Win 8 BIG dissapointment for MS

CEO Steve Ballmer has already said that Microsoft sold 4 million Windows
8 upgrades in the first weekend after its debut, but it seems like sales
of the new OS aren’t going exactly as expected.

Citing an insider, Paul Thurrott of Winsupersite.com writes that Windows
8 is already considered a disappointing product in the Redmond campus
when it comes to sales.

Microsoft is yet to release any official sales figures, but executives
have already released optimistic sales projections, hinting that the
company expects to ship millions of copies before year-end.

What’s more interesting, however, is that Microsoft blames PC makers for
Windows 8’s disappointing sales performance, claiming that end users
don’t have enough choices to buy Windows 8 devices.

The number of computers, laptops and tablets running Windows 8 is still
small at this point, but several companies have already confirmed their
plans to release such products in the near future.

This is actually another reason for Microsoft’s intentions to continue
efforts in the hardware industry. By developing its own PC and devices,
Microsoft would only have to rely on its own products when launching new
software, but would also hurt sales of many other players in the
hardware sector.

In addition, these disappointing yet unknown sales figures also bring
Steven Sinofsky back in the spotlight. It’s not yet clear whether
Sinofsky has left the company because of the slow Windows 8 sales, but
more and more signs are suggesting that this was actually one of the
reasons for the upper management shift within Microsoft.

Of course, critics could mention many reasons for Windows 8’s failure to
impress, including the major changes in the GUI and the other
often-considered “confusing” elements, but it remains to be seen what
the impact of all these changes is over the average end user.

Microsoft is yet to comment on the matter, but we’ve contacted the
Redmondians, so we’ll get back to you when we receive an answer.

 

Good.
Hopefully this will cause more people to switch to mac.

 

I'm sticking with XP, with a 2005 version
of Cygwin. It makes me immune from idiot graduate
students fussing with compilers.

Note the header on this post, by the way.
Netscape 2.02 news reader.

Don't change what isn't broken.

 

and I should still be driving the 1988 Acura I had in college.

 

Probably better built and easier to work on than 99% of modern vehicles.
I kick myself at least once a week for selling off the 1974 Nova SS I had.

Had a straight 6, points ignition and averaged around 18mpg.

 

T-bird 2.0 for me.
Tried some of the newer versions but have yet to find a reason why I
"need" the tabbed E-mails or most of the rest of the "features"


I got my first taste of Win 8 yesterday. Still trying to erase it from
my memory. What a POS....
Told the owner that if the machine was mine I'd take it back, then buy a
good used machine running XP or Win 7

 

A 6 cyl SS was a rare bird.

 

I'd downgrade the new machins to Win7, like I downgraded quite a few
machines to XP in the past.

 

It was a factory SS, but the original owner didn't "like all the power"
and actually had a dealer swap the engine...
Only good thing was that the original engine came with the car, but it
had been sitting around for a while, the 6 was a good runner so it
stayed till I found some money.... Problem ended up that the money came
from selling it !!!

 

It is a PIA to even configure it. None of the functionality of earlier
versions. You have to search for just about everything.
Then there are the things that are gone -
No address book, Calculator, Notepad. No games that will play without
being online! MS games are gone as well.
All of the apps are unstable, Even MS ones crash 75% of the time.
How about NO native DVD support!
This is after about 45 minutes just looking for stuff that the normal
old person wants.
The new version of IE REALLY stinks.

 

That claim is just plain rubbish. (Not arguing with Steve--I think he was
quoting Paul Thurrott above.) Have folks checked their local outlets like
Fry's, Best Buy, Office Depot, Staples, et al? It's almost impossible to
find a Win7 computer for sale anywhere. Try to find a Win7 computer online
at Dell's home consumer website and you'll discover everything has been
switched to Win8. You have to go to Dell's SOHO site to find something
with Win7.

 

That has been the same across most OSes. New machines on the shelf sell
with the newest available. While you may walk in those stores and see a
lot of new machines for sale
that have Win8 on them, if you were to look at the total installed and
in use outside the retail setting the number is VERY small.

Look at the business world and you won't find any Win 8 unless they are
development rigs. The majority of machines out there are running either
XP or Win7 That is why MS keeps pushing the end of support on XP back.

 

Not really. Had alot of rust. 1980's Hondas were known for it.
I have a 2001 Acura TL, there's no rust.
I'll probably trade it in for either a '12 RL or E350 4matic. haven't
decided.

 

Yes, no disagreement there. What I take issue with is Thurrott's excuse
(or is he just channeling Microsoft's excuse?) that PC makers are to blame
for the slow adoption rate. Seems to me they've made a good faith effort
to push Win8 onto the market, but it's not their fault buyers and
businesses aren't biting. The PC manufacturers aren't the problem.

 

Here is John C. Dvorak's opinion on Windows 8 and how MS got to this
point by promoting decision making in a closed loop.

A Rosier Year Ahead for Windows 8? Yeah, Right

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2412327,00.asp

 

"It's the Edsel of operating systems. Even those who wrote glowing
reviews about the systems seemed somewhat insincere and unsure of
themselves."

 

I agree with him completely. Win8 would be OK on a tablet where you
don't really need to do work.
On a machine that you work with it is a nightmare. Gamers who play
anything other than XBox stuff will discover this on their own as well.

So will folks who want to use it for real work. Here is an example - How
do you rename a desktop icon?

In xp - right click, select rename - enter name - hit enter or click and
you're done.

Win 8 - select the icon, select properties, select re-name, enter name,
hit enter. Prompt comes up telling you that you need an admin account to
change the name ! Click the OK button and it changes the name !! Try
installing ANY software. Even updates to installed stuff requires admin
approval !!

 

snip

I'm currently running Windows 7 HP SP1. I normally use a standard
user account. I have lots of programs that demand an administrator
password to run or update. My favorite file search program is
Everything Search. It just decided one day that it requires an
administrator password before cranking up for the first time in a day
(I turn my computer off at night).

 

That is the kicker in 8, even if your in the admin account it requires
approval !

BUT you can also access the admin account without a password !

Then there is the stupid idea that everyone is online all the time.
Want to use the calculator? Sign in, want to play Solitaire to kill time
while you're stuck in the snow waiting for a tow, Hope you have a WiFi
signal...

The idea that a computer needs to work like a cell phone or tablet is
STUPID. They ALL serve different markets.

For instance I have been looking at getting a few tablets to stick in
the FD vehicles.
The idea being that we could have maps, pre-plans, resource lists,
reporting forms,
personnel listings, box alarm listings and more all on hand.

With 8 the OS itself is the stumbling block.

 

It's all headed to a new profit center for the software companies
-nsoftware as a service.
You will soon not be able to buy software and install it on your
computer to use whenever and wherever you want.

You want to run Microsoft Word to write a document? You log on and the
core of the program is downloaded and installed. When you log off it
dissapears - and if your "subscription" runs out, you cannot open the
program - because you cannot download it.

Nasty business model, as far as I'm concerned - but everyone figures
it will eliminate software piracy......