Why Do People Think This?

[gazmatic]

I work in IT. Every time I talk to someone about Windows 8, they say "I'd update, but I don't have a touchscreen" or "I have Windows 8, but it's not as good because it's not on a touchscreen device". I have Windows 8 on my desktop, my laptop, and a Surface RT. My desktop does not have a touchscreen, and while my laptop does, I only use it when I have it in tablet mode (Lenovo Yoga 13). I find Windows 8 to be easy enough to use without a touchscreen. My girlfriend, who is not technologically advanced, finds using Windows 8 on the desktop to be just fine. She actually likes it more than Windows 7.

So why do people feel the need to have a touchscreen to use Windows 8?

I've personally informed people that it's easy enough to navigate around and if they get stuck with something, they can easily find tutorials on YouTube. It seems to be helping, but only just. There seems to be this stigma that you HAVE to have a touchscreen to use Windows 8 effectively, and I don't get it.

Thoughts?

using windows 8.1 rtm without a touchscreen

mouse and keyboard no problem... as long as the mouse has a scroll wheel then there is no problem

if they were to say that it sucks using the touchpad...then maybe i would agree... i hate using touchpads in general

its just a bunch of FUD being spread by haters and fanboys


there are just mad that more people use windows 8 than the entire mac os COMBINED

 

[Davingtons]

Oh, and don't get me started on the start button. You have no idea how many homicidal urges I've had to resist in the past 10 months every time I hear about it. I know shaking a baby is death-penalty-evil, but what are the effects on an adult?

I can see that the start button will make the desktop look a bit more like 'classic' Windows, but I doubt I will ever use it. I have a start button on my keyboard which is easier for me to find than moving and clicking on one on the desktop.

 

[Davingtons]

using windows 8.1 rtm without a touchscreen

mouse and keyboard no problem... as long as the mouse has a scroll wheel then there is no problem

if they were to say that it sucks using the touchpad...then maybe i would agree... i hate using touchpads in general

its just a bunch of FUD being spread by haters and fanboys


there are just mad that more people use windows 8 than the entire mac os COMBINED

I agree that a scroll wheel makes the mouse experience all the better.

I think it's not just haters spreading FUD, most of the advertising for Win 8 now seems to show touchscreens giving the appearance that touchscreens are required.

 

[fatclue_98]

I agree that a scroll wheel makes the mouse experience all the better.

I think it's not just haters spreading FUD, most of the advertising for Win 8 now seems to show touchscreens giving the appearance that touchscreens are required.

The Fiat commercials show J-Lo, doesn't mean she'll come with the car. If people can't get to a Best Buy or similar, and physically LOOK at a non-touchscreen device running W8, then they need to STFU.

 

[Mercule]

Touchscreens aren't required for Windows 8. I love Win8 on my development workstation. It runs like a top.

Windows 8 with a touchscreen actually better, though. There are some features that were clearly designed with the touch paradigm in mind (e.g. swiping). I've talked to a number of folks who "hated" Windows 8 and the best way I've found to get them to buy into it, even as a desktop OS, is to show how much sense things like the Start Screen and slam-to-corners make in a touch environment. Once they get over that hurdle, I rarely hear complaints about Windows 8, even if the person never gets a touchscreen.

 

[Tom Snyder]

I can't figure out why if someone disagrees with something, they're termed a hater, that is a very disturbing word. That's like saying if I prefer a Honda Auto over a Chevy I hate Chevy's which is totally untrue. I have a new Laptop without a touchscreen w/Windows 8 and right out of the box installed Classic Shell so it would boot straight to the desktop. I like to be able to resize multiple open windows don't know if you can do that with Windows 8 on the Metro side, and I do not care for the Metro tiles look and that's just my opinion and the others opinions of liking it are just as valid.

I really think Microsoft should offer a familiar desktop style OS beside the Windows 8 and give people the choice of what they want. I haven't even toyed with the Metro interface yet, don't have the time. I don't think from what I've saw Windows 8.1 is going to be a game changer for Microsoft and if they ever drop the desktop side I think they will lose a majority of the business, commercial and manufacturing companies buying Microsoft Products. I have a ASUS tower I use most of the time with XP Pro. and at work everything is Windows 7 E, I just can't see Windows 8 from the Metro side working and multitasking like XP or 7.

When XP support is finally phased out I will go with Windows 7 or jump over to Ubuntu if Microsoft continues down the road with the Metro system.

 

[snowmutt]

I have told the story on a couple other threads of a friend of mine, non-tech, who got a Windows 8 laptop and, against my advice, it was non-touch screen. Oh well, I went over to show her how to use it.... and it was a BLAST. Okay, sure Win8 is optimized for touch, but it was fun to use without one. I was totally amused.

I still love my Lenovo Win7, so I am in no hurry. But when I do upgrade, I will not hesitate to grab the Win8 I like the best. If it is not touch, I will have no hesitation at all. And I am done saying "get a Win8 touchscreen", I am all "Heck, just get a Win8- they are fun!!"

 

[bawboh86]

I can't figure out why if someone disagrees with something, they're termed a hater, that is a very disturbing word. That's like saying if I prefer a Honda Auto over a Chevy I hate Chevy's which is totally untrue. I have a new Laptop without a touchscreen w/Windows 8 and right out of the box installed Classic Shell so it would boot straight to the desktop. I like to be able to resize multiple open windows don't know if you can do that with Windows 8 on the Metro side, and I do not care for the Metro tiles look and that's just my opinion and the others opinions of liking it are just as valid.

I really think Microsoft should offer a familiar desktop style OS beside the Windows 8 and give people the choice of what they want. I haven't even toyed with the Metro interface yet, don't have the time. I don't think from what I've saw Windows 8.1 is going to be a game changer for Microsoft and if they ever drop the desktop side I think they will lose a majority of the business, commercial and manufacturing companies buying Microsoft Products. I have a ASUS tower I use most of the time with XP Pro. and at work everything is Windows 7 E, I just can't see Windows 8 from the Metro side working and multitasking like XP or 7.

When XP support is finally phased out I will go with Windows 7 or jump over to Ubuntu if Microsoft continues down the road with the Metro system.

Windows 8.1 has a "boot to desktop" option. Just saying.

 

[jleebiker]

Follow the money... Microsoft is investing in Windex. ;-)

 

[minus365]

there is a certain transition time needed when you come from Win7. that may be a problem with many people as they need to be productive, in case it's their working machine.
If I would use that just on my home laptop/tablet, I would adapt to it, but can't ddo that on my work computer as we are win7 company for the time being. Once our company will upgrade to Win8 I will use it.
The OS itself looks good, but some tasks I do by nature on my Win7, tooks me time to figure out. I am sure, I would get used to it after while...

 

[nohra]

While I know I haven't had enough time using it to get used to Win8, I haven't enjoyed the times I have used it on a laptop (no touch). Takes some time to remember which side of the screen everything disappears to, or having to remember what you have to right click to get back visible. I certainly see how it makes sense on a touch screen vs the old menu system, but with a mouse and keyboard, so far I still prefer the old reliable 95-style menu interface in Win95-Win7. To me, that's more intuitive because of the fact that we've used it for for so long. That's not to say there's not benefits to the 8 style interface, I'm sure there are. There's features of the Win8 interface I wish were on the WinPhone8 interface. And certainly you can get people to stop complaining about a change in the interface and even get them to like certain features, but why? People like to be able to use their computers without having to relearn the wheel. People will get used to it. There were people who complained going from DOS to 3.1, and from 3.1 to 95, and from 98 to xp, and from xp to Vista, and... well, once we got past Vista people were just plain thankful! :winktongue:

Win8 certainly has it's benefits and is great for touch, but I just haven't seen what makes it better than pre-8 Windows on non-touch computer. rly:

 

[Doohickie]

Because that's the way Microsoft markets the "Windows 8 Experience". Every ad shows touchscreen.

 

[gazmatic]

WindoWs 8 is just win7 sp2 with a full screen start buttun....


nothing about the desktop has changed... It was improved

yeah aero is gone, gadgets are no more and you have to be knowledgeable to create an adhoc network but overall it is just a significantly improved win7 and it manages ram better, crashes less and basically more stable

people need to get over metro... I use it 20% of the time or less and that's because of the integrated Facebook, email, Skype, etc

if more people used win 8 and pressed winkey + d they will see there is nothing to worry about

 

[Nogitsune Micah]

After having touchscreen devices for a while, I do this with Windows XP when I'm at work...

I do it with my mom's windows 7 laptop. Its quite funny haha