irfaanwahid

Hi Paul,

Was wondering what is your take on the blogs posts by Steven?

I've been following his new series about "Hardcore Software" where is he discussing early days of Microsoft, internal tensions, discussions on projects like Cairo.. I am actually enjoying them. His giving some in depth details of the early days of Microsoft.

I know you are not a fan of Sinofsky and how he destroyed the Windows brand with 8, just wondering if you are following his series?

Here's the link if anyone is interested:

Hardcore Software (learningbyshipping.com)

Hey Paul,

I know you are not a big fan of Surface Duo and you have said many times that you haven't really found a real use case for the device.

However, I was wondering, why is it that you did not even review Surface Duo?

It would have been good to get your POV of the device, the good and the bad.

Hello all,

I have written a small piece on Surface Duo and why I think it is a different idea/concept. Your thoughts?!

http://irfaanwahid.tech/2020/09/15/surface-duo-a-different-idea/

I'm here, curious to know what are the thoughts on the 8-min gameplay of the new Halo Infinite?

I personally think, it feels fresh and fluid on screen. Graphics are definitely an upgrade but could have been better, since it's a flagship title for Xbox Series X.

More than anything, I really hope the storytelling is where the emphasis was during the development. I love Halo franchise first for its compelling story, at least in the first trilogy.

Overall for me it wasn't of a disappointment.

I have a simple question (I have asked this already on a comment in a post).

What is the "real" benefit to Microsoft to push everyone to latest Windows 10 version?

Aside from not maintaining different code-bases and allocating resources to them, what other real benefit is to Microsoft?

The question arises, because if it is important for everyone to be on latest versions, then why at first place create plethora of versions of Windows 10 (1803, 1809, 1903, 19H2 etc) every 6 months? And then keep supporting it like 18 months and so forth, and then efforts to convince everyone to move to latest version.

I sense a lot of efforts put into and I am not so sure what are they really getting out of it.

This morning I read an article on WC which says Centaurus is going to be running Android apps?

https://www.windowscentral.com/report-microsofts-foldable-surface-pc-windows-core-os-will-run-android-apps

Not only that but since WCOS is the foundation, Andromeda (whenever it releases) will also be able to run Android apps.

I think this isn't a bad thing. For such new platforms to kick off, Android support will be a big welcome.

With all the love between MS + Android community, I think this was inevitable.

Waiting for Paul/Brad's reaction on this.

Hey Paul & team,

I have been commenting on posts and forums.

But when I get replies, I don't get any notification hence I usually miss out on the discussion going on.

Is this isolated issue with just me or there is a problem with the site?

Anyone else experiencing this problem?

Note: Some few months back I used to get notifications whenever I returned to the site.

Lately, I have been hearing and reading that Cortana has been stripped out as prominent/front facing AI to more at the backend/embedded.

I do understand what that means. Some Microsoft applications is getting Cortana integrations or embedded so it is feeding its intelligence into those applications.

What I don’t quite understand is, what is the incentive for consumers/or Microsoft themselves using the brand Cortana and telling customers this specific feature or intelligence is powered by Cortana?

I mean, Cortana is dead (from what it was initially envisioned – a true standalone AI assistant). So me, as a end user, using for example Design ideas in Power Point, how does it matter to me if it is powered by Cortana? Let the AI (whichever in this case) do its thing and get me the results.

I don’t know why Microsoft is still trying to push Cortana (embedded) when it doesn’t even matter anymore.

October is upon us and Windows 10 1809 is near complete.

I know 1809 is not finalized for release but is it in a state that we can install and make it a daily driver?

I am thinking to get into Windows Insider, get 1809 and when Paul's magic window hits, I get out of the Insiders Program.

Hey guys,

Some days back I wrote a post on my irfaanwahid.tech blog on the subject. The link is below.

It did quite well in "views" hence sharing the link here.

Do read and please provide feedback on what you think about it.

In terms of the article and areas I can improve in future.

Your feedback will be appreciated.

Cheers.

https://irfaanwahid.tech/2018/08/19/apples-journey-to-1-trillion-an-inspirational-story-you-must-read/

Not much love is shown to Windows Media Player (WMP), and I understand it very well. When you got built in apps like Groove and in an era of streaming music, WMP does not stand a chance & I don't use it anymore.

But I just wanted to pay homage to WMP, it was my go to player in XP, Vista and Windows 7 days until smartphones came in switch my habits of listening on PCs to smartphones.

I used to manage my music collection in folders hence my favorite view was always Library > Music > Folder...

It did the basics right, like picking up album arts and stuff.

Not a lot of people like WMP even in Vista/7 days, and I somehow want to understand why.

I have been reading some news on Windows Polaris on Windows Central. As they report, it is stripped down OS to components where they will remove the legacy elements and make Windows a true modern OS. Polaris on the other hand will be a light weight Windows OS desktop without the Win32 stuff.

I haven’t read any article on Thurrot.com so far on this. I would love to know what Thurrot and the team thinks about this.

Link below

https://www.windowscentral.com/understanding-windows-core-os-and-polaris

I’ve been curious about what happened to Microsoft PixelSense formerly known as Microsoft Surface.

Is it a dead product already with no active development?

The last interesting work I saw was by Zac Bowden of WinCentral, where he upgraded OS from Windows Vista to Windows 10 on the original Surface.

I was really fascinated with original Surface.

Anyone else sharing same sentiments with me on this one?

I normally check Thurrot site 2-3 times in a day. Previously I would get some good stuff to read. But past few weeks/months, specially after Mehndi has come on board, I see very little Open/Free articles.

I am afraid that a long time Thurrot/Supersite reader, I may completely stop coming to this site if this site does not balance out Free/Premium articles. Not everything on the site can be Premium, c’mon.

And I’ve realized most of Mehedi’s posts are more of what is happening around in the Tech than Analysis and good lengthy articles.

All I want to tell Paul and team, please look into balancing out Premium/Free articles, or as I said above, a Fan like myself and couple of my other friends who regularly come to this site may eventually just flee away onto other tech sites.

This feeling I've had since Windows 10 released. I believe most of us have a sense of Windows 10 that it is always unfinished/buggy, specially after the launch of Windows Insiders Program.

I've been wondering, Apple with its softwares, don't make so much noise with its testing programs. They have still been old school, beta builds, release candidates etc, just like pre Windows 8 days.

Why does Microsoft have to ambush us with so much of test softwares, Windows, Office, Xbox right from early stages.

Then in Windows, they got to manage, Fast, Slow, Release Preview rings. It's like they create this mess on purpose or something. In the world where Saas is taking over for over simplicity, it seems in Microsoft it is the other way round, they like to complicate things.

Apple's MacOS, iPhone they don't follow the same route yet there OS looks polish. Granted they too are buggy however, not as buggy as Anniversary Update even after millions of users testing it out.

I believe this can be simplified. For themselves, for us and I somehow believe, their softwares will be more stable and reliable, just like Windows 8 and OSes that came before.

How many of you share same sentiments as mine?

Hi guys,

For a while I've been thinking to join the Thurrot Premium, I've been with this site for quite a long time now and feel perhaps I could become Premium member.

However, I don't see as many premium content. I doubt if it's once a week.

Let me know what you guys think and advise please.

Hey guys,

I’ve been thinking of this for quite a while and wanted to share with you all to get some feedback.

The thoughts triggered after MS announced about the Centennial MS Office suite coming to Win Store.

My problem is this, why would MS port a Win32 version of Office suite or Office365 suite of apps to Windows Store through Desktop Bridge, and not develop a true/hero full fledge desktop grade UWP Office suite/Office365 apps?

If, MS themselves will not fully realize UWP potential and show it to the developers community (like myself) that what UWP can trully do, its advantages etc, they had the chance to make one true/hero UWP app (Office suite in this case) but instead of they do is simply port via Desktop Bridge.

What is a developer supposed to do? Simply port their legacy apps to Store, develop a new UWP app..

I’ve also said in other blogs and sites that, of course currently there are no good apps in the Store, apart from a few of course, there are no full fledge business/LOB apps. Eg, a midsize to large enterprises run on ERP systems such as Sage, SAP etc. If UWP is not ready, how are these massive apps supposed to run or get developed for UWP?

Let feedbacks come through.. I did love to listen what you all have to say.