Microsoft is struggling to cope with the rise of much bigger non-Microsoft application ecosystems among smartphones and tablets, notably Apple's iOS and Google's Android. While the PC won't "die" in the near term, it's no longer the center of the client computing universe.
With the release of Windows 8, Microsoft has tried to graft a mobile-appropriate user interface that hasn't proven popular atop its franchise desktop and laptop operating system. The result is a disaster that pleases almost no one. It's a technical approach to solving a fundamental business model problem, a problem that Microsoft must address.
As part of the solution, Microsoft ought to consider introducing a base edition of Windows that's genuinely free. Microsoft badly needs to preserve and to extend its application ecosystem, and that's much easier to do if that ecosystem continues to be popular. Apple and Google both offer free ecosystems: iOS and new iOS versions are free with every applicable Apple hardware purchase, and Android is just plain free provided the device manufacturer maintains preferential placement of Google's content services. That's not a problem for Android device manufacturers because Google's content is extremely popular and useful.
Free Windows? Am I crazy? No, not at all. To pull it off, though, Microsoft would need to establish two boundaries in the right places. The first boundary is what level of function to include in the free base Windows package -- more on that in a moment. The second issue is that Microsoft needs to beef up the range and value of optional add-ons available through the application store. In other words, Microsoft needs to offer compelling content that Windows users will want to buy using their free base Windows. Right now Apple is doing a better job in that area. Apple's customers know that the base package offers exceptional value, but then most of them happily buy more. Getting the boundaries right between "free" and "paid" is critical, and Microsoft needs to do a better job in that area.
So here's what a free Windows 8 would include:
1. A smaller download that can install from a 1 GB USB memory key. That would be more than enough to get onto the Internet to perform Internet browsing (but only after applying the latest critical security patches for that purpose) and, optionally, to install the remainder of base Windows.
2. Full English plus a multi-lingual post-install panel to allow users to install any language pack from the Internet.
3. Support for a maximum of two SATA/IDE hard disks, both with full disk encryption if the user desires. (Full disk encryption could be one of the free downloadable features.) USB-attached hard disks and memory keys would be unlimited.
4. A 32-bit version only, with unlimited PAE support, provided that there's a mechanism for the user to pay for an in place upgrade to 64-bit Windows without losing data and settings.
5. No Windows Media Center, IIS, or domain login.
6. Limit of 5 visible user logins. Applications could still create more user IDs for their purposes, but only 5 would be available to choose at the login screen.
7. Reduced accessories and games collection.
8. Mandatory activation via e-mail verification. (Users could opt out of Microsoft's e-mails after that, though.)
9. Support for a maximum of one CPU socket and a maximum of 3 cores.
10. Basic backup, but with support for encrypted/compressed backup to network and cloud drives. (Cloud storage above a certain amount would be chargeable.)
11. Remote desktop to a Windows phone or Windows tablet (single session at a time).
12. Ability to share a maximum of two printers and two network folders at a time.
13. DVD playback (sans Dolby).
14. Single monitor.
15. User interface cleanup.
That's essentially a mixture of Microsoft's previous "Starter" and "Home" (probably "Home Basic") Windows editions. And that's just about right.
With the release of Windows 8, Microsoft has tried to graft a mobile-appropriate user interface that hasn't proven popular atop its franchise desktop and laptop operating system. The result is a disaster that pleases almost no one. It's a technical approach to solving a fundamental business model problem, a problem that Microsoft must address.
As part of the solution, Microsoft ought to consider introducing a base edition of Windows that's genuinely free. Microsoft badly needs to preserve and to extend its application ecosystem, and that's much easier to do if that ecosystem continues to be popular. Apple and Google both offer free ecosystems: iOS and new iOS versions are free with every applicable Apple hardware purchase, and Android is just plain free provided the device manufacturer maintains preferential placement of Google's content services. That's not a problem for Android device manufacturers because Google's content is extremely popular and useful.
Free Windows? Am I crazy? No, not at all. To pull it off, though, Microsoft would need to establish two boundaries in the right places. The first boundary is what level of function to include in the free base Windows package -- more on that in a moment. The second issue is that Microsoft needs to beef up the range and value of optional add-ons available through the application store. In other words, Microsoft needs to offer compelling content that Windows users will want to buy using their free base Windows. Right now Apple is doing a better job in that area. Apple's customers know that the base package offers exceptional value, but then most of them happily buy more. Getting the boundaries right between "free" and "paid" is critical, and Microsoft needs to do a better job in that area.
So here's what a free Windows 8 would include:
1. A smaller download that can install from a 1 GB USB memory key. That would be more than enough to get onto the Internet to perform Internet browsing (but only after applying the latest critical security patches for that purpose) and, optionally, to install the remainder of base Windows.
2. Full English plus a multi-lingual post-install panel to allow users to install any language pack from the Internet.
3. Support for a maximum of two SATA/IDE hard disks, both with full disk encryption if the user desires. (Full disk encryption could be one of the free downloadable features.) USB-attached hard disks and memory keys would be unlimited.
4. A 32-bit version only, with unlimited PAE support, provided that there's a mechanism for the user to pay for an in place upgrade to 64-bit Windows without losing data and settings.
5. No Windows Media Center, IIS, or domain login.
6. Limit of 5 visible user logins. Applications could still create more user IDs for their purposes, but only 5 would be available to choose at the login screen.
7. Reduced accessories and games collection.
8. Mandatory activation via e-mail verification. (Users could opt out of Microsoft's e-mails after that, though.)
9. Support for a maximum of one CPU socket and a maximum of 3 cores.
10. Basic backup, but with support for encrypted/compressed backup to network and cloud drives. (Cloud storage above a certain amount would be chargeable.)
11. Remote desktop to a Windows phone or Windows tablet (single session at a time).
12. Ability to share a maximum of two printers and two network folders at a time.
13. DVD playback (sans Dolby).
14. Single monitor.
15. User interface cleanup.
That's essentially a mixture of Microsoft's previous "Starter" and "Home" (probably "Home Basic") Windows editions. And that's just about right.
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