And You Thought the 1809 Delay Didn’t Hurt Anyone
- Paul Thurrott
- Nov 08, 2018
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95
A few people told me that complaining about Microsoft’s inability to ship Windows 10 version 1809 was pointless as this is a victimless crime. And that this is the kind of thing that only bothers tech bloggers and enthusiasts.
I don’t agree. But as Brad as just documented over on Petri, this delay has had a material impact on Microsoft’s PC maker partners. And they, too, have heard absolutely nothing from the software giant. In other words, Microsoft’s cone of silence, its abject inability to communicate, extends to them too.
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“This is a major headache [for PC makers],” Brad explains. “And having talked to a couple of them off the record, they are not only stuck between a rock and a hard place, but they are also dealing with shipping hardware on untested software.”
The issue, of course, is Windows 10 on ARM running on the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 850 processor. As it turns out, this platform only supports Windows 10 version 1809. So PC makers had to make a choice: Ship PCs with a non-released, unsupported version of Windows (1809) with known bugs. Or ship them with an unsupported earlier version of Windows (1803).
But it gets worse: The agreements that PC makers have with Microsoft prevent them from marketing any PCs based on Windows 10 version 1809 until that version ships. And since that version was pulled in early October, that means they’ve suffered for over a month with no ability to market their newest PCs. And with no word at all from the platform maker regarding when that might change.
“Companies like Samsung and Lenovo are taking the biggest risk with these devices,” Brad notes. “They are backing a Microsoft initiative to move away from Intel and experiment with ARM and for their loyalty, Microsoft is not upholding its promise to ship a version of Windows on time.”
Conversation 95 comments
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PeterC
<p>it would appear to me that The Chief Executive needs to get a grip of this situation and communicate clearly what’s occurring. It’s so reminiscent of other issues that have bogged down the company I once held in such high regard. Really disappointing.</p>
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wocowboy
Premium Member<p>And now we have reports that users are complaining that their Windows Pro installations that have worked fine for years are being downgraded to Home or de-authorized completely. https://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-acknowledges-some-windows-10-pro-licenses-being-mistakenly-deactivated Microsoft has some REAL problems on their hands and needs to get some word out on just exactly what is going on.</p>
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Stooks
<blockquote><em><a href="#362275">In reply to aretzios:</a></em></blockquote><p>I have two computers on Windows 10 Pro with 1809 neither de-activated today.</p>
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Stooks
<blockquote><em><a href="#362283">In reply to ericson:</a></em></blockquote><p>For the 2 games that will have buggy versions of it so they can run said game at 20fps. </p>
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Stooks
<p>"<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The agreements that PC makers have with Microsoft prevent them from marketing any PCs based on Windows 10 version 1809"</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Soooooooo much BS. I bet you can't find 5 Joe Consumers that know what version of Windows 10 they are running.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Exactly what was the PC maker going to market??????????? </span></p><p><br></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">"Buy our new X27R2 Laptop now with Windows 10 1809 Fall update 2018!!!!!"</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">No they will just say "Buy our new X27R2 Laptop with Windows 10". Which can be said before and after the update.</span></p>
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skane2600
<p>"The issue, of course, is Windows 10 on ARM running on the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 850 processor. As it turns out, this platform only supports Windows 10 version 1809. "</p><p><br></p><p>How can that be? Haven't ARM fans been saying that it's just a matter of setting a compile switch for ARM instead of Intel? Yeah, right.</p>
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skane2600
<blockquote><em><a href="#362417">In reply to locust infested orchard inc:</a></em></blockquote><p>Yes, I was aware of the existence of the compile switch, but I was referring to people claiming that "flipping" that switch would be all that was necessary to convert an existing x86-64 software application into a fully-functional ARM equivalent. It's not going to be that simple.</p><p><br></p><p>The current problem also suggests a coupling between the Snapdragon 850 and a particular version of Windows 10 which doesn't bode well for the future if such linkage patterns continue.</p>
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skane2600
<blockquote><em><a href="#362355">In reply to A_lurker:</a></em></blockquote><p>They would have problems with Linux too. You can't just install a Linux distro on an arbitrary laptop and be assured that everything will work properly. They wouldn't be able to advertise their way into making Linux a mainstream desktop OS either. </p>
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skane2600
<blockquote><em><a href="#362414">In reply to hrlngrv:</a></em></blockquote><p>"Besides, if it were an OEM preinstalling Linux, I figure they'd make sure it was working before shipping"</p><p><br></p><p>Of course, but that takes time too which why I said "They would have problems with Linux too. "</p>
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skane2600
<blockquote><em><a href="#364678">In reply to hrlngrv:</a></em></blockquote><p>I should ignore your pedantry, but I'll bite. So having to install Linux instead of Windows because the latter was delayed is foreseen work? All part of the plan?</p>
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skane2600
<blockquote><em><a href="#364861">In reply to hrlngrv:</a></em></blockquote><p>This is as far as I'm going to go down this silly rabbit-hole, so this is my final comment on the subject:</p><p><br></p><p>This thread isn't about MS' problems or MS' work, it's about vendors selling PCs with Linux installed as an alternative. The testing they would have to do to insure that Linux worked flawlessly is an unanticipated problem. But my mistake was implicitly accepting your idiosyncratic distinction between "work" and "problem". In many cases they can be used interchangeably.</p><p><br></p><p>You may have the last word, if you wish. </p>
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dontbe evil
<p>Paul couldn't wait to turn out is blaming on delay on something (kind of) real</p>
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dontbe evil
<blockquote><em><a href="#362415">In reply to hrlngrv:</a></em></blockquote><p>but Paul didn't know this when he complained, now he can be happy a "real" reason came out … and did you get the "real" problem is only for ARM devices?</p><p><br></p><p>p.s.</p><p>comments notifications are still broken on this website</p>
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skane2600
<blockquote><em><a href="#362542">In reply to aretzios:</a></em></blockquote><p>Well, that would be true if they were doing it effectively. Besides, it's not as if Windows customers were clamoring for new releases every six months. MS is just following the rapid release fad that is so pervasive these days.</p>
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Todd Northrop
<blockquote><em><a href="#364655">In reply to skane2600:</a></em></blockquote><p>How exactly do you know what Windows customers are clamoring for?</p>