Windows-As-A-Service-(WAAS) Are Enterprises Really Going To Do It? Will You?

Discussion in 'other software & services' started by itman, Jul 16, 2017.

  1. itman

    itman Registered Member

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  2. Lockdown

    Lockdown Registered Member

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    You just gotta love when a Microsoft employee chimes-in and admonishes "IT Pros don't do their due diligence to find out exactly what WaaS actually is and offers." That is a complete crock because most IT Pros attempt to do due diligence, but find that they cannot get answers to simple questions via Microsoft websites, documentation and personnel. It is not unusual to spend hours, days, weeks and even months to get answers.

    It all comes down to money and WaaS is obviously a means to extract as much money as possible out of Windows users of all kinds. It is the same thing as when cable was $15 per month and over a period of 10 years it shot up to almost $100 per month for essentially basic service. Throw-in the add-ons and it is easily $200 per month nowadays. Same thing will happen with WaaS and people will simply go along with it as typical users are not going to switch to Linux.

    One can easily glean a lot of these infos by carefully reading in between the lines of Microsoft shareholder reports.
     
  3. aztony

    aztony Registered Member

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    Then I must not be a typical user because I am already making preparations to install Robolinux w/Stealth VM to run Windows in Linux, regardless of whether Windows becomes a service or not.
     
  4. Lockdown

    Lockdown Registered Member

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    Your average Joe is not going to switch to Linux because he doesn't even know Linux exists. And even if he did know about it and tried to switch, he would be back to Windows within minutes.
     
  5. Cutting_Edgetech

    Cutting_Edgetech Registered Member

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    I will strickily be using Linux for my personal use once i'm finished with school. I have dealt with way too many nightmares caused by Windows lately. The Windows 10 Creators Edition was pushed out to me recently, and I had many problems that kept creeping up after the upgrade. Finally, about a week later I had what I would describe as a full system melt down. My system suddenly stopped responding, and all the programs in the start menu had exchanged names with other programs. Even the shut down menu had scrambled unreadable names.

    Also the upgrade had created a separate Window partition called "Window old" which was 13.3 Gigabytes. This doubled my backup image! It also created another partition on my drive that could not even be removed with a full format. I tried using Shadow Protect to roll back my machine, and it failed. It said there was not enough space on the partition to restore to. I had plenty of space on my disk, but for whatever reason SP could not recognize it after Widows had done it's thing. I lost an entire day from doing my school work to recover my system.
     
  6. RockLobster

    RockLobster Registered Member

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    Linux is so close to being capable of taking a sizable chunk out of Windows domination of the desktop, which is the only section of the market linux does not already own. The only thing it needs is for a group to create GUI front ends for Linux configuration utilities that are still command line. Remember, your average Joe happily uses Linux everyday on his smart phone and doesn't even notice.
     
    Last edited: Jul 16, 2017
  7. Arvy

    Arvy Registered Member

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    You can add me to the list of "non-typical" users. Currently I'm in the multi-boot Linux learning and exploring stage, but I'll be dumping WaaS completely if I can just find decent replacements for all my major applications. A good financial management package to import existing records and completely replace Intuit has been the biggest challenge so far. I know that there are several out there; just takes time to test all of their import and other capabilities. Looking forward to saying goodbye to Microsoft :thumbd: and their so-called "service" very soon.
     
  8. zapjb

    zapjb Registered Member

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    There's going to be a tipping point for M$. If running an up to date Waas OS becomes so expensive that people en masse stop using it or are running compromised versions. And compromised versions cost M$ & other businesses a fortune.

    Then a business consortium maybe Redhat, Canonical & others will make a version of Linux at a much lower price but not free. This consortium will tackle all of Linux'es problems that beset Windows users. It'll run all the newest games with no compromise. An Office program that is seamless with M$ Office. All printers will work & updated Drivers for all new hardware. Imho it'll cost 5-20% of what MS will be charging.

    But I don't think M$ will let it get that far though. Think today's W10 telemetry is invasive. Just you wait the future "free" version of Waas will know when you s, s & s.
     
  9. Cutting_Edgetech

    Cutting_Edgetech Registered Member

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    I love Linux, it is privacy friendly, and has good security. The only problem is they don't support drivers for some of my devices. I will be able to get around that soon though.
     
  10. RockLobster

    RockLobster Registered Member

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    Yes your right the driver issues can be a real pain its unfortunate that some manufacturers still won't support Linux.
     
  11. Lockdown

    Lockdown Registered Member

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    The distro publishers never focused on this. Until Linux is completely seamless for average Joe, he will never make the jump to Linux. Average Joe isn't incapable of learning Linux, but just isn't going to put forth the effort required to learn Linux as it exists now.
     
  12. Kerodo

    Kerodo Registered Member

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    People have been talking about how Linux is on the rise for 10-15 years now, desktop Linux that is, and it never goes anywhere as far as market share goes. It never will either, until someone puts *major* bucks and effort into developing it into something as polished and easy to use as Windows or Apple products. That plus Linux would have to also get all the major hardware manufacturers to buy into supporting it too. People like us here at Wilders can use Linux and do fine, but Average Joe can't and never will. In my experience using Linux for over 15 years off and on also, I find that in general it's buggy and unreliable as heck.... Bottom line: it needs a major injection of money and effort to get it off the ground in any significant way...
     
  13. pandlouk

    pandlouk Registered Member

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    I doubt that enterprises will go for this. Having a constant rolling update that adds and removes features all the time would be a nightmare to administrate.
    Now their relationship with Microsoft is that of a traditional vendor/customer. If they adapt WAAS it will be transformed in a close partnership, where the customer looses all control, over the product he rents...
    Microsoft is going very soon to realize that it's agenda is wrong. Instead of trying to force what MS wants/dreams to its customers, it should listen to their feedback.
    Because those enterprises that will be forced to change their infrastructures and go versus linux or macs, they will not return again to the windows ecosystem.

    In production systems the OS is not a toy, is a means to an end. Does not need constant changes or upgrades, it needs to be secure and stable. Constantly adding and removing features do not provide neither security nor stability.

    ps. In 2020 MS will realize the huge mistake that made this last decade, but it will be too late and the damage will be irreversible.

    Panagiotis
     
  14. RockLobster

    RockLobster Registered Member

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    W
    What I meant was, android phones prove Linux can be a user friendly easy to use OS, that doesn't take any real effort to learn and that is mainly because it is ready to go out of the box with minimal configuration and no command line stuff
    I use Linux all the time but I still find command line utilities a nuisance to. There is no point to it today unless you grew up with that and became an expert. Kinda like the old Chinese guy that uses an abacus at lightning speed. That doesn't mean we should all dump our calculators and spend 20 years learning the abacus. Trouble is the Linux old school think we should. Learn command line configuration utilities I mean. I was thinking as a new generation takes over they say to hell with that and create more GUI frontends. Linux could be a breeze to set up it just isn't quite there yet.
     
  15. emmjay

    emmjay Registered Member

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    When you buy a service you have to look at why you need it. Having determined that you need it, you then have to look at the seller's reputation and their ability to deliver on their claims. If they pass muster, the seller's terms and conditions is their statement of what you get for your fees and where the liability lies if things go wrong. Now you have to determine if you want it.

    Microsoft is using a product as a service (Windows) and that is different from a standalone service which is intended to be an entity unto itself. Windows 10 has embedded services, which Microsoft explains as a forever evolving operating system with security and performance updates and twice per year feature updates. Windows as a Service, when fully implemented is supposed to embrace change management, problem management and risk management all rolled up into one service. You have to trust that Microsoft can deliver on this.

    Microsoft also refers to WaaS as the driver behind their digital transformation strategy, whereby partnerships and customer relationships are supposed to vastly improve by bringing everyone closer together (said the spider to the fly).

    I'd not put my Enterprise (if I had one) at risk for this grand experiment. I'd prefer to be a fly on the wall and see how it unfolds with those who say they need and want it. It will take several years and a lot of patience to perfect.
     
  16. NormanF

    NormanF Registered Member

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    Microsoft won't charge for Windows. It will never become a subscription service.

    Where Microsoft will make money is with Windows value-added products on the back-end, like with Microsoft Office and other
    productivity tools and services.

    People want and need them and that makes perfect sense.
     
  17. Rasheed187

    Rasheed187 Registered Member

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    I think they are indeed not that crazy, no way that consumers would put up with this.
     
  18. itman

    itman Registered Member

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    What are they going to do about it? Switch "in mass" to Linux; highly unlikely. Switch to a Mac? Again highly unlikely due to the cost factor.

    I fully expect to see MS switching Home versions to subscription in the not to distant future w/ a charge in the $5 - $10 per month range initially. Why do you think MS is adding all these WD and like security enhancements to Win 10? Because of security breaches? Forget that one since past ones never prompted such activity. It is because they believe they will reap profit payback "ten fold" via subscription fees with the justification being third party security protection will no longer be needed plus future system OS upgrade costs will be eliminated.

    Like I have stated previously and will continue to say, Microsoft is totally out of control and needs to be "clamped down" by nation government agencies.
     
    Last edited: Jul 22, 2017
  19. EASTER

    EASTER Registered Member

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    IMHO there needs to be stiff competition against Microsoft windows and Linux is the closest that we have to either knocking some sense into M$ to force them to straighten up their act or overtaking them completely on all levels.

    Until that time where it might finally be realized M$ can be faced with serious depreciation (and rapidly so) they will continue to exhibit the same arrogance they have long enjoyed in their current run as a monopoly to this industry.

    I for one have no misconceptions that Linux is become ever more appealing as a better safer choice for the future while M$ still panders and clings to the notion since they have such a lock on this particular industry and popularity, that they can dictate with impunity their views and demands as normal business practice for them.

    Until some push back becomes enough of a reality to prove to seriously erode their significance, they will not listen nor adapt to what's really important from the other end's concerns and/or their ideas which would better serve both long term.

    Enter Linux. The next few years will unquestionably determine whether windows users of all varieties are resigned to the fact they are stuck with them for life or if a real alternative is completely available to replace it with.

    You decide.
     
  20. zapjb

    zapjb Registered Member

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    The other huge factor not being discussed is hardware mfg partnership (collusion) with M$. Linux will have to be offered on 10%+ of all new machines before any real dent to the M$ monopoly on pc's.
     
  21. EASTER

    EASTER Registered Member

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    Would love to see this. It's long since time to offer the consumer/business market solid alternatives on that front. Likewise it might prove something of a windfall for the hardware industry should it begin to be realized.
     
  22. Rasheed187

    Rasheed187 Registered Member

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    I'm not going to lie, I'm also a bit afraid of this. I don't see myself switching to Linux or the Mac. But pulling such a stunt can also be deadly to the M$ brand, consumers and watchdogs will not put up with this without a fight.
     
  23. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    I am going to stick my neck out and say I don't think businesses will ever stray from Windows and Microsolft Several posts above @Arvy made a comment about finding a suitable replacement for Intuit. I also use Quickbooks and MS Office. And here is the problem from getting away from MS. None of the so called Office replacements have anything comparable with Outlook and it's quirks. But Outlook integrates. MS has a mapping program which integrates with Outlook so I can map a client location by clicking a button in Outlook. I can select several clients in Outlook and generate a route map in the MS mapping program. Also Quickbooks integrates into Outlook so I can generate a Statement in Quickbooks and send the email via Outlook. Then when I am ready to collect invoices, I have it set up so I just open the client contact in Quickbooks and have them debit the clients checking account, and update the client records. Totally seamless and the clients love it. I love it because it minimizes my work, is almost cost free, and the money is in to me in two days.

    I have looked and nothing I've found comes even close. I am a small business with 2 computers. Do I think larger businesses will switch away from MS. NOPE!!
     
  24. RockLobster

    RockLobster Registered Member

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    Petet2150 You're writing from the point of view of a book keeper/accountant
    who may need a Windows computer for the software they are used to using for those tasks.
    The use of computers in large organisations is a very different animal, office software is just one of the many, very diverse ways in which they are used by large organisations who can commission custom software tailored to their needs.
    There is no reason why a restaurant chain for example, that has terminals for the servers to enter the customers orders so that a ticket will come off a terminal in the kitchen for the cooks, should have to use Windows. It would he a rudimentary excersise for a small group of decent coders to make that software for Linux.
     
    Last edited: Jul 23, 2017
  25. zapjb

    zapjb Registered Member

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