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I can’t see the confusion either. I think “Windows RT” with the new runtime “WinRT” makes as much sense as:

“Windows 7 – the 7th version of Windows…”
“Windows RT 8.1” (i.e. the second version*)

* I hope this is revised, but Mary Jo has very good sources

about 6 hours ago on Windows RT is Windows

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I guess they are doing it for performance and to save battery life on portable devices. It is sort of hinted at in this blog post from Jensen Harris on the engineering windows blog:

Where Microsoft used to primarily focus on reducing memory consumption, now we are also laser-focused on improving battery life … That means optimizing for memory consumption and CPU and GPU and performance and battery characteristics all at the same time, across a variety of platforms and hardware configurations.

Emphasis added by me.

Paul Thurrott reached this conclusion in Windows 8 Release Preview: RIP, Aero:

It’s all about battery life. Aero, with all its glassy, translucent goodness, is bad for battery life. Metro, meanwhile, which is flat, dull, not transparent, and only full screen, is very good for battery life.

As a consequence I don’t think they will fix it (as removal of Aero was an engineering decision for devices).

I recall that Aero caused a lot of performance headaches on older machines when it was first introduced with Windows Vista (not high spec gaming rigs, but the more prevalent office PCs and cheap laptops). If I recall correctly the basic version of Vista for lower spec machines didn’t even include Aero.

Makes me appreciate quite how hard NeXT/Apple worked to really optimise their Quartz engine, which seems to have no trouble pumping out drop shadows and transparency and other effects on low power and low performance devices. I don’t think it is much of a secret that the 2D graphical architecture of OS X is a bit more sophisticated than Windows.

about 6 hours ago on Alpha transparency on the Windows 8 desktop 1 reply

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And yet Windows RT is Windows. It shares the same run time as Windows

Prior to Windows RT (and Windows 8), no existing Windows application was written for the WinRT and no existing Windows Phone application was for WinRT.

So in my mind that is a bit of a questionable argument. Yes – true – it does share the same run time as Windows, because it is a brand new runtime introduced specifically for Windows 8/RT.

about 9 hours ago on Windows RT is Windows 1 reply

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I never hear any iPad owners lamenting that they cannot run their OSX programs on their iPad. The general public, and even tech writers, seem totally confused by Windows 8 and Windows RT

iOS doesn’t have “Macintosh” in the name. It doesn’t have a desktop (that only runs a handful of Apple written applications).

I think it is fair/reasonable to cut consumers (at least non technically minded consumers) some slack. It says Windows on the box, says Windows when you turn it on, but won’t run your existing Windows applications. I have some sympathy with people who are confused. And it is a problem all of Microsofts own doing.

about 9 hours ago on Windows RT is Windows 1 reply 2 recommends

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I wasn’t trying to be prejudicial – I was just trying to manage expectations.

When you write to cross platform middleware (whether it be Java, Air etc.) you make certain compromises that native applications don’t need to make.

3 days ago on Android Studio is live!! 1 reply

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It’s because there is so much more room on a phone screen /s

3 days ago on Rethinking Metro Apps: A Redesign of Xbox Music

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No – they probably take totals every hour/half hour or so and work out the rate.

3 days ago on Apple passes 50 billion App Store downloads 1 reply

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This is still running in the JVM – it will no doubt be an improvement – but it won’t feel or perform like a native application on either desktop platform (Xcode on Mac, Visual Studio on Windows).

3 days ago on Android Studio is live!! 1 reply

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I thought they would have a bit more given the length of the keynote.

No major new features for Chrome (OS) or Android is a bit of a surprise. Although maybe not entirely given the changes happening on Android side since Rubin’s departure.

Overall though Google don’t need new stuff – the next couple of years should be about execution and refining what they have.

3 days ago on Your thoughts on Google I/O? 1 recommend

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Far easier to claim conspiracy than to care about little things like facts.

3 days ago on Apple passes 50 billion App Store downloads 20 recommends

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“Can science prove whether or not God is real?

I am not offended by this question. In fact I find it completely inoffensive.

7 days ago on Something Josh said on TheVergeCast 2 recommends

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I guess they did a bad job with the architecture and didn’t want to fix it.

No reason why desktop widgets can’t be as secure as any other software component.

7 days ago on This is how I use Windows 8 - A Post dedicated to Windows Haters all round the world

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He deviated from the book slightly to make a better film.

The essence of the story was there.

8 days ago on Panic in space: Alfonso Cuaron returns with terrifying 'Gravity' teaser 1 recommend