More Than 3 Out of 4 Enthusiasts Reject Windows 8

PCs and tablets/smartphones are equal as far as consuming content goes, both can allow equal access to stuff like Youtube and e-books and other consumable content. The thing most of the hooligans that insist "PCs are dying" fail to take into account is creating content. Even this simple post I'm writing would take much longer on a tablet/smartphone and be far more prone to errors than if I were to write it on a PC like I'm doing right now.

Now, of course the fact remains that PC sales are stagnating, that much is undeniable. Rather than the PC supposedly being superceded by tablets/smartphones though, the real reason PC sales are stagnating is because we're moving into an upgrade/replacement cycle that is much longer than prior cycles due to exponentially increasing power in hardware, power that has actually recently begun to plateau in favor of power efficiency because we simply don't need so much pure horsepower beyond what we already have.

Unlike 10~20 years ago when PCs needed to be upgraded or replaced almost on an annual basis to be able to run the latest software (or to take advantage of new technological advacements in hardware), we're in an era where even an Intel Core2Duo is more than sufficient for the majority of the things we do everyday. On top of that, software and hardware today have become more reliable than they have ever been before. Combined with a not-so-great economy everywhere, there's simply no reason for most of us to go out and keep on buying ever newer computers, and that in my opinion is why PC sales are stagnating.

PCs still remain one of the most useful, versatile, and reliable tools many of us have in our arsenals, it's just that times have changed with so much technological advancements resulting in vastly prolonging the effective lifespan of a PC.

lehnerus2000 said:

I'd also add that most people who want a desktop PC (in the 1st World) probably already have one.

First, if W8 had been an exciting upgrade for desktops, it wouldn't matter if they already had one, they'd be upgrading! Instead, W8 has turned out to be a DOWNGRADE compared to W7. That's turning people off, and the word about W8 is spreading.

Second, the economy is still in the tank. For those whose job seems relatively secure it doesn't seem that bad, but there's a lot of unemployed and underemployed, and they're not going to buy anything.

The economy isn't great - many people won't buy something unless they really want it.

Apple sold a lot over the Xmas period -because they had a product that a lot of people really wanted.

MS real aim is to monetize the customers. That means getting more money out of them. Subscriptions for Office for example. The main thrust is via their online apps. and services. The Metro Start screen is a constant advert and exhortation for people to go online and get sucked into that.

Take 3 guesses why they were so keen to remove start menu and keep shoving start screen at you.

With Windows 'Blue' rumored, the Windows 8 fire sale begins



...Every indication I've seen is that stores, particularly in the United States, are swollen with Windows 8 machines.

...Instead of rolling out much-needed improvements to the core Metro apps, or bringing back the Start menu, or giving us a Windows 7.8, or implementing any of a dozen or more small, high-impact changes in little increments, it looks like we're going to get a new giant version of Windows this summer -- less than a year after the disaster known as Windows 8. Imagine. More of the same, only with performance improvements, a smaller kernel, longer battery life, and a better search charm. Golly. Now that the mainstream press has wind of a "new version" coming down the pike, look for adoption of Windows 8 to shrink even further, while we all wait to see what's coming next.

We can watch as Microsoft dismantles its own Windows monopoly, one harebrained step at a time.

Full article at:

With Windows 'Blue' rumored, the Windows 8 fire sale begins | Microsoft windows - InfoWorld

PaulGo said:

With Windows 'Blue' rumored, the Windows 8 fire sale begins



...Every indication I've seen is that stores, particularly in the United States, are swollen with Windows 8 machines.

...Instead of rolling out much-needed improvements to the core Metro apps, or bringing back the Start menu, or giving us a Windows 7.8, or implementing any of a dozen or more small, high-impact changes in little increments, it looks like we're going to get a new giant version of Windows this summer -- less than a year after the disaster known as Windows 8. Imagine. More of the same, only with performance improvements, a smaller kernel, longer battery life, and a better search charm. Golly. Now that the mainstream press has wind of a "new version" coming down the pike, look for adoption of Windows 8 to shrink even further, while we all wait to see what's coming next.

We can watch as Microsoft dismantles its own Windows monopoly, one harebrained step at a time.

Full article at:

With Windows 'Blue' rumored, the Windows 8 fire sale begins | Microsoft windows - InfoWorld

I've got a new build with W7, having purposely avoided the W8 debacle. Now MS thinks they can change my mind with "More of the same"? Nah, I think I'll pass, AGAIN.
Microsoft is starting to sound like a politician.

Wow, this thread is still going...

Anyway I got free copy of Windows 8 pro, than bought a copy for $39.99. That said, I installed a copy under VM Ware, and after playing with it a bit.... I haven't touched it for about a month and a half now.

Maybe I'm getting to old, but I have no patience for a tablet based OS on a desktop. Unless Microsoft does something to drastically boost the OS, I see this as an experiment gone bad. I'm not even sure ME (Windows Millennium Edition) flopped this bad but...???

That said, the future of computing is going the way of the tablet/mobile computing so any OS producer would be crazy not to embrace now. Perhaps this is what Microsoft is trying with Window 8.

At any rate I wouldn't hold my breath that Microsoft is going to abandon the W8 strategy, they may just change the approach with the new OS; that is make it two prong - one for business/desktop users, the other for mobile business and consumer use.

I think with Windows 8, Microsoft tried to force too much of the mobile side on desktop users. Perhaps they could have left it a little more desktop friendly. This forced approach on desktop users is what's killing the OS as we shouldn't be forced to sign up for Microsoft accounts in order to use our desktops. I understand the concept (mobile computing), but we're not there yet.

BTW I do have a Microsoft Live account, but I'm not ready to put all my business in the cloud just yet.

Honestly I don't know where 8 will wind up at, but it sure isn't inspiring many to move like 7, or even Vista did. As I've said many times, this is the first OS I've not jumped on. Even ME made me jump.

My two cents.