GPD Win (x86 Computer / Palmtop)

[iprice]

Yeah, XP was good (and still is, I use it at work - the NHS paid for continued support for XP), but I liked Win7 too. Win 8.XX and onwards - yeah, can we roll back the clock, please?

 

[Grench]

I've installed Linux on my sisters and parents computer as well as on the computer of my sister-in-law. They never had any problems with it. It runs flawlessly, doesn't catch virusses from emails, doesn't kill itself with updates.

At the same time my colleague is fixing one Windows-PC at his family at least once a week.

Windows seems to get worse while Linux seems to improve. At least from my experience.

I have had that same/parallel experience. When my extended family was running Windows I was rebuilding at least one system per month. Then I switched them to Linux. Since then they can still do everything they did before - except blow up the OS.

Now the issue is that the collective lot of them has been running for 4+ years and I need to go through and do a mass series of OS upgrades. Not that it will be all that difficult - just time consuming. With having the luxury of being able to schedule such things, they tend less likely to get done. If it isn't broken it doesn't get attention as quickly.

 

[benoitb]

As for the Wacom driver issue, well I can't answer that. Perhaps the Wacom drivers were crap to start with and didn't conform to specified standards? Seriously, shit software does exist you know. I don't know. There are a million and one reasons why things don't work. Maybe it was Wacom. Maybe it was Windows... You don't know.

I think it's just wacom being happy to take advantage of you and forcing you to upgrade.

 

[Silent-Hunter]

Do you honestly care how much time and effort I put into my games (which are all free, btw)?

Well I care. Don't want you to do too much work for too little reward. Although I hope you're satisfied with what you've done.

 

[Klumpen]

Do you honestly care how much time and effort I put into my games (which are all free, btw)?

Well I care. Don't want you to do too much work for too little reward. Although I hope you're satisfied with what you've done.

I do too!

 

[kracken34]

I like Windows.
Windows 10 is great in my opinion. So was 7 and XP back then.

A lot of advantages (and disadvantages as well).

I do like Linux as well.

The No-Go OS for me are the ones from Apple.

 

[Klumpen]

I like Windows.
Windows 10 is great in my opinion. So was 7 and XP back then.

A lot of advantages (and disadvantages as well).

I do like Linux as well.

The No-Go OS for me are the ones from Apple.

Lol, there's no love for Apple around here in either "camp" as it seems.

 

[Yoyobuae]

As for the Wacom driver issue, well I can't answer that. Perhaps the Wacom drivers were crap to start with and didn't conform to specified standards? Seriously, shit software does exist you know. I don't know. There are a million and one reasons why things don't work. Maybe it was Wacom. Maybe it was Windows... You don't know.

Standards? You do realize that MS doesn't care one bit about standards.

The standard in this case was Wintab:

Origins of Wintab
In early 1991, digitizing tablet manufacturers gathered at an Autodesk conference identified the industry's need for an open interface. While interest in such an interface was high, the industry needed a neutral party—neither application nor device vendor—to research and define the specification. They selected LCS/Telegraphics for its unique position and expertise as the leading independent provider of drivers and utility software to peripheral and system manufacturers.

LCS engineers reviewed many existing interfaces and considered both current and future device features. Device vendors and application developers extensively reviewed and commented on early versions of the Wintab interface specification. LCS took the comments and suggestions, examined the costs and benefits of the modifications, and decided which to incorporate into the specification.

Wintab drivers have achieved widespread acceptance. A number of industry-leading CAD and graphics applications use the Wintab API, and many peripheral vendors now include Wintab drivers with their devices. Wintab implementations are available to end users today for Microsoft Windows 3.1. Support for Microsoft Windows NT and Windows 4.0 ("Chicago") were in beta test at this writing. [Wacom Wintab applications can be written for Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7 as of 2010.]

In August of 1993, a new industry group, The Committee for Advanced Pointing Standards (CAPS), convened to promote and support future development of the specification. The more than 40 corporate members of CAPS include most major pointing device manufacturers, and many leading CAD and graphics arts software developers. For more information about CAPS, see the end of this document.

But then MS decided to introduce their own Windows Ink POS which caused endless grief to pen tablet manufacturers, users and graphic software developers alike. This is the cost of Windows.

EDIT: Guess what, MS is doing it again:

With Windows 10 Input Platform, Microsoft is introducing a new inking platform called DirectInk.

EDIT2: On closer look, it's just Universal Apps junk (which is yet another "let's reinvent the wheel" attempt).

 

[ible]

put linux (lubuntu) on a laptop for one of my in-laws. then she forgot her password, and apparently holding shift at boot didn't work out to get into grub and drop into a root shell. (i think this might be user error, but should probably give her the benefit of a doubt since i'm not very close by.)

she gave it to someone who was "good with computers" but couldn't figure it out... anyhoo, i suppose it's overdue for the next LTS anyways, so we'll see when i get back in that direction.

 

[rSl]

i too, of course, used windows back in the day, from win 3.0 and 3.11 'for workgroups' on the original ibm 'at' and a highscreen one, up to windows xp. mostly because there were no other gui os for my homebuilt pc's at that time. ok except os/2 warp and beos, i think.
after xp i quit using windows and switched entirely to gnu/linux and never looked back. when i read the horror stories about win8+, i think i did 'the right thing'.

btw. win nt4 was the best win for me i ever had contact with. it was clean gui-wise, releatively bugfree, fast etc.
windows millenium edition was the worst. install it run it some days, reinstall it, aargh!

for supporting the parents computers i have the same experience, windows had to be reeinstalled a lot, with linux it just works, for ever.
currently my mom uses a custom cutdown awesome wm with her basic programs exposed and she's quite happy with it for a long time now. it doesn't get any better i think when one also
wants security for the parents computers, read no android tablet, and, of course, no apple too.

 

[Alperoot]

I agree with some of you. Software support is wonderful in Windows, yet you have to format and re-install your OS every year. (If you use your PC a lot.) Well, I didn't format it and now it really struggles when it is booting up. After the booting up sequence, the speed is good tho.

 

[rygD]

Lol, there's no love for Apple around here in either "camp" as it seems.

I prefer Apple to Microsoft. Also, *nix ftw.

 

[SNESFAN]

Sorry for the off topic, but anything new relevant to this device worth noting going on? My eyes are kinda glazing over trying to filter through this thread.

 

[WizardStan]

Not right now, that's why it's descended into off-topic madness. Once there's some new information it'll get back on track.

 

[vcoleiro1]

@SNESFAN

Right now GPD are shipping units to Chinese JD.com backers. Not sure if they finished that yet, but they have at least shipped several hundred. I think it's holiday time in China at the moment.

There is also talk again of supply issues with the z8750 that may result in indiegogo backers getting the z8700 instead. But they are still working that out.

There has been a number of photos posted on dingoonity showing the WIN being assembled on the assembly line, stacks of boxes etc etc. also a number of gameplay vids with the latest prototypes. They just haven't been posted here

 

[TheOldOne]

There is also talk again of supply issues with the z8750 that may result in indiegogo backers getting the z8700 instead. But they are still working that out.

 

[thatgui]

@SNESFAN
There is also talk again of supply issues with the z8750 that may result in indiegogo backers getting the z8700 instead. But they are still working that out.

So this means, they get the slower SoC but still the whole "we need to make it cooler" shenanigans ?
@EvilDragon
Will you know beforehand which SoC will be in the batch you get ?

 

[vcoleiro1]

@thatgui

No, the initial slower SOC was the z8500. Both the z8700 and z8750 are close in speed, there's very little between them performance wise.

 

[Klumpen]

Yeah, XP was good (and still is, I use it at work - the NHS paid for continued support for XP), but I liked Win7 too. Win 8.XX and onwards - yeah, can we roll back the clock, please?

Yep, I still use XP too now and then.
If the GPD-Win would have come with WinXP, it would have been interesting but they'd probably have to make custom drivers for this and GPD usually doesn't seem to do much itself on the software side, at least that's my impression.
i wouldn't get my hopes up high when it comes to proper Linux support, Pyra is way more appealing to this community for many reasons, especially after the historical keyboard wars.

 

[EvilDragon]

I can confirm the supply issues.
GPD sent me an email, the units will probably be delayed until November and they might have the Z8700 in because of supply issues.

It's a bit weird, I cannot imagine supply issues with a company as big as Intel, but maybe they just mean they don't have any direct sources right now and would have to wait because of a long leadtime (which would be normal).

Based on my experience with the GPD, they seem to buy their parts from whoever has them on stock, as e.g. the speakers or the display often look a bit different with various units, so they're from different batches or even manufacturers.
Some of the displays in the XD even had a horrible light bleed.

So maybe they just don't have a distributor who has the Z8750 on stock right now.