Microsoft training staff to explain Windows 8 versus RT

Microsoft is training sales staff to make sure customers know the difference between Windows RT and the full version of Windows 8, the company told CNET.

Windows RT tablets, including Microsoft's Surface, use power-frugal ARM chips and come with a version of Windows 8 that is not compatible with older Windows software.

Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro devices -- including an upcoming higher-performance Surface tablet -- are powered by Intel chips and can run the millions of older Windows programs already out there.

Read more at source:
Microsoft training staff to explain Windows 8 versus RT | Microsoft - CNET News



See also:
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/5757-compare-windows-8-editions.html
 
The Compare Editions is what I've been looking for some time now. Perfect, thanks! Why didn't I think to ask the alien? :D
 

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Good comparison charts.

Microsoft really dropped the ball waiting so long to educate consumers (let alone sales staff) about the difference between Windows 8 and Windows 8 RT. Then they'll compound the problem with the big release event on the 26th of Windows 8 and the Surface Windows 8 RT device. I think Paul Thurrott is right to wonder how many people buying the Surface RT are going to be surprised to find that it doesn't run Windows 8. http://www.winsupersite.com/article/windows8/windows-rt-redmond-problem-144554
 

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Absolutely, the displays are going to have to have a GIGANTIC freaking sign that says, "YOUR STANDARD WINDOWS APPS WILL NOT RUN ON THIS DEVICE, PERIOD"

You absolutely know people are going to say, for the same price as an Ipad, I can run my own applications. WRONG.
 

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That is going to be a problem, most people will expect a 'Windows' device/tablet to run the Windows programs they have used before.
 

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    Desktop: eSATA ports,
    External eSATA Seagate 500GB SATA2 7200rpm,
That is going to be a problem, most people will expect a 'Windows' device/tablet to run the Windows programs they have used before.

It's the responsibility of every retailer to educate the customer on Windows 8, if users go home with Windows RT and get frustrated that they can't install desktop Apps the retailer has failed not MS. Best Buy up here in Canada are already advertising Windows 8 Demo Days to educate consumers.
 

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MS are releasing two very different products - they have made them look very similar and given them similar names.

It's always somebody else's fault, isn't it?
 

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MS are releasing two very different products - they have made them look very similar and given them similar names.

It's always somebody else's fault, isn't it?

Yamaha sells various models of AV Receivers, a couple of them look almost identical except for the model numbers. Consumer buys one thinking he's getting 7 channel surround but infact it only has 5 channel surround, he purchased the wrong model. I suppose by your thinking it's Yamaha's fault? Or perhaps it was the sales man who failed to educate the consumer?
 

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    Windows 7, Windows 8 RP
That is going to be a problem, most people will expect a 'Windows' device/tablet to run the Windows programs they have used before.

It's the responsibility of every retailer to educate the customer on Windows 8, if users go home with Windows RT and get frustrated that they can't install desktop Apps the retailer has failed not MS. Best Buy up here in Canada are already advertising Windows 8 Demo Days to educate consumers.

I hope the retailers get their staff trained and there is enough advertising to keep everyone informed.
There will always be the consumer that just doesn't get it until it's too late and will blame the retailer and MS.

I think a lot of consumers will understand the difference, Windows RT is just like other tablets but has MS Office.
 

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    Desktop: eSATA ports,
    External eSATA Seagate 500GB SATA2 7200rpm,
That is going to be a problem, most people will expect a 'Windows' device/tablet to run the Windows programs they have used before.

It's the responsibility of every retailer to educate the customer on Windows 8, if users go home with Windows RT and get frustrated that they can't install desktop Apps the retailer has failed not MS. Best Buy up here in Canada are already advertising Windows 8 Demo Days to educate consumers.

I hope the retailers get their staff trained and there is enough advertising to keep everyone informed.
There will always be the consumer that just doesn't get it until it's too late and will blame the retailer and MS.

I think a lot of consumers will understand the difference, Windows RT is just like other tablets but has MS Office.

@ SWI2

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if I read it right, in so many words you're accusing MS of misleading the public consumer. I agree the products are similar, but have two distinct names -> Surface with Windows RT and Surface with Windows 8 Pro as outlined here: Help me choose which Windows tablet is best for me - Microsoft Surface which is linked from the main page here: Surface by Microsoft, Pre-Order the New Windows Tablet I don't see anything misleading there.

@ R0bR

Again, right on!

@ Dave76

Yes. Hopefully people doing their job and performing it correctly. :)


The tortoise and the hare adage; I'm sure we've all did this from time to time as consumers -> We are in a hurry to go buy something without first doing some research on all the products offered in whatever product line we're buying. We end up buying something we really didn't want. Bottom line -> buyer beware.

Also allow me to add that most products are returnable if we are not satisfied with our purchase, save "on sale" items, which most times explicitly states non-returnable. At least here in the U.S.
 

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MS are releasing two very different products - they have made them look very similar and given them similar names.

It's always somebody else's fault, isn't it?

Ok, by your logic people should find it difficult to distinguish between Obama and Osama ??!!! And if people do, whose fault is it??
 

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MS are releasing two very different products - they have made them look very similar and given them similar names.

It's always somebody else's fault, isn't it?

Ok, by your logic people should find it difficult to distinguish between Obama and Osama ??!!! And if people do, whose fault is it??

Bingo. :)
 

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MS are releasing two very different products - they have made them look very similar and given them similar names.

It's always somebody else's fault, isn't it?

Yamaha sells various models of AV Receivers, a couple of them look almost identical except for the model numbers. Consumer buys one thinking he's getting 7 channel surround but infact it only has 5 channel surround, he purchased the wrong model. I suppose by your thinking it's Yamaha's fault? Or perhaps it was the sales man who failed to educate the consumer?
Yeah but none of those models include a tuner, which when you get it home you find out only plays satellite radio and not am/fm. A consumer will not expect that Windows won't run any of their Windows apps. Probably would not even cross their mind to ask. When my wife bought a new car a few months ago, we never asked whether it could go fast enough to reach highway speeds....certain things you just assume.
 

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MS are releasing two very different products - they have made them look very similar and given them similar names.

It's always somebody else's fault, isn't it?

Yamaha sells various models of AV Receivers, a couple of them look almost identical except for the model numbers. Consumer buys one thinking he's getting 7 channel surround but infact it only has 5 channel surround, he purchased the wrong model. I suppose by your thinking it's Yamaha's fault? Or perhaps it was the sales man who failed to educate the consumer?
Yeah but none of those models include a tuner, which when you get it home you find out only plays satellite radio and not am/fm. A consumer will not expect that Windows won't run any of their Windows apps. Probably would not even cross their mind to ask. When my wife bought a new car a few months ago, we never asked whether it could go fast enough to reach highway speeds....certain things you just assume.

But didn't you know the specifications of the car?? I mean cc or horse power or something like that?? Frankly speaking, I have zero knowledge about cars. But certainly from the mileage and the engine specifications you would have a fair enough idea about the car's speed.

BTW, I would be interested to know: How did you choose the car??
Looking at how the car looked?? Price?? Engine?? Features??

Talking about Windows 8.

First thing that should occur to people's mind: My tablet does NOT run Windows 7. It runs WINDOWS 8. Have I any knowledge what that is and how is that different from 7??

It's my fault if I don't.

Second thing that should occur to people's mind: Which version is it?? Windows RT. Now, what the hell is that?? It's a version of Windows without the capability to run legacy desktop applications apart from MS Office.

So it's my fault if I don't even care to know what I am buying.

A consumer will not expect that Windows won't run any of their Windows apps.
Oh c'mon .... It's not just Windows... it's Windows RT.

The thing that runs in the Nokia Lumias is also Windows. So are you saying that people should expect the Lumia phones to run legacy desktop apps?? The fact is that the thing that runs in those phones are Windows PHONE 7.5 (also called Mango). So it's very unwise of one to read only the prefix: Windows.
 

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