Is 'Metro' now a banned word at Microsoft?

Bertison said:

IMHO it's all about 2 things - 1, change - a majority of humans are opposed to anything new, they are used to dealing and working with something that works for them and their situation. A smaller proportion of people who accept and welcome change and new methods, will work to overcome any problems. Then eventually many will happily accept the results of these endeavours, whilst others will continue to oppose the new. It's called an entrenched position and I may have been guilty of that error myself........

There is truth in what you say, but here's another truth.......
Change for the sake of improvement is one thing, but change just for the sake of change is not always a good thing.

Going from Vista to W7 was change for the sake of improvement. A BIG improvement.
Going from W7 to W8 is change for the sake of change, and Metro (by ANY name) is no improvement for desktop users by any stretch of the imagination.

W8 would've been much more widely accepted if they had offered it with a choice of interface. But instead, they're trying to cram that Metro mess down desktop user's throats, and IMO that was a major mistake.
W8/Metro is just another big Vista failure

90% of computer forums seem to be comprised of hindsight sheep, bandwagoners, and know-it-all personalities. Other than the people that react to "I want to overclock, wut to do?" by saying "you're stupid, don't even bother. it's stupid to do on a laptop", you know... the types that don't know what to do, don't enjoy answering questions, but must put in their 2 cents at any cost by insulting and discouraging people instead of giving any relevant data- the types mentioned above are the 2nd most annoying.

This is ridiculous, all you youngins and casual PC guys- here's a story for you. Vista was a UNIVERSAL failure... there was nothing redeeming about the system. It was hated by all. Yes some hated it blindly and ignorantly, but the ones that actually did use it had every right to complain. From no driver support, to a completely redesigned and disturbingly ugly UI, with buttons and menus replaced with nonsensical and dumbed-down versions every single place you went- up to absolutely crippling features like the UAC that wasn't just some over-hyped complaint, but a ridiculously intrusive, work-stopping problem. The bloat of the OS and absurd minimum requirements made no sense either.

Windows 7 got it right, yeah it took all the 'good' from Vista like it's attempt at a sleeker UI, and more logical places to put menus, but Vista wasn't like a generation-1 iPod that got it aaaalmost right but just needed a little more refinement, it was just a huge pile of vomit with some small pieces of coal Microsoft had to pick out to refine into diamonds.

This is exactly what Metro is, which really sucks... I just think the staff that make the calls at Microsoft are not really the A-team in this generation. Everything since Windows Mobile 6+Vista (so since 2007) has been failure after failure, with the one huge exception and savior being Windows 7. I'm glad they stayed away from the professional market (Server platforms), but from what I'm seeing Metro's even being incorporated to Server 2012.

Another problem- Microsoft advertises its bloatware like its 1st-party malware for every single product it has. Want an MS keyboard? Here's a 100mb driver+app install prompt for you. Want IE9? Of course you do, let MS ask you every time you open up an IE window. How about safety features, phishing filters, privacy protection, default applications, plugin blocking, safesearching? So Metro's an awesome place to throw on insane features like the "store" on the desktop in a professional working environment. Can't wait.

I don't know how hard W8+Metro/WinRT stuff is gonna hurt its marketshare, or what it will do to the computer industry globally. I assume about the same as Vista, so people will just stick with W7 until a nice, refined (hopefully sans-Metro, or at least fully-integrated and not half-and-half chunks of UI) version of the interface and system comes out and saves everyone in a couple years. Maybe this will breed some new Microsoft competitor, some system that actually stands a chance at competing and goes for the same market.

It feels like Microsoft is just desperately trying to say "hey hey I'm creative and hip too!" to combat Apple and Google's platforms, but it's like putting a backwards neon hat and D.A.R.E. shirt on a 60 year old man, throwing a Twitter sticker on his hat and trying to say the same thing. It's just not the right way to go about it, they've got so many other strengths. They should have the business-suit tried-and-true OS, and allow the guys that come to work casual every day and slide from their offices into giant ballpits to get to the kitchen do their own thing. There's really no competing there.

I can't believe anyone that actually has to use computers professionally would stick up for the OS, so I assume everyone loving Vista and this Metro UI doesn't get paid to maintain them as systems.

ignatzatsonic said:

LittleJay said:

why can't Microsoft release two different versions of Windows 8.

They can, as far as I know. I haven't heard a programmer type say it's not feasible.

Apparently they won't.

Why wouldn't they?

Only halfway understandable reason I can see is corporate pride (read "hubris")---showing they can enforce their will and won't be cowed into complying with the requests of mere rube users like you and I. Rank paternalism---daddy knows best.

Eat your spinach.

And there may be an element of feigned disdain rather than true disdain for the desktop market. I can imagine some high-level meetings at MS wherein whistling past the graveyard might be seen as cool, particularly if championed by a big cheese---who is likely surrounded by sycophants.

It becomes more understandable to the extent that desktop/laptop users are not the target and to the extent that OEMs will take the brunt of the complaints.

Five years from now we can judge if the disdain was justified.

I read an article a few months ago called "The death of the PC". The premise behind it was that as cloud computing becomes the norm, there will no longer be any need for the traditional desk top. All a person will need is something like a tablet to do everything. Personally I wouldn't like this idea very much, because I do financial stuff on my PC and I wouldn't trust my info to the "clouds" no matter how secure they told me it was.

@onesixski

Vista was a UNIVERSAL failure... there was nothing redeeming about the system

Actually, No.

I am one of many who liked Vista. In fact I have just reinstalled It.

However, plenty didn't like it, and it didn't sell well.

I don't know how hard W8+Metro/WinRT stuff is gonna hurt its marketshare, or what it will do to the computer industry globally. I assume about the same as Vista

Yes, Win8 might not sell well, either. I don't like it very much.

SIW2 said:

@onesixski

Vista was a UNIVERSAL failure... there was nothing redeeming about the system

Actually, No.

I am one of many who liked Vista. In fact I have just reinstalled It.

However, plenty didn't like it, and it didn't sell well.

Can you back up your opinion with some solid reasons you prefer Vista?

A lot is a matter of personal prefernce.

I like the look of it - which helps.

I never had any problem with it at all.

It always worked well - started up fast - very responsive.

I had 64 bit Vista Home Premium running on an inexpensive machine with 2gb ram.

I don't know why others had issues - but I accept many didn't like it.


It isn't just me - I know a few MBA students from abroad - ( they spend a lot to come to study in London ). Often, they bring a laptop with them. I was surprised to find some of them chose to keep Vista , rather than do the free upgrade to win7 - they say they like it.

Bertison said:

Mr Gates knew EXACTLY when to go, did he not?

Come back, Bill, all (well OK, some) is forgiven.

Anyone who has been to a top-class English football (sorry America, SOCCER) match, when the manager (coach) is watching his team lose its umpteenth game, will have heard the song: -

♫ "You don't know what you're DOOOOOING!"♫♬

Applies to Ms at this moment in its history.

Wait, why does the absence of Bill somehow help the reasoning as to why W8 is terrible? I recall Windows ME, Windows Mobile 6, Vista, MS Bob, Zune (arguably), Games for Windows "Live!" and other gaming bloatware platforms MS tried to force on the public... many many apps were quite bad under his reign. This is really just old hat for Microsoft, sometimes they win, sometimes they fail. I don't see how W8 is any different or worse than past failures MS has pushed.