Windows 8 ekes out 3.2 percent of desktop OS market

Microsoft's latest OS is gaining ground but is still in fourth place behind Vista, according to Web tracker Net Applications.

Windows 8 is slowly carving out a slightly larger slice of the OS market.

The latest flavor of Windows captured 3.17 percent of all desktop OS traffic tracked by Net Applications in March. That was a small gain from the 2.67 percent share in February.

Since its official debut last October, Windows 8 has very gradually risen up the ranks, at least in Net Applications' Web traffic reports.

Read more at source:
Windows 8 ekes out 3.2 percent of desktop OS market | Microsoft - CNET News

 

[labeeman]

Window 8 has a long way to go to beat Vista even with blue I see no hope.

Four reasons Windows 8 can't match Vista's adoption rate | Computerworld Blogs

 

[XweAponX]

I remember when Vista reared it's ugly head - I was one of thousands who spoke out vocally about it on ZDnet and in forums like this one. Back then, Microsoft listened to us, and they did something about it, they made Windows 7.

What is clearly needed is a Desktop-Only version: They have Windows 8 RT which is just Metro, and that should satisfy tablet and Device users, but we the desktop users are stuck with it. Even with a Touch Screen, which I have on one PC, Metro is not that friendly - Or useful, at least not yet. So far all of the little developers in china have come up with all of those little games and "apps" but so far, not that many of the big devs have hopped on, no Metro apps for the desktop applications I use. Quicken, Office, Adobe.

I like how blazing fast my systems boot up, and it was not that much trouble installing and setting it up how I liked it. Can't say Metro gets in my way, as I don't use it much. My videos and music play much better and everything seems much faster. The question is, will MS make us a desktop-only OS, if we keep asking for it? I don't see Metro taking over any time soon, we are all too used to desktops. And as long as Windows has a desktop that I can customise, I'll use it. But if they take it out for the next rendition, how will that affect us? As much as I love Windows 7, the Windows 8 Desktop is much faster.

 

[Coke Robot]

So I can't pin Desktop items to the Start Screen?

 

[XweAponX]

So I can't pin Desktop items to the Start Screen?

Actually, when you install new applications, desktop applications, links to those ar made on the Start Screen. But I did an upgrade on this machine, and it did not bother to move the apps I already had installed there.

 

[Coke Robot]

But from what you seem to have said that Windows should have a Desktop only mode, so that would get rid of the Start Screen.

 

[whs]

This start screen will suffice.

 

[Coke Robot]

This start screen will suffice.

View attachment 19447

That's kind of interesting as the cropped size of that Start "screen" is actually the size of 19 tiles on my Start Screen and occupies roughly the same screen space as my old start menu would had. I used to have the menu as BIG as it possibly could go, not for the MFU list, but for All Programs. I had a bunch in there and I HATED scrolling down because of subfolders, which is why I threw the shortcuts into the All Programs list and got rid of the folders. Now, I don't have that issue with the Start Screen anymore.

 

[whs]

I am running with a 150% DPI. That's why it is bigger than normal. I should have shrunk the picture before posting.

 

[SIW2]

If you are looking for fast and efficient - you could try linux mint. Half the size and ram use of 8.

I doubt MS are willing to have a desktop only mode.

They might - but it is more likely they will weather the poor sales and keep pushing for what they want the users to do.

There is a lot at stake.

MS want to monetise the users. There seem prepared to hang on , subsidise the oems and do whatever it it takes to get what they want.

 

[whs]

Mint Mate is great. I use it for surfing the web. Is a lot safer and faster too.

 

[SIW2]

I am using Mint with cinnamon, was surprised how good it is.

It is also perfect for the average user, even my gran could use it.

 

[Hopachi]

Mint Mate is great. I use it for surfing the web. Is a lot safer and faster too.

I've tried Cinnamon but the Gnome 3 look doesn't match with me. Mate has all gtk-2 themes that I like compatible and provided a good look.

The removal of gtk-2 themes was one of the reasons I left Ubuntu.

 

[XweAponX]

Haha! Ok, if we are posting Start Menus...



(edit)Someone mentioned, the Size of this menu, with Stardock's Start 8 you can adjust the size of it, to accommodate what you want in the right pane. I've got mine larger than normal.

This is what I see when my system boots up, Start 8 makes it go straight to the desktop. Thinix RetroUI also does it, and it also disables the Metro completely. There are several Start Menu addons, I chose Stardock;s due to their experience in desktop mods, which I usually don't use, because they slow me up.

And I hated even this Start Menu when it was introduced in Windows 7, in Vista you had the choice of an XP-Style Start menu that expanded out. I didn't like having to squint to find my programs in Windows 7. But given that choice and the choice of not having any mods at all, with no Orb at all on the start menu, I chose this mod.

Someone has it in their Signature, Windows 8 is a choice, and I'm glad that there are choices as to how we want to run it. From XP to 7, it's all been about choice, transformation packs, Themes, Mods abounded. The stark Tiles interface removes that except for choosing the colour of the background and the position of the tiles.

There is even a Mod that makes your desktop look like an LCARS station from Trek, these work great for Touchscreen systems it's called LCARSx32. And this was out many years before Windows 8 was even a thought in a think tank.

 

[XweAponX]

Mint Mate is great. I use it for surfing the web. Is a lot safer and faster too.

I've tried Cinnamon but the Gnome 3 look doesn't match with me. Mate has all gtk-2 themes that I like compatible and provided a good look.

The removal of gtk-2 themes was one of the reasons I left Ubuntu.

I left Ubunto at Ubuntu 10- When they removed the "start Menu" and stuck the selections on the side, it was too difficult to find what I needed and I could never figure out to put them on the desktop.

 

[Hopachi]

Mint Mate is great. I use it for surfing the web. Is a lot safer and faster too.

I've tried Cinnamon but the Gnome 3 look doesn't match with me. Mate has all gtk-2 themes that I like compatible and provided a good look.

The removal of gtk-2 themes was one of the reasons I left Ubuntu.

I left Ubunto at Ubuntu 10- When they removed the "start Menu" and stuck the selections on the side, it was too difficult to find what I needed and I could never figure out to put them on the desktop.

Yes, that was the magical version here as well.

Now I'm not worried about Start Menu's anymore since we have a wide variety to choose from, I've even adapted to the Start Screen on Win8.

 

[whs]

In Zorin, they give you a choice of Win7, XP and Gnome 2 style start menus.

 

[Hopachi]

In Zorin, they give you a choice of Win7, XP and Gnome 2 style start menus.

It seems the (payable) ultimate version adds OSX and Win 2000 styles as well. Zorin is built on Ubuntu so the latest version comes with gtk-3 but the themes are very well balanced.

 

[skallal]

Were you drunk when vista came out? As I remember, the economy was doing WWWWWWWAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYY better than 2012/2013 for sure.

Agreed!

 

[Ray8]

After deleting Windows 8 from my tablet, I recently installed Mint Cinnamon on it as a dual boot and it certainly looks better on the tablet than my small 9" notebook (which has a much higher resolution). There's an interesting comparison of Ubuntu vs Mint here: Ubuntu vs. Mint: Which Linux Distro Is Better for Beginners? (they compare Ubuntu to OSX, but I think it's just as comparable to Windows 8).

 

[Hopachi]

After deleting Windows 8 from my tablet, I recently installed Mint Cinnamon on it as a dual boot and it certainly looks better on the tablet than my small 9" notebook (which has a much higher resolution). There's an interesting comparison of Ubuntu vs Mint here: Ubuntu vs. Mint: Which Linux Distro Is Better for Beginners? (they compare Ubuntu to OSX, but I think it's just as comparable to Windows 8).

Dual boot with what if 8 is removed... you mean with Win7?
If Mint is all alone than it's not a dual boot.