So this is my prediction on WP success

[LowRentTechGuy]

Personally I think they should have pushed WP7 minus the phone bits a year ago for tablets. That I think is the one huge downfall Microsoft made. They should have had an iPad/Android tablet option in the market far sooner, then made them and Windows 8 fully integrated. That would have been the best bet in my opinion, but MS rarely does the fast, smart and innovative thing quickly.

Sent from my T7575 using Board Express

 

[smapor]

I'll add to my prior post that the touch experience even in desktop is very compelling. I bought a touchscreen for my home desktop for a very specific purpose and was very surprised how addictive the touch experience becomes. And largely because along with it comes definite productivity/usability benefits. Before I had it I was definitely a naysayer regarding the benefit of touch outside of the tablet functionality. Now I know the benefits of the experience. It just feels good. Scrolling and resizing, no comparison (and I LIKE my scroll wheel mouse!). So it will be interesting also to see how much touch becomes more integrated into devices that we otherwise wouldn't have expected. An All-In-One becomes a much more intriguing option as well.

This is why I like W8. Gives people choices to do what they want with a united OS.

You want windows 7 desktop, okay
You want tablet friendly OS, okay
You want to touch, okay
you want keyboard mouse, okay
You want legacy apps use x86
you want better battery, use RT
Business you want BYOD, okay here is a USB key with a business desktop go plug into your android tablet, your mac, whatever


Oh btw all your data is sync across all devices.

I simply can't wait.

 

[Los]

People will get Windows 8 the same way most people got Windows 7 - pre-installed when they buy a new PC

No matter how you look at it. Purchasing a new PC/Laptop to replace your old one is still an upgrade. So whether they just buy the software upgrade or buy a new PC/Laptop, it's an upgrade

 

[Laura Knotek]

Good summary of the PC market worldwide here. eTForecasts - Worldwide PC Forecast

 

[Los]

Good summary of the PC market worldwide here. eTForecasts - Worldwide PC Forecast

Interesting. Looks like even with all this smartphone craze, PC's are still doing well. I don't believe the PC era is over as long as PC remains the most powerful hardware. Mobile devices have been getting more powerful but PC's have been getting even more powerful. The gap between mobile and PC power will always be huge

 

[GreenScrew]

No matter how you look at it. Purchasing a new PC/Laptop to replace your old one is still an upgrade. So whether they just buy the software upgrade or buy a new PC/Laptop, it's an upgrade

Well, maybe no matter how YOU look at it. But not the way Microsoft looks at it, from a licensing perspective. And I know my parents shop for a new PC, not a new O/S... And while the hardware IS an upgrade, the O/S being an upgrade is still a matter of perspective based on whether it's perceived as better or not. But I guess that's spitting off topic hairs...

 

[Los]

Doesn't matter cause at the end of the day it's still a license sold. OEM's have to pay for the Windows license to install on their hardware, in turn they pass down the cost to us, the consumer

 

[jege41]

I have been using the evaluation Beta of Windows 8 for a couple of months now and quite frankly I don't really like it. If perhaps I had giant holographic display it might work for me, but still I use a mouse and a keypad for doing my work and playing my games. I think that Microsoft would be very wise to integrate a GO-Back-Classic function in the control panel somewhere. Not a partial classic look but a full on Windows 7 look because as you say the new OS is really a big change in UI and for the most part increases the amount of clicks one must make to actually see productivity.

Are they not the most used OS on the planet, yes they are and loosing some share to Apple, true but that is only because of the SUPERB HARDWARE APPLE BUILDS and IMO the only reason.
I'm not kocking the guys that write the code here either as Ill be the 1st admit code is not my gig, however as a power user UI sometimes is more important than actual reliabilty. Think about it, you need a converting program to send a DiVX file to you iPad so you DL one and it's like oh great a nice standard UI not some glittered up light show with all smoke and mirrors, and bingo you get your work done without having to spend the next hour on figuring out how to find things.
I love software that opens and closes with some high tech looking visuals but keep the UI standard, just like what MS should do with there OS
John Evans

I've been doing some thinking. I realized how important Windows 8 is for Windows Phone's success. Windows 8 will be the first time the metro UI will be introduced to the masses. I don't think we have to talk about how strong Windows OS is as a brand worldwide. Everyone already knows that. The question is how will the masses respond to such a huge change to Windows UI, something completely foreign to most. If it's received well and the majority love it, that could cause a surge in Windows Phone marketshare. People will see Windows Phone and be familiar with it right away cause it looks just like Windows PC. Once they get familiar with Windows 8 and see how integrated Windows Phone is with Microsoft services, it can help push devices. So with Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 coming this fall, its now or never. 2013 is Microsoft's year, it's the beginning of a new era for Microsoft

What do you guys think?

 

[smapor]

I have been using the evaluation Beta of Windows 8 for a couple of months now and quite frankly I don't really like it. If perhaps I had giant holographic display it might work for me, but still I use a mouse and a keypad for doing my work and playing my games. I think that Microsoft would be very wise to integrate a GO-Back-Classic function in the control panel somewhere. Not a partial classic look but a full on Windows 7 look because as you say the new OS is really a big change in UI and for the most part increases the amount of clicks one must make to actually see productivity.

Are they not the most used OS on the planet, yes they are and loosing some share to Apple, true but that is only because of the SUPERB HARDWARE APPLE BUILDS and IMO the only reason.
I'm not kocking the guys that write the code here either as Ill be the 1st admit code is not my gig, however as a power user UI sometimes is more important than actual reliabilty. Think about it, you need a converting program to send a DiVX file to you iPad so you DL one and it's like oh great a nice standard UI not some glittered up light show with all smoke and mirrors, and bingo you get your work done without having to spend the next hour on figuring out how to find things.
I love software that opens and closes with some high tech looking visuals but keep the UI standard, just like what MS should do with there OS
John Evans

confused, I been running Windows 8 consumer edition since it launched and my desktop looks and feels almost like Windows 7. Heck even the control panel is there.

Sure it's missing the old start button (which you can semi-get back). But it feels just like Windows 7. Heck on my slate, its amazing for the consumer edition. If they are making improvements, I would be extremely pleased.

 

[socialcarpet]

Are they not the most used OS on the planet, yes they are and loosing some share to Apple, true but that is only because of the SUPERB HARDWARE APPLE BUILDS and IMO the only reason.

I disagree. Apple's operating system is excellent and I think it has at least as much, if not more to do with why people buy Macs than the hardware does.

I realize Mac OS X might seem unfamiliar to someone used to using Windows their whole life, but I can tell you as a person who works with Windows XP, Windows 7 and Mac OS X EVERY day, Apple has something really special. With the Dock, MULTIPLE desktops and trackpad gestures, I can get just about anything done in 1/2 the time on my Macbook as I can on the PC. I can move between three separate desktops with the flick of a finger instead of bumbling through the task bar. I can glide through the dock and drag/drop files onto the apps I want to open then instead of fumbling through the archaic Start menu with nested folders. Everything about the Mac OS is better IMO.

That said, this is why I am encouraged to see Microsoft thinking outside the box with Windows 8. They need to. The tired old Start button system is obsolete and it was never particularly great to begin with. Linux surpassed the Microsoft GUI in usability and efficiency more than 10 years ago. They had multiple desktops, miller columns etc.

Some people are just so used to the goofy Windows shell and UI that they don't realize how much better it can be done. Microsoft has the right idea trying to do things differently. There is plenty of room for innovation here. The people who want to cling to the Windows XP and Window 95 style need to stand aside and let Microsoft work here.

This kind of thinking is what got us Windows Phone 7. That's an example of what the NEW Microsoft can do when they aren't afraid to throw away the moldy old blueprints. That is what Microsoft needs to do in order to evolve.

If you want to use Windows Mobile 6 and Windows 7 or XP forever, be my guest. Just get out of the way. Microsoft has been held back from doing great things by this relentless need for backwards compatibility to the year 0 for far too long.

 

[Laura Knotek]

I disagree. Apple's operating system is excellent and I think it has at least as much, if not more to do with why people buy Macs than the hardware does.

I realize Mac OS X might seem unfamiliar to someone used to using Windows their whole life, but I can tell you as a person who works with Windows XP, Windows 7 and Mac OS X EVERY day, Apple has something really special. With the Dock, MULTIPLE desktops and trackpad gestures, I can get just about anything done in 1/2 the time on my Macbook as I can on the PC. I can move between three separate desktops with the flick of a finger instead of bumbling through the task bar. I can glide through the dock and drag/drop files onto the apps I want to open then instead of fumbling through the archaic Start menu with nested folders. Everything about the Mac OS is better IMO.

That said, this is why I am encouraged to see Microsoft thinking outside the box with Windows 8. They need to. The tired old Start button system is obsolete and it was never particularly great to begin with. Linux surpassed the Microsoft GUI in usability and efficiency more than 10 years ago. They had multiple desktops, miller columns etc.

Some people are just so used to the goofy Windows shell and UI that they don't realize how much better it can be done. Microsoft has the right idea trying to do things differently. There is plenty of room for innovation here. The people who want to cling to the Windows XP and Window 95 style need to stand aside and let Microsoft work here.

This kind of thinking is what got us Windows Phone 7. That's an example of what the NEW Microsoft can do when they aren't afraid to throw away the moldy old blueprints. That is what Microsoft needs to do in order to evolve.

If you want to use Windows Mobile 6 and Windows 7 or XP forever, be my guest. Just get out of the way. Microsoft has been held back from doing great things by this relentless need for backwards compatibility to the year 0 for far too long.

I agree. One of the things I like about Linux is the ability to use different desktop GUIs. I have Gnome, KDE, and XFCE installed; and I switch between them, depending upon my mood.

The only issue I see is with business users. Most non-technical folks are accustomed to the Windows start button, since that is all they've known. I can see lots of work for IT staff to teach users how to use their Windows PC desktops again. However, I would not mind. I'm looking for work now, and needing to train people how to use their Windows PCs might give me a job opportunity.

 

[madhouse1616]

I agree. One of the things I like about Linux is the ability to use different desktop GUIs. I have Gnome, KDE, and XFCE installed; and I switch between them, depending upon my mood.

The only issue I see is with business users. Most non-technical folks are accustomed to the Windows start button, since that is all they've known. I can see lots of work for IT staff to teach users how to use their Windows PC desktops again. However, I would not mind. I'm looking for work now, and needing to train people how to use their Windows PCs might give me a job opportunity.

But remember this really is more of an apples/oranges discussion in a way...windows has to be a desktop for any number of users who want to customize the desktop the way they see fit...apple serves a niche of those who like how its desktop operates...

 

[Laura Knotek]

Although in enterprise, customizing Windows desktop sometimes isn't an option. Those "cute" wallpapers and weatherbugs are frequently disabled due to adware, spyware and lag that are included with them.

Sent from my Lumia 900 using Board Express

 

[fisci]

windows 8 on a tablet would be fantastic, but everyone I know who tried it on a pc hated it.

I mean hated it with a passion... I think it might actually hurt wp7, not help it.

 

[Laura Knotek]

I saw that Aero is going away in Windows 8. I understand that Aero is resource-intensive and would not work on tablets; however, I like Aero in Windows 7 desktop.

Eliminating Aero seems to be a step back for desktop Windows 8, especially since even the KDE 4 Linux desktop has desktop effects. I never thought I'd say a Linux desktop looks prettier than a Windows desktop, but that is definitely the case with Windows 8.

 

[socialcarpet]

windows 8 on a tablet would be fantastic, but everyone I know who tried it on a pc hated it.

I mean hated it with a passion... I think it might actually hurt wp7, not help it.

I admit I haven't used Windows 8 yet except very briefly on a tablet, but can't you just click one button and be back to a somewhat "normal" Windows desktop?

I can't believe people have this much sand in their va-jay-jays over some live tiles on the desktop that I'm sure you can turn off.

Really???

 

[fisci]

I admit I haven't used Windows 8 yet except very briefly on a tablet, but can't you just click one button and be back to a somewhat "normal" Windows desktop?

I can't believe people have this much sand in their va-jay-jays over some live tiles on the desktop that I'm sure you can turn off.

Really???

I liked it personally, but actualy even when you turn it off it isn't really the same.

People don't like drastic change is what it amounts to.

I feel like windows 8 is a love it or hate it type experience. While I liked it, the majority of people I've spoken to really hated it.

If they begin to lump that feeling of hatred in with windows phone, it could actually be detrimental.

Though as I said, I'm sure on a tablet it would seriously kick major butt

 

[socialcarpet]

I liked it personally, but actualy even when you turn it off it isn't really the same.

People don't like drastic change is what it amounts to.

I feel like windows 8 is a love it or hate it type experience. While I liked it, the majority of people I've spoken to really hated it.

If they begin to lump that feeling of hatred in with windows phone, it could actually be detrimental.

Though as I said, I'm sure on a tablet it would seriously kick major butt

It's not as if people have a choice. What are they going to do? Go buy Mac's instead? Install Ubuntu Linux? (actually that would great if there was an exodus to Mac and Linux lol)

Some power users might stick with Windows 7 for a while longer, but most consumers are just going to buy new PC's with Windows 8 and be just fine with it.

I just hope Microsoft cracks down on the bloatware issue. It would be a shame to see that nice clean Metro dashboard all crapped up with Best Buy apps and stupid McAfee antivirus and trial ware garbage. :blush:

People will get used to it. I think most of the griping is from power users anyway. The average user who just has 48 icons scattered all over their desktop anyway will be better served by the Metro launcher and I think everyone will get on board with it eventually. Windows 7 is very good, but it's not as if there is no room for improvement.

I REALLY want to see multiple desktops natively supported in Windows. I don't understand why it's not. I would probably use Windows a lot more often if it just had that one feature. :straight:

 

[fisci]

It's not as if people have a choice. What are they going to do? Go buy Mac's instead? Install Ubuntu Linux? (actually that would great if there was an exodus to Mac and Linux lol)

Some power users might stick with Windows 7 for a while longer, but most consumers are just going to buy new PC's with Windows 8 and be just fine with it.

I just hope Microsoft cracks down on the bloatware issue. It would be a shame to see that nice clean Metro dashboard all crapped up with Best Buy apps and stupid McAfee antivirus and trial ware garbage. :blush:

People will get used to it. I think most of the griping is from power users anyway. The average user who just has 48 icons scattered all over their desktop anyway will be better served by the Metro launcher and I think everyone will get on board with it eventually. Windows 7 is very good, but it's not as if there is no room for improvement.

I REALLY want to see multiple desktops natively supported in Windows. I don't understand why it's not. I would probably use Windows a lot more often if it just had that one feature. :straight:

A lot of people might stick to windows 7..

It has been extremely successful and popular.

I feel like windows 8 is smooth and clean, but with a mouse it is relatively awkward to use.

If they hate it, it may dissuade them from buying a windows phone as well.

People are pretty fickle. I guess only time will tell.

 

[Los]

People shouldn't knock Windows Phone cause their experience using a mouse on a PC. Kinda stupid to compare a device you strictly use your fingers for to one that uses a mouse. Will people complain about it? sure but I believe if MS was smart, they would mandate touch screens for all new PC's and laptops running Windows 8. That would be the best thing at the end of the day. People with old PC's can just buy new touch screen monitors. That should at least be an option but we'll see how it turns out

By the way, Microsoft is working on a new touch mouse. Maybe that mouse will be the ideal mouse for a UI like metro on PC