Article: Poor pre-launch showing plagues Windows 8

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  • MassiveDynamicsMassiveDynamics Posts: 661
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    A few months ago I read a story on ZDNet from Mary Jo Foley, who seems to have good sources within Microsoft , that they were expecting Windows 8 to bomb but felt it was a price worth paying to get them in the tablet/smartphone "game".

    What was more surprising was the suggestion that parts of Microsoft were hoping Windows 8 would crash and burn so Steven Sinofsky, the Windows chief, would be fired.
  • cnbcwatchercnbcwatcher Posts: 56,681
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    Oh dear. I bet W8 will flop on desktops and laptops. It might do well on tablet devices though.
  • James2001James2001 Posts: 73,419
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    Windows 8 IS going to flop on ordinary computers, it's only the Microsoft fanboys out there who seem to think otherwise. I had a "demonstration" of it by someone who'd installed the RTM on a partition on their laptop, and it was absolutly dreadful to use. I wouldn't want it anywhere my computers.
  • LoobsterLoobster Posts: 11,680
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    Me neither. I forecast that I will be performing Windows 'downgrades' to Windows 7 on hundreds of computers until Microsoft releases whatever is the next version, or patches the non-metro interface back in.
  • NewWorldManNewWorldMan Posts: 4,890
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    Oh dear. I bet W8 will flop on desktops and laptops. It might do well on tablet devices though.

    Microsoft will be fine with that. Just means they will carry on selling Win 7 for desktops and laptops until Win 9 rectifies Win 8. :)
  • John259John259 Posts: 28,325
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    It might do well on tablet devices though.
    One major problem there is the lack of apps, only about 2,000 at the moment compared with vastly more for Apple and Android. Most developers have decided to either not bother with Windows 8 Metro mode apps, or at least to wait and see. So it looks likely to be a flop in that market as well.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
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    John259 wrote: »
    One major problem there is the lack of apps, only about 2,000 at the moment compared with vastly more for Apple and Android. Most developers have decided to either not bother with Windows 8 Metro mode apps, or at least to wait and see. So it looks likely to be a flop in that market as well.

    Yes I agree, a lot of my consultative work recently has been around new and updates to current apps from some big players.
    The team I have worked with and put together of mostly app developers have told me again and again that ios/android are a given, and when the question gets asked about w8 apps, its mostly No, or we will wait and see. I too am hearing this all the time.

    Its a shame for MS, I spent most of my working life supporting servers based on MS O/S for a very large IT company, so have a big love towards MS.
    I have been running W8 RP fine on one of my home desktops, but not really making much use of the metro tile interface Myself, even though I have had some limited app testing to do for it.

    The competition has hit MS recently and I feel that they are not moving as fast as they should really and are just following the others like sheep.

    I also think on similar lines with the W7/W8 phone, it has been scuppered really from the big two now. That really has also had quite an impact on MS app development with its low phone O/S take up.

    Saying that, I do feel though that maybe as new devices appear on the market and able to run with the true W8 experience, it may booster it.
    The same has happened for Android phones and tablets, that the cheap and cheerful device manufacturer end of the market has boosted the sales. Probably not ideal for some areas of app development and consistency, but it works for Google/Android.
    Also I feel that with the Nexus 7 and its very cheap tablet derivatives and the launch of the iPad Mini, the tablet is a becoming a better alternative to the casual user with a desktop/laptop who just want email/web/word processing etc. I'm not sure if MS W8 is really going to make a big dent in those sales.

    I think that in the past people have stuck with MS as its what they know. But having a phone O/S that a consumer is very familiar with on a tablet now removes that hurdle. If I recall right, it was Steve Jobs, when he launched the iPhone said exactly that. So true.

    But time will tell for MS W8.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
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    Microsoft will be fine with that. Just means they will carry on selling Win 7 for desktops and laptops until Win 9 rectifies Win 8. :)

    History has struck MS in that way, Windows ME, Windows Vista :)
  • cnbcwatchercnbcwatcher Posts: 56,681
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    lettice wrote: »
    History has struck MS in that way, Windows ME, Windows Vista :)

    Don't forget Windows CEMENT :D
  • flagpoleflagpole Posts: 44,641
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    Oh dear. I bet W8 will flop on desktops and laptops. It might do well on tablet devices though.

    here's how people buy computers.

    they go in to pc world and pick one at a price they can afford. they don't give two shits what OS it has.

    so windows 8 will happen and will sell. unless you think people will switch to OSX or linux. which they wont.
  • Mr. CoolMr. Cool Posts: 1,551
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    Microsoft will be fine with that. Just means they will carry on selling Win 7 for desktops and laptops until Win 9 rectifies Win 8. :)

    I imagine it will cause some confusion as first of all PCs will probably be sold with Win 8 but then if Microsoft/OEMs decide to no longer sell PCs with it pre-installed, then they will come bundled with Windows 7 instead.
  • John259John259 Posts: 28,325
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    flagpole wrote: »
    here's how people buy computers.

    they go in to pc world and pick one at a price they can afford. they don't give two shits what OS it has.
    Until they get it home, discover that it comes up with large coloured squares and rectangles instead of Windows, take it back to PC World and exchange it for one that works :)
  • John259John259 Posts: 28,325
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    Mr. Cool wrote: »
    I imagine it will cause some confusion as first of all PCs will probably be sold with Win 8 but then if Microsoft/OEMs decide to no longer sell PCs with it pre-installed, then they will come bundled with Windows 7 instead.
    I wonder how much pressure hardware manufacturers are putting on Microsoft behind the scenes, terrified of lost sales due to Win8?
  • Mr. CoolMr. Cool Posts: 1,551
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    flagpole wrote: »
    here's how people buy computers.

    they go in to pc world and pick one at a price they can afford. they don't give two shits what OS it has.

    so windows 8 will happen and will sell. unless you think people will switch to OSX or linux. which they wont.

    That might be true for some people but for others they make sure the Computer is usable first. A lot of people try it, make sure it has a decent quality screen, easy to use touchpad, nice Keyboard etc... Others when they go into a store have heard of Windows 8 and will probably ask about and try it for themselves, realising how crap it is.
  • Mr. CoolMr. Cool Posts: 1,551
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    John259 wrote: »
    I wonder how much pressure hardware manufacturers are putting on Microsoft behind the scenes, terrified of lost sales due to Win8?

    Probably, Intel have openly said they think Windows 8 is unfinished.

    I would only buy a Windows 8 machine with the intention of installing Linux.
  • flagpoleflagpole Posts: 44,641
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    Mr. Cool wrote: »
    That might be true for some people but for others they make sure the Computer is usable first. A lot of people try it, make sure it has a decent quality screen, easy to use touchpad, nice Keyboard etc... Others when they go into a store have heard of Windows 8 and will probably ask about and try it for themselves, realising how crap it is.

    no they wont. that is just not how it works. what are these people going to do if they don't like windows 8? give up computing?

    the people that don't like windows 8 are at the entire opposite end of the spectrum from the people you are describing. a big button that says internet, email and so on is exactly what these people want. this always happens when we discuss something like this.
  • Mr. CoolMr. Cool Posts: 1,551
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    flagpole wrote: »
    no they wont. that is just not how it works. what are these people going to do if they don't like windows 8? give up computing?

    the people that don't like windows 8 are at the entire opposite end of the spectrum from the people you are describing. a big button that says internet, email and so on is exactly what these people want. this always happens when we discuss something like this.

    I agree completely, people do want a basic and easy-to-use OS but others who don't will probably just install Windows 7 or Linux.

    But people with no technical knowledge will wonder where half the stuff that was there has gone such as the Start Button and will quickly get angry.
  • MassiveDynamicsMassiveDynamics Posts: 661
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    Microsoft's cut off dates for Windows 7 are:

    OEM installs on new computers = October 2014
    Retail boxes = October 2013

    Windows 7 will be fully supported by Microsoft to 2020
  • John259John259 Posts: 28,325
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    flagpole wrote: »
    no they wont. that is just not how it works. what are these people going to do if they don't like windows 8? give up computing?

    the people that don't like windows 8 are at the entire opposite end of the spectrum from the people you are describing. a big button that says internet, email and so on is exactly what these people want. this always happens when we discuss something like this.
    There's something in what you say. They want something as intuitive and safe as iOS.

    However, aren't those people the least likely to have the confidence to explore, experiment and to use the Internet to solve their difficulties, so Win8 with its confused mess of two user interfaces and no visual clues will befuddle them totally.
  • psionicpsionic Posts: 20,188
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    If someone gets a new machine at Christmas with W8, will MS (or even the OEMs) allow you to downgrade to W7 without buying a new license?

    Personally I feel W8 is good and I've been fine using it, but I do realise that quite a sizeable number of people are going to hate it, and may not give themselves a chance to get familiar with it.
  • StigStig Posts: 12,446
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    Mr. Cool wrote: »
    Probably, Intel have openly said they think Windows 8 is unfinished.
    It's not 'unfinished', it's just that the UI is poorly executed.

    MS have refused to listen to user feedback, and they will pay. Just a few tweaks such as making the 'hot spots' in the corners larger for the sake of keyboard/mouse users, and allowing a traditional Start menu or booting into the Desktop would have made a huge difference.
  • user123456789user123456789 Posts: 16,589
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    23 days to go until I can upgrade my desktop and stop using VMware :D
  • flagpoleflagpole Posts: 44,641
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    my view on windows 8 like i suspect a lot of people who are prepared to use the command prompt because sometimes it's easier than the gui is that i obviously hate it. but i also acknowledge that i am atypical.

    in my view there is a balance between ease of use and complexity that i am willing to accept and it changes between my phone, tablet and computer. with my phone i expect it to work out the box. with my computer i'm willing to fettle it just how i like it. i don't want one OS for all of them.

    a lot of us will not have liked any changes. i never liked how i was forced into using my documents rather than keeping my videos in c:\porn, i never liked how things were included in the start menu, how i had to keep program related documents in appdata and not program files. but they all turned out for the best.

    it's like in politics. labour can move from the left to the center ground because their left wing voters have nowhere else to go because there is no credible opposition to the side and they pick up new people in the middle.

    windows can do the same. even with me, people that post here, by the analogy we're probably at the extreme left and most likely to **** off to some extreme socialist party, linux, but wont. and they can pick up some osx users as the price of apple stuff continues to rise beyond all sense of reason.

    potentially it is very interesting essentially applying windows 'metro' across tablets and phones. it could leave the iOS, email, internet and angry birds machines looking like a toy.

    the windows 8 ecosystem is predicted to be on 400m devices by the end of next year. if it bombs it'll be 350m. get used to it.
  • Mr. CoolMr. Cool Posts: 1,551
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    Stig wrote: »
    It's not 'unfinished', it's just that the UI is poorly executed.

    MS have refused to listen to user feedback, and they will pay. Just a few tweaks such as making the 'hot spots' in the corners larger for the sake of keyboard/mouse users, and allowing a traditional Start menu or booting into the Desktop would have made a huge difference.

    It has actually been said Microsoft don't care if it's a flop on PCs though. It still gets them in the tablet game (where the OS works well, to an extent).
  • flagpoleflagpole Posts: 44,641
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    Mr. Cool wrote: »
    It has actually been said Microsoft don't care if it's a flop on PCs though. It still gets them in the tablet game (where the OS works well, to an extent).

    it has been said. but i have seen nothing to suggest it is not pure conjecture.

    it certainly seems unlikely that MS would sacrifice their core business.
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