Windows 8

Well, don't know if anyone will ever use it...but I couldn't pass it up at the price. The windows 8 upgrade is only $14.99...can't beat that really.

That's if you recently purchased a Windows 7 computer...if you have an older version of Windows, such as XP, I guess the price will be closer to $30 to upgrade....still that isn't bad either.

Wonder what impact it will have on all of these Android tablets....

No, you can’t beat that and I think that their price re-evaluation has been a positive (let us hope that it is permanent and not simply because they are worried that no one will buy it).

The simple truth of the matter is that Windows 8 is not for me, I have too many problems with it as a package and I have too many professional problems with it as being cost effective (sensible) for enterprise to roll out if they are already at Windows 7.

I did hardware installs of the Developer Preview, the Customer Preview and the Release Candidate and I am just not impressed with it. It is a mess. I have had MSDN keys for the RTM for a couple of weeks and have not used them. Unless a client specifically asks for an 8 deployment I doubt that I will use them either.

I have despised OS X since they came out with it, however have stated and continue to feel that that OS X provides a better user working environment than Windows 8... and for me saying that is like a Christian converting to Paganism.

Its impact on Android will be interesting, but I suspect minimal, unless the patent war really starts to weigh down on Google and devices start getting pulled left right and centre. Windows 8 is no threat, Windows 8 RT could be more of one. It is a licensing cost though, one that is far higher for OEMs than for Android.

If you want any of the Android or iOS device integration features, then you have to be using 8 at home and work - and even then it isn’t a good because Microsoft wants you to be using WP7.5/8 (and even then allegedly it is not great). What are the chances of that happening? You will not see large scale rollouts of it at work; we are looking like we are in Vista territory here. For your home machine $/£14.99, ok perhaps -- but that only lasts until 31st January for anyoune who buys between June 2012 and January 2013. A similar discount is expected for upgrade licenses though £35-40 for the home edition and £70 or so I think for professional; again expiring in January.

Trouble is that I do not foresee there being enough buy momentum because as with Vista the professional press is very polarised about it and the high profile pundits are largely falling on the negative side of the equation. This will put people off of buying it in any incarnation. Which may be a shame as the Windows 8 RT with decent touch hardware may just be what is needed as a sofa companion.

Microsoft is doing a lot of things differently now. Many of them great, some not so much. Windows 8 in my opinion will be a failure. Tablets will not replace the desktop, at least not yet. And W8 is designed for touch screen enabled devices. We're at a fork in the road. The success of the iPad and subsequent Android tablets have skyrocketed. Microsoft sees this as "the wave of the future" and is trying to get an early start in the market. But honestly, at one point in time I was a huge Trekkie. I couldn't wait to stand at my console (computer) using it with my fingers. But in reality, it's just not ergonomic. Neither is the mouse and keyboard, but at least my arms can be resting when I use them and not grow tired reaching over a 30 inch display picking apps, check boxes and all that. I'm sure we'll see a huge influx of touch screen enabled computers over the next couple of years due to W8. But I doubt they'll last long.

W8 on a tablet is a great idea. That's the perfect platform for Windows 8. And I have a lot of faith that W8 will be a very popular tablet operating system. But that's tablets. I've been using W8 RC and beta's on my laptop for a while now trying to wrap my head around it. But I just can't see me actually using it and will stick with Windows 7. If Windows 8 and it's touch centric design sticks (something doubtful) Windows 7 will become a new version of Windows XP with users using it long past it's prime because it just "works".

I have both Windows and Mac PC's. And I'm starting to use my Mac's more often now.

And think of all those touch screen computer that could use Win8...like the weather man, or like that big desk computer the use on Hawaii 5-O, or other shows...

trying to get an early start in the market
I think you mean a late "play catch-up" start.

Microsoft came up with it in 2002 in the form of XP Tablet PC edition, no one noticed and Microsoft stopped attempting to innovate in the field until MSR came up with surface (the UI table system not the new W8 tablets). Yet they did nothing with that surface either. In the meantime Apple played the iPad card and Android came along at version 3. Now Microsoft is behind.

I have an XP era touch enabled reversible tablet and for what it's worth it does the job, but it is seldom useful. This very problem is the one that we are looking at right mow with Windows 8. For the desktop and laptop user it just isn't all that useful.

Yes, there are time when it is faster to tap the laptop screen to do things, but they are infrequent and not worth the bother or the new Windows 8 UI (imo).

Where does touch work? Quick access, at a glance and where information is in summary format. PDA, cellphone, ARM tablet. You do not need x86/x64 for that.

Shame UMPC's died so fast...
I hope the Razer Switchblade is actually happening.

Did they though? Aren't Smartphones like the Galaxy SIII just a market driven evolution of them?

Again, why do you need x86 to do what you need to do on a UMPC because what you will do on it isn't anything like what you will on a laptop or desktop machine.

Two totally different pieces of technology designed for two totally different uses. The XP tablets were meant (and designed) to be a full fledged PC system on the go (like a laptop) whereas the iPad is designed to be a media consumption device. If you compared UMPC's of 2005 to iPad's I'd be in more of an agreement with you.

Microsoft see's the future touch based driven. So they want to get an early start on the home desktop scene with W8 and touch enabled computers. Something Apple has not yet done. (And I doubt they will. Thankfully.)

You missed my point Solidus. I was attempting to pointout that Microsoft had this technology, didn't run with it and the market didn't pick it up and consume it in any significant quantity. Between then and Windows 7 SP1 they made no innovation in the space. The touch in Windows 7 may have added multi-touch, but almost everything else can be drawn back to XP embedded.

Consumers didn't consume it as people just didn't see the need for it - something that still holds true today because it doesn't quite work as a collaborative interface for standard desktop computing.

Apple and Android came along and targeted it in the quick access space or "media consumption device" as you call it and it worked. 10 years later Microsoft are about the flog the same horse again in a style aking to the emperors new clothing.

So I think that comparing the two is legitimate and because of it Windows 8 RT will probably work, Windows Phone 8 will work provided they can keep the price down... but Windows 8... I think that SP1 will be making quite a few substantial changes if they are to turn enterprise around to it.

I see, my bad.



I have a strong feeling Windows 8 will be the 2012 version of Windows ME for several reasons. But I agree, the enterprise sector just isn't interested in apps and a touch based UI. (Point of sale systems and the like not accounted here.)

I agree, app stores, Microsoft account sign-in and a load of default social networking orientated 'fluffy' apps. Just what businesses don't want. They don't want to re-train users on how to print something even more, I promise you that.

It may be different for Windows 9, perhaps 8 will be so successful in the consumer space that instead of 90% of users needing to be retrained only 30% will need to be. As I say, I think compromise will be needed along with a tightening up of the dividing lines with metro and the Win32 shell.

This is the biggest issue usability wise I have with W8 and I absolutely agree. Metro (or whatever it's now called) feels like to products that weren't really designed for each other. Honestly, I'd have had a much better view of W8 if they implemented the Metro apps in with a start button like interface. Just press "Start" and voila, up springs a full screen with everything you need. But isn't Metro and the Win desktop designed to be able to run independently from each other? I.e., load the Metro interface while leaving the Win interface alone until needed to speed up boost times? That in itself, sounds like a good idea. But not for desktops. I view the Metro interface as a poorly devised evolution of the start bar. I don't want my start bar opening up, taking front stage and center before my computer does.

It may not be exactly like that, but it's what it feels like.

In general there is a view that it has been done half heartedly. There is a lot of inconsistency in the implementation of both paradigms. Metro leaks into win32, win32 has been crippled by it and there is no real way to live on one our the other. You don't get that from Apple.

As with the progression of windows since XP, everything takes more clicks and it's long winded but with this release they are changing usability norms and metaphors and that will impact users, sure most of the younger generation will be ok but people like is who understand the technological world are a percentage of users not the majority. People who have spent the last 15 years riding the Microsoft created computer revolution will find it difficult to adapt. I have seen it at work where I have placed fresh user accounts in the release candidate and preview indent of a wide range of users from it support professionals through to data entry staff, Mac users and computer scientists.

I used this process to inform on my personal viewpoint on how I should approach windows 8 with clients in adaption to my own physical hardware experiences.

Running the same set of goals with all of my victims,I wanted them to do things like find the stay menu, log on, log off, find windows help, print a file from the email app and move between the desktop and metro.

My reversible laptop tablet was the testbed.

I admit that for the release Microsoft have added a very short instruction screen which was not there fours these people.not one of the people who volunteered to do this was able to achieve all of the aims. I didn't help any of them and imposed no time constraints.most of them gave upand asked to be shown.

To me this means training and to business that means expense and help desk calls.

For this reason it is a problem.

Mac OS X and Windows 8 seem to be culprits of the dumbification that we're seeing on most consumer and closed software outside of Linux. Same goes with websites. Its like if you can't teach them, join them. But then again, they'll run into a heck of a lot of new problems if at some stage dummies do need to get smart.

I guess I am a bit more optimistic, or naive

As you may know I have been using a Windows Phone 7.x since almost 2 years ago. Yes Metro is great for quick access. But it's also good for longer sessions. I can use my phone all day accessing different apps through my home screen tiles.

I have not tried any Windows 8 versions on my computers, but if it (the Metro side) is anything like WP7, it shouldn't take any training for people to figure out how to do things. I cannot speak for all users though.

The thing is MS will probably discontinue Windows 7 right away, which is unlike how it kept shipping XP on netbooks throughout Vista's life. The situation with XP was really unique, and I don't think that will repeat for Win7.

A final factor is the app store. Windows 8 will get a lot of Metro apps easily downloadable, many of which may be ported from or simultaneously developed for WP, iOS and Android. That means users may demand these apps that are not available on Windows 7 or OS X. This could be the factor that makes Windows 8 the preferred OS for x86/x64 workstations and laptops.

Obviously that's just my speculations