Microsoft, after years of dominance in the market, now faces competition. That competition, in the form of Apple's Mac OSX and in the form of Linux, forces Microsoft to make some changes.
One area for change is the update process for Windows. Microsoft needs to improve their game in this area.
I have several PCs; three of them run Windows. A relatively modern desktop runs Windows 8.1, a slightly older laptop runs Windows 7, and an ancient tower unit runs Windows XP. They all started with those same versions of Windows (except for the modern desktop which started with Windows 8 and was later upgraded to Windows 8.1).
In addition to the PCs running Windows, I have several PCs running Ubuntu Linux: two laptops running the "desktop" version and three tower PCs running the "server" version.
Ubuntu Linux provides new versions every six months. They have gotten quite good at it. Each April and October, new versions are released. Each April and October, my Ubuntu systems display messages indicating that new versions are available. The server versions, which use a command-line interface, display a simple message at sign-on, along with the command to download and install the new version. The desktop versions, which use a graphic interface, display a dialog with a button that says, roughly, "upgrade now".
Ubuntu makes it easy to upgrade. The current system informs me of the upgrade and provides the instructions to install it. The process is simple: download the new package, install it, and re-start the computer. (It is the only time I have to re-start Linux.)
Windows, in contrast, offers no such support. While the Windows 8 system did download and install the Windows 8.1 update, the Windows 7 machine has said nothing about an upgrade for Windows 8. And the Windows XP machine hums along quietly, too, mentioning nothing about upgrades. (To be fair, the hardware in that ancient PC is not sufficient for Windows 8, so maybe it knows what it is doing.)
I'm not asking for free updates to Windows 8. I recognize that Canonical and Microsoft have different business models. Canonical does not charge for updates (or even the first install) of Ubuntu Linux; Microsoft charges for a new install and each major upgrade. Paying for an update should be a simple affair: one is really paying for an activation code and the software just happens to come along.
Ubuntu Linux also provides a path for old, out-of-support versions. I installed version 11.10, which ran and promply told me that it was out of support, and also prompted me to upgrade. Imagine installing Windows XP today: would it prompt you to upgrade to a later version? (Ubuntu upgrades through versions; the Windows equivalent would be to upgrade from Windows XP to Windows Vista and then to Windows 7.)
Canonical has raised the bar for operating system updates. They work, they are simple, and they encourage people to move to supported versions. Microsoft must match this level of support in their products. The benefit for Microsoft is that people move to the latest version of Windows, which improves their uptake rate. The benefit for users is that they ... move to the latest version of Windows, which provides the latest security patches.
Corporations and large shops may choose to wait for upgrades. They may wish to test them and then roll them out to their users. That's possible too, through Windows' group policies. Individual users, through, have little to lose.
Showing posts with label system upgrades. Show all posts
Showing posts with label system upgrades. Show all posts
Thursday, May 28, 2015
Monday, December 9, 2013
Off-the-shelf components still need attention
Typical advice for the builder of a system is often "when possible, use commercial products". The idea is that a commercial product is more stable, better maintained, and cheaper in the long run.
Today, that advice might be amended to "use commercial or open source products". The idea is to use a large, ready-made component to do the work, rather than write your own.
For some tasks, a commercial product does make sense. It's better to use the commercial (or open source) compilers for C#, Java, and C++ programs that to write your own compilers. It's better to use the commercial (or open source) word processors and spreadsheets.
Using off-the-shelf applications is a pretty easy decision.
Assembling systems with commercial (or open source) products is a bit trickier.
The issue is dependencies. When building a system, your system becomes dependent on the off-the-shelf components. It also becomes dependent on any external web services.
For some reason, we tend to think of off-the-shelf components (or external web services) as long-lasting. We tend to think that they will endure forever. Possibly because we want to forget about them, to use them like electricity or water -- something that is always available.
Commercial products do not live forever. Popular products such as WordPerfect, Lotus Notes, and Windows XP have all been discontinued. If you build a system on a commercial product and it (the commercial product) goes away, what happens to your system?
Web services do not live forever. Google recently terminated its RSS Reader. Other web services have been born, lived, and died. If you build your system on a web service and it (the web service) goes away, what happens to your system?
Product management is about many things, and one of them is dependency management. A responsible product manager knows about the components used within the product (or has people who know). A responsible product manager keeps tabs on those components (or has people who keep tabs). A responsible product manager has a plan for alternative components, should the current ones be discontinued.
Leveraging off-the-shelf products is a reasonable tactic for system design. It can save time and allow your people to work on the critical, proprietary, custom components that are needed to complete the system. But those off-the-shelf components still require a watchful eye and planning; they do not alleviate you of your duties. They can fail, they can be discontinued, and they can break on new versions of the operating system (yet another off-the-shelf component, and another dependency).
Build you system. Rebuild your legacy system. Use off-the-shelf components when they make sense. Use external web services when they make sense.
Stay aware of those components and stay aware of their status in the market. Be prepared for change.
Today, that advice might be amended to "use commercial or open source products". The idea is to use a large, ready-made component to do the work, rather than write your own.
For some tasks, a commercial product does make sense. It's better to use the commercial (or open source) compilers for C#, Java, and C++ programs that to write your own compilers. It's better to use the commercial (or open source) word processors and spreadsheets.
Using off-the-shelf applications is a pretty easy decision.
Assembling systems with commercial (or open source) products is a bit trickier.
The issue is dependencies. When building a system, your system becomes dependent on the off-the-shelf components. It also becomes dependent on any external web services.
For some reason, we tend to think of off-the-shelf components (or external web services) as long-lasting. We tend to think that they will endure forever. Possibly because we want to forget about them, to use them like electricity or water -- something that is always available.
Commercial products do not live forever. Popular products such as WordPerfect, Lotus Notes, and Windows XP have all been discontinued. If you build a system on a commercial product and it (the commercial product) goes away, what happens to your system?
Web services do not live forever. Google recently terminated its RSS Reader. Other web services have been born, lived, and died. If you build your system on a web service and it (the web service) goes away, what happens to your system?
Product management is about many things, and one of them is dependency management. A responsible product manager knows about the components used within the product (or has people who know). A responsible product manager keeps tabs on those components (or has people who keep tabs). A responsible product manager has a plan for alternative components, should the current ones be discontinued.
Leveraging off-the-shelf products is a reasonable tactic for system design. It can save time and allow your people to work on the critical, proprietary, custom components that are needed to complete the system. But those off-the-shelf components still require a watchful eye and planning; they do not alleviate you of your duties. They can fail, they can be discontinued, and they can break on new versions of the operating system (yet another off-the-shelf component, and another dependency).
Build you system. Rebuild your legacy system. Use off-the-shelf components when they make sense. Use external web services when they make sense.
Stay aware of those components and stay aware of their status in the market. Be prepared for change.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
The Future of your Windows XP PC
Suppose you have one (or several) PCs running Windows XP. Microsoft has announced the end-of-life date for Windows XP (about a year from now). What to do?
You have several options:
Upgrade to Windows 8: This probably requires new hardware, since Windows 8 requires a bit more than Windows XP. If you want to use a touchscreen, you are looking at not upgrading your PC system to Windows 8 but replacing all of the hardware.
Windows 8 uses the new "Modern/Metro" UI which is a significant change from Windows XP. Your users may find the new interface unfamiliar.
Upgrade to Windows 7: Like Windows 8, Windows 7 probably requires new hardware. You are replacing your PC, not upgrading it. (Perhaps you keep the monitor, mouse, and keyboard.)
The UI in Windows 7 is closer to Windows XP, but there are still changes. The user experience is quite close to Windows XP; the system administrator will see the changes.
Switch to Mac: Instead of upgrading to Windows 8 or Windows 7, you can switch to an Apple Macintosh PC running OSX. This requires new versions of your software. Now you are replacing hardware and software, hardly a simple upgrade.
The user interface and administration of OSX is different from Windows, another cost of conversion.
Switch to Linux: Instead of upgrading to a version of Windows, you can switch to Linux. This is one option that lets you keep your current hardware. There are several Linux distros that are designed to run on limited hardware.
The Linux UI is different, but closer to Windows than Mac OSX, and can be tuned to look like Windows. Software may or may not be a challenge. The major browsers (except Internet Explorer) run on Linux. LibreOffice can replace Microsoft Office for most tasks. Commodity software be replaced with open source packages (GIMP for PhotoShop, for example). The WINE package can run some Windows applications, so you may be able to keep your custom (that is, non-commodity) software. (Or perhaps not; some software will run only on Windows.)
Keep Windows XP: This option may be missing from some consultant recommendations, but it is a possible path. There is nothing that will prevent you from running your existing hardware with your existing software. Windows XP has no self-destruct timer, and will continue to run after the "end of life" date.
But staying with Windows XP has costs. They are deferred costs, not immediate costs. They are gradual, not sharply defined. It is the "death by a thousand cuts" approach. You can keep running Windows XP, but small things will break, and then larger things.
Here's what will probably happen:
You get no updates from Microsoft, and you don't have to apply them and reboot Windows. You may think that this is an improvement. It is, in that you don't lose time applying updates. The downside is that your system's vulnerabilities remain unfixed.
As other things in your environment change, you will find that the Windows XP system does not work with the new items. When you add a printer, the Windows XP system will not have a driver for the it. When your software update arrives (perhaps for Adobe Acrobat), the update will politely tell you that the new version is not supported under Windows XP. (If you are lucky, the update will tell you this *before* it modifies your system. Less fortunate folks will learn this only after the new software has been installed and refuses to run.)
New versions of browsers will fail to install. Stuck with old browsers, some web sites will give you warnings and complaints. Some web sites will fail in obvious ways. Others will fail in mysterious and frustrating ways -- perhaps not letting you log in, or complete a transaction.
Problems are not limited to hardware and software -- they can affect people, too.
Job candidates, upon learning that you use Windows XP, may decline to work with you. Some candidates may decline the job immediately. Others may hire on and then complain when you direct them to work with a Windows XP system.
Windows XP may be a problem when you look for system admins. Some may choose to work elsewhere, others may accept the job but demand higher rates. (And some seasoned sysadmins may be happy to work on an old friend.)
It may be that Windows XP (and corresponding applications) will act as a filter for your employees. Folks who want newer technologies will leave (or decline employment), folks who are comfortable with the older tech will stay (or hire on). Eventually many (if not all) of your staff will be familiar with older technologies and unfamiliar with new ones.
At some point, you will want to re-install Windows XP. Here you will encounter difficulties. Microsoft may (or may not) continue to support the activation servers for Windows XP. Without an activation code, Windows XP will not run. Even with the activation servers and codes, if you install on a new PC, Microsoft may reject the activation (thinking that you are attempting to exceed your license count). New hardware presents other problems: If the PC uses UEFI, it may fail to boot the Windows XP installer, which is not signed. If the PC has no CD drive, the Windows XP CD is useless.
You can stay with Windows XP, but the path is limited. Your system becomes fragile, dependent on a limited and shrinking set of technology. At some point, you will be forced to move to something else.
My advice: Move before you are forced to move. Move to a new operating system (and possibly new hardware) on your schedule, not on a schedule set by failing equipment. Migrations take time and require tests to ensure that the new equipment is working. You want to convert from Windows XP to your new environment with minimal risks and minimal disruptions.
You have several options:
Upgrade to Windows 8: This probably requires new hardware, since Windows 8 requires a bit more than Windows XP. If you want to use a touchscreen, you are looking at not upgrading your PC system to Windows 8 but replacing all of the hardware.
Windows 8 uses the new "Modern/Metro" UI which is a significant change from Windows XP. Your users may find the new interface unfamiliar.
Upgrade to Windows 7: Like Windows 8, Windows 7 probably requires new hardware. You are replacing your PC, not upgrading it. (Perhaps you keep the monitor, mouse, and keyboard.)
The UI in Windows 7 is closer to Windows XP, but there are still changes. The user experience is quite close to Windows XP; the system administrator will see the changes.
Switch to Mac: Instead of upgrading to Windows 8 or Windows 7, you can switch to an Apple Macintosh PC running OSX. This requires new versions of your software. Now you are replacing hardware and software, hardly a simple upgrade.
The user interface and administration of OSX is different from Windows, another cost of conversion.
Switch to Linux: Instead of upgrading to a version of Windows, you can switch to Linux. This is one option that lets you keep your current hardware. There are several Linux distros that are designed to run on limited hardware.
The Linux UI is different, but closer to Windows than Mac OSX, and can be tuned to look like Windows. Software may or may not be a challenge. The major browsers (except Internet Explorer) run on Linux. LibreOffice can replace Microsoft Office for most tasks. Commodity software be replaced with open source packages (GIMP for PhotoShop, for example). The WINE package can run some Windows applications, so you may be able to keep your custom (that is, non-commodity) software. (Or perhaps not; some software will run only on Windows.)
Keep Windows XP: This option may be missing from some consultant recommendations, but it is a possible path. There is nothing that will prevent you from running your existing hardware with your existing software. Windows XP has no self-destruct timer, and will continue to run after the "end of life" date.
But staying with Windows XP has costs. They are deferred costs, not immediate costs. They are gradual, not sharply defined. It is the "death by a thousand cuts" approach. You can keep running Windows XP, but small things will break, and then larger things.
Here's what will probably happen:
You get no updates from Microsoft, and you don't have to apply them and reboot Windows. You may think that this is an improvement. It is, in that you don't lose time applying updates. The downside is that your system's vulnerabilities remain unfixed.
As other things in your environment change, you will find that the Windows XP system does not work with the new items. When you add a printer, the Windows XP system will not have a driver for the it. When your software update arrives (perhaps for Adobe Acrobat), the update will politely tell you that the new version is not supported under Windows XP. (If you are lucky, the update will tell you this *before* it modifies your system. Less fortunate folks will learn this only after the new software has been installed and refuses to run.)
New versions of browsers will fail to install. Stuck with old browsers, some web sites will give you warnings and complaints. Some web sites will fail in obvious ways. Others will fail in mysterious and frustrating ways -- perhaps not letting you log in, or complete a transaction.
Problems are not limited to hardware and software -- they can affect people, too.
Job candidates, upon learning that you use Windows XP, may decline to work with you. Some candidates may decline the job immediately. Others may hire on and then complain when you direct them to work with a Windows XP system.
Windows XP may be a problem when you look for system admins. Some may choose to work elsewhere, others may accept the job but demand higher rates. (And some seasoned sysadmins may be happy to work on an old friend.)
It may be that Windows XP (and corresponding applications) will act as a filter for your employees. Folks who want newer technologies will leave (or decline employment), folks who are comfortable with the older tech will stay (or hire on). Eventually many (if not all) of your staff will be familiar with older technologies and unfamiliar with new ones.
At some point, you will want to re-install Windows XP. Here you will encounter difficulties. Microsoft may (or may not) continue to support the activation servers for Windows XP. Without an activation code, Windows XP will not run. Even with the activation servers and codes, if you install on a new PC, Microsoft may reject the activation (thinking that you are attempting to exceed your license count). New hardware presents other problems: If the PC uses UEFI, it may fail to boot the Windows XP installer, which is not signed. If the PC has no CD drive, the Windows XP CD is useless.
You can stay with Windows XP, but the path is limited. Your system becomes fragile, dependent on a limited and shrinking set of technology. At some point, you will be forced to move to something else.
My advice: Move before you are forced to move. Move to a new operating system (and possibly new hardware) on your schedule, not on a schedule set by failing equipment. Migrations take time and require tests to ensure that the new equipment is working. You want to convert from Windows XP to your new environment with minimal risks and minimal disruptions.
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