New
#110
You're arguing semantics. I don't know what's meant by "owning" the OS and I don't care. I paid once for my Windows 7, and it works just fine, even after all of my hardware has been changed. I never had to call MS even after I changed the motherboard. Perhaps the number of such changes is limited, perhaps not, I'll find out when and if a call to MS will be required. To me this represents a sharp contrast with the subscription system, when I have to keep paying to keep using the same software on the same machine. That I will not do, unless I'm really forced to.
My comments on people over age 50 keeping Windows is alive, was not in reference to their intellect. The over 50's group, grew up pretty much using Windows, it was the only GUI OS really available at the time. So, I think it is harder for them to switch to something else.
However, the youth of today, are growing up with iPads, iPods, iPhone, Macs and Android, it is almost second nature for them to use an Apple OSX or Linux driven device. My nephews, nieces, friends all have some sort of device driven by something other than MS software. They are always trying to show me how to operate their devices or computers. But, I guess I am an old dog, and itis hard to learn new tricks.
No it's not just semantics. You may not care, and you certainly don't have to care at all. But a software company needs to stay profitable. So if (due to adoption of mobile platforms) Microsoft need a new model to amass more revenue because one-time sales have declined, it needs to do what it needs to survive.
In fact, had I been Microsoft, I would have created a subscription model of updates for XP (since so many wished they hadn't retired the OS). That would have made a nice new little profit centre for Redmond, WA.
I thought I read that the original plan for XP was something like subscription, because it was going to be continuously upgraded, not replaced.
What does it really mean, one-time sales have declined? Surely you do not expect people to buy operating systems every year. PCs have a certain lifespan, sometimes it's recommended to replace/upgrade your machine every three years, let's say on average it's four. The majority of people simply buy a PC with Windows pre-installed. I'm sure that a lot of people are like me, I will use the same machine until it breaks down or until I will find some new thing that I want/need to do that cannot be done with (or is too slow on) the old machine.
What that means, is that once everyone on the planet has a PC running Windows there is not much room for further growth, you can't sell more since everyone already has one or two. That's why now all these subscriptions appear - the company wants growth!
But I, the consumer, don't care for that. I will not buy something just because the company wants to grow. I will buy something if I see some benefit to me. A subscription brings zero benefit to me, hence I will not buy it.
Hi there
It's the SAME old mistake every business has made since the very first business started on this planet - how many thousand years ago -- "Short Term-ism". Businesses start off with incredible figures - and assume they can keep growing at 30 - 50% a year or even more -- nobody ever seems to plan for what happens when the market MATURES and you will be lucky to keep growing at 4%.
There's a HUGE British Supermarket called TESCO - where everybody is dumping shares because their profits are DOWN on last year etc -- Honestly guys how much food can peopel EAT !!! - that particular organisation is still making MILLION if not BILLIONS of GBP in profit - so who cares if it's a bit less than last year.
But I don't work on Wall St so perhaps those guys have different brains to the rest of us.
Even subscription models will peak -- I think in the Mobile Phone or Cable TV industry it's called "Churn" people take out one subscription and then either don't renew it or find an alternative at the end of the period.
A business can only grow if it has new and interesting products to sell (or it's like a supermarket where people HAVE to have food).
I have to say though that subscriptions for a newspaper or a mobile phone are one thing - but I certainly wouldn't go for Software subscriptions of an OS or even of a product like Office.
Cheers
jimbo
Exactly,
I could never understand the logic of cable companies that declare some particular price, then give you an "introductory" discount, and put you on an automatic renewal (for the "full" price). They also lock you in for a year (or two), so that you can't quit or change. Yet, if I cancel the service during the first year, they will come back with the same (or better) offer. Do they really expect me not to cancel the automatic renewal when I know that I can pay less only if I bother to cancel in time? Or does anyone believe that I have to pay more just because the company expects/wants me to?
Same goes on all of those subscriptions. I always cancel. I never allow those subscriptions to renew automatically, because I know that I get a better deal without it. Moreover, this way I have a choice to either continue with the service or not (or choose another service). Even if I continue, I like to have that choice. In fact, recently as I was cancelling one such subscription I actually told that to the rep on the phone - that I'm cancelling all subscriptions as a rule because I hate automatic renewals. The guy was shocked - I guess nobody told him that before and he processed my request with any further questions.