"Well below expectations" Windows 8 sales

[Borg 386]

As I saw in article earlier, the Metro interface is to blame. Most businesses don't want to have to retrain their employees to use it.

 

[sygnus21]

As I saw in article earlier, the Metro interface is to blame. Most businesses don't want to have to retrain their employees to use it.

That sounds like a readily available excuse. The bottom line is no matter what it looked like, they weren't going to jump on it right away anyway. Most businesses won't jump on any newly released OS. It's not good business practice.

That said, I can see all sorts of people, and businesses skipping 8. It could turn out to be ME (Millennium) all over again

 

[Indianatone]

Thanks. BTW the only virtual software I've used was Microsoft's Virtual PC. I may give that a try and see if 8 will install on it, if not Virtual Box.

Thanks.

Before you throw $40 at windows 8 try it for free....
Works on VM Ware Player 5 and Workstation 8 and 9. I tried the Betas and the Enterprise version to test drive the OS.
Download Windows 8 Enterprise Evaluation

https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/free#desktop_end_user_computing/vmware_player/5_0

Registration is required

I'll try it out after I pay the 40 bucks for it. I already know I'm going to get it, even if I do try it out. Might as well get it for 40 now than pay 150+ later

Plus I already have the preview version, I just never installed it.

I'm also in a position to get it for free, if I could ever get the site (DreamSpark) to recognize my school credentials.

Free is always good. If I got it for free I would install it on a virtual machine. I would not put it directly on a machine as a main OS. I don't like it enough for that.

 

[sygnus21]

Running it on a virtual machine is the plan. I need a copy in case I have to help someone with it.

 

[gregrocker]

I need it installed to see how it functions at boot and in a multi-boot.

I'm looking for a Win8 PC that needs upgrade to 7 right now to try to sort out the Secure Boot BIOS lock and whether key-less reinstall works without Secure Boot or even EFI BIOS.

Any volunteers?

 

[whs]

Running it on a virtual machine is the plan. I need a copy in case I have to help someone with it.

I intend to keep the RP running - in Virtual Box. I have switched the internet in vBox off and still have to finagle the date. I hope it will continue running. Unless they put a countdown counter in.

 

[F5ing]

Making Windows 7 nicer, sweeter, smother, is not Microsoft's intension's. It might slow down sales of Windows 8. SP-2 for Windows 7 cost Microsoft money. Selling Windows 8 makes Microsoft money.

Selling 7 makes money as well (even moreso), selling 8 saves face.

As I saw in article earlier, the Metro interface is to blame. Most businesses don't want to have to retrain their employees to use it.

That's a part of the reason not to move to 8, but that makes it a double-whammy. Large businesses don't upgrade until they've had a year+ of testing, so 8's out of the picture for a while just based on that. And if 8 doesn't go mainstream with the general public that'll push it out even further due to those increased training costs.

 

[Iforgot]

But that may be a faulty implementation in Avast. When OEM programs cause BSODs, you never know who is at fault.

Avast might be thinking that win8 is a virus

Something to do with the "cloud" and the "store rip-off" ???

 

[jimbo45]

Hi everyone
I get a sense that people are enjoying a bit of "Schadenfreude" here - hoping that W8 turns out to be a disaster.

W8 actually does have some quite decent features in it although Metro applications do seem to be a waste of time for classic desktop users especially when using multiple or large monitors.

I rather like the poster who said Windows should be renamed to Walls since you can't Window anything in Metro.

so here's to WALLS release 1.0 !!!!

(BTW I'm still using daily W2003 server and XP Virtual machines -- I've got some pieces of kit that won't run on W7 and this is EXPENSIVE good quality specialized hardware so I'm not replacing it - maybe for a few years yet).

I still like XP's Royale theme better than a lot of the W7 / W8 themes --especially the semi official "Luna Black" theme

http://en.softonic.com/s/black-luna-xp-theme

Incidentally of course people like AVAST will try and rubbish W8 (we should now all call it WALLS rel 1.0) becuase with the enhanced security built into the kernel itself products like AVAST are totally redundant.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[gregrocker]

Wall of Big Buttons.

Good reminder that Defender is now actually MSE in 8.

I have a Dual Boot which I switch between to try to determine the difference now that I have Windows 7 Start Menu for Windows 8 and 8GadgetPack - Gadgets for Windows 8

The only difference I can nail (faster? still not sure) is the wall-like effect without aero. This is progress? Not on desktop experience.

 

[mjf]

I need it installed to see how it functions at boot and in a multi-boot.

I'm looking for a Win8 PC that needs upgrade to 7 right now to try to sort out the Secure Boot BIOS lock and whether key-less reinstall works without Secure Boot or even EFI BIOS.

Any volunteers?

I thought you volunteered

The bottom line is many punters who buy store PCs will end up with Windows 8 when they probably want a more functional desktop OS. I thought you had gone through the retro fitting exercise Greg?

 

[gregrocker]

Well we had a thread where a Win8 laptop buyer wanted Win7 on it so I gave him the steps to bypass UEFI and threw in to disable Secure Boot. cant install windows 7 in the preinstalled windows 8 laptop - Windows 7 Forums.

This worked, but then Ray came out with a tutorial to Downgrade Windows 8 to Windows 7 which says we don't have to bypass UEFI, only disable Secure Boot.

What I'm looking for now is how the BIOS-embedded Product Key works or doesn't work for reinstalling Eight. Can you Dual Boot with Win7 which likely requires turning off Secure Boot? Will Win8 hold activation or activate if not in Secure Boot or disabling EFI?

 

[mjf]

Well we had a thread where a Win8 laptop buyer wanted Win7 on it so I gave him the steps to bypass UEFI and threw in to disable Secure Boot. cant install windows 7 in the preinstalled windows 8 laptop - Windows 7 Forums.

This worked, but then Ray came out with a tutorial to Downgrade Windows 8 to Windows 7 which says we don't have to bypass UEFI, only disable Secure Boot.

What I'm looking for now is how the BIOS-embedded Product Key works or doesn't work for reinstalling Eight. Can you Dual Boot with Win7 which likely requires turning off Secure Boot? Will Win8 hold activation or activate if not in Secure Boot or disabling EFI?

OK Greg I get it.
Michael

 

[DavidE]

Incidentally of course people like AVAST will try and rubbish W8 (we should now all call it WALLS rel 1.0) becuase with the enhanced security built into the kernel itself products like AVAST are totally redundant.

Are there any articles/links with tests to verify this?

If products like Avast are redundant to the "security built into the kernel" then why does MS include Windows Defender in Win 8?

Can Windows Defender be removed or disabled in Win 8 allowing 3rd party security apps to be used, or is it built into the kernel?

Is Win 8 Windows Defender different (and better) than Win 7 MS Security Essentials?

I thought MS Security Essentials was "renamed" as Windows Defender in Windows 8...

 

[whs]

I thought MS Security Essentials was "renamed" as Windows Defender in Windows 8...

That is correct.

 

[bigmck]

I thought MS Security Essentials was "renamed" as Windows Defender in Windows 8...

That is correct.

What is the Windows Defender in Win 7?

 

[DavidE]

It's the built in Anti Malware product.
When MSE is installed, Windows Defender gets disabled.
So, I think the Anti Malware component of MSE is Windows Defender...

I never use Windows Defender in Win 7 or Win XP for Anti Malware.
I use MBAM Pro for that.

 

[whs]

Defender and MSE both use the MsMpEng process. That's why defender is mute when MSE is installed. But in Win8, they call it Defender - just to confuse us.

 

[gregrocker]

MSE replaced Defender in all but name in Win8. Since Defender was already a legacy component on the last two Windows OS's it isn't as subject to new anti-trust action from A/V competitors.

 

[whs]

Since Defender was already a legacy component on the last two Windows OS's it isn't as subject to new anti-trust action from A/V competitors.

That's a good point. I was wondering anyhow how they can get away with making MSE the default. I am sure someone will sue them in the EU which seems to be more restrictive towards those bundeling actions.