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[BigD145]

Unless they go out and literally copy apple's 'You aren't using our special unicorn-blessed hardware spec, therefore you are doing things illegally even if you bought the device legally you evil criminal bastard', there is still going to be computers built out of whatever.

Do you have a link to the announcements?

Apple got away with it. I was around when the Mac clones were in full force, then died.

http://www.giantbomb.com/articles/microsoft-plans-to-upgrade-xbox-one-hardware-unify/1100-5406/
"Unify" PC and console says to me they are just going ahead and making the xbox a computer, which it pretty much is now. They've already put the xbox store in Win 10. The Universal Windows Platform just says "We made all this hardware and software and stuff works together." The OS on xbox 'could' work on different hardware, but it doesn't. Steam went the way of "this works on whatever hardware you build." MS went the way of "buy all our branded stuff." Intel will still likely be the in-house chip in the case.

[Sensei]

When I heard about upgrading xbox, I assumed that meant some kind of Sega 32x or Nintendo 64 Disc Drive monstrosity was on it way. Hopefully they don't have the chutzpah to try tying windows to specivic hardware. Even if they were, it would have to wait until Windows 11 (probably actually named Windows 14) because they aren't going to just roll out a windows 10 update that makes it stop working on non-oem computers.

[Aklyon]

I wouldn't put it past MS to attempt that as Win10 SP1, but I'd also assume that they know it would kill win10 if they did it wrong, since you can't not update win10 home. And its pretty likely they'd do it wrong.

[nenjin]

When I heard about upgrading xbox, I assumed that meant some kind of Sega 32x or Nintendo 64 Disc Drive monstrosity was on it way. Hopefully they don't have the chutzpah to try tying windows to specivic hardware. Even if they were, it would have to wait until Windows 11 (probably actually named Windows 14) because they aren't going to just roll out a windows 10 update that makes it stop working on non-oem computers.

MS has technically already been doing this for years via OEM licenses. I ran into basically nothing but Windows 7 OEM-only licenses when I built a few systems for people two years ago and was like...fuck, there's nothing you can really do about it.

But I doubt MS would go to that length with their current OS. PC gamers who actually upgrade would be completely fucked once something like their mobo or memory changes. My full copy of Windows 7 has lasted across two systems so far (and god willing, a 3rd.)

I feel like I go through this every few years with MS. People get a glimpse of their 5 year plan, the talk of devilry begins among users, MS backs off or puts out a crippled product that fails entirely on its own without most of their draconian controls, and then suddenly it's time for a new version of Windows again. I'm not sure Windows 10 is much different, but the whole Unified Windows File thing does already exist and it's shit.

[Shadowlord]

Before someone mentions Unity, it's still tied to Windows through .NET and C#.

Do you mean because you can't run the Unity development environment on Linux?

[itisnotlogical]

They're working on a Linux editor.

[Chiefwaffles]

When I heard about upgrading xbox, I assumed that meant some kind of Sega 32x or Nintendo 64 Disc Drive monstrosity was on it way. Hopefully they don't have the chutzpah to try tying windows to specivic hardware. Even if they were, it would have to wait until Windows 11 (probably actually named Windows 14) because they aren't going to just roll out a windows 10 update that makes it stop working on non-oem computers.

Microsoft's not stupid. Unless I'm misunderstanding what you're saying, there's no way they would ever think that locking/tying windows to specific hardware is ever a good idea. They already have their own hardware brand (Surface) which is emulating the 'high class' hardware feeling that Apple creates, and they only have things to lose by tying/locking Windows to specific hardware.
Also I was under the impression that by upgrading Xboxes, they meant like "Xbox One Elite" type thing where there's a new Xbox that runs the same OS and same games, but with better specs?

That's nice. Hopefully it'll put a dent in all this.

...really?
That choice of wording makes it sound like it's some last-ditch plan to thwart the eeevil Micro$oft and their diabolical plans.

[Shadowlord]

MS's C# and VB.net compilers are also open-source and compile on linux as well now (the open-source version is called Roslyn, and you can use it with Unity if you want to, with a little effort, although not all features are 100% functional (async acts weeeeird, for instance)).

[nenjin]

Microsoft's not stupid. Unless I'm misunderstanding what you're saying, there's no way they would ever think that locking/tying windows to specific hardware is ever a good idea.

They've been doing it for years. They willingly sell OEM PC licenses of the non-current version of Windows to users. It's all part of the plan to constantly push people toward the newest version, and whatever arbitrary, market-capturing plan they've cooked up this year.

[Aklyon]

Until you edited that I was going to say windows phone does not count as successful doing it.

[BigD145]

Raspberry Pi has a strip down free version of Windows 10 available to it, which can't do much except be a tiny server. For awhile anything with an 8 inch or less screen was getting Windows for free. That's all market saturation. Now they're pushing their phone more and it runs full Windows. Your choice is partial support on a small 3rd party device with Windows or full support and maximum compatibility on an officially licensed Microsoft device.

[Aklyon]

But does anyone actually use windows phone? Last I'd heard of it was it on the way to being deader than the zune due to a lack of apps compared to android/ios. You can push your phone all you want, its still gonig to be lesser if it doesn't support the things people want, even if msot mobile apps are kinda dumb.

[Shadowlord]

But does anyone actually use windows phone?

Yes!

https://www.reddit.com/r/Steam/comments/48rif8/valve_we_need_the_mobile_authenticator_app_for/
https://www.reddit.com/r/Steam/comments/48vor3/steamguard_mobile_authenticator_and_windows_phones/

I have a windows phone, it was cheap and works fairly well. My main annoyances have been lack of memory (because it was the lowest-end one), and some apps never showing up (anything by google, for instance - but onenote is better than google docs anyways).

I wouldn't buy an iPhone, they're ridiculously expensive (and apparently you need a Mac to make iphone apps).
I wouldn't buy an Android because they're insecure - they stop getting updates, including security updates, at manufacturer whim, leaving many phones permanently vulnerable.

[BigD145]

But does anyone actually use windows phone?

Yes!

https://www.reddit.com/r/Steam/comments/48rif8/valve_we_need_the_mobile_authenticator_app_for/
https://www.reddit.com/r/Steam/comments/48vor3/steamguard_mobile_authenticator_and_windows_phones/

I have a windows phone, it was cheap and works fairly well. My main annoyances have been lack of memory (because it was the lowest-end one), and some apps never showing up (anything by google, for instance - but onenote is better than google docs anyways).

I wouldn't buy an iPhone, they're ridiculously expensive (and apparently you need a Mac to make iphone apps).
I wouldn't buy an Android because they're insecure - they stop getting updates, including security updates, at manufacturer whim, leaving many phones permanently vulnerable.

Are you saying Windows is invulnerable?
/snerk

[Shadowlord]

No, I don't think Windows phone is invulnerable. (Although you just said Windows, so I don't know if maybe you misread?)

However, since Microsoft is continuing to release security patches, updates, etc, for the old phone models, and since they make the phones themselves like Apple does instead of farming it out to a bunch of different companies (following their acquisition of Nokia's phone-making and support business), and because most attacks aren't going to target the platform that very few people use (unless there's a high value target using it, one assumes), it's reasonable to conclude that it's safer than android.

Android has its open-source-ness going for it, but then when exploits are found, and google patches them, the patches don't make their way to most of the android devices that are out there. vOv