The lack of support from pretty much everyone and the future of Windows Phone

[spaulagain]

Its the success or failure of Windows 8 and RT that are going to determine things in my view. If they catch on, developers will write for them and it would then be very easy for them to port to Windows Phone. If Windows 8 goes the way of Vista, then WP is in trouble.

Its selling at the same rate as Windows 7 (fastest selling OS ever) so I think it will do fine!

 

[Alex Kj]

Its the success or failure of Windows 8 and RT that are going to determine things in my view. If they catch on, developers will write for them and it would then be very easy for them to port to Windows Phone. If Windows 8 goes the way of Vista, then WP is in trouble.

What does Windows 8 have to do with WP8??? If you mean the built-in "Windows Store" in Windows 8 - it WILL fail, it was a failure since the beginning because there's no need for this on desktop OS. People on Windows desktop OSes are too accustomed to download their programs/games from other sources (mostly directly from developers who are not forced to pay unneeded "Microsoft tax" for distribution of each of their paid program/game), and companies like Electronic Arts and Valve already have their own software distribution platforms, both of which are superior to "Windows Store" and which can still be used in Windows 8, not to mention many PC users still prefer (for whatever reason) to purchase their programs/games on physical media. I have Windows 8 installed and I did browse the "Windows Store" once or twice... Didn't see anything useful there for the reason I stated above and because desktop's web browser is much easier to use for most of the tasks (I don't even use dedicated e-mail programs on my laptops or desktops, same goes for Facebook and everything else which can be accessed using a web browser).

 

[tgp]

Anyone that types M$ = ability to be taken seriously lost

This guy is a troll anyways. He's in other threads *****ing about MS as well. And you're right, anyone who types it M$ obviously has a complex with anything Microsoft as it is.

Give the guy a break! "M$" was around long before there was WP8 (or WP7 for that matter and maybe even WM).

 

[thekonger]

I think the statement that it's difficult to develop for WP8 or that you can't build quality apps for WP8 is silly. There are plenty of great high-quality apps for WP8 and as an iOS developer who is now delving into WP development I can tell you iOS development is worse. Any suggestions otherwise is simply based on a lack of knowledge.

As for WP8 losing support, trust me, MS is 100% behind WP8 and will guarantee it succeeds. WP8 is a key component of MS's architectural vision and MS isn't about to let it fail. Remember a dark-horse gaming system called the XBox? It lost the first round to the PS2 and people made the same complaints about it. No developers, no quality games, etc. Yet MS kept pushing it and cajoled and paid developers to back it. Now look at the 360; it puts thing into perspective. I'm not trying to compare smart phones to game consoles, but the situation is the same. MS has a platform it is committed to and won't let it fail. If it needs to entice game devs, trust me, it will.

Not that I think the situation is dire at all anyway; new carriers are jumping on board and manufacturers are clamoring to meet the big WP global demand. The WP8 market share is growing and developers will surely follow.

 

[spaulagain]

What does Windows 8 have to do with WP8??? If you mean the built-in "Windows Store" in Windows 8 - it WILL fail, it was a failure since the beginning because there's no need for this on desktop OS. People on Windows desktop OSes are too accustomed to download their programs/games from other sources (mostly directly from developers who are not forced to pay unneeded "Microsoft tax" for distribution of each of their paid program/game), and companies like Electronic Arts and Valve already have their own software distribution platforms, both of which are superior to "Windows Store" and which can still be used in Windows 8, not to mention many PC users still prefer (for whatever reason) to purchase their programs/games on physical media. I have Windows 8 installed and I did browse the "Windows Store" once or twice... Didn't see anything useful there for the reason I stated above and because desktop's web browser is much easier to use for most of the tasks (I don't even use dedicated e-mail programs on my laptops or desktops, same goes for Facebook and everything else which can be accessed using a web browser).

I use at least 10 "metro" apps on my dual monitor desktop at home including package tracker, angry birds, etc. And what's even better is when I get my Surface Pro I can just install them on it as well.

 

[spaulagain]

Give the guy a break! "M$" was around long before there was WP8 (or WP7 for that matter and maybe even WM).

What does that have to do with it?

The M$ notation is meant to label Microsoft for some good for nothing, greedy, ******* company. Its intentionally negative in its use. Which very easily implies the posters general thoughts and view of Microsoft are negative. If one wants to be taken seriously, then one should not taint there remarks with obviously bias notations.

Its practically the same as coming on this forum with a screen name of "MicrosoftHater"

 

[Alex Kj]

including package tracker

I just click on "track your package" link in a shipping confirmation e-mail or in a shopping history page on seller's online shop :-/

 

[Daniel Ratcliffe]

I just click on "track your package" link in a shipping confirmation e-mail or in a shopping history page on seller's online shop :-/

While that is all well and good, what I find for apps like that is that I can then receive push notifications about stuff. For example, with Skype messages, I get a visual notification on the top right of my screen (that ALWAYS gets my attention no matter where on the screen I am looking), that encourages me to click the notification, it takes me to Skype and the message at hand (I think it does anyway, it definitely loads the app). For me, that is simpler and more engaging than trying to keep track of everything. I like a central toast notification system. But YMCA (Your Mileage Can Alter, or that bloody catch Village People song).

 

[spaulagain]

I just click on "track your package" link in a shipping confirmation e-mail or in a shopping history page on seller's online shop :-/

Or, with package tracker, I don't have to scrounge through emails everytime I want to check the status. Plus, I can put multiple packages from different carriers and orders in one place. Plus, like noted above, I get notifications pushed to me.

Apps like these are very useful and certainly more convenient than what you suggested.

 

[Alex Kj]

Or, with package tracker, I don't have to scrounge through emails everytime I want to check the status. Plus, I can put multiple packages from different carriers and orders in one place. Plus, like noted above, I get notifications pushed to me.

Apps like these are very useful and certainly more convenient than what you suggested.

You could do the same with multiple different programs and browser plugins before Windows 8 was even released... Also, pop-up notifications aren't a Windows 8 - exclusive feature, you can do them with any program on most OSes, Windows or not (just in a different way). So once again, there's no need at all to use "Windows Store" in Windows 8 to achieve such things (especially if a developer is not interested in supporting any mobile OS or only wants to support Android and iOS), this is why it will be a failure in the long run. At least I personally hope it will fail - I like to use the Valve's Steam for all my PC gaming needs (I have over 300 games purchased through it already) and I definitely don't want to be "encouraged" by Microsoft to use their inferior "Windows Store" to purchase/manage my PC games (as well as manage the community of people who also have those games) instead. Same goes for programs like Skype - it always worked perfectly and provided perfect notifications to me even in Windows 7, without being a special "app" from "Windows Store".
Android succeeded perfectly without Google adding in any absolutely redundant PC "apps" or stand-alone PC programs, so can WP8

 

[Daniel Ratcliffe]

You could do the same with multiple different programs and browser plugins before Windows 8 was even released... Also, pop-up notifications aren't a Windows 8 - exclusive feature, you can do them with any program on most OSes, Windows or not (just in a different way). So once again, there's no need at all to use "Windows Store" in Windows 8 to achieve such things (especially if a developer is not interested in supporting any mobile OS or only wants to support Android and iOS), this is why it will be a failure in the long run. At least I personally hope it will fail - I like to use the Valve's Steam for all my PC gaming needs (I have over 300 games purchased through it already) and I definitely don't want to be "encouraged" by Microsoft to use their inferior "Windows Store" to purchase/manage my PC games (as well as manage the community of people who also have those games) instead. Same goes for programs like Skype - it always worked perfectly and provided perfect notifications to me even in Windows 7, without being a special "app" from "Windows Store".
Android succeeded perfectly without Google adding in any absolutely redundant PC "apps" or stand-alone PC programs, so can WP8

Oftentimes I would miss the notification on Skype. Tiny little notification in the bottom right corner. I missed it most times. Sure, I could keep the browser tabs open but for those who want integration, Windows 8 is on the right track. For example with Twitter and Facebook. I like having one place for my Twitter/FB notifications. I don't want to have to keep going between two browser windows when I can get them all aggregated into one feed. Plus, if Windows 8 fails, WP8 fails, and so will the Xbox. Suddenly, Microsoft is dead and gone, and peeved off fanboys will blow up Google, Apple, etc (and seriously, I wouldn't put it past them, I know many a person that wants to beat the living daylights out of me just because I use Windows Phone and not Apple/Android).

Also, Android succeeded because it was a viable alternative to the expensive iPhone to those on a budget. It has that market cornered (and mid-range alongside older iPhones), iPhone has the premium market cornered (and mid-range with older iPhones). Microsoft needs a way to barge itself in, and the 3 screen philosophy is a part of that, and a pretty major one at that.

 

[Nataku4ca]

At least I personally hope it will fail - I like to use the Valve's Steam for all my PC gaming needs (I have over 300 games purchased through it already) and I definitely don't want to be "encouraged" by Microsoft to use their inferior "Windows Store" to purchase/manage my PC games (as well as manage the community of people who also have those games) instead.

so what you're essentially saying is that you don't want competition and that even though the service just started and provides a way for regular users to download apps knowing they are not malware infected (at least if the checkers work) you want it to die without trying? look, I'm not trying to start a flaming war or anything, but Linux has these package downloader that acts like App Store (Ubuntoo does at least iirc) and that's a desktop as well, and pretty sure OSX has an app store as well, why is it suddenly a problem when Microsoft does it?

and on another note, steam when it first started, it wasn't as good as it is now either, these things take time to build, i feel an app store just complements windows, it's not the one and only way which is the good part, if Microsoft decides to prevent people from installing software not from the app store (not apps, lets just get that straight) for full blown windows then I'll have a problem with it, otherwise what they are doing now is perfectly fine

one thing with the app store as well is it's easy to download and install apps, which is the biggest benefit of it all

 

[Daniel Ratcliffe]

and pretty sure OSX has an app store as well, why is it suddenly a problem when Microsoft does it?

You're correct in that OS X has an App Store too. And yeah, isn't Steam essentially an app store purely for games?

 

[Alex Kj]

so what you're essentially saying is that you don't want competition and that even though the service just started and provides a way for regular users to download apps knowing they are not malware infected (at least if the checkers work) you want it to die without trying? look, I'm not trying to start a flaming war or anything, but Linux has these package downloader that acts like App Store (Ubuntoo does at least iirc) and that's a desktop as well, and pretty sure OSX has an app store as well, why is it suddenly a problem when Microsoft does it?

and on another note, steam when it first started, it wasn't as good as it is now either, these things take time to build, i feel an app store just complements windows, it's not the one and only way which is the good part, if Microsoft decides to prevent people from installing software not from the app store (not apps, lets just get that straight) for full blown windows then I'll have a problem with it, otherwise what they are doing now is perfectly fine

one thing with the app store as well is it's easy to download and install apps, which is the biggest benefit of it all

I'm not against "healthy" competition (for example, I don't mind at all the EA's own "Origin", which is a direct competitor to Valve's Steam), I just would rather prefer it to be an independent 3rd-party one and not the one who is sometimes known to overdo the whole "competition" thing to the point of lawsuites ;-) And judging by comments from representatives of large game companies (Valve, Blizzard, Stardock and others - you can Google them for more details) I'm not the only one who think this way ;-)
Not to mention the huge amount of $$$ and time that MS are wasting on the Windows 8's "Windows Store" maintenance and "improvement", all of which could be spent in a much more productive way, such as attracting (meaning "paying them whatever $$$ they want to see before they would be willing to start the development") more major mobile app developers without passively waiting for them to come on their own... But I already explained it before.
So no, I'm not against competition or giving people more choice, I'm just against any attempts at total control of all software distribution falsely disguised as "giving people more choice/convenience" (it may not be the case right now but I have a great suspicion about the future) and against wasting $$$ and time on absolutely needless things/services.

 

[Dave Blake]

When i used to be Microsoft certified we all used M$ and it wasn't because of our distaste for Microsoft (since it was our lively hood). I type M$ because it's funny and gets fanboys panties in a bunch

Based on that statement right there from now on if I see you type M$ I am going to give you an infraction for trolling so don't do it again on this website. if you are doing something just to make people mad that is trolling.

 

[Daniel Ratcliffe]

Based on that statement right there from now on if I see you type M$ I am going to give you an infraction for trolling so don't do it again on this website. if you are doing something just to make people mad that is trolling.

But I'm presuming other people are ok to type M$ correct? Even though I prefer to say MS/Microsoft anyway.

Also, be sure to alert all your other members of staff to do the same.

 

[Dave Blake]

But I'm presuming other people are ok to type M$ correct? Even though I prefer to say MS/Microsoft anyway.

Also, be sure to alert all your other members of staff to do the same.

[NOTE]
• Trolling - Do not post inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages to provoke users into responding in a negative way. Calling another member a troll is also a form of trolling.[/NOTE]

If anyone is posting anything in the forum just to provoke users into responding in a negative way it is against the forum rules and is trolling.

There is nothing wrong with M$ for Microsoft I think it is cool Microsoft is a big company and makes lots of money I don't see that there is anything wrong with it in theory. The issue is the intent, that is what is in question here, sometimes its hard to prove intent and sometimes its not.

 

[Laura Knotek]

You're correct in that OS X has an App Store too. And yeah, isn't Steam essentially an app store purely for games?

You're right about Steam. It's gaming for PC, Mac and Linux.

 

[Daniel Ratcliffe]

[NOTE]
? Trolling - Do not post inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages to provoke users into responding in a negative way. Calling another member a troll is also a form of trolling.[/NOTE]

If anyone is posting anything in the forum just to provoke users into responding in a negative way it is against the forum rules and is trolling.

There is nothing wrong with M$ for Microsoft I think it is cool Microsoft is a big company and makes lots of money I don't see that there is anything wrong with in theory. The issue is the intent that is what is in question here sometimes its hard to prove intent and sometimes its not.

Sorry, my post was ambiguous but you answered my query in the final paragraph anyway.