Are we simply smarter or are Win 8 reviewers...

[mlm1950]

I don't drink Kool-Aid, but I do enjoy my view through rise colored glasses.

Since most people expect instant gratification these days, having to spend a few minutes learning a new user interface is bound to cause exasperating moments for some.

 

[brmiller1976]

It could be that you are all drinking the kool aid. Also check if you are wearing the rise colored glasses.

In my experience, If a lot of reviewers say something, it probably applies to the masses.

That explains why the critically acclaimed Newton, Power Mac G4 Cube, Palm Pre, and BeBox were all such big sellers!

 

[Winterfang]

People hate new things because they are different. Like facebook Biography.

 

[stephen_az]

It could be that you are all drinking the kool aid. Also check if you are wearing the rise colored glasses.

In my experience, If a lot of reviewers say something, it probably applies to the masses.

Actually, in this case, drinking the koolaid would mean listening to the reviewers. The vast majority of the negatives I have heard amount to "we can't figure out what to say that is bad so lets just make stuff up." I have yet to meet a person who hasn't been able to grasp it with only the most minimal of learning curves. Yes, there are people who complain because it is different, and they have every right to do so. Nevertheless, I haven't seen people just sitting non-functional.

The idea of "what is wrong with Windows 8" also shifts to more and more silly stuff as the reviewers lose their arguing points, even to the extent of referring to its obvious strengths as harbingers of impending doom. The fact is that a group of reviewers decided they didn't like the interface over a year ago and continue to recycle the same whining, misinformation, and general BS. I actually doubt some have even touched it since the technology preview last year, but will still attack it today as if they have Windows 8 focus groups in their offices as they write. Slap an Apple on it or a stupid little Android logo, give it an animal or some saccharin sweet name, and it would be the most innovative and ground breaking technological advancement of the new millennium.

 

[stephen_az]

I'm sure they have a point. Almost everything has moved.

For the average user, thats probably not an issue, but for a power user, i'm sure its frustrating at first, not being able to find stuff.

I can only imagine how difficult it will be for someone in IT support, who knows every single function of a PC, yet all of a sudden, can't find them.

But by the same measure, i'm sure there are just as many good features, that will make the same peoples lives easier.

Actually, virtually nothing has moved. The thing that changed is that a start button has been replaced by a start screen that can include all of your start menu items and all sorts of other stuff in one place, all of the admin functions can be accessed from a single list by right clicking in the left corner, and the power button moved from the left to the right. All of the Window user conventions established in Windows 7 are still the same. In fact, since you can access anything by just starting to type the name, it is really easier to access all of your data and programs.

BTW, any genuine IT person should really love the OS since the new start screen gives many of them what they have always wanted: a user interface that they can configure and lock down so that hey don't have to answer the call of "help, I deleted XXXXX," or more appropriately in the actual call, "help, I just cant find XXXXXXX anymore, there must be something wrong with the computer." On a related note, what is easier to do: walk someone over the phone through a series of nested menus, or configure a start screen and tell them to click on the big button labeled XXXXXXX?

 

[aubreyq]

on a related note, what is easier to do: Walk someone over the phone through a series of nested menus, or configure a start screen and tell them to click on the big button labeled xxxxxxx?

+10000000000000000

 

[sconrad308]

A U.K. design team recruited 14 Windows users and subjected them to the new Windows 8 interface. Apparently none of them cottoned to it immediately.

Foolproof's relatively small number of testers made several observations, including:
• The user interface was "fresh and attractive," but by the end of the session, none of them "felt confident using the new interface."
• They were confused on how to open Internet Explorer.
• They quickly became confused by e-mails, responding that they didn't realize that text fields were editable.
• The lack of the tray on the bottom of the screen caused some to feel like they lost apps when switching from one to another.

So basically these people can't see the big icon with a big E with the words Internet explorer on it.

Source

 

[sconrad308]

A U.K. design team recruited 14 Windows users and subjected them to the new Windows 8 interface. Apparently none of them cottoned to it immediately.

Foolproof's relatively small number of testers made several observations, including:
? The user interface was "fresh and attractive," but by the end of the session, none of them "felt confident using the new interface."
? They were confused on how to open Internet Explorer.
? They quickly became confused by e-mails, responding that they didn't realize that text fields were editable.
? The lack of the tray on the bottom of the screen caused some to feel like they lost apps when switching from one to another.

So basically these people can't see the big icon with a big E with the words Internet explorer on it.

Source

 

[brmiller1976]

A similar exercise was done with DOS and Win 3.X users and "Longhorn." The prediction was dire failure for W95 because users were so confused.

 

[sconrad308]

A similar exercise was done with DOS and Win 3.X users and "Longhorn." The prediction was dire failure for W95 because users were so confused.

Everything new that MS comes out with they predict doom and gloom. Honestly, even with the Vista fiasco, I realized how easily overhyped it was. The newspaper I used to work at as the IT manager, corporate had ordered us a bunch of computers all with Vista on them. I complained and said that with Vista I will be way busier than I currently was and that it was going to be a disaster. When they got there and I deployed them I realized that the company had done something fairly smart which was to have them with plenty of RAM. I found that I had less issues with them than I did with our XP or MAC machines. They are all still in place and still working great.

The newspaper I'm at now is also a mix of PC's and Macs, with even a unix server, the PC's are actually a little less trouble.

 

[rebornempowered]

When they got there and I deployed them I realized that the company had done something fairly smart which was to have them with plenty of RAM. I found that I had less issues with them than I did with our XP or MAC machines. They are all still in place and still working great.

I try to tell people this all the time. I used Vista on a dual core machine with 2+ GB of RAM. It was a great operating system if you had the power to run it.

In my opinion Win8 won't be like Vista because you should not have that experience at all. It will all be getting used to the UI which people will eventually learn to deal with.

 

[crystal_planet]

And Win 8 actually uses less resources than 7 does.

**Sent from my Windows Phone using Board Express**

 

[selfcreation]

lol , i still cant run a MAC for the life of me ,, i get lost confuse and just want to trow that white piece of Icrap out the window every time i try to play with it.

and they say its easy to use.............. lol , its just different. so people use to MAC trying W8 for the first time... yes its gona be hard...

 

[aubreyq]

lol , i still cant run a MAC for the life of me ,, i get lost confuse and just want to trow that white piece of Icrap out the window every time i try to play with it.

and they say its easy to use.............. lol , its just different. so people use to MAC trying W8 for the first time... yes its gona be hard...

LOL yeah. I bet you the Macheads will trash you if they hear you say their OS is confusing. Windows 8 is just like you said: different. All people need to do is invest 10 minutes with Windows 8 and they'll get the hang of it.

 

[socialcarpet]

I can't speak for life-long Windows users, since I've been primarily a Mac user since 1984 (and even used Apple computers exclusively before the Mac)

But, I think Windows 8 was a necessary and logical evolution. It seems far more natural and intuitive then the old Start button with a million nested folders theme to me.

I used Windows XP for a while and found it ugly and kludgy, Windows 7 is the first version of Windows I actually like and enjoy using. Windows 8, I think will be even better. People cannot expect Windows to sit still for decades the way it has in the past.

Microsoft had to do something here and the Win 8 interface was a logical choice IMO because:

1. Microsoft knows for a fact that tablets are eating away at PC sales.
2. Microsoft needs to get a foothold in the increasingly important smartphone market.
3. What better way to ensure future dominance of the Windows platform than to tie all three together, both thematically and with seamless software interoperability.

I think people who don't see that are missing the point. No one is going to stop you from clinging to Windows 7 for the next 10 years like many did with Windows XP, so go right ahead, but Microsoft has to continue to evolve and I, for one, applaud the "new" Microsoft that is making attractive and intuitive user interfaces for the first time in it's history. I am one die hard Apple customer who they never would have gotten any business from if they hadn't. My next computer might even be a Win 8 PC instead of a Mac.

 

[socialcarpet]

lol , i still cant run a MAC for the life of me ,, i get lost confuse and just want to trow that white piece of Icrap out the window every time i try to play with it.

and they say its easy to use.............. lol , its just different. so people use to MAC trying W8 for the first time... yes its gona be hard...

Not really.

I use Windows 7, Windows XP and Mac OS X every day at work.

Windows XP is a horrid piece of garbage. Win 7 is great. Mac OS X is my preference though.

It's not "iCrap" you're just inflexible and stuck with a Start button in your brain. Evolve or stay stagnant. Your choice.

 

[socialcarpet]

It's just the typical MS hatred shining brightly, this was just such a golden opportunity to bash MS and most of them took it. If you want to read an adult review go to anandtech and see how it's done. Much more informative than the typical hack job by sites like the verge (puke).

@jimski: old fart! Tee hee!

And forgot to say, yes we are smarter. Do you really have to ask?

Actually most of the hate is coming from Windows loving propeller heads who don't like change.

Every person I know who is comfortable with using more than one platform thinks it's great. I use Windows Phone, Mac OS X and Windows 7 and find things to like about all of them and I think Win 8 is great.

 

[aubreyq]

Actually most of the hate is coming from Windows loving propeller heads who don't like change.

This is very true. There's a lot of Windows 8 bashing from those who can't let go of the Start button, etc.

 

[simonnyc]

IMO, this site/forum base is not a good sample size for the general population. Most (if not all) of us are windows phone users so we are very familiar with Microsoft's vision with the "Metro" UI. The avg joe is not a windows phone user and does not have any experience with live tiles so it shouldn't be a surprise that the windows 8 UX is jarring the first time around.

With that said, ppl will slowly learn to adapt to win8 the way they have adapted to every other OS out there. All of these reviewers act like humans have zero capacity for short term memory. While attempting to turn a win8 machine off for the first time can be confusing, after learning how to turn off the machine once (through the charms bar), most ppl will be able to turn it off from then on.

 

[brmiller1976]

I agree. The term "Power User" is way overused. Its even made its way down to mobile devices. For the life of me I cannot figure out what the Android fans that consider themselves "Power Users" mean by that.

Right. "Mac Power User" or "iOS Power User" is a downright oxymoron.