Article: Windows 8 blamed for biggest PC shipment plunge ever

[Laura Knotek]

I think it's more than folks being scared. I think its a matter of the average person not seeing a real need or reason to try Windows 8. I upgraded my two home PCs because it was cheap. I didn't feel I necessarily needed Win8. What compelling reason has Microsoft given to convince the average person, who might be more than satisfied with what XP, Vista, or 7, to give it a spin?

I agree. The average person isn't going to run out and buy a new PC just to get Windows 8 when his/her PC still runs. Nor will that person upgrade to Windows 8 just because it's available, if all programs run fine on an older version of Windows.

 

[Rndomuser]

I think it's more than folks being scared. I think its a matter of the average person not seeing a real need or reason to try Windows 8. I upgraded my two home PCs because it was cheap. I didn't feel I necessarily needed Win8. What compelling reason has Microsoft given to convince the average person, who might be more than satisfied with what XP, Vista, or 7, to give it a spin?

Exactly. Aside from "Windows 3.1" GUI and few minor changes underneath - there's no good reason to upgrade to Windows 8 at all. What improvements can it bring for an average user like myself who is satisfied with Windows 7? It has new GUI? A lot of people (including myself) don't consider it as "improvement", but a very opposite to it. It can boot faster? Who cares - I already have SSD drive which boots me in Win7 in 15 seconds and I rarely turn off or reboot my PCs. It has new task manager? Who cares - the Win7's task manager works perfectly for me. It now has app store? Who cares - I can get all my necessary programs by downloading them directly from manufacturer's site, and auto-update in those programs works perfectly, same goes for built-in notifications for programs like Skype for Windows 7. Games? I get all my games through Valve's Steam service (which has all necessary social functions already built-in) - Windows 8 can't give me any improvement there... So why would I (and millions of other casual users) waste money and time on upgrading to Windows 8?

Microsoft needs to give desktop users a much better incentives to upgrade to Windows 8, and right now they are completely failing at that...

 

[a5cent]

^In a way this this is very ironic, because W8 is the first version of windows that is entirely consumer centric, which offers little to nothing for the professional... :-/

I think that the introduction of the windows app store is probably the biggest feature, as it allows every last user to install software themselves, without requiring any skills and still being able to feel confident that they aren't infecting their systems. Of course, if you don't want metro apps...

W8 has also, for the first time, enabled a brand new class of device, the convertible laptop/tablet. That is pretty damn nifty. My girlfriend thinks it is great, but anyone that is interested only in the classical desktop...

I do think W8 has a lot to offer, it just isn't offering much to those that don't want something other than what Windows has already been these last few years.

 

[Coolknight1968]

I tried W8, then moved to W8 where I work. We still use some W7, but the least PC savvy users get W8 first and they all love it and do better with it. I am in charge of IT. LOL
People are all scared about W8... but my experience is, that with a touchscreen machine (Dell 2330) they all love it after 5 minutes.

 

[Coreldan]

On my PC I use both modes in a fairly balanced manner. Desktop is naturally the default, but I use the snap-feature a lot with different software (such as with PDF readers,cos its easier to multitask with the metro app, even if it doesnt have as many features as desktop reader) and for the Messaging-app a lot too.

 

[christenmartin]

I agree. The average person isn't going to run out and buy a new PC just to get Windows 8 when his/her PC still runs. Nor will that person upgrade to Windows 8 just because it's available, if all programs run fine on an older version of Windows.

Totally agree. Computers have a longer life span. The tech itch is ddefinitely feed by other means. I'm sporting a 5 year old laptop that works great. That being said a new all in one touch screen that is about 23" is in my near future.

 

[erasure25]

It's just lazy blame. Instead of analyzing things the economy, job market, tablet sales, smartphones, and Windows 8 and how they all overlap and compete and affect each other, the lazy people just boil it down to: Ah ha!!! Its Windows 8. Simpletons like simple headlines. Complexity doesn't sell headlines.