MS outlines vision of pay-as-you-go computing

[[XC] Synthetickiller]

I was just made aware of this and did not see a thread about it.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/12/29/m...ing/index.html

U.S. patent application number 20080319910, published on Christmas Day, details Microsoft's vision of a situation where a "standard model" of PC is given away or heavily subsidized by someone in the supply chain. The end user then pays to use the computer, with charges based on both the length of usage time and the performance levels utilized, along with a "one-time charge."

Microsoft notes in the application that the end user could end up paying more for the computer, compared with the one-off cost entailed in the existing PC business model, but argues the user would benefit by having a PC with an extended "useful life."

"A computer with scalable performance level components and selectable software and service options has a user interface that allows individual performance levels to be selected," reads the patent application's abstract. The patent application was filed June 21, 2007.

"The scalable performance level components may include a processor, memory, graphics controller, etc. Software and services may include word processing, email, browsing, database access, etc. To support a pay-per-use business model, each selectable item may have a cost associated with it, allowing a user to pay for the services actually selected and that presumably correspond to the task or tasks being performed," the abstract continues.

Integral to Microsoft's vision is a security module, embedded in the PC, that would effectively lock the PC to a certain supplier.

"The metering agents and specific elements of the security module...allow an underwriter in the supply chain to confidently supply a computer at little or no upfront cost to a user or business, aware that their investment is protected and that the scalable performance capabilities generate revenue commensurate with actual performance level settings and usage," the application reads.

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'A more granular approach'

According to the application, the issue with the existing PC business model is that it "requires more or less a one chance at the consumer kind of mentality, where elasticity curves are based on the pressure to maximize profits on a one-time-sale, one-shot-at-the-consumer mentality."

Microsoft's proposed model, on the other hand, could "allow a more granular approach to hardware and software sales," the application states, adding that the user "may be able to select a level of performance related to processor, memory, graphics power, etc that is driven not by a lifetime maximum requirement but rather by the need of the moment."

"When the need is browsing, a low level of performance may be used and, when network-based interactive gaming is the need of the moment, the highest available performance may be made available to the user," the document reads. "Because the user only pays for the performance level of the moment, the user may see no reason to not acquire a device with a high degree of functionality, in terms of both hardware and software, and experiment with a usage level that suits different performance requirements."

By way of example, the application posits a situation involving three "bundles" of applications and performance: office, gaming, and browsing.

"The office bundle may include word-processing and spreadsheet applications, medium graphics performance and two of three processor cores," the document reads. "The gaming bundle may include no productivity applications but may include 3D graphics support and three of three processor cores. The browsing bundle may include no productivity applications, medium graphics performance and high-speed network interface."

"Charging for the various bundles may be by bundle and by duration. For example, the office bundle may be $1.00 [68 pence] per hour, the gaming bundle may be $1.25 per hour and the browsing bundle may be $0.80 per hour. The usage charges may be abstracted to 'units/hour' to make currency conversions simpler. Alternatively, a bundle may incur a one-time charge that is operable until changed or for a fixed-usage period," the document reads.

Microsoft's patent application does acknowledge that a per-use model of computing would probably increase the cost of ownership over the PC's lifetime. The company argues in its application, however, that "the payments can be deferred and the user can extend the useful life of the computer beyond that of the one-time purchase machine."

The document suggests that "both users and suppliers benefit from this new business model" because "the user is able to migrate the performance level of the computer as needs change over time, while the supplier can develop a revenue stream business that may actually have higher value than the one-time purchase model currently practiced."

"Rather than suffering through less-than-adequate performance for a significant portion of the life of a computer, a user can increase performance level over time, at a slight premium of payments," the application reads. "When the performance level finally reaches its maximum and still better performance is required, then the user may upgrade to a new computer, running at a relatively low performance level, probably with little or no change in the cost of use."

Good day.

[Rava6e]

What an absurd idea. Whats wrong with dell IBM and all the rest making their own computers, with new hardware? Just another way for M$ to get some cash, theyre getting more and more silly.

[Sly Fox]

And thus we see the true future of the world, all of us living together as one giant hive mind!

Resistance is futile, we are the Borg.

[Speederlander]

All they did was patent the concept so they can use it if needed and prevent others from using it w/o paying MS. There is no indication whatsoever that a patent application indicates any direction in MS strategies. MS has 50 zillion patents, many of which never amount to anything.

[T_Flight]

All they did was patent the concept so they can use it if needed and prevent others from using it w/o paying MS. There is no indication whatsoever that a patent application indicates any direction in MS strategies. MS has 50 zillion patents, many of which never amount to anything.

Precisely...

The End.

[Hornet331]

All they did was patent the concept so they can use it if needed and prevent others from using it w/o paying MS. There is no indication whatsoever that a patent application indicates any direction in MS strategies. MS has 50 zillion patents, many of which never amount to anything.

Just look how many patents ibm owns, MS is a dwarf compared to ibm when it comes to patents.

[3NZ0]

All they did was patent the concept so they can use it if needed and prevent others from using it w/o paying MS. There is no indication whatsoever that a patent application indicates any direction in MS strategies. MS has 50 zillion patents, many of which never amount to anything.

This. The uproar this patent has caused across forums, imageboards, etc. is borderline hilarious.

[T_Flight]

It is funny. It's like it has tranformed from a patent to "OMG!!! MS is gonna start charging pay as you go...everybody run for your lives! Oh the humanity!!!! It'll be mass chaos, dogs and cats will be living together, it will rain fire, hell will freeze over, the Earth will go through an Ice Age and everything! Please people, get in your bomb shelters now! Save youselves!" hahahaha

It's like that game that people used to play when there was a crowd...

You whisper "cat" into one person's ear, and then tell them to whisper it to the next person, and so on, and when it gets all the way around the room, you ask the last person what it was and they say "Dog" and everybody laughs.

[G0ldBr1ck]

umm...sure.

[Bo_Fox]

The patenting system needs an overhaul. At least the USPTO should stop issuing absurd patents to giant companies. I mean, with patents, the office should at least try to be much stricter with mega-companies, making sure that silly concepts like swinging sideways cannot be patented by IBM (which IBM did patent this concept for real already). It's almost as silly as patenting the concept of pissing in a toilet standing up.

Well, it's only giving God a good reason to end this absurd world in Dec. 21, 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11iCmzGnOI8

[Bobsama]

The patenting system needs an overhaul. At least the USPTO should stop issuing absurd patents to giant companies. I mean, with patents, the office should at least try to be much stricter with mega-companies, making sure that silly concepts like swinging sideways cannot be patented by IBM (which IBM did patent this concept for real already). It's almost as silly as patenting the concept of pissing in a toilet standing up.

Well, it's only giving God a good reason to end this absurd world in Dec. 21, 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11iCmzGnOI8

Great idea! I'll get right on that!

Anyways--no way in hell that I'd do a pay-as-you-go scheme, especially for something as absurd as this. If they offer you computers up-front with this service, I'll buy as many as my house can fit and never use any of them, instead going back to today's "ancient technology", where at least I know I'm safe and not getting anally raped without lubrication by Micro$oft.

[renzokuken]

pay-as-you-go computing? rofl.

[Bo_Fox]

LOL.. with M$, you'll soon want to "Pray-as-you-go"!!!

[Ket]

Thats the most retarded idea I've ever heard. Score one for MS getting the most rediculous idea of the year award.

[Serpentarius]

The scalable performance level components may include a processor, memory, graphics controller, etc.

hey .. i like this ... since it's paid per use ... they'll be providing the hardware as well!!!

well .. you could pay $1.25 for the new PC, take home, format it .. and install older O/S

[renzokuken]

well .. you could pay $1.25 for the new PC, take home, format it .. and install older O/S

Genius!

[MpG]

So has the patent actually been approved? This sounds like it might fall under the 'obvious' or 'already exists' clauses. I mean, there are already countless opportunities to rent and lease electronics, businesses routinely lease their machines, we have software working a pay-as-you-play/use basis... is this even patent-able?

[Donnie27]

hey .. i like this ... since it's paid per use ... they'll be providing the hardware as well!!!

well .. you could pay $1.25 for the new PC, take home, format it .. and install older O/S

Not if the BIOS-Firmware doesn't support older OS's you wont, LOL! NOTE! There are current 64bit BIOS settings like PET that will screw up 32bit OS's. Yes the crooks at Microsoft feel that consumers are smarting up on their BS to sell New and Shiny but not needed OS.

This was talked about for the original Windows Live and Office Live. This will only speed up a real Linux for the masses push!

[Serpentarius]

Not if the BIOS-Firmware doesn't support older OS's you wont, LOL! NOTE! There are current 64bit BIOS settings like PET that will screw up 32bit OS's. Yes the crooks at Microsoft feel that consumers are smarting up on their BS to sell New and Shiny but not needed OS.

This was talked about for the original Windows Live and Office Live. This will only speed up a real Linux for the masses push!

well ... you ARE a xser ... i assume things like this wont burden you that much do they?
everything is exploitable in computing .. perhaps it's becoz of the defiant features in humanity, there'll be some way to bypass it .. there's always ways

anyhow, back to the topic, yeah i agree ... there's too much cronies in MS

[safan80]

And thus we see the true future of the world, all of us living together as one giant hive mind!

Resistance is futile, we are the Borg.

wake up! This will not take off. People talked about this back 1996.

[Tulatin]

Pay-per-use operating system? That's retarded, and that's encouraging piracy.

[Chruschef]

please microsoft, go ahead and do it.

we'll just find a way to hack it, or mod it. then we get cheap fast PC's...

[Jamesrt2004]

I actually think its a good idea as tbh if they price it 100% accurate for some people it may actually become cheaper....

for others they should have say buy this for £100 and thats it forever,
but for some people say they wont even use there computer more then an hour a month (i.e my grandad) so say it was like 50p a hour thats 200 hours/months for him! and thats plenty for him to then upgrade computer at some point lol

[Russ_64]

They will only do it if it means more revenue for them.........

[naokaji]

pay as you go computers?

for the companies that make money from it it will be very attractive as it will wipe out the second hand market (they will just restrict it to original owner like warranties are now for example).

format it and run some older os on it? forget it, they will just claim your a pirate (or whatever word they will use).

switch to linux? that will not happen, simply put, as long as the applications people are used to dont get ported to linux and you need to learn text commands people wont switch to it in masses no matter what ms does.