, there really is no comparison. It has all the features - and more importantly it runs all the applications - I need. And Windows 7 is just rock-solid stable.

I've gone back and forth between Outlook.com and Gmail, but I always seem to come back to Outlook.com. I just love the clean interface, the features, and I also appreciate that they don't scan my emails for the purpose of advertising to me. They do scan emails, but that's for virus and spam protection. I'm okay with that.

OneDrive is my preferred cloud storage service. It just works well for me. I've also been able to score 40 GB of free storage through various special promotions, so I'm very pleased with that.

I also really like their web-based calendar, contacts, and office apps and I prefer their design and features over Google's.

I've even owned a Windows Phone in the past (Lumia 521), and I am paying very close attention to the 8.1 update. It may lure me back!

 

[dkediger]

For those of you old enough to remember Compaq, I had the first luggable Compaq computer. It was the size of a two suiter and weighed in at just over 30 lbs. I use to carry it on the plane and sling it in the overhead compartment. It ran Dos 1.1 or something in that range.

From there I just stayed with MS products up to and including my 928 & ICON plus laptops and DT's. It is a comfortable and safe decision to make. Add to this the ability to more than do what I need it to do and you have my story.

By the way, the Compaq I am speaking about was 1983 or there abouts. Long time!

Oh, I remember. After the TRS-80 our high school had, my fraternity had one of the Compaq luggables. First Microsoft OS based computer I used. We had a sign up sheet to use it, and as a freshman in the house, your times were generally midnight to 8AM. Really thought I had moved up in the world when my Hydrology class got to use some Zenith PC clones - they had 5MB hard drives! Ran Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheets off of dual floppies though, as the Lotus version didn't recognize storage other than A and B drives.



As to why I've made my living in the Microsoft camp? Generally, the breadth of what we now call the ecosystem. All the heat and light (smoke and mirrors(?)) that revolves around the competing ecosystems today doesn't compare to what the 90's and early 2000's were to developers. I've worked across industries (retail, heavy and light manufacturing, health care, non-profit) and have had a hand in a custom home grown ERP for a global manufacturer, a custom insurance benefits management system, a web based community services system, and dozens of other implementations of various systems. Only Microsoft had the products and 3rd party involvement from front end to back end, start to finish.

 

[RavenSword]

Perhaps I just always had the idea that windows laptops are always just sort of junky or break down and crash. Is that true or does it depend how much money you put into it? The acer S7 looks very nice.

Also, perhaps it podcasts I listen to, but I hear people say windows isn't stable and get viruses all the time and etc. is this a issue that's real?

 

[anon(8657436)]

Viruses are real but have not been a major problem since Windows 8 if you don't go poking your nose into trouble. Safe web practices and a decent antivirus software should keep you safe. They aren't junky but yeah, the build quality isn't that of a MacBook.

 

[RavenSword]

Viruses are real but have not been a major problem since Windows 8 if you don't go poking your nose into trouble. Safe web practices and a decent antivirus software should keep you safe. They aren't junky but yeah, the build quality isn't that of a MacBook.

We'll, regardless if I stay with apple or not, i do kind of want to start using there services more like office and one drive/one note and etc. but I don't know how compelling those services are with Microsoft or windows hardware.

 

[Dantekai14]

I only like Windows and Office. Except these I don't like any other MS services or products because many of them are more of USA product than a global.
And others aren't as good as competing products.

 

[RavenSword]

I only like Windows and Office. Except these I don't like any other MS services or products because many of them are more of USA product than a global.
And others aren't as good as competing products.

Depends I guess. I think 8.1 has improved windows phone dramatically and the surface is good for certain people.

 

[Stephen Pedersen]

I speed read a lot of these comments and im surprised no one mention a Zune music player. I never owned one. I always had an iPod. Why do I have a Window's Phone? I owned a tiny Nokia flip phone that I had for a very long time. Liked it. When I finally decided to get a smart phone I did a lot of research and the Windows Phone 7.5 Lumia 900 was the right one for me. I really liked the reviews. I don't know why I didn't get an iPhone honestly. All my friends have iphones. Anyway, ever sense I've had a windows phone and I like them. I still believe that Windows music player on their phones is crap, unlike iTunes but that's just a sacrifice I made. I have a Lumia 925 and im happy.

 

[RavenSword]

For some reason I had it in my head that windows was kinda junky, but I've honestly always owned a a PC because that's what the family has always had. We never had a mac.

Would it even make sense to use Microsoft apps and services on apple products or do they work alot better on windows?

 

[kencaz]

Well, Cortana and Notification Center for the big ones... There are many individual apps can't list off the top of my head, however, seeing New WP apps daily.

 

[kencaz]

Oh, I remember. After the TRS-80 our high school had, my fraternity had one of the Compaq luggables. First Microsoft OS based computer I used. We had a sign up sheet to use it, and as a freshman in the house, your times were generally midnight to 8AM. Really thought I had moved up in the world when my Hydrology class got to use some Zenith PC clones - they had 5MB hard drives! Ran Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheets off of dual floppies though, as the Lotus version didn't recognize storage other than A and B drives.

View attachment 65843

As to why I've made my living in the Microsoft camp? Generally, the breadth of what we now call the ecosystem. All the heat and light (smoke and mirrors(?)) that revolves around the competing ecosystems today doesn't compare to what the 90's and early 2000's were to developers. I've worked across industries (retail, heavy and light manufacturing, health care, non-profit) and have had a hand in a custom home grown ERP for a global manufacturer, a custom insurance benefits management system, a web based community services system, and dozens of other implementations of various systems. Only Microsoft had the products and 3rd party involvement from front end to back end, start to finish.

Yep Do remember the Compaq's as well as Lotus 123 and Word Perfect which on the IBM PC I had the 8088 4.77Mhz model with 64k RAM on Board and an Expansion board boosting my Memory to a wopping 128K Had to boot IBM DOS 2.0 then switch to the DOS application disc in A: then launch WP.EXE on Drive B: then Remove and Insert Blank formatted 360K Floopy to save my data... It was a Chor for sure.

Then I discovered CompuServe and the 300BPS Modem inside. That was it, the start of Online for me... $24 per hour for Compuserves Content and on 300 BAUD was not much data for that hr.

Plus which, one of the main reasons for getting a PC back then was software. Go into an EggHead Store or CompUSA and the whole store was PC hardware and software and a little corner for the MAC. Ironic that it's reversed now as far as Metro is concerned.

Plus back in those day's you could go to a computer show (which they had monthly) for me Pomona California. You could by MB's RAM, HD's Software, Shareware, anything to build or upgrade your computer. For the MAC, NOT, all proprietary and expensive. So maybe if Apple had been a little more open source in the beginning they would most certainly have had more PC market share today.