Apr 23, 2012 6:01 pm Playing the Wrong Hand With Windows 8
By Scot Finnie, Computerworld
The PC is definitely not dead for Microsoft (and it won't be for a long, long time), but Windows 8 might hasten its decline.
On a tablet that properly supports Windows 8, the beta version of the operating system shows the careful thought that Microsoft put into its design. It supports more elaborate gestures than other tablet operating systems. There's also a cool sidebar feature that lets you work on two apps at the same time. Some of the apps that Microsoft is creating for Windows 8 are a little too simplistic for my taste, and the library of third-party Windows Phone 7/8 apps has a long way to go, but I'm impressed with the design of Windows 8 on tablets.
But with Windows 8, the medium is the message. Put the same Consumer Preview of Windows 8 on a desktop PC and the experience takes a step backward from Windows 7. It looks like the baby blocks of operating systems. Placing the Start button in a cloak of invisibility isn't a smart move. It shouldn't be difficult for Microsoft to display the Start button on desktops while not displaying it on tablets; I hope the company rectifies that before launch. Why relegate 17 years of common desktop user experience to the trash can? It's reminiscent of the Ribbon in Microsoft Office.
more