Consider the impossible...

[princealfie]

Knowing that Microsoft is embroiled in a fight against the commission, I was daydreaming and was thinking...

What would happen if Microsoft Windows stopped existing? Would the world be a better place?

I often do desire for the demise of XP, Vista, etc. etc. but realize that if Windows wasn't around...

There wouldn't be anything to bash for Mac users! hehehe

 

[Dane D.]

What would happen if Microsoft Windows stopped existing?

The unemployment rate would rise, all those IT departments would be greatly thinned out. PC users would be forced to actually produce quality work, on a quality computer. The game of solitare would cease to exist as we know it. MS Office and all its related crap would be replaced by functional applications. Redmond will become a ghost town. DELL, HP and all the other sources of low-grade computer manufacturers will be forced to build quality machines using quality parts.

Too bad it won't happen, but it is a nice thought. I little sacrasm to lighten my day. Thank princealfie, for the opportunity to dream on a Friday afternoon.

 

[andiwm2003]

Well, back to MS-DOS 3.1 then. After all, it did work. Green letters on black screens have become fashionable since Matrix anyway.

Maybe somebody would revive OS/2? Or Amiga OS? Or we dust off the C64?

 

[mrfrosty]

If I were Bill Gates I'd be sick of all the moaning, whining, court cases, and general anti microsoft stuff e.t.c e.t.c I would be so sick I think I would just pull the plug on everything, stop selling all versions of Windows, all versions of Office, basicaly pull the plug on the entire thing and just spend the rest of my days counting my money.

If he did that though I wonder what would happen? Would people move to something else ....or just stay running Windows XP for ever ? You only live once, it would really make a mark in history if he did it.....

 

[mrfrosty]

Well, back to MS-DOS 3.1 then. After all, it did work. Green letters on black screens have become fashionable since Matrix anyway.

Maybe somebody would revive OS/2? Or Amiga OS? Or we dust off the C64?

Ahhhhhhhh the c64.....I was playing paradroid just the other day.....

 

[5683565]

and, if Windows XP stopped existing, then Apple would have a monopoly and could charge whatever they want. They wouldn't have to update their operating system for 5 years (think XP -> Vista).

Of course, people could use Linux, but I dislike it greatly.

 

[dmw007]

The unemployment rate would rise, all those IT departments would be greatly thinned out. PC users would be forced to actually produce quality work, on a quality computer. The game of solitare would cease to exist as we know it. MS Office and all its related crap would be replaced by functional applications. Redmond will become a ghost town. DELL, HP and all the other sources of low-grade computer manufacturers will be forced to build quality machines using quality parts.

Too bad it won't happen, but it is a nice thought. I little sacrasm to lighten my day. Thank princealfie, for the opportunity to dream on a Friday afternoon.

Ya, that sounds like what would happen if M$/Windows would suddenly disappear.

 

[FocusAndEarnIt]

You'd see a Mac in every corner in you're eye if this happened.

I have a right to dream, don't I?

 

[steelfist]

and then all games will be originally for the mac, then for the existing pc users and nix users.

 

[asherman13]

Applematters.com did a 6-part series on what the world would be like without Microsoft.

I suggest you check it out if you're interested, however, Apple isn't mentioned frequently, as far as I can remember.

 

[superbovine]

Ahhhhhhhh the c64.....I was playing paradroid just the other day.....

heh... that brought back memories...

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

What would happen if Microsoft Windows stopped existing? Would the world be a better place?

Don't know if it would be better... but it definitively would be less of a hassle...

 

[evoluzione]

Ahhhhhhhh the c64.....I was playing paradroid just the other day.....

THE best game ever. Heavy Metal Paradroid i thnk was the one i had, followed by Paradroid '90 for the Amiga, which i never liked as much.

what an awesome game.


ok, back on topic. i've often wondered the same. although i'm sure Bill doesn't give a rats ass about all the crap that he may hear, i'm sure he honestly believes he's flogging a product that everyone needs

 

[displaced]

Ya, that sounds like what would happen if M$/Windows would suddenly disappear.

Speaking as an IT guy who ostensibly develops and supports Windows and Windows applications...

I don't think this would be as bad as people think. A lot of us would much rather be building systems to actually do cool and money-making things, rather than wasting time fixing stuff that just won't stay fixed.

Companies would get more bottom-line value from their IT departments, since we could spend more time developing for the business. Currently, I probably spend 30-40% of my time hand-holding and nursing Windows installations.

 

[OMGteh.nterweb]

I think we’d see a lot of people just simply move away from comps. You know the kinda people I mean, It’s the folks who still use IE and can’t wait for the tabbed browsing in the IE upgrade. The people who use their computer for too much email, constantly bothering their relatives with pictures of cats. We’d go back to the old days, where you had to know something to use a computer. You’d go back to being a nerd if you had a computer in your room. The people who still used comps would have to get darn familiar with bash CLI.

Comps would, once again, be for the l337. They’d be taken away from all the unproductive desk monkeys who use them purely for email and MSoffice.

 

[direzz]

something like that reminds me of a shakespere tragedy.

if microsoft was to fall apart, utter chaos would arise. how would we function doing day to day tasks? administration in businesses, schools, hospitals, everywhere would all fall apart.

macintosh sales would rise

 

[Aarow]

Maybe Dell/Gateway/Sony/Whatevers' machines would ship with some sort of "consumer friendly" Linux?