Hi Dark, No, I think the problem is that we are coming at this topic from two completely different points of view. You are looking at this from the short term view where I am looking at this from the long view. Let me explain.
When you look at something like Windows 8 you ask, "what can it do for me right now?" That's a very valid question, but it only takes into consideration the here and now. If your only consideration is media playback, word processing, email, and Internet browsing its true that Windows 8 doesn't really have anything new to offer you. However, that is not the only thing you need to be concerned about in my opinion. Since I look at it over the long term, what will things be like a few years from now, I see problems for you and others you aren't even stopping to consider at this point. For example, hardware support. We already know many companies have stopped producing hardware drivers for new devices like sound cards, network cards, motherboards, etc. So if your computer died and you had to get a new one it isn't like you can just grab your old XP disk and install it on the new computer. The lack of compatible hardware drivers etc will make that impossible for all practical purposes. Sure, you could in theory go to Ebay or somewhere and buy a used or refurbished XP system for less than the price of a new one, but why do that when you could put that money towards a newer and better computer anyway? It seems to me such a decision would be avoiding the inevitable. Another problem I see coming down the road for XP users is 64-bit software. Right now we are in a transitional phase where companies are putting out both 32-bit and 64-bit applications that are still more or less XP compatible. In five to ten years I see most companies going to 64-bit and dropping support for 32-bit software completely. Anyone still running XP will be left behind. This of course has the potential of effecting you personally in a big way. Security software like AVG will no longer have updates for XP, screen readers like Supernova might drop XP, and perhaps a favorite media player like Winamp will have updated to the new OS. These sorts of changes are coming eventually, and while I can't say when I don't think it is exactly a good idea to ignore the fact this is slowly beginning to happen, and will probably get worse as soon as Microsoft drops XP next year. In short, the way I see it a person who upgrades is being smart by taking the long view slowly upgrading and preparing for these changes before they become mandatory. To roll with the change before it happens. As we the blind community often don't have a lot of money to invest in technology slowly upgrading over say a five year period is better than waiting until a computer dies and going out and buying a new 64-bit laptop with Windows 8.1 on it and not having a compatible screen reader, office suite, games, SAPI voices, all because that person was stubborn and refused to update until circumstances forced him/her into it. I hope that maybe explains my position a little better. I just think that all of these arguments you are making about Windows 8 etc not having anything to offer in terms of Internet, email, word processing, playing music, whatever is a mute point when in a few years you'll have no choice eventually to upgrade. You can do that upgrading now or wait until your XP machine kicks the bucket, dies a horrible death, goes off to computer heaven, etc but in the end you will have to upgrade anyway. As the Rolling Stones use to say, "time is on my side." Cheers! On 9/11/13, dark <d...@xgam.org> wrote: > Hi Tom. > > the problem, and the thing you and other developers don't seem to get, is > that all the hip software upgrades and big number features in the world > don't actually matter. > > yes, I could probably get used to the new interface, and probably live > without older games, but why should I? > > Microsoft have created a system which does have a learning curve, especially > > in it's lack of personal customization, (had they included propper backwards > > compatibility and interface control that would've been different, but they > haven't). > > Myself, if you or other developers started! saying "look, this is a really > cool feature that this game can use, like that tags idea and it comes with > windows 8, here! is a good reason to upgrade" then I'd considder upgrading. > > Why did I buy an iphone and get used to vo? because basically there were > lots of fun things that I couldn't do with an xp laptop. > > Back when windows 7 originally came out this is exactly what I expected > would happen, and by this point in time I expected actually good reasons to > > upgrade, a hole bunch of games with newer and more interesting features that > > would be playable only on newer os, but they haven't appeared, indeed I can > > only think of one single audio game, airic the clerric which is windows 7 > only, (and even that is being fixed). > > > > Yes, this means for a while people won't buy your games that are using > xp, ---- but as you pointed out yourself that is the risk of a new os, and > if your so bothered about making the best games with these wondrous new > things it shouldn't matter. > Ultimately of course the fault is microsoft's, for creating a system which > is utterly unattractive, which has a harder to learn interface, and offers > nothing of practical use to the actual everyday vi user, however as you > said yourself microsoft are out to make money so think creating something > flashy will do to sucker people in, and bugger compatibility or > personalisation, (and yes, I do blame them for this, since they have more > than enough money to include whatever they like). > > so, there is my principle challenge. Myself, I use my computer for media > playback, writing, internet brousing and games. The first four I can do > quite well already and have never heard that post xp windows does any better > > at them, (indeed since I'd still be using winamp the media playback would be > > exactly the same), however as I said with an iphone I was quite willing to > switch for the, and if there were five detailed and major games only > playable on post xp windows I'd switch myself, and likely others would as > well. > > beware the Grue! > > Dark. > > > --- > Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org > If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to > gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. > You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at > http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. > All messages are archived and can be searched and read at > http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. > If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, > please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org. > --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.
