More Than 3 Out of 4 Enthusiasts Reject Windows 8

[Indianatone]

I agree multiple screens are wonderful. I was lucky enough to have 2 LG monitors hooked up to 1 PC and found it so useful I built another PC with a similar spec and then added a 3rd LG monitor. Then I added a similar modern spec PC to run my scanner etc so I now have 3 screens hooked to three PC's running Windows 7 (2 have 16gb and I use them with virtual machines). Why? I am a GEEK. I love the technology and the last 2 years have been pretty much housebound so it has kept me sane, or has it? :roflmao: All of my PC's on my desk also have multiple OS on them ready to boot to in case the preferred OS barfs.

 

[Indianatone]

[[/QUOTE]
Now SP2 has got me confused than ever LOL!! and I did look into the 8.1 and saw something horrible about Skydrive saving my docs and pics and stuff something that is NEVER going to happen if I have anything to do with it, that would be the only issue with 8 if it ever became mandatory to have.[/QUOTE]

Hey John, Windows 7 SP2 is what the GEEK community wants to save the huge download of updates and also to roll into 7 some of the newer technologies that have become available since 7's release. I suspect most of the snappiness you are getting on your Lappy is due to the SSD and a fresh install. Windows 8.1 is what 8 has morphed into. Probably be 8.9 before it is truly fixed.

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there
SKYDRIVE is not mandatory at all -- same as people using DROPBOX or other types of "Cloud" type services -- things like DROPBOX are fine if you want to share files with people when the files are sometimes too large to send by email and unlike loading it up to a free torrent site you can restrict access to people you want to have access to the file(s).

Cheers
jimbo

 

[PaulGo]

The demise of Microsoft’s monopoly and the PC market, by the numbers

Unless you’ve been hibernating for the last five years, you may have noticed one of the most dramatic shifts in technological history: Microsoft, once the most valuable (and probably the most powerful) company in the world, is now just another tech company. A big tech company, for sure, but one that is being increasingly marginalized by the shift away from the desktop PC and companies such as Apple, Google, and Samsung.




...Eight years ago, 95% of consumer computers were powered by Windows; today, it’s around 20%. As you can see, this shift is almost entirely down to the growth of iOS and Android.....

The demise of Microsoft’s monopoly and the PC market, by the numbers | ExtremeTech

One can argue that a tablet of smartphone cannot functionally do what a desktop can do, but to some degree Microsoft is providing that shovel for its burial buy designing an OS for desktops that is driving consumers to alternative operating systems.

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there
MOST of those articles are written by "journalists" who probably just need to fill copy -- hardly any are based on actual BUSINESS experience.

Ms obviously DID make an error with W8 -- however I wonder what people would be saying now if W8 had NEVER appeared -- there would surely have been loads of people clamouring for reasons as to why Ms hadn't seriously entered the Mobile phone / tablet market or provided a passable OS for these smaller devices and touch screens.

W7 isn't really suitable for supporting these types of devices -- OK it's possible to bolt on bits and pieces (I suppose you could even jury rig XP to support modern devices - especially the x-64 version - unfortunately that never became mainstream as it was quite a good OS back in its day) - but doing that type of stuff just isn't worth it. There comes a point when one has to move on as hardware changes as well as USERS choices of what devices they use too.

Now Ms certainly doesn't have a death wish - but all corporations at the very top have certain people where big ego's sometimes get in the way -- especially when after the original founder of the business moves on -- such as Bill Gates in the case of Ms or Steve Jobs in the case of Apple. There then is a HUGE power vacuum to fill and during this period things sometimes go seriously awry.

However W8.1 is a HUGE step in the right direction and I'm sure W9 or whatever will be an OS that will also satisfy the most die hard W7 Fan.

The desktop (or laptop) is actually undergoing a mini revival -- especially as we all want BIGGER and MORE screens at home. People also want OS's fit for tablets / mobile phones etc.

IMO especially as more and more financial transactions are done with mobile phones - the security in the Android system is a huge joke as well as a lot of the QC on the android apps themselves.

Something like Windows with infinitely better security is a much better option when paying for goods and services -- some supermarkets now where I am accept a mobile phone scan instead of a credit card for payment (you know those funny Square pictures that you just scan with your phone).

Had Windows RT been developed for phones and tablets and W8 been developed on the lines of W8.1 for primarily DESKTOP users then I'm sure Ms would have had a winner instead of it having to pick up the pieces with Windows RT (which now will probably go nowhere) and a largely discredited (a la VISTA) OS in W8.

I'm sure all this will be fixed -- I can't really see ANYBODY else replacing Ms in even the medium term --things like enterprises making wholesale switches to Linux are just NOT ON (not speaking about SERVERS BTW), and for BYOD type stuff Joe Bloggs isn't going to bring a Linux PC to work either (unless he's running VMware wit h a windows VM on it).

Finally whoever thought of the REDICULOUS idea of TOUCH SCREENS on PC's or desktop computers. I know NOBODY who uses these and if anybody visits my place and even THINKS of touching a LCD 72 inch screen with their greasy mits then they are liable to get a really hard dose of Baseball bat on their bonce. !!!

Cheers
jimbo

 

[bobafetthotmail]

The main wrong decision was not making an ARM version of windows in time and pushing it against Android and Apple while it was still possible to compete.

They are out of the mobile market, the faster they realize this detail, the better they will survive in the non-mobile environment they still reign in.

Pushing tablet-like UI and anywyay changing the UI so dramatically is suicidal as the customer base is shifting towards the businness customers that will use PCs in the future.

 

[Night Hawk]

Or just use Windows 7 if you've already got it.

Simple solutions work the best! With 8 and now 8.1 the emphasis isn't just on touch & swipe capabilities but Tablet functionality over that seen for the desktop in 7. The problem for the two was never about not being an improved OS but a total swapout of platforms and still calling it "Windows"!

What jimbo45 and others may not be paying much attention is how the OS has been stripped down to suit the tablet platform leaving the desktop user lacking and required to go out and now find 3rd party replacements for those things that had been included in Windows for the desktop user. And the key phrase "Lack of Options" was from the get go the most intimidating turnoff for most when first seeing where they batched 8 up!

With 8.1 MS is still to recover from the bewilderment most had upon seeing 8 by only partially fessing up to making a blonder in how they went about things. And not everyone is so anxious about tablet and hand helds when they are die hard desktop users. The non serious hardly ever pc user wanting convenience will see more there then those who want to maintain a solid workstation type ethic.

 

[pjhutch]

I am seriously considering moving to Windows 8.1. Most of my applications and games are compatible and since a lot of the smaller apps are freeware, I can easily swap for more compatible variations or drop them. I would probably go for 8.1 Pro 64 bit version if I can. I don't have a touch screen monitor or a tablet and I hardly use the start menu anyway (most of icons are on the desktop anyway).

 

[PaulGo]

If you can try the 8.1 preview on a virtual machine for several days to see how you like it.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

[

Now SP2 has got me confused than ever LOL!! and I did look into the 8.1 and saw something horrible about Skydrive saving my docs and pics and stuff something that is NEVER going to happen if I have anything to do with it, that would be the only issue with 8 if it ever became mandatory to have.[/QUOTE]

Hey John, Windows 7 SP2 is what the GEEK community wants to save the huge download of updates and also to roll into 7 some of the newer technologies that have become available since 7's release. I suspect most of the snappiness you are getting on your Lappy is due to the SSD and a fresh install. Windows 8.1 is what 8 has morphed into. Probably be 8.9 before it is truly fixed.[/QUOTE]
The lappy mate I cloned the 7 and then added the upgrade 8 so I don't know anymore I just know it is quick. But I will say I am with you that Skydrive I DO NOT like the sound of and even if it isn't mandatory how long before it is??

Paulgo I saw somewhere just yesterday I think it was in a ZDnet newsletter a link for 8.1 try out I will see if I can find t again. No mate I think I must have deleted it but this might be of interest. Microsoft's Windows 8.1: When will users get the final bits? | ZDNet

 

[Night Hawk]

If you can try the 8.1 preview on a virtual machine for several days to see how you like it.

That's always the first best move unless you have a spare drive to play around with. Many only have a one OS drive system however.

I know for sure I won't be in any rush for a tablet OS to say the least but simply follow up on the latest to see where MS is headed with it. Microsoft, it's time to start talking about "Surface v2" | ZDNet

 

[PaulGo]

Windows 8.1 Faces October Challenge

...On Monday, IDC analyst Bob O'Donnell told Computerworld that touchscreen laptops are selling even more poorly than originally forecast

...Microsoft has indicated that touch will become a standard part of the Windows experience


...If, as IDC's newest data suggests, PC users aren't particularly interested in touch, many businesses will simply upgrade to Windows 7, which gives Microsoft revenue but ultimately impedes the progress of Steve Ballmer's "One Microsoft" plan, which is built around Windows 8 and the cloud.
Analysts have suggested Windows 8.1 might offer enough to appease uneasy enterprise customers -- but these "appeasements" include the option to sever the Modern UI from the desktop. This outcome won't incite developers to create Modern UI apps, and again, does little for Microsoft's long-term goals.

...What's clear is this: So far, the market isn't interested in Windows 8, and though Windows 8.1 is better, it's not yet an obvious enough improvement to turn the tide. Based on the reports, Microsoft has given itself about eight weeks to polish its delivery before heading into two substantial tests: the holidays' consumer sales, and 2014's anticipated enterprise upgrade cycle.

Windows 8.1 Faces October Challenge - Software - Windows 8 -

 

[gregrocker]

The problem with touchscreens on desktop and laptop PC's is that it diverts attention from the intuitive mouse/keypad action with the kind of jarring interrupt that the Wall of Playskool Buttons does when it slams down on your work in place of the small Win7 Start menu sidebar popup. So even though it seems modern it does nothing to speed the productive work done on the desktop - like, say, the work that drives the world economy.

It is a completely different environment than a tablet, which presents its own issue when touch then requires giving way to an on-screen keyboard that is laughably unworkable for the same productive work - the kind which the world relied upon MS for with a desktop experience steadily improved to perfection in Win7.

We're still waiting to see if they wake up to realize they threw all of that to the wind in Win8, touchscreen or not.

 

[Night Hawk]

Well spoken! The reality however is that MS has side stepped the desktop platform to wonder off on the tablet venture explaining the shift of focus from point and click to touch & swipe. One of the main reason 8, 8.1 is not seen as a larger OS on a desktop is that they stripped the usual desktop features out to suit the tablet OS they are now endorsing.

A friend with a touchscreen monitor shored that up nicely when wanting to give touchscreen a go on 7 and soon found he hated it. He preferred a productive not cumbersome desktop environment to work with. He dumped that option fast and likely won't even consider 8 or the spontaneous replacement 8.1 at any time soon!

 

[PaulGo]

Touchscreen PCs not seen catching on this year

Adding touch capabilities to laptops and notebooks doesn’t seem to be a magical elixir for reviving the PC industry.

...Microsoft had hoped that Windows 8 would really start to take off once more OEMs started shipping more PCs with touch capabilities but so far that doesn’t seem to be the case.

Windows 8 touch screen PC shipments: lower than expected | BGR

 

[lehnerus2000]

3D will save W8

No doubt some "bright spark" will come up with the idea that 3D will save W8.
"Just wear these goggles. It's Windows re-imagined!"

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

No doubt some "bright spark" will come up with the idea that 3D will save W8.
"Just wear these goggles. It's Windows re-imagined!"

Shhh! Don't give them ideas!

 

[Fantail]

Got a newegg e-blast this afternoon offering 20$ off on W8 & Parallels together.
This reminded me I need more sawdust for the dry toilet at camp.

 

[DreadStarX]

It seems Windows 7 is here to stay, wherever Microsoft want Windows 7 to stay or not, Windows 8's UI has become too touchscreen orientated, and I've even struggled to find files and programs Windows 8 due to the metro Start Menu.

I don't understand how you can lose applications or files. I type exactly what I'm looking for, and I get it. I'm a bit of a naming freak, and have everything listed as what they really are. I've got nearly 20million files on my Network Drives, and my current computer has 4TB (80% Full), and I have no issues with finding programs. Compatibility is another issue, for another thread.


But in reality, I don't see why people are so Anti-Windows 8. I've said it once, and I'll say it again, IF you do not like change, DON'T UPGRADE. I'm not trying to rag on you, or be-little you, I'm just saying I don't understand it. Windows 8 was like a godsend to me, I'm tired of the same old look of Windows. Windows 98 - 7 have the same style. Windows 8 was new, and different, I enjoy the challenge it gives. I guess not everyone likes puzzles as much as I do

 

[ICIT2LOL]

I am with Dreadstar I upgraded my 7 to 8 took all my settings over to the 8 and have Stardock8 for the desktop.

I just don't see what the fuss is all about I use the machine just as I did before only now it is ten times faster!