licensing model Archives

Winsage

May 15, 2025

Windows 10 is dying, hardware is pricey, and Citrix says VDI will save you

Citrix is promoting its virtualization platforms to address rising hardware costs and upcoming U.S. tariffs effective April 2025. Vice President Philipp Benkler suggested that organizations could extend the lifespan of existing hardware by using eLux, an operating system acquired from Unicon. As businesses face the end-of-life for Windows 10 and the transition to Windows 11, Citrix advocates for deploying centrally managed remote desktops from existing endpoints through its virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) platform. However, VDI implementation can face challenges such as "boot storms," which may lead to performance issues. Citrix recommends its NetScaler platform to manage these challenges without requiring additional hardware. While Citrix's approach aims to mitigate tariff-related costs, the company has increased its licensing prices, necessitating careful evaluation by organizations considering VDI. Security concerns also arise with NetScaler, as it is often targeted by cybercriminals, potentially introducing vulnerabilities. The effectiveness of Citrix's solution depends on each organization's IT landscape, budget, and ability to manage technical complexities.

Tech Optimizer

May 8, 2025

The Search Stack That Nearly Broke Us — Until We Did This

The initial architecture for the finlight.me real-time financial news API utilized Postgres full-text search, which was effective for early needs but faced limitations as article volume increased. Key challenges included performance degradation due to the inability to combine GIN indexes with regular B-Tree indexes, leading to slow query performance, especially with complex user queries and pagination. The decision was made to transition to OpenSearch for its optimized search capabilities while retaining Postgres as the source of truth for data integrity. Testing with OpenSearch revealed the need for production-grade resources, which led to a successful deployment that improved search response times significantly. The current architecture separates ingestion, storage, and retrieval responsibilities, with Postgres managing data storage and OpenSearch handling user-facing search queries. Regular snapshotting and thoughtful index management ensure resilience and scalability.

Winsage

April 29, 2025

Windows isn’t an OS, it’s a bad habit bordering on addiction

Microsoft's Windows operating system has approximately 1.5 billion users globally, but faces stagnation as many users find Windows 10 satisfactory and are reluctant to upgrade to Windows 11. Microsoft is pushing Windows 11 aggressively, incorporating AI features and nudging users toward paid services, which raises concerns about user experience. The company is uncertain about its future direction, with Project Hudson Valley fading away and the potential for a subscription-based licensing model. In corporate environments, IT departments often prioritize compliance over user needs, leaving employees with limited choices. Some users are exploring alternatives like macOS or Linux, seeking better alignment with their values. Resources are available to help users transition gradually from Windows 10 to alternatives, and maintaining a dual-system approach can ease this process.

Winsage

December 23, 2024

Microsoft Windows IoT for Client Systems: A Historical Journey and Today’s Latest Innovations

Microsoft's Windows Embedded and Windows IoT products began in 1999 with Windows NT Embedded, codenamed Impala. Windows XP Embedded, known as Mantis, expanded toolkit capabilities with tools like Target Designer and Component Designer. Windows Embedded POSReady 2009 catered to the point-of-sale sector, maintaining a consistent kernel across consumer and embedded versions. Windows CE supported mobile devices with various architectures and reached its end of support in 2023. Windows Embedded 7 Standard and Windows 7 for Embedded Systems required special licensing agreements. Windows Embedded Standard 8 did not succeed in the industrial market, while Windows 10 IoT Enterprise, launched in 2015, introduced LTSB/LTSC options with a decade of security updates. A tiered licensing structure was introduced for Windows 10 IoT Enterprise, accommodating different CPU performances. The Base license allowed Windows 10 IoT Enterprise on industrial Arm devices, specifically the NXP i.MX8 family. Windows 11 21H2 established the General Availability Channel for IoT, with Windows 11 IoT Enterprise 2024 LTSC set to debut in May 2024. Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC supports Arm Qualcomm CPUs and introduces features like USB 4.0 and Wi-Fi 6/7 support, along with a commitment to 10 years of security updates. Windows 10 IoT Enterprise 2021 LTSC will remain supported until 2031.

AppWizard

October 12, 2024

Steam checkout banner clarifies you don’t own the game you buy — GOG takes a jab at Steam, saying it gives users offline installers that cannot be taken away | Tom’s Hardware

Steam has updated its shopping cart page to include a banner stating, “A purchase of a digital product grants a license for the product on Steam,” in response to California's AB 2426 legislation, which requires sellers of digital goods to clarify consumer rights regarding ownership. Steam operates on a licensing model, meaning users do not have outright ownership of games, and if a developer removes a title, it disappears from the user's library, although downloaded games remain accessible. In contrast, GOG allows users to retain purchased games indefinitely, regardless of developer actions, and has hinted at introducing a similar message emphasizing permanent access. The debate over licensing versus purchasing reflects broader concerns about digital ownership in the gaming industry.