The Microsoft Surface Killer Feature: It's open. | Hacker News Reader

The Microsoft Surface Killer Feature: It's open.

21 pointsrobomartin22 comments

Just got a chance to view the presentation here:

http://cdn-smooth.ms-studiosmedia.com/news/mp4_mq/06182012_Surface_750k.mp4

This could be a very telling probe into what consumers want. There is not disputing the fact that the Windows ecosystem dwarfs anything else out there. If I heard the numbers correctly, more Windows computers are shipped in a single year than the entire installed based of Macs. Not a put-down, just a fact.

As an iOS software and hardware developer one of the things that I continue to clash with is the nearly despotic hold Apple has on, well, everything. Developing hardware for any iOS device can be a very expensive and painful experience. For example, you can't develop a universal serial cable. Yes, there's a serial port on that connector but Apple will not let you use it without a decryption chip and you only get authorization to make a cable for a specific app. To think that in 2012 you can't get unencumbered API access to a serial and a USB port is just, well, unreal.

Microsoft Surface is, by definition, open. I will be able to run any and all Windows software on this device the minute it becomes available. That, again, dwarfs the Mac/iOS ecosystem. I will be able to run Solidworks on a tablet. How cool is that?

It'll be interesting to see how consumers react to this reality. I have a feeling that, if pricing is right, adoption will be swift.

Of course, we'll continue to work with and produce products for the iOS landscape, but it'd sure be very interesting to have an open option out there where you could experiment and offer things that Apple simply will not let you approach. It's about creativity, not technology.

EDIT: Apple is, of course, entitled to rule their own ecosystem as they wish. No issues there. Their toys. Their rules. Not complaining. Just presenting facts.

Here's a another one: Multi-user!

Finally, a tablet where you can setup users with different privileges. You can setup accounts for the kids so they can play their games and not have access to anything they should not be able to touch. You can setup an account for house guests or for those occasions when you know you might be handing the device to someone who, as an example, should not be able to log into your Facebook or eBay account automatically.

Multi-user is also great for business applications. Take medical applications where the nurses have access to what they need and nothing more via user-level controls.

I think these guys are going in the right direction.

Where is the Surface "mini"?

It still has the largest installed base, but Android is already shipping about as many devices as Windows one every year, and it's growing much faster than Windows devices. There are estimates for 5 billion smartphones in a few years. So there is a lot of room for growth for Android.

My point is that Windows won't have the largest ecosystem for long. Plus, it's not the "most exciting" ecosystem right now to developers. Most developers will develop for iOS first for years to come, and also Android. It remains to be seen how they will embrace Metro.

Microsoft IS the most exciting ecosystem for developers (at least to those who tried .NET or WinRT). It's such a better platform to develop for than, let's say, iOS.

No, iOS is a much better platform to develop for than, say, .NET.

My unsupported assertion of personal preference is equally valid.

Speak for yourself--I'd rather develop for Linux any day.

for the past two years, I have been trying to love android, but I couldn't. I recently purchased a android game, and it was so buggy, it's barely playable. After using three different android phones and two android tablets, I guess my next phone will be an iphone.

Get that damn Galaxy S II, and do NOT upgrade from Android 2.x to 4.x -- you'll get almost perfect smartphone.

There's still more revenue on windows. You can't charge 1000 usd a seat on iOS, but you can on windows.

The expensive Surface is open. The cheaper one isn't.

The expensive iPad is closed. The cheaper one is also closed.

And, why is that a problem?

That contradicts your original point?

No it doesn't. There will be a Windows Surface offering that is 100% Windows 8 Intel-based. That is what my entire post is about. You are choosing to focus on the other unit. I devoted 0% of my post to that other offering.

The fact that MS if offering a version of Surface that will not run standard Windows programs is of no consequence. There will be lots of valid use cases for that device. What is important here is that MS if offering consumers something very valuable: A choice.

> You are choosing to focus on the other unit. I devoted 0% of my post to that other offering.

Or,min other words, you're choosing to ignore the other unit, where the consumer isn't offered a choice

Which the consumer will buy, believing that all Windows 8s are the same.

Yeah, that's a problem I don't have a clear idea of how they'll handle. And since the x86 one will likely run whatever legacy windows apps you want, I see a lot of pissed off people who feel like MS is cheating them somehow.*

I'm perfectly willing to be wrong, though.

*When the cheap model won't do that.

I think consumers and Microsoft are smarter than you give them credit. I have zero doubt that these devices will be sold for exactly what they are. "Surface" for one ecosystem and "Surface PRO" for full Windows 8 software compatibility. It really isn't that complicated.

Time will tell.

And because it's cheaper, thiner, lighter, quieter...

I was actually expecting Microsoft to launch gesture control in their tablet .....

May be some day in near future.... I am sure very soon, they will integrate kinect and windows, and then ..... well everything changes ...

and rightly said ... iPad is a toy and for kids ... Surface is a gadget and for the grown ups ...

Actually, it appears that Windows is actually on track to move down into second place in OS market share behind Android, and into third place next year behind Android and iOS. http://www.asymco.com/2012/06/19/the-evolution-of-the-comput...

I'm actually torn about the Windows platform on this form factor. Solidworks on a Surface - or Core IMPACT (scary!) sounds really cool. The installed base really is awesome. On the other hand, Blackhole, Zeus, TDSS, and everything else will also run on day one (or day zero) - and they'll run on the cheap version or the expensive one.

Great point. Another great feature is USB. My investment in various USB devices isn't obsoleted.

One feature that many will overlook is that it also has mouse support built in. Using Citrix or similar apps on an iPad is a waste of time because there's absolutely no support for anything other than the touch screen.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com