Would You Use Ad-Supported Windows? 643
An anonymous reader writes "ZDNet reported earlier this week that Microsoft was thinking of offering an Ad-Supported version of Windows. A blog post by John Carroll offers some reasons why Ad-Supported Windows makes sense. From the article: '4. More revenue through targeted marketing: The holy grail of marketing is to target an audience with the sort of ads that most appeal to them. Sending a bunch of male programmers advertisements for breast enlargement isn't terribly useful. Sending a bunch of male programmers advertisements for a four hour extended version of Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan is useful.' Is there any situation where you can see yourself open to the possibility of using an Ad-Supported operating system?"
Re:Two good uses (Score:1, Insightful)
personally, i wouldn't support any kind of ad OS from ms. they are a mega huge monopoly. they don't need additional sources of income.
Sounds like a potential security issue... (Score:5, Insightful)
Would Windows then be free? (Score:5, Insightful)
Would the OS be crippled? Could a purchase un-cripple it (and remove advertisements)?
And how intrusive are these ads? Is this a thirty second video commercial while the OS loads, or am I going to be receiving pop-ups every 30-45 seconds? Am I sacrificing monitor space to keep a banner ad on the screen at all times?
Internet Cafes (Score:2, Insightful)
Um....no. (Score:5, Insightful)
Depends (Score:5, Insightful)
Which I suppose is slightly different from... (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Two good uses (Score:5, Insightful)
No. (Score:3, Insightful)
"No."
Now that that's out of the way, I wonder how well "Windows Defender" (the Microsoft "anti"-spyware offering) would work on an ad-supported version of Windows. I wonder if this has anything to do with the fact that Microsoft purchased Gator^H^H^H^H^HClaria.
I wonder about these things, and I change my original opinion.
"Fuck, no. Not if you managed to throw a chair through Brin's head. Not if you manage suffocate Torvalds by stuffing his head up a penguin's ass. Not if you travelled back in time and shot the parents of Ada Lovelace, Alan Turing, and Steve Wozniak before any of them were born."
Funny question to ask here (Score:1, Insightful)
The responses are going to consist of:
1) Something about Microsoft being evil
2) Something about Linux being free
3) Something about Microsoft's security track record
I can't see anything useful coming out of this at all.
Re:Two good uses (Score:4, Insightful)
Did you miss the episode of the Simpsons where Homer's model rocket hits the church, Mr. Burns pays to fix it, and he introduces changes to make it more profitable? "Get your money changed! Right here in the temple!"
Re:Depends (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Not yet ad-supported (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Two good uses (Score:4, Insightful)
I can't leak into the urinal, without looking down and seeing someone selling me something, printed on the drain-cover.
Re:Not yet ad-supported (Score:4, Insightful)
Who wants to bet on the odds that eventually a flaw in the ad system would be discovered, that allows _anyone_ to shove stuff in your face?
the ads! make them go away!! (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Two good uses (Score:5, Insightful)
It would help the other free OS (Score:3, Insightful)
Not a bad thing.
Re:Depends (Score:5, Insightful)
So now spyware is a feature? (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Depends (Score:2, Insightful)
EXACTLY. Why else would the richest company on the fact of the planet need advertising revenues?
On that note F no would i never support any os the flashes advertisements at me. This advertising thing is getting out of control and I'm drawing the line somewhere and that somewhere is paying for software that displays ads at me. When its free and if its not over powering you can grin and bear the ads(I mean you get what you pay for) but I refuse to pay for a product that flashes ads at me.
Re:Two good uses (Score:4, Insightful)
Ya, lots of grumbling over saving money. I hear Geico has the same problem. Incedentally, 15 minutes could save you 10% or more on car insurance.
Re:Not yet ad-supported (Score:4, Insightful)
Are you telling me, with a straight face, that MS isn't already gathering revenue by the ads they deliver through their OS?
Re:"Free or Low Cost..." I'm suspicious... (Score:1, Insightful)
Re:Two good uses (Score:3, Insightful)
Never administrated a Windows server, eh? ;-)
Re:Insightful on the Piss Ads (Score:2, Insightful)
In fact, we are actually paying for them to be there, through the products that are advertised.
Re:Not yet ad-supported (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Depends (Score:3, Insightful)
When browsers became irrelevant as people realized it was the content they were viewing, not the device with which they viewed it, that was important.
from people like you yes.. (Score:3, Insightful)
MSN Messenger's installer offers you the choice to setup MSN as your home page with the MSN toolbar and all the other crap. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO UNCHECK THOSE. Therefore, it's your fault if you complain about those because they give you a choice. Same for WMP. Bookmarks with IE? Delete them or don't use IE. Products sold through Windows Catalogue? Who's pointing a gun to your head telling you to look at it?
Are you telling me, with a straight face, that you aren't a lazy geek who complains about MS-Related ads/services that can be turned off/disabled? Get that poker face out because you'll need it.