Foley: This is how Microsoft’s Azure organization makes Windows

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Fascinating story from Mary Jo in ZDNet. She had an opportunity to interview Jason Zander, the EVP of Azure — in other words, the head honcho of the
[See the full post at: Foley: This is how Microsoft’s Azure organization makes Windows]

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doriel, GreatAndPowerfulTech, GoneToPlaid, Pim

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Speaking of new features in Windows 10 1903 :I do I get rid of the ‘Top Apps’ screen in Search ?

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[warrenrumak]

There isn’t a way to disable it directly, but I have something else for you that you might like.

Create a .reg file with these contents:
—-
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search]
“ImmersiveSearch”=dword:00000001

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search\Flighting\Override]
“CenterScreenRoundedCornerRadius”=dword:00000009
“ImmersiveSearchFull”=dword:00000001
—-

Run that .reg file, then press Win+S.  Instead of the classic interface you’ll get this:
</span></p>

and when you start typing, you’ll get results like this.

It isn’t fully polished (otherwise they probably would’ve made this available through some sort of config UI by now) but at least it hides the Top Apps by default.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 2 months ago by warrenrumak.
• This reply was modified 5 years, 2 months ago by warrenrumak.

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doriel, wavy, Alex5723, Cybertooth

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warrenrumak wrote:

It isn’t fully polished (otherwise they probably would’ve made this available through some sort of config UI by now) but at least it hides the Top Apps by default.

I’ll give it a try.
Thanks.

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Zander said. “We love Windows and will continue to love Windows.”

 

Riiight… and I own this bridge in Brooklyn that I will sell you, real cheap.

 

If they ‘love Windows’ so much, why do they continue to ruin it?

 

 

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Cybertooth

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As I see it, and going just by what Zander says in that interview, the future of Windows is being placed in a fast train to nowhere. But also a train where investors are eager to pay a lot of money to catch a ride on it.

‘Azure’ and the “Cloud” way of doing things that ‘Azure’ exemplifies, requires the use of very large server farms now, with a continuing need for expanding them as more things are being done in the “Cloud.” Some time ago I posted a comment on the consumption of energy being so high that MS is developing an experimental submarine station where heat from the servers can be dissipated directly into the sea:

https://news.microsoft.com/features/under-the-sea-microsoft-tests-a-datacenter-thats-quick-to-deploy-could-provide-internet-connectivity-for-years/

The use of very large amounts of electrical power to operate the “Cloud” servers, not only puts a very significant and increasing burden on national power generation systems, whether based on the use, either primarily or as a mix of: coal, gas, nuclear, renewables, or hydro. In the USA and China, where the energy is produced mainly in power plants that burn fossil fuels, this has a very large carbon footprint that means, in the long term, that this kind of “All in the Cloud” idea is not very sustainable:

https://fortune.com/2019/09/18/internet-cloud-server-data-center-energy-consumption-renewable-coal/

Another thing I have noticed reading the comments made by Zander, according to the ZDNet article, is the use of bussinesspeak buzzwords galore, and particularly among them, ‘intelligent’ applied to the new things being worked on at the Azure Division of MS. Maybe it is just me, but ‘intelligent’ is relentlessly used, both in this interview and just about every time high-tech developments are favorably showcased by the companies working on them, to describe things that, in my opinion, are not really very intelligent at all.

Now I look forward to reading your opinions in agreement, disagreement or a very different take on this, altogether. Because I strongly feel this is really a very important issue and people should talk about it.

If there is sufficient interest, this could be moved to its own thread in an appropriate forum.

 

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV

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Nibbled To Death By Ducks, lurks about, fk5353, doriel, David F, petero

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I very much agree.

The term “Intelligent” or the more common “Smart” is just marketing hype for what is a basically a series of IF… THEN…. Statements. It has no self-awareness, understanding or contextual knowledge so when it gets things wrong it just carries on doing things wrong. Anyone having dealt with an automated call centre will know the frustration when it does something completely different to what you’ve told it to do and refuses to change course.

I also dislike the anthropomorphism, it’s a piece of code nothing more, not a “he” or a “she”. It has its uses but it is definitely not intelligent or smart. Some clever coding perhaps – when it works.

On the question of carbon footprint, I doubt anyone cares while they’re making a profit. Anything for a fast buck, let someone else deal with the consequences.

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OscarCP

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Are they really trying to heat the ocean? No way 🙂 … Im not saying you re not telling truth, but this is the worst idea I read in few years. Planet is doomed, Elon, please help us colonize other planets. Maybe cosmic space server would be more appropriate, cooling should be more effective there..

Dell Latitude 3420, Intel Core i7 @ 2.8 GHz, 16GB RAM, W10 22H2 Enterprise

HAL3000, AMD Athlon 200GE @ 3,4 GHz, 8GB RAM, Fedora 29

PRUSA i3 MK3S+

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OscarCP

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[doriel]

Wow, I know I am pre-set to be sceptical about Windows these days, but these PR statements are making me crazy and sad at the same time. I know its not easy to run and maintain bilion devices, but lying to yourself is not healthy, you know.

“…Sometimes gaming had top priority. Other times, a new Surface form factor would get top priority regarding which features they wanted and needed in a given Windows release.

Security, reliability and performance are prioritized all across,”

If that last sentence is true, someone is failing miserably. I loved windows too, but now we have broken relationship. As if I worked with my ex in the office. We talk, we fight, we know each other well, but sometimes I just want to say go away.

Dell Latitude 3420, Intel Core i7 @ 2.8 GHz, 16GB RAM, W10 22H2 Enterprise

HAL3000, AMD Athlon 200GE @ 3,4 GHz, 8GB RAM, Fedora 29

PRUSA i3 MK3S+

• This reply was modified 5 years, 2 months ago by doriel.

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Nibbled To Death By Ducks, OscarCP, Cybertooth

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doriel wrote:

As if I worked with my ex in the office. We talk, we fight, we know each other well, but sometimes I just want to say go away.

Could not have said it better.

Doriel, if you have not, wait until you enter the Google/Android world; I am designing a skeet-shooting mechanism to fling Android phones. You think Windows will make you crazy? Try  the AOS! Utter madness, and an ecosystem designed by psychotics.

“Pull!” <BLAM!>

Win7 Pro SP1 64-bit, Dell Latitude E6330, Intel CORE i5 "Ivy Bridge", 12GB RAM, Group "0Patch", Multiple Air-Gapped backup drives in different locations. Linux Mint Greenhorn
--
"The more kinks you put in the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the pipes." -Scotty

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Utter madness, and an ecosystem designed by psychotics.

I have one W7 machine with Android Studio and Android Debug Bridge to set up Android devices, I created few .bat files, so I can set up devices with just few clicks of mouse button. I prevent this PC from upgrading OS and AS, because its constantly changing and I need it to remain the same. It was quite complicated to make it work, so I dont even want to imagine how difficult it must be to create something in that environment. Thanks goodness for “good old Windows”? 🙂

Dell Latitude 3420, Intel Core i7 @ 2.8 GHz, 16GB RAM, W10 22H2 Enterprise

HAL3000, AMD Athlon 200GE @ 3,4 GHz, 8GB RAM, Fedora 29

PRUSA i3 MK3S+

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Nibbled To Death By Ducks

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