Will the end of XP bring more developers to Windows 8?

[psychotron]

The title of the thread pretty much says it all. As someone who uses Windows 8 in both a touch and mouse/keyboard environment every day I'd very much like to see the app store get much more active than it has been. So, do you think that there will be enough of a surge in Windows 8 upgrades after April 8 to motivate devs to jump in or do you anticipate that a significant number of angry (and very misguided) users may defect to other platforms?

 

[anon(7900571)]

I think many people will migrate from windows XP to windows 8 , XP is dead meaning it will be more prone to virus by hackers , moreover if people made a shift to windows 8 , they will enjoy the new metro interface , how fast the new OS is , if this happens developers will port apps for this platform.

 

[psychotron]

But "enjoying" the Modern UI is what has scared many of them away from upgrading because its too unfamiliar. My fear is the ones that upgrade to another version of Windows will choose Windows 7 which won't give devs any incentive to move on to Windows 8 yet.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I527 using WPCentral Forums mobile app

 

[unstoppablekem]

I really don't think they will move to 8, but probably 7. The metro UI isn't suited for "business and corporate", and feels more for the consumer.

 

[juanitoriv]

I agree, I enjoy the dual interface personally, the separation of work and play. That same thing does scare people off. Fear of the new and unknown. Hope it wears off!!!

 

[psychotron]

I agree, I enjoy the dual interface personally, the separation of work and play. That same thing does scare people off. Fear of the new and unknown. Hope it wears off!!!

Me too. I'll admit that I didn't really "get it" either until I got a tablet and used it in a touch environment and then it all made perfect sense. I think OEMs should ship every machine they make with a touch screen. It opens up a whole new world.

 

[anon(7900571)]

if they move to windows 7 , they will miss everything that windows 8 offer , plus windows 8 is very cheap so one can easily afford to buy a windows 8 dvd , windows 7 ultimate , home editions are still costly , I saw my college planning to upgrade to windows 8 from windows xp , that's a good news for me

 

[juanitoriv]

I really don't think they will move to 8, but probably 7. The metro UI isn't suited for "business and corporate", and feels more for the consumer.

That's the nice thing though. You never have to see the Metro interface if you don't want to. I consider that as a easier way to have your content consumption anyway.

 

[anon(7900571)]

That's the nice thing though. You never have to see the Metro interface if you don't want to. I consider that as a easier way to have your content consumption anyway.

once users taps on desktop , he is no longer on metro UI , he can use his personal software , Photoshop, Microsoft office , its all up to user if he want to use metro apps \games from the store. if user does not like the new start screen he can download some other start screen shell from various websites and most of the software are free\open-source

 

[juanitoriv]

Exactly.

 

[psychotron]

See, but that's the thing. Those who haven't converted yet have already had their minds poisoned by the horrible reviews of Windows 8 saying it's a nightmare and most of them don't know you can just bypass the Modern UI screen now. It's going to take a massive reeducation campaign to get them to think otherwise and overcome the damage all the initial stories did when it first came out. Most of these people already made up their minds months ago that they don't want anything to do with Windows 8 because they heard it was "bad". That's the main reason that Windows 8 market share remains so flat. It's going to be awfully difficult to reach them and convince them that's not the case.

And how many average users, like our parents and grandparents, etc., do you think are going to want to go to the trouble (or even know how to) download and configure a start screen replacement or shell to " fix" their desktop? Not many. Most average users aren't like us and won't want to deep dive into the OS and do a bunch of research to find out how to modify. They just want it to work the way they want it to work straight out of the box.

 

[msweig]

My guess is most people don't buy an OS, they just go with the one that comes with a PC they buy. And since most people with XP have it on an old computer, figure the PC upgrade route will be their method of getting off XP. And most will end up with Windows 8 that way, since Win 7 is harder to get on a new PC (outside of more expensive business machines, and one manufacturer making it easy to get 7).
Of course all of the above is for consumers, as opposed to enterprise.

 

[Jas00555]

Well, I typed a long response about why it'll increase, but this stupid app keeps crashing on me, so the short answer is yes, it will help Windows 8, but probably not attract a ton of new apps since those people would buy laptops or desktops and wouldn't use apps very much.

 

[psychotron]

My guess is most people don't buy an OS, they just go with the one that comes with a PC they buy. And since most people with XP have it on an old computer, figure the PC upgrade route will be their method of getting off XP. And most will end up with Windows 8 that way, since Win 7 is harder to get on a new PC (outside of more expensive business machines, and one manufacturer making it easy to get 7).
Of course all of the above is for consumers, as opposed to enterprise.

Exactly, and enterprise is where the big numbers are going to come from. And like you mentioned, enterprise don't have nearly as hard a time getting machines with Win7 since they order in volume, and if I were a betting man I'd wager that's what many of them will do.

 

[msweig]

Yes, but even if most of the Enterprise clients upgrade to Windows 8 would you really expect app development for that?

I think of most of the metro apps as consumption/barely functional toys. I find the built-in calendar a joke (at least on Surface/RT, and I hope they drastically improve this soon). I haven't played around with Win 8 in a more productive mode yet to really evaluate some more of the store offerings (though I probably will when I get a new laptop).

 

[psychotron]

Yes, but even if most of the Enterprise clients upgrade to Windows 8 would you really expect app development for that?

I think of most of the metro apps as consumption/barely functional toys. I find the built-in calendar a joke (at least on Surface/RT, and I hope they drastically improve this soon). I haven't played around with Win 8 in a more productive mode yet to really evaluate some more of the store offerings (though I probably will when I get a new laptop).

I really gained an appreciation for it when I got a tablet running full 8.1. It's fanstatsic having the ability to taken it with me to read news feeds and comics and them come home and dock it and edit Word docs and update OneNote.
In any case, I'm trying to do my part to steer friends and family and those I know who have small businesses to go towards Win 8. I just know if I can convince them then they'll come to love it just as much as we do.

 

[juanitoriv]

Yes, but even if most of the Enterprise clients upgrade to Windows 8 would you really expect app development for that?

I think of most of the metro apps as consumption/barely functional toys. I find the built-in calendar a joke (at least on Surface/RT, and I hope they drastically improve this soon). I haven't played around with Win 8 in a more productive mode yet to really evaluate some more of the store offerings (though I probably will when I get a new laptop).

You're absolutely correct. Metro and the apps that work within it ARE more for play, consumption & quick responses to basic needs. IMO, apps/Metro are for using touch. Desktop is where the work begins.

 

[juanitoriv]

I really gained an appreciation for it when I got a tablet running full 8.1. It's fanstatsic having the ability to taken it with me to read news feeds and comics and them come home and dock it and edit Word docs and update OneNote.
In any case, I'm trying to do my part to steer friends and family and those I know who have small businesses to go towards Win 8. I just know if I can convince them then they'll come to love it just as much as we do.

Exactly how I feel about the beauty of Win 8.1.