Users tell Microsoft: We hate Windows 8 touchscreen PCs

With Windows 8, Microsoft recast Windows as a touchscreen interface, and bet the farm that people would flock to it. Now users have spoken: They hate the devices. New research from IDC shows that as few as 10% of all laptops sold this year will sport a touchscreen.

A look at the current laptop best-seller list on Amazon bears out that people aren't buying touchscreen laptops. None of the top ten laptops have touchscreens. The top ten include Chromebooks as well as Macs. But if you look at the top ten best-selling Windows notebooks, none have touchscreens, either.

O'Donnell notes that touchscreen laptops are typically far more expensive than non-touch ones, with prices at $700 to $800, up to double the price of non touchscreen laptops. The problem goes beyond price. He told Computerworld:

"Touch is just not that compelling for most. There are not that many touch-required apps that people feel they must have."​

As a general rule, apps written for Windows 8 are underpowered compared to desktop apps. In addition, there's a dearth of good Windows 8 apps. Recent research shows that Windows 8 has barely half of the most popular iOS apps.

Users tell Microsoft: We hate Windows 8 touchscreen PCs | Computerworld Blogs

 

[Mustang]

I wouldn't TOUCH a touch screen ... Oooppps! ... with a 50 foot barge pole ... on a desktop or laptop that is.

Tablet and mobile phone with stylus ... fine!

 

[4wd]

no, no, touch is great, under all circumstances (not only for tablets)! We are just reluctant towards change , against improvements and evolution etc etc. Am looking forward to the future, with all my laptop and pc screens looking exactly like this one >> http://www.notebookcheck.com/fileadmin/_migrated/pics/IMG_1947_02.JPG

 

[pulsar68]

This is an interesting reading about the Human evolution

Origins and Evolution of Human Language: Opposable Thumb

Seems that we won't need the opposable thumb anymore, indeed we'll need tons of glass cleaner

 

[Mystere]

Again, they are developing fingerprint resistant screen coatings for touch screens that will make fingerprints a non-issue for touch screens. So these arguments, while valid today, are not always going to be valid... so to say that touch will fail because of it is short sighted.

 

[HippsieGypsie]

But you'll touch the screen on your smart phone, a pad, an ATM, store check-out monitor, etc, but touch a PC monitor?!! OMG!! No!! Never!!

 

[alphanumeric]

But you'll touch the screen on your smart phone, a pad, an ATM, store check-out monitor, etc, but touch a PC monitor?!! OMG!! No!! Never!!

If there are no alternatives you'll do it. Given the choice of a touch screen or keyboard mouse, I'll take the keyboard mouse thank you very much.

 

[EMINENT]

I absolutely abhor using a mouse with my Surface. In fact, I try not to. Why do I want to carry this extra thing with me? I bought a touchscreen pc for a reason. And, I can use a mouse with it too! Go figure!

I wish my 42" tv was touch. Sometimes I find myself trying.

 

[EMINENT]

But you'll touch the screen on your smart phone, a pad, an ATM, store check-out monitor, etc, but touch a PC monitor?!! OMG!! No!! Never!!

 

[labeeman]

I absolutely abhor using a mouse with my Surface. In fact, I try not to. Why do I want to carry this extra thing with me? I bought a touchscreen pc for a reason. And, I can use a mouse with it too! Go figure!

I wish my 42" tv was touch. Sometimes I find myself trying.

Be careful what you wish for.

Microsoft's 'touch screen' for any surface goes on sale

 

[Mr Sardonicus]

I absolutely abhor using a mouse with my Surface. In fact, I try not to. Why do I want to carry this extra thing with me? I bought a touchscreen pc for a reason. And, I can use a mouse with it too! Go figure!

I wish my 42" tv was touch. Sometimes I find myself trying.

You can bring your hand down to the tablet and use your wrist. The arm movement would be pretty much, non-existent. On a 42" monitor, arm movement would be constant. I'm almost certain that anyone using a 42" monitor would be looking for the mouse, soon after.

 

[Mr Sardonicus]

But you'll touch the screen on your smart phone, a pad, an ATM, store check-out monitor, etc, but touch a PC monitor?!! OMG!! No!! Never!!

Some device like tablets, ATM keypads, smart phones, etc., require nothing but wrist and finger movement. Lifting the arm up to use a touchscreen on a PC monitor, is like getting up constantly to change the TV channel, for most people. People love their small less-fatiguing devices, but give them a 32" or larger screen, while sitting in the easy chair, they'll soon be looking for the mouse.

 

[Mustang]

But you'll touch the screen on your smart phone, a pad, an ATM, store check-out monitor, etc, but touch a PC monitor?!! OMG!! No!! Never!!

Hey Hippsie, it's what suits the purpose.

With the devices you list, sure, no problem.

But sitting back in a recliner desk chair with arms length leaving the hand a foot short of the 24 inch screen, and the hands comfortably on the keyboard, beats the hell out of sitting hard up against the desk with continuous movements of you hand an arm up and down and across the screen and elbows cramped up against your body to type.

If the logistics of touch were easier and more comfortable sitting in front of a desktop PC, I'd be in like Flynn, but they're simply not. After any extended length of time, my arm starts aching, and that's from practical hands on trials .. pardon the pun ... after trying it several times on my friends 21 inch widescreen.

It requires much less movement of arm and hands even with a laptop. The hands are supported by the desktop as you type or move mouse.

 

[CountMike]

Shouldn't touch screens be placed differently than ordinary ones ? I don't have one (would like to) but have used one, built into desktop at about 15 degrees, like I read books when by the desk or table and did not have any physical fatigue or related problems. For some jobs like manipulating pictures and DTP it was actually easier than having to reach for keyboard, mouse and graphic pad all the time. To watch a movie or things like that it can be lifted to 80-90 degrees and be just as handy as a "normal" monitor and still be able to use mouse, remote control or whatever to control it.
Having a touch screen does not preclude using a mouse and keyboard, just ads some more great possibilities and features. As far as I'm concerned the only drawback is the price and need for keeping it clean but clean hands are a must anyway. Did you know that keyboards have more bacteria than average toilet ?

 

[4wd]

MS have done some seriously bad miscalculations and errors during the last year, one of them is the fantasy about everyone (on any kind of device) wanting touch, and trying to force it upon them.

(IMO the overall most enormous error was the stubborn neglecting of vast amounts of feedback and criticism. 8.1 may alleviate some of the pressure, but much harm has already been done.)

 

[CountMike]

I can't see any "forcing" to use touch screen, if you did not know about it there would be no problem with it, you can use it just as before. I can not remember anybody complaining about "forcing" to use mouse when it become available at large. Once upon a time even keyboard was optional.

 

[mcnulty]

If you could use it just as before no one would be complaining.

 

[CountMike]

I must be doing something wrong then, my mouse behaves just as before, all the buttons work.

 

[PhyllisColeman]

but you like it or not future does lie in touch .. no matter being a new there is compatibility issues .. these will be corrected through more use as loose points will come out and developers will think out how to make it more smooth

 

[Mustang]

Did you know that keyboards have more bacteria than average toilet ?

And you're telling me touch screens don't! Sheeeeessshh! What do you wear surgical gloves when using touch screens but not for keyboard/mouse?

Besides all those bacteria come from your own hands when using a personal PC or at worst give you sub-clinical infections which actually increase your resistance to serious illness or infection. Otherwise half the population who use internet cafes would be dropping dead like flies.

 

[Mustang]

but you like it or not future does lie in touch .. no matter being a new there is compatibility issues .. these will be corrected through more use as loose points will come out and developers will think out how to make it more smooth

Says who? That's conjecture not fact.

As I said before, horses for courses. Touch for Tablets and mobile phones, and even for those who want it on desktops or laptops, but don't presume to extrapolate that to mean users of computers at large.