a windows "your" edition | The Coffeehouse

I was looking at the feature lists of the different vista editions the other day trying to decide which one i would buy when it comes out.

And i got an idea. What if you could choose the features you wanted and only pay for what you'd actually use?

I don't know how this would work out for microsoft. But say you could choose to have IIS with 10 incomming connections and services for unix (something ever computer science student who runs windows has wanted for years. Thank you microsoft!) but not any of the bussiness networking features because you don't need them for a home network. That kind of example. That way the edition you get could be exactly what you need for a given problem.

littleguru

The idea is great. I think that Microsoft is going in that direction with the next major OS release. More components and you are able to choose which to install and which not. I don't think it is going as granular as you are suggesting it, but something is coming. I'm sure about that.

ddewbofh

It's a good idea, but it would be insanely hard to implement. Pricing, distribution and not to mention support. But the concept is solid, for geeks anyways.

Like how would you let the installprogram know what bits to incorporate, through the use of different keys? We already have a problem where there simply are too many various editions of windows, throw customisations in the mix and it'd be mayhem.

One way could be to sell those bits in an ultimate extras format, like a 10-connection web-server "starter-kit" for an additional fee.

littleguru

Agree. I think that Windows is also strong because there are not that much components you have choose from when installing. An average user can install Windows. Give an average user a Linux distro and let it install. The bar for installing Windows is lower than Linux.

Dr Herbie

Well, I guess it would be kind of like buying a PC from one of the big manufacturers: you choode the basic model and then get presented with a list of features that you can add and remove. As you modify the spec, the price changes.

Actually I think MS are heading into a 'pay per use' type of licensing model -- possibly internet based like the Live website. You would go there and can use the web based Word for a small price per use (or per 100 words, or per hour, or something). If we ended up with a web-based OS (how would that work?) then you'd pay a monthly bill for the features that you used.

We added this licensing model to a piece of software that I used to work on. The user paid a specified fee based on their expected usage (number of users, features needed, volumes of data) and we were allowed to perform spot-checks on their statistics (although it was more of an honesty system).

Herbie

Yggdrasil

Dr Herbie wrote:

Actually I think MS are heading into a 'pay per use' type of licensing model

I don't know, I've been hearing this touted for quite a few years now, and I don't see it moving anywhere. I think the pay-to-play model actually offers less flexibility, since you're constantly calculating your usage and limiting yourself. Maybe a monthly subscription?

Dr Herbie

Yggdrasil wrote:

Dr Herbie wrote: Actually I think MS are heading into a 'pay per use' type of licensing model

I don't know, I've been hearing this touted for quite a few years now, and I don't see it moving anywhere. I think the pay-to-play model actually offers less flexibility, since you're constantly calculating your usage and limiting yourself. Maybe a monthly subscription?

I think MS would like the subscription model because it pays them more in the long run. It may suit businesses as they tend to have fairly constant usage profiles and due to the imaginary world of accountancy, paying a small amount every month for a long period may be 'better' than paying a lump sum. (I'm having issues with accountancy at the moment having just debugged an overly complex asset depreciation algorithm Mad

).

On the other hand, you're right that many small businesses and home user would be monitoring their usage (like I used to do with pay-per-minute dial-up internet access before I got broadband).

I would imagine that the marketing/sales people at MS would be looking ay the pay-per-use model as as MSN subscription alternative.

Herbie

Angus

I heard that Microsoft had a patent for this type of technology. One could pay for the original operating system, and then one would have to pay for the individual components of the operating system afterwards. I don't mind the idea personally, but it might not be great for some. I believe that Dell, etc. would probably just make their own Windows versions for the majority of computers sold.

Angus Higgins

ddewbofh

After seeing how Dell's OEM-discs are I wouldn't be surprised if Dell just went with the basic windows-"pack" and then filled the rest up with random work-alike crapware.

Seriously, Dell's discs are the work of the devil, they make wonderful machines but the os-config is scary.

LaBomba

serishema wrote:

I was looking at the feature lists of the different vista editions the other day trying to decide which one i would buy when it comes out.

And i got an idea. What if you could choose the features you wanted and only pay for what you'd actually use?

....

Funny you mention that, I had the exact same idea a few months back while doing the exact same thing,

but I came to the same realization a poster mentioned above, it comes down to support, and manageability, it requires too much on the part of microsoft,

neat idea, but not likely to happen.