Three weeks in: The lackluster launch of Windows 8

Microsoft’s Windows 8 and Windows RT — and dozens of new touch-enabled devices, such as MS’s own Surface tablet — have now been on the market for three weeks. Whether you’re a critic of the new Start screen, a Windows zealot, or just an interested bystander, you’re all probably wondering the same thing: Has the Windows 8 launch been a success or not?

Source

A Guy

 

[PaulGo]

[h=1]Windows 8 Sales: Survey Shows Lukewarm Enthusiasm For Microsoft's New Operating System [/h]
Windows 8 Sales: Survey Shows Lukewarm Enthusiasm For Microsoft's New Operating System

 

[Coke Robot]

That's because Microsoft stuck with it for the long haul. They didn't go and, "Well....shite. Windows 1 wasn't all what were thinking it would be and it isn't that cost effective that we thought it could be." Couple versions later, Windows 3 became their first commercial success I believe.

Same will happen with Windows 8. If Microsoft gives in to putting back a start menu in Windows 9, they'll sacrifice their one OS rules all as well as one UI to rule them all goal. If they split it into two different operating systems, they'll risk fracturing development between the two. But, if they stick with it for the long haul, it may as well be a commercial success, show that they have balls to risk it all, and be the first to have the "three screens and a cloud" system running between totally different devices.

 

[pparks1]

Why cannot they just put an option for start back in for those that want it. Make Metro the default, just provide an option. Unsure how that would "royally screw up their vision" of 1 OS on every device.

 

[area 66]

The only option Microsoft give us is to pay for their mistake

 

[Coke Robot]

Why cannot they just put an option for start back in for those that want it. Make Metro the default, just provide an option. Unsure how that would "royally screw up their vision" of 1 OS on every device.

They could. There is also the possibility, considering how past Windows UIs faired, that even by Windows 10 when the Windows Store has hundreds of thousands of apps and Windows is built hugely for mobile again, that there will still be users using the start menu and ignoring the metro Start Screen, even most likely by then there wouldn't be any case against the Start Screen other than taste and preference. But, seeing as Microsoft cut that off cold turkey to prevent possible scenarios like that, they're supporting Windows 7 until 2020, which might be HUGELY out of style if they really do a biyearly Windows release.

Normally, they would given the option to revert to a previous UI style in a new release. Windows 95 could easily be reverted to use Program Manager, xp up to 7 still had the 9X, 2000 style UI. You know what has happened? No one kept using Program Manager when 98 and 2000 came around. And little to no one uses the old school UI on xp anymore, or on vista, or on 7. Most everyone just went with the new UI design and didn't think much of it.

 

[pparks1]

There is also the possibility, considering how past Windows UIs faired, that even by Windows 10 when the Windows Store has hundreds of thousands of apps and Windows is built hugely for mobile again, that there will still be users using the start menu and ignoring the metro Start Screen

Well then obviously that's what these people would want. Why not just provide the option to get as many sales from these people as you can.

Normally, they would given the option to revert to a previous UI style in a new release. Windows 95 could easily be reverted to use Program Manager, xp up to 7 still had the 9X, 2000 style UI. You know what has happened? No one kept using Program Manager when 98 and 2000 came around. And little to no one uses the old school UI on xp anymore, or on vista, or on 7. Most everyone just went with the new UI design and didn't think much of it.

In the business world, I know many who still use a classic start menu and don't like the dual pane Vista/7 implementation. Lots of places just flat out stayed on XP as they didn't see the value in moving. Some moved on, others didn't.

 

[Max Peck]

No one was using Windows before 3.1

Actually, that's not true. Back in the early 90's I had at least one customer that was using some desktop publishing stuff running under Windows 2.x (I don't remember the specific version). They made a lot of brochures and flyers with the system at that version.

-Max

 

[area 66]

like if you can't guess I means "nearly no one"

 

[Burgurne]

Why cannot they just put an option for start back in for those that want it. Make Metro the default, just provide an option. Unsure how that would "royally screw up their vision" of 1 OS on every device.

They could. There is also the possibility, considering how past Windows UIs faired, that even by Windows 10 when the Windows Store has hundreds of thousands of apps and Windows is built hugely for mobile again, that there will still be users using the start menu and ignoring the metro Start Screen, even most likely by then there wouldn't be any case against the Start Screen other than taste and preference.

And the fact, that ALL apps only run fullscreens.
Now with only "1 window" opened, it real name should be Window 8, and not Windows 8.

I think I could get used to Metro if I only could have some windows​ open at the same time. This full-screen app-thing is quite silly on a desktop PC.

 

[area 66]

that even by Windows 10 when the Windows Store has hundreds of thousands of apps and Windows is built hugely for mobile again,

we don't need millions of craps apps, we need only few good one. And from what I can see it won't happen with Metro Apps, it's too limited as platform for a desktop apps, unless you want a kind of apps to choose the color of your lipstick

 

[pparks1]

that even by Windows 10 when the Windows Store has hundreds of thousands of apps and Windows is built hugely for mobile again,

we don't need millions of craps apps, we need only few good one. And from what I can see it won't happen with Metro Apps, it's too limited as platform for a desktop apps, unless you want a kind of apps to choose the color of your lipstick

I think you misquoted me, as I didn't say that...coke robot did.

 

[Coke Robot]

that even by Windows 10 when the Windows Store has hundreds of thousands of apps and Windows is built hugely for mobile again,

we don't need millions of craps apps, we need only few good one. And from what I can see it won't happen with Metro Apps, it's too limited as platform for a desktop apps, unless you want a kind of apps to choose the color of your lipstick

ios and android have a whole plethora of crap apps with a few good highlights. Shoot, even some of the top Windows Phone apps are being brought over to Windows 8. The Weather Channel is there, AccuWeather, USA Today, Angry Birds Star Wars and some others. Windows Phone 8 will have 46 of the top 50 apps from ios and android, which will mostly likely be ported over to Windows 8 due to the shared NT core. By Windows 10, I would place a shot of liquor saying that those top apps will already be on Windows as well as some new and upcoming apps that have been developed on Windows and will be getting port overs to android and ios as well as of course Windows Phone.

 

[area 66]

we don't need millions of craps apps, we need only few good one. And from what I can see it won't happen with Metro Apps, it's too limited as platform for a desktop apps, unless you want a kind of apps to choose the color of your lipstick

I think you misquoted me, as I didn't say that...coke robot did.

Lol and you quote my word with the name COKE.... I will correct my first post