Tiny computer ideas, Windows version

[isiolia]

Once it's up it behaves great at least, but I would not be under any delusion that if Windows decided to flip the bird to 32bit support like IOS11 does on phone/pad -- probably totally SOL with it.

Far as I know, the Windows shift has both already begun, but it's also different and unlikely to be the only option. MS, if anything, has a tendency to retain compatibility for a long time. I mean, 32-bit Windows arguably is still around because it'll run 16-bit applications.

The switch for MS seems more like it'll be between older desktop Windows applications (win32 api) and Universal Windows Platform applications, or whatever they feel like calling Windows Store apps next. They've been making SKUs that only run the latter, Windows RT with 8 and more recently Windows 10 S. However, they're not trying to replace full Windows with that so much as compete with things like Chromebooks that are similarly limited. Still, probably will see it offered on a lot of low end machines.

[samsonlonghair]

Once it's up it behaves great at least, but I would not be under any delusion that if Windows decided to flip the bird to 32bit support like IOS11 does on phone/pad -- probably totally SOL with it.

Far as I know, the Windows shift has both already begun, but it's also different and unlikely to be the only option. MS, if anything, has a tendency to retain compatibility for a long time. I mean, 32-bit Windows arguably is still around because it'll run 16-bit applications.

The switch for MS seems more like it'll be between older desktop Windows applications (win32 api) and Universal Windows Platform applications, or whatever they feel like calling Windows Store apps next. They've been making SKUs that only run the latter, Windows RT with 8 and more recently Windows 10 S. However, they're not trying to replace full Windows with that so much as compete with things like Chromebooks that are similarly limited. Still, probably will see it offered on a lot of low end machines.

Windows mobile is dead; long live windows mobile!

Microsoft has a funny way of trying to support compatibility with old versions of everything, but gives poor support to their own big plans for the future. There's probably more old cash registers and ATMs still running windows ce than tablets and netbooks running windows 10s. This is because Microsoft takes their b2b market seriously and puts their b2c market on the back burner. Reminds me of IBM in that regard.

Will Microsoft ever learn anything from their windows phone failure? If Microsoft doesn't come up with a compelling reason to push Windows store apps on the consumer, the Windows store will suffer the same fate as the "games for Windows Live" service.

Edit: Let me get back to Benderx's original topic. If I had a mini PC (which, coincidentally, I did recently acquire) I would install windows 7 and turn off a few of the animations and visual enhancements.

[isiolia]

In this case, the primary consideration is education, where Google has been doing very well marketing Chromebook and cloud solutions for K-12. That, predominately, is what Windows 10 S seems positioned to compete with, and a space where having locked down devices is largely a good thing.

MS is pushing cloud services fairly hard across the board, but it's pretty hard to sell schools on Office 365 if they're all using Google already.

[samsonlonghair]

In this case, the primary consideration is education, where Google has been doing very well marketing Chromebook and cloud solutions for K-12. That, predominately, is what Windows 10 S seems positioned to compete with, and a space where having locked down devices is largely a good thing.

MS is pushing cloud services fairly hard across the board, but it's pretty hard to sell schools on Office 365 if they're all using Google already.

It seems to me that Microsoft has found itself in a world where operating system are free and the other tech giants (apple, google, and amazon) control access to who can publish software for their respective platforms. Microsoft is reacting to the new normal.

You make a good point about the education market, but have no doubt. Microsoft would love to be the gatekeeper and middleman for every piece of software that runs on every windows PC. This would also reduce the potential impact of viruses if Microsoft could prevent the installation of third party software. They're just not willing to push hard enough to make it happen. They will make it an option, but it won't be the popular option unless MS comes up with a really good incentive or removes all choice in the matter.

[isiolia]

Microsoft would love to be the gatekeeper and middleman for every piece of software that runs on every windows PC. This would also reduce the potential impact of viruses if Microsoft could prevent the installation of third party software. They're just not willing to push hard enough to make it happen. They will make it an option, but it won't be the popular option unless MS comes up with a really good incentive or removes all choice in the matter.

To be fair, basically no existing platform has been "willing" to fully enforce that model. The locked down (unless jailbroken) platforms have been new ones. As focused as OS X is in using the App Store, it still trusts some other apps by default, and can be given permission to run things from any source. A Mac locked down to just that couldn't get Creative Cloud apps, or MS Office, just offhand.

Main difference, for better or worse, is that iOS is a completely separate thing for them, versus being seen as a "limited" version of MacOS.


Anyway, for a mini PC, my only real consideration for the OS would be cost. Windows 10 is actually more resource efficient than 7, and does a much better job of automatically pulling down drivers and the like. For a lot of uses, it'd likely be better. However, I would likely be hesitant to pay for a license for the hardware in question as it'd probably cost a bit more than the computer itself did. Were it still in the free upgrade period, might be different.

[marurun]

There are still ways to snag a Windows 10 upgrade or install; you just have to look around a bit. That said, if this EeeBox is older hardware, sometimes the Win10 drivers don't support all necessary functions. For example, RetroArch won't run on PCs running Win10 that use Intel HD3000 video, because the Windows 10 driver doesn't support a particular function RetroArch needs for shaders. My laptop will run Win10 no problem and none of the other things I use it for have any issues, but I can't make RetroArch run.

[isiolia]

I think that's a more general issue with Intel drivers, as they seem to skew towards newer DirectX/etc support than handling older calls. Is that what RetroArch is hitting? I know some of it can be worked around with dgvoodoo, but I haven't looked for emulation stuff. Mostly just tried it with FFXI, since while that does run with the software DirectX conversion, it only runs acceptably with much more powerful hardware than it should need. Seriously, Tomb Raider 2013 runs better on HD4000 than FFXI does...

There certainly some cases where 10 isn't as ideal, even if it's technically better - it does block a lot of disc-based DRM schemes, for example, which is good in the sense that it's blocking rootkit type stuff...but bad if you want certain games to work.

Could also just be a GPU compute type thing, as others have mentioned here before, Adobe applications want progressively newer Intel graphics versions too. Though, that's regardless of OS.

[benderx]

Thank you, for the info everyone. After I believe 2 to 3 days very long updates, it started to function okay. The main issue is its needs more ram overall, compared to 2gb only. I want to install at least an extra 2gb or 4gb, to be speedy at most. Overall this meant to play with computer, more classics than adobe.

It does have other 65 optional updates, which I'm not sure is really necessary? Running almost any web with multiple tabs makes it feel sort of like dial up. Its weird how this product is advertised with at the time: great graphics, 1080 hd quality. Right now I have other projects besides this. When I get more memory ram, than I'll play with it more.

[fastbilly1]

Eeebox PCs are Intel Atom-based, so they are NOT fast PCs. You should plan to use these for lightweight tasks. Might emulate up through the 16-bit generation just fine, but definitely NOT well-suited to Adobe suite products, at all. Basically, this is useful as a web-browsing workstation with word processing and email. Probably will handle 720p streaming video OK. That's about it.

They will easily handle up to 64bit emulation. They will technically run the Adobe suite, but itll handle Audition or Soundbooth better than Premier or Photoshop.

OS wise, tiny xp or tiny 7 is the way to go. Or pair down your own version of the install.

[samsonlonghair]

Eeebox PCs are Intel Atom-based, so they are NOT fast PCs. You should plan to use these for lightweight tasks. Might emulate up through the 16-bit generation just fine, but definitely NOT well-suited to Adobe suite products, at all. Basically, this is useful as a web-browsing workstation with word processing and email. Probably will handle 720p streaming video OK. That's about it.

They will easily handle up to 64bit emulation. They will technically run the Adobe suite, but itll handle Audition or Soundbooth better than Premier or Photoshop.

OS wise, tiny xp or tiny 7 is the way to go. Or pair down your own version of the install.

Tiny 7 is a good option if you can find a version that's up to date with windows update.

Remember that you don't need the latest version of adobe software in order to be productive. I run Photoshop CC on my main workhorse. I also keep an old version of adobe photoshop 7 that I run on underpowered machines. Photoshop 7 still does 85%-90% of what I need photoshop to do. Dig the hilarious system requirements:

Pentium III or 4 processor.
Microsoft Windows 98 or newer
128 MB of RAM (192 MB of RAM recommended)
280 MB of available hard-disk space.

I'm not saying this is necessarily the best version for you. Look into the requirements for photoshop CS2, or CS3. Practically any low-power PC on the market today exceeds these specs.