Future of Aces High with regard to operating systems

[Stalwart]

MS DOS/ MS Windows have been mainstream PC gaming platforms since the IBM PC was introduced with the Charlie Chaplin styled commercials, but it's arguable that MS is taking their OS in directions that largely abandon or ignore the PC gaming community.

I can't imagine our community is going to dogfight on phones, tablets, or even consoles as we know them today.

What can the AH community do to prepare itself for the sunset of the Windows gaming PC?
What is the HTC vision for Aces High going forward forward?

[mthrockmor]

Holy crap...serious? I'm not a computer geek but what you are saying is that desk tops are headed out and the future will be iPads, etc? Won't we always have some version of a desk top? Does AH run on Moxzilla or what the name is, other operating systems?

Boo

[Bino]

From the Microsoft Support Lifecycle site ( http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/  ) ...

[Slade]

Great post.  Great point.  

The ONLY reason I still have a Windows OS is to play this game.  LINUX (Ubuntu for instance) runs all the business software and more that one could ever need and it is free.  LINUX also runs significantly faster than any version of Windows.  

* You can even run Windows (non-games) under LINUX using various methods.
* LINUX is more secure and does not require crazy OS patches every month.
* Some newer LINUX kernals can be patched and updated without ever needing to reboot the system, i.e. there would never be a reason to reboot your system.  Do you think this is really true? Yep it is.  I had a Sun UNIX OS mission critical server that was up 2.5 YEARS without a reboot!  LINUX\UNIX is much more stable by design.  I reboot a LINUX system if\when I need to move the physical box to a new location.  That is about it.
* The interface is really simple and does not change with every new version of the OS.

I could go on but you get the point.

[Bizman]

Hmmm... gaming wise I could imagine we'd be having some kind of smart phones connected to a dock which in turn would be connected to flight sim gaming devices and either a big screen or HD video goggles. Then there'd be those, who just set the edge of their fist on the smart phone's touch screen and imagine they have a stick to hold. Or the phone with a motion sensor could be set on top of a TV, making any wand to work as a joystick...

[Ripley]

I mean no disrespect, but try not to kid yourself with the idea that desktop computing is is on the verge of being phased out.

Yes, it is true that Windows 8, which is being released tomorrow by the way, is primarily an operating system created for tablets. MS likes to think that they are bridging a gap, much like apple is doing only much slower (and TBH the RIGHT way) when in reality they are alienating the PC with a touch-driven start screen. It may be a success for the tablet market, but it will flop for the PC market much like Vista did, and 3 years from now Windows 9 will be out and will take the place of windows 7 as the best desktop OS because they will realize that tablets and mobile phones are only COMPLEMENTS for desktops and laptops, NOT full blown replacements.

There are still plenty of hardware manufacturers (think intel, AMD and nVidia) out there that are pushing out top of the line desktop components. They, to my knowledge, have no intentions of ceasing their desktop manufacturing line in the foreseeable future. Why would they? They make too much money by staying above the curve.

Because of these ultra-mobile devices desktop sales are taking a HIT, NOT being completely crippled. Any news you may read about Windows 8 being "Microsoft's chance at redemption" or "Microsoft's last hope" are BS. Microsoft is like the 'AT&T', 'General Motors' or 'General Electric" of computers. Windows is still the number 1 choice for corporate server hardware, corporate user desktops, PC enthusiasts, and gamers, while still holding a decent chunk of market share in the 'home users' category. Until something completely radical changes that the desktop PC isnt going anywhere.

Oh, and as a side note to Slade: Its great that Linux works out for you, however can you imagine a non-tech-savvy 45y/o trying to operate a linux machine?  I just dont see it... Again, not trying to put you down or anything.

[alpini13]

yes hes is right, we will always need desktops....wait,didnt we say that about television antenae,and 8-track and other tape recording as it was soo much better than records, and glasses went to contacts..now we have lazik AND implants.  yeah,i see where this is going...let me stock up on toner for my printer.

[100Coogn]

There's too much time & money invested in the performance of a PC, from companies like NVIDIA, EVGA, Intel AMD  etc,, to make me believe that we are being phased out.
I do wonder, how can the consoles keep up?

Coogan

[save]

Windows will still be he main OS for offices and home use, since its currently pre-installed, I see few ways to see it go in the next few years.

Linux will probably be pre-installed along with Windows in a couple of years, because OpenGL is now mature, and many vendors develop games for it, and its more efficient than Windows on the hardware. Also the GUI's are now much better than just 2 years ago in many Linux
distributions.


The cheap computers will probably be sall Linux-machines since OS  are free of charge.

Manufacturers like Nvidia and AMD will always support the OS'es they think would be profitable.
       

[Ripley]

yes hes is right, we will always need desktops....wait,didnt we say that about television antenae,and 8-track and other tape recording as it was soo much better than records, and glasses went to contacts..now we have lazik AND implants.  yeah,i see where this is going...let me stock up on toner for my printer.

You are comparing apples to oranges.  8-track and tape recording are Media storage devices. We still have media storage, they have just taken new forms like cds (also now slowly being phased out), DVDs, Blue-Rays. People still use glasses. Contacts, lazik and implants did not phase them out, not even close. TV antennae are devices used to pick up TV channels. We still have the Television, it just connects through cable or satellite now. Heck I know people that do still use these antennas, only with an analog to digital converter now.

Now, if they were phasing out the television in favor of watching broadcasted channels on the iPad or a Holographic projector, then that would be a viable comparison. But I dont see that happening anytime soon either. Too many people use the television on a daily basis (and the hologram doesnt exist, yet ). Sure, you could watch your TV episodes on the computer or iPad now but whos going to give up the TV because there are more (and mobile) options as to how to watch their shows?

Phones are another perfect example. Over the last 30 years phones have adapted from the landline to an amazing mobile platform. Yet people still use landline phones.

I stand by my original post. Desktop computer sales may take a hit, but they will continue to adapt like they have for the last 30 or so years and are NOT going to disappear in the foreseeable future.

"I do wonder, how can the consoles keep up?"

The consoles will just introduce newer consoles, as they have always done. The new xBox is in development and we should be seeing it in the next 1-2 years, and I'm sure playstation isnt too far behind. The new Nintendo console is known and will be released shortly, if it hasnt already (i dont think it has?) They should be able to keep up just fine.

[titanic3]

If you can play flight sims and what not on a phone in 5 or 10 years, imagine what could be done on a desktop.

Mobile devices will never replace desktops or even laptops for games. Why? Because desktops/laptops are bigger. If you can fit "x" amount of power on a mobile device, you can fix "5x" or "20x" on a desktop. I just can't imagine what games will look like in 5 or 10 years.

I would think that 3D becomes the norm, trackIR becomes the norm, realistic physics in almost all games, and larger and more populated servers.

[Meatwad]

yes hes is right, we will always need desktops....wait,didnt we say that about television antenae,and 8-track and other tape recording as it was soo much better than records, and glasses went to contacts..now we have lazik AND implants.  yeah,i see where this is going...let me stock up on toner for my printer.

I still have an operational C band dish in the yard that I watch television on

[Bizman]

yes hes is right, we will always need desktops....wait,didnt we say that about television antenae,and 8-track and other tape recording as it was soo much better than records, and glasses went to contacts..now we have lazik AND implants.  yeah,i see where this is going...let me stock up on toner for my printer.

I changed back to antenna from cable several years ago. My new TV has a built in dvb-t/c hd tuner.

And Titanic3, you're probably right about the multiplied power between desktops and phones. Years ago we talked about maybe having a curved or even a dome monitor in the future and now they are in production.

[Stalwart]

I'm 44 and slightly more tech savy than your average bear.
So, if HTC chooses to support AH on an alternate OS, I want to be prepared.

I kinda hope they do, because I don't like bondage to MS and their business objectives, especially in regard to security.
I don't hate MS... I've been using their products all my life.  I just don't like where they're going.
It's been fairly easy to stick with windows through XP, but I don't know if I can follow on with 7 and beyond.

[guncrasher]

I'm 44 and slightly more tech savy than your average bear.
So, if HTC chooses to support AH on an alternate OS, I want to be prepared.

I kinda hope they do, because I don't like bondage to MS and their business objectives, especially in regard to security.
I don't hate MS... I've been using their products all my life.  I just don't like where they're going.
It's been fairly easy to stick with windows through XP, but I don't know if I can follow on with 7 and beyond.

if ah decides to support an alternate os dont you think they will tell us at least 6 months in advance?  will that be enough time for you?


semp