predicted that Windows 8 would be the beginning of the end of Microsoft’s dominance as an Operating System. His quotes:
Windows 8 is a catalyst or “gambit” for CIOs, forcing them to say “am I going to Windows 8, or am I going to something else,” Years ago, “a common phrase was, ‘the Windows 7 upgrade cycle,’” Benioff added. “You’re not going to hear about the Windows 8 upgrade cycle. I’m not saying that as a big, aggressive statement against Microsoft, that’s just the reality of today’s environment.” Windows has become “irrelevant,” being displaced by next-generation LTE wireless networks that will “disintermediate” the need for WANs and LANs, along with “all of these great services that are available right off the cloud.”He also provided anecdotal evidence based on a global CIO he recently spoke to.
“Her goal is to get rid of all of the PCs,” Benioff said. “She doesn’t see a demand curve from users for PCs.” Instead, the CIO is hoping to move to a BYOD (bring-your-own-device) approach, Benioff said. Next-generation mobile devices have “forced CIOs to make changes already,” he added.OK, so this is a typical big vision statement from someone who has taken a dream and built it into a very dominant company. I have a lot of respect for Mr. Benioff and what he has done with Salesforce.com but he is simply flat wrong here. In addition, his statements are stunningly superficial and lack substance. Let’s start here:
Windows 8 is a catalyst or “gambit” for CIOs, forcing them to say “am I going to Windows 8, or am I going to something else,”First of all, Windows 8 is more of a beginning for Microsoft. CIO’s are going to take their time evaluating this Operating System and ironically, with the success of Windows 7 will feel absolutely no pressure to rush. Windows 8 is not FORCING anyone to do anything. Windows Vista showed just how effective Microsoft could be at forcing corporate upgrades when faced with pushback – not very effective. In addition, Tami Reller (Microsoft’s chief financial officer and chief marketing officer) stressed that Microsoft is pretty chill about the move to Windows 8. Her phrase “Windows 7 today, Windows 8 tomorrow”. You may not believe it, you may call it naive but she’s on the record saying it. Secondly, he says, CIO’s will say “am I going to something else”. Umm, what would that “something else” be for a CIO who had a 10,000, 20,000 or 100,000 person company? Would they get rid of XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7 and go to Linux? – No. Would they go all Apple? – Fantasy Island. What is this something else that CIO’s would go to? Oh yeah, the mystical something else they have been looking for for 20+ years. The utopian cloud OS that can fix all the problems of the workforce and free the enterprise from Microsoft’s dominance. Here’s the problem: If you look objectively, the closest OS to achieve that Utopian goal is actually…well, Windows 8. Performance, cheaper, Cloud Profiles, multiple development languages, contracts, corporate app store, UEFI, intune, mobile device support, tablets, server, BING integration, Skydrive, social media integration, smart-phone integration and on and on and on.. He says:
Windows has become “irrelevant,” being displaced by next-generation LTE wireless networks that will “disintermediate” the need for WANs and LANs, along with “all of these great services that are available right off the cloud.”[caption id="attachment_28534" align="alignnone" width="640"]
pissed off[/caption]
I am so sick of the executives who talk about Windows becoming irrelevant because of X,Y and Z. Seriously guys, this line is becoming OLD and TIRED.
They always talk about how Windows will be replaced but they never specifically talk about who and what will replace it.
Who or what is the alternative? Salesforce?
Once again ironically when we look at who is currently providing a CRAP LOAD of corporate cloud services at the OS level – it’s Microsoft (with Azure, SkyDrive and more).
Finally He provided “anecdotal evidence” based on a global CIO he recently spoke to:
“Her goal is to get rid of all of the PCs,” Benioff said. “She doesn’t see a demand curve from users for PCs.” Instead, the CIO is hoping to move to a BYOD (bring-your-own-device) approach, Benioff said. Next-generation mobile devices have “forced CIOs to make changes already,” he added.*SIGH* Which company is positioning itself to bring the enterprise solutions for BYOD at both the OS and hardware levels? Microsoft and how? Windows 8. It’s just stunning how much nonsense he spouted in this article and how ironically, he continually seems to be describing the need for Windows 8. You guys know that I call Microsoft out on a lot of their BS and (ironically), I’m by no means a Microsoft fan-boy. In this case though, it just seems that Mr. Benioff needs to talk about material he’s more familiar with. Salesforce is a great company and he’s good at what he does. In this case though, he has no idea what the hell he’s talking about. Your turn, use the comments below and let me know what you think.]]>
I couldnt agree more. I saw dude’s comment and thought he was a jackass…
LOL
Seems like a lot of people agree…
Totally agree with your stunning arguments. Regards
Thanks..
I agree that this is more of a beginning than an end. Windows is a big ship to turn around so it took them a while but with Windows 8 they are on the right path. Now as long as they don’t alienate Google like Apple did, they will be the big winners.
They can alienate Google all they want?
What exactly can Google do?
Google controls Gmail, YouTube, Chrome, Drive, Books, and Gmaps. very irreplaceable items that are key in an ecosystem. if they were killed say on iOS and Google threatened 3rd party apps and closed off access via Safari then millions would be angry
I don’t know that I understand this. Google is going to, what, poll the and block windows at the OS level (not at the browser level, because Chrome on Windows is still on Windows)? Some 90-odd % of computers are running Windows. Even if you pull iOS and Android in the mix and assume that none of those iOS or Android users also have laptops, that’s still a lot of users that they’d be killing. Google makes money almost exclusively from ads on web search, remember. Millions of users who can’t access web search means billions of dollars lost. Not going to happen.
Exactly…
All google pacege very irreplaceable items that are key in an ecosystem. if they were killed say on iOS and Google threatened 3rd party apps and closed off access via Safari then millions would be angry
WELL SAID!!!!!! I still have a few minor issues with Windows 8 but nothing I can’t work around: Apple?/good for gadgets & toys!
LOL
Thanks for the feedback..
Really, some ppl don’t even think for a second before predicting final results …
I agree
You are wrong about: “Windows 8 is not FORCING anyone to do anything.”
– Microsoft partners MUST upgrade to latest available version
– This Windows 8 has some lower functionality that we saw in Windows 7 (Previous versions for example…)
Lot of customers, pay in advance their Software Assurance, to have ability to upgrade, and now Windows 8 costs less than 1 year upgrade subscription. Also Microsoft made a OS for touch-first, but most users have desktop and are paying for desktop and gets something else.
I am not against Windows 8, we have upgraded whole company to it and i am using RTM for a months, just saying, do not pretend that everything is fine, be real and speak how it is.
Good feedback. Thanks..
🙂
for the gazillion time it is not for touch only…. everybody I know and used it on desktop after some time realized they were faster and more productive with win 8 than 7 on regular desktop…. so the argument it is for touch is plain wrong and is well documented by testimony by now…..
A friend of mine upgraded to Windows 8 though an Action Pack and he had a few complaints. 1. The Windows desktop programs he uses didn’t show up on the Tiled star screen. He said programs that are on his start menu should either appear on the Tiled start screen or at least when you run a program it should show up. 2. That there were no Tiled start screen apps that he was really interested in. 3. He can see the live tiles being a distraction when trying to work.
The first criticism I can see being a little issue especially if you have a lot of programs. To have to go to all apps and click on every app you use and click on pin to start could get tiresome. That could be an easy fix from Microsoft if they get enough complaints about it.
The second will probably be fixed in due time. The OS comes out on the 26th so we’ll see how many apps are added and in time for businesses this will get better. This is probably the biggest hurtle that Microsoft has is business apps. Businesses may not see a reason to upgrade until they see their favorite programs made into Tiled apps.
the third, he said he may for himself just hide the live tiles or turn them off.
1. You can just start typing the name of program on the start screen and it will appear, there is no need to actually look for it and then click it….
The search function actually is for a purpose..
2. Regarding tiled screen apps, they will come in time I believe as more and more developer join the network..
3. You yourself suggested a solution for the 3rd problem..
Totally agreed. When I first used windows 8 in its beta version it was more or less oriented towards touch interface but the RTM has adapted itself well with desktop too… and its real fast as compared to windows 7…
being a “Microsoft Partner” would imply that you would go along with Microsort on upgrades wouldn’t it? That said, what exactly is the partnership you’re talking about and where does it state that you MUST upgrade? Telstra, one of the biggest companies in Australia, had an arrangement with Microsoft for all its workstations and they were running NT up until five years ago when they (over the course of two years) upgraded to 7
Benioff has a chip on his shoulder against Microsoft but he is allowing that to cloud his thinking!
*rimshot*
Awesome.. I knew there was a cloud joke in there somewhere
I been using Windows 8 for over 2 months, no problems and very solid system. The only OS is close to Windows 8 is OS-x but it is not open. You can’t install any Intel computer, just a Mac’s Intel machines. Why paid 3x price for same computer? Open Acer thin laptop and Mac thin laptop, both are layout the same and some items match up. You can run OS-x on Acer and price different of $1,000. The other OS is Linux, but it not main stream. I think Windows will see it’s 50th birthday in 22 years. When the user of Windows 20? will wonder how we used Windows 8, like we look back at Windows 1.
I couldn’t agree more…
what about Chrome OS?? 🙂 jk jk jk very good article
Thank you sir.
I’m getting the hang of it huh?
yeap this time we agree 😀
actually you are. still needs bit more work though
yeah right LTE… LMFAO… and bring your own device double LMFAO….
the dude smoked too much of his own crap….
their is so many reason that won’t happen… first you can’t ask an employ to bring their stuff… heck in some country it’s not even legal to pull that stunt…
second you better hope they all buy the same crap….. not happening either….
now you have the security issue…. you don’t let just anybody move information to other unsecure place networks rigs….
then LTE please… same here security issue I’d rather have my own network I control than let it go through a third party… plus price wise wireless is the worst solution right…. heck I even entirely dropped smartphones and phones 3 month ago…. telecom companies and smartphones today are the biggest scam on the planet…. tablets and super wi-fi hotspots with 0 data limitation is the future for company and private user…. and so far the only real productivity/multitask oriented device on the market run on windows….
simple there isn’t anything secured, powerful, and cost efficient other than windows for 90% of the users on the market right now… and I’m a linux supporter…
but heck if he think salesforce on ipad is the future good for him… I’ll tell companies I work(ed) with to go back to sage ACT
LOL
Thanks for the comment…
I have tried the consumer preview of Windows 8 on my notebook. Windows 8 would not run on it due to insufficient screen resolution. Howevever I do use Windows 7 and find that it is more than adequate for my purposes. Windows 8 is definitely not the last we will have from Microsoft but it is a very good base on which to build the computers of the future. True, the hardware will have to be faster but for business users in particular, this will be a plus. Wait until nanotechnolgy develops to the point where we have quantum computers that will make the the old dual core processors look like the old 8086 that were used to run DOS back in the early 1980’s.
What notebook are you trying to run it on? I have a 15″ Acer notebook computer that I got in 2008-9 and it runs great with Windows 8. Maybe you’re trying to run it on a cheap netbook? I’ve been running it on this laptop since the developer preview too and never had an issue.
I’ve honestly never heard of Salesforce and if they decide to ditch all of their Windows devices that they surely use and go all Cloud and BYOD I’m sure nobody will hear about them in the future. I think generally Byod is bad news because in my experience it just means people bring all their unproductive crap and virus’ into work with them.
From the beginning, I wondered what his angle was. I wonder if he has some cloud software coming down the line and is using all the Windows 8 hate as free promotion in the future.
I really liked his unnamed CIO bit. I have always thought of BYOD as being for upper management. These guys want to use whatever they want to use and are willing to pay for it out of their own pockets. The other 95% of the employees do not want to mix business with personal. They do not want corporate to have the ability to wipe their personal devices remotely. Now a new concept called COPE. Company owned personal enabled is something that employees would more easily swallow. But I would almost guarrantee these will be mostly windows devices. And since his “hypothetical” CIO seemed to want to save on capital expenditures, I dont think this was what they were talking about. So this story is epic fail of pragmatic thinking. If such a CIO exists, I doubt they will keep their job long.
Maybe he is one of those Apple fanatics that think Apple is the most amazing thing because “it just works” or because of “gestures” Hopefully some day soon, people will realize that OSes are all just different ways of getting the same thing done and that one is not more “relevant” than the other. It’s all about personal preference.