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Microsoft’s Surface RT is an “Unmitigated Disaster.” What’s wrong with that?

Microsoft Surface RT Windows 8 tablet

After Microsoft successfully used Restricted Boot to make dual-booting Linux distributions and Windows 8 on newer desktop and notebook computers a painful adventure.

And after the company successfully locked out Linux distributions from ARM tablets running Windows RT, any bad news streaming from Steve Ballmer’s office is sweet music to my ears.

So the company lost close to US$1 billion because of poor sales of its tablet platform. Good news. If it had not used an anti-consumer agreement to lock out Linux from that platform, many Linux users would have been buyers of some of that excess inventory.

Now the company is facing a class action lawsuit (PDF file) for failing to inform investors that its “foray into the tablet market was an unmitigated disaster, which left it with a large accumulation of excess, over-valued Surface RT inventory.” And that the poor sales was “due, in large part, to the limitations associated with its operating system, Windows RT.”

By the time that class action is settled, you can tack another several hundred million dollars to the total losses from Surface RT. What’s wrong with that picture?

And if you ask me, that foot should have been positioned on that guy’s dome. (image from All Things Digital.)
Microsoft Surface RT Windows 8 tablet

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David
David
10 years ago

I wish everyone in the Linux/BSD world would stop wasting their time hating on Microsoft. It only makes our community look bitter, which is not a strong position to take at all. Let’s focus on the strengths of Linux/BSD rather than ranting about how much we hate Microsoft. It might actually help more Microsoft users feel welcome in our community.

Edward
Edward
Reply to  David
8 years ago

You know, microsnot and others have entered into an open conspiracy to block devices from having linux installed. They have already built the wall. They have a lousy OS and have done everything but improve it, while using their power to cram it down the throats of users. You are right not to blame the community of users, they really are just victims. I blame the cowardly companies that play with microsnot that agree to the scheme that makes it difficult for me to find, buy and use the hardware as I see fit.

hike
hike
10 years ago

Windows, as a whole, is a crummy Operating System. The BSD networking was added to earlier Windows OSes to provide stability. Had Microsoft gone all the way and used the FreeBSD OS or one of the Linux OSes, they would be sitting in a much better financial and PR position right now. They would be actually competing on usability, reliability and productivity grounds with UNIX, Linux, and Mac OS X. Not reading the Writing on the Wall has left Windows and Microsoft in a bad position.

jumbli
jumbli
10 years ago

Microsoft needs to switch to the BSD kernel, with Ubuntu Unity like strategy(windows phone will run the windows desktop also)

e8hfff
e8hfff
10 years ago

They are bribing schools with 80’s computer type guys in them to take stock and proclaim them innovative front line devices.

How on Earth could a child learn to program on the Surface Tablet and be frontline. Linux is where it’s at if you want to be a coder or web-developer.

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