Also, there are few to no replacements. Because at some point, the last generation decided Windows was the only real OS. Oops!
Also, there are few to no replacements. Because at some point, the last generation decided Windows was the only real OS. Oops!
On servers there is Linux and Windows Server, with a few minor 3rds (BSD maybe?).
On phones there are 2, 3rd place quit.
In the cloud there are 2 providers in AWS and Azure. With Google a distant 3rd.
Are you spotting a trend? Seems like each platform will support 2 to 3 players, usually with one dominant, one subordinate, and possibly one or two also-rans.
When the platform is new there's lots of variety, but as the sector matures so the 2 winners emerge.
Turns out that OSs are only as good as their developer community, and developers will support 1 or 2 platforms, not more. So 3rd place exists on scraps with few users and fewer developers.
This has nothing to do with what a generation decides - each platform has a winner and a follower, and little else.
To change the OS you have to change the platform, or invent a new one. Or maybe 2nd can overtake first (chrome over firefox/ie) but examples of that are rare.
So don't be blaming a generation, the players are just the players - the game is the game.
1: https://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share/desktop/worldwide
But it merely reflects my point that there tends to be one big player in most markets. Android / ios is also skewed (globally) but ios is very much a player.
You don't have to be number 1 to be in the game, but past number 2 it's very hard to break in. And if number 2 is strong, close to impossible.
Removing the start button was a classic example, and there is or was plenty of unrest in the walls of Microsoft around all the data being collected.
I am more than confident there are 10s of thousands of employees that are either resigned in disappointment or actively annoyed at what Microsoft has done here with these ads, just like the Skydrive ads before them.
Disclosure: worked for Microsoft a long time ago. My views, obviously, do not reflect their values.
Probably is the case, however, a learned lesson sticks better than a taught lesson. Or at least that's my hypothesis as to why our industry ends up operating in a cycle of relearning past lessons.