Split screen PC?

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rwales

122 posts

Master Geek

#13370 7-May-2007 09:20

You've got to be kidding me. MS R&D have come up with a unique way for 'developing countries' to reduce computer costs. Yep, it's time to get up close & personal with your buddies at work because now you're sharing a monitor!

No sign of a discount for those developing countries though. You've got to stump up the cash for 2 license keys.

http://tinyurl.com/23u3ly [discovery.com]

Windows split screen

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freitasm

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#69777 7-May-2007 09:28

This is the results of an ongoing research for students.

There's a discount. Microsoft has announced a package with Windows and Office for $3 only. This research is about sharing hardware, not sharing software.

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rwales

122 posts

Master Geek

#69785 7-May-2007 10:23

$3 only

wow, that is a step in the right direction. I stand corrected. The cynical side of me wonders if Microsoft lowered prices due to the sheer inability to compete with free software and/or pirated copies of Windows rather than an altruistic gesture to the poor, however.

As far as the hardware goes though, surely this isn't a serious proposal? I thought perhaps it was a stray April Fools when I read the article. I can see this being about as popular as malaria.

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#69786 7-May-2007 10:25

It's research. It may never come out. A lot of people post about things just for the sake of posting and getting links...

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rwales

122 posts

Master Geek

#69793 7-May-2007 10:57

The solution is software-based

So basically, it's a virtual machine tacked to the side of the monitor. I'm not seeing anything new here, just a really silly application of existing technology.

It's research. It may never come out.

"The Microsoft team will be investigating these issues and more in field trials scheduled to start in mid-May" - sounds like it's moved out of research phase. They must have some kind of alpha if it's undergoing trials.

I'm sure there are places out there where even dirt-cheap CRTs are considered expensive - but if money is that tight - would they really pay for windows, even at 2 x $3 a pop when you can achieve the same functionality (legitimately) with *NIX or illegitimately with Windows for free?

One of the biggest and earliest adopters of Linux in the world was Egypt mainly because the stuff was free (you can also count the number of legitimate windows copies over there on one hand). I don't know - maybe it's just me, but this just doesn't make a whole lot of sense. If an R&D project manager came to me & said "Hey, we have this cool idea to rig a virtual machine with more input devices so two users can share a 15" monitor. We think it's gonna be big in Egypt & Africa." ... I'd be waiting for he punchline.