Will U buy Windows 8?

Will U buy Windows 8?

  • Yes

    Votes: 86 24.8%

  • No

    Votes: 189 54.5%

  • Can't decide yet...

    Votes: 72 20.7%
  • Total voters
    347
How am I supposed to know what U will buy? Who is this U anyway?
 
Wrench00 said:
Just because you think you have a killer product on your hands that doesn't mean the general public will like it.
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No it doesn't, however the general public has not seen even the betas of Windows 8 and none of has seen top line Metro apps or any new Windows 8 hardware. There's simply too many variables for anyone to conclude if Windows 8 will be useful or not a this and Metro, while maybe the biggest part of Windows 8, certainly isn't the only part.

Wrench00 said:
MS probably thought that about Windows Vista and we see how that turned out for them.
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The first thing that should be noted about Vista's failure is that it was commercially successful though obviously not to the degree that Microsoft would have liked and certainly Vista was a PR disaster.

And as much as people want to call Windows 2 Vista 2.0 the only parallel between the two products has been a vocal negative sentiment from some tech types. And Vista issues were far deeper than Windows 8. Drivers, performance, stability, compatibly issues with Vista were far worse then Windows 8 in it's testing phase. By most accounts that I've experienced personally and have read about Windows 8 has few issues with compatibility, drivers, stability and the performance is overall is better than Windows 7.

A much better comparison would be between Windows 8 and Office 2007. Two dominate products with long established UIs that hadn't changed in nearly two decades sporting dramatically different UIs from their prior versions with no built in way to go back to the old UI. The high level complaints between Windows 8 and Office 2007 are practically the same. Not as productive and efficient. Too big of change that users won't understand. Takes up too much space. If there's not an option to go back to the old UI the product will fail.
 
I can see that... Scared over the UI. I'd say that's my main thing as well. I have no doubt the tech behind it will be solid (I'd even say the tech behind Vista was solid, the main issue there was third party vendors and developers).

What I'm scared of is a potential need to hop between two UIs. If you have to do that: the product is broke and the new UI fails.
If the new UI cannot fully handle a full desktop OS, it's not ready yet. And I'm saying that's the case. It can't: they should have only installed it when a touchscreen is present.
 
People that say that win8 is not worth upgrading to because win8 doesn't offer much, imo they really don't know what they are talking about. Windows 8 has a lot offer, better memory management, better looking desktop, and many other things. The problem is not Win8, the problem is Metro. It's about time ms did something big for the desktop, current desktop icons look real bad (compared to the mac desktop), and windows os text looks bad too (it should be replaced). But the way they went about, radically changing what windows is (the first screen: desktop). They should had made everything look better, and not kill everything.
 
heatlesssun said:
[snip] lots of pro-win8 crap
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Someone mentioned yesterday that you were developing apps for metro, is this true? It would definitely answer the question as to why you're SO damn evangelical about this OS. And really, if that's the case you should put a disclaimer in your posts or your sig or something. Anything else is disingenuous.
 
Q1DM6 said:
Someone mentioned yesterday that you were developing apps for metro, is this true? It would definitely answer the question as to why you're SO damn evangelical about this OS. And really, if that's the case you should put a disclaimer in your posts or your sig or something. Anything else is disingenuous.
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I'm learning to develop Metro apps, I've not put anything definitive together for anything in the Windows Store. Again, I use the product everyday across multiple devices, I simply know more about that most people that have played with it for a few hours and says it sux.

And if we're going to go around questioning people's motives, what do you hate is much? Maybe you develop apps for Android or iOS. Really, this type of point is useless. Everyone has their biases.

And I've not told a single person to upgrade or try Windows 8 or that it was the best thing since Christmas on a day with snow. I've never said it was a sure bet or that everyone should like it. I've said that I use it everyday, that there's nothing that I can do in Windows 7 on desktop keyboard and mouse that I do routinely that I can't do just as easily in Windows 8. I make a living working with Microsoft products that I've talked about for years around here. And furthermore I've owned a Tablet PCs since 2002 and have talked about them for years around here.

Please. your conspiracy theory is beyond lame and there's nothing here that I've talked about that I've not supported for years, have a lot experience with and isn't well known.
 
could it be that ms is willing to lose money by charging $40 and getting it back later with the new apps feature?
 
heatlesssun said:
I simply think I know more about that most people that have played with it for a few hours and says it sux.
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Fixed that for you :D (well except for the grammar, but I'll leave that for you to fix yourself :p)
 
heatlesssun is about the only sane person I've seen around here.

Conspiracies and childish misquoting of people? I thought this forum was supposed to be [H]ard. Instead I see a bunch of people whining that they don't like that Windows 8 starts with the start menu open instead of closed like in Windows 7. Have any of you actually used the OS? Or do you just look at pictures in other people's reviews?

I have never seen a single person point out a legitimate loss of functionality between Windows 7 and 8.
 
Veilrap said:
I have never seen a single person point out a legitimate loss of functionality between Windows 7 and 8.
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I'm told"functionality" is the wrong word. More like "usability".

MS has a history of making usability tweaks that are less than helpful ( example; log in screen changes between xp and vista+ ). 8 takes this to a new level and makes you use it. While that doesn't sit right with me, I could get over it. I can adapt. My users on the other hand...

We switched to Office 2010 last year ( from 2003 ). I'm still getting support calls and complaints about the "new" interface.
 
Tudz said:
Fixed that for you :D (well except for the grammar, but I'll leave that for you to fix yourself :p)
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How many people have been using Windows 8 for 10 months with a variety of form factors and input methods and dozens of desktop and Metro applications across those form factors and input methods. Few people beyond myself posting around here in these Windows 8 threads.

I've been trying understand Windows 8, most here are simply bashing it with no real effort to really use it.
 
Veilrap said:
I have never seen a single person point out a legitimate loss of functionality between Windows 7 and 8.
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Thanks, really there is none, even things like recently used programs are actually still three, just not on the Start Screen.

XOR != OR said:
I'm told"functionality" is the wrong word. More like "usability".
...
We switched to Office 2010 last year ( from 2003 ). I'm still getting support calls and complaints about the "new" interface.
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Is it really usability or familiarity? See that's a key question that I've been trying to understand because there is a difference and more often than not I think most of it revolves around familiarity.
 
It's funny how the people who Microsoft are trying to copy straight out said that Microsoft is doing it wrong.
 
heatlesssun said:
Is it really usability or familiarity? See that's a key question that I've been trying to understand because there is a difference and more often than not I think most of it revolves around familiarity.
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Does it matter what it's called? Usability or familiarity, that's more important to users than anything else the OS does.

Look at it like this; for users, an OS is a necessary evil they need to access their applications. The more steps necessary for a user to access their applications, the more annoyed they get. Especially when you increase the steps necessary in newer versions of your software.
 
XOR != OR said:
Does it matter what it's called? Usability or familiarity, that's more important to users than anything else the OS does.

Look at it like this; for users, an OS is a necessary evil they need to access their applications. The more steps necessary for a user to access their applications, the more annoyed they get. Especially when you increase the steps necessary in newer versions of your software.
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This right here is the biggest problem with Windows 8 as I see it.

You make an OS more simple to use, not harder. By creating two seperate environments with 8, you will confuse a majority of the populace who have been used to a common UI over the past 15 years
 
XOR != OR said:
Does it matter what it's called? Usability or familiarity, that's more important to users than anything else the OS does.

Look at it like this; for users, an OS is a necessary evil they need to access their applications. The more steps necessary for a user to access their applications, the more annoyed they get. Especially when you increase the steps necessary in newer versions of your software.
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But there aren't any more steps to access applications. Different yes, more steps, not for the overwhelming majority of things that I do day to day.
 
heatlesssun said:
But there aren't any more steps to access applications. Different yes, more steps, not for the overwhelming majority of things that I do day to day.
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I'm not talking about you. Nor am I really talking about me. I'm talking about the users I support. They want the desktop. That's where they put things, despite my repeated suggestions otherwise.

Another thing this brings up; for many end users, they only know how to get where they want in the system if they start from the spot they learned from ( ie: desktop ). So even though they are dropped immediately in to the start menu, it looks significantly different that most users won't identify it as such, and will naturally want to go to the desktop to run an app from the start menu.

Mark my words; Windows8 will suffer from a lot of negative press from consumers for at least the first 6-12 months of it's life. I wouldn't be surprised at all if it causes business to wait for the next version of windows ( think: vista ).
 
XOR != OR said:
Mark my words; Windows8 will suffer from a lot of negative press from consumers for at least the first 6-12 months of it's life. I wouldn't be surprised at all if it causes business to wait for the next version of windows ( think: vista ).
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I do find it interesting who some people argue that Windows 8 is a dumbing down of the OS and others argue that many people will be incapable of figuring it out. Maybe its both.

For people who use it with only a mouse a keyboard and see I would expect more complaints. For people that use it on a great touch device like a hybrid they'll love it. I honestly think that most people will just use it and with no love or hate.
 
XOR != OR said:
I'm not talking about you. Nor am I really talking about me. I'm talking about the users I support. They want the desktop. That's where they put things, despite my repeated suggestions otherwise.

Another thing this brings up; for many end users, they only know how to get where they want in the system if they start from the spot they learned from ( ie: desktop ). So even though they are dropped immediately in to the start menu, it looks significantly different that most users won't identify it as such, and will naturally want to go to the desktop to run an app from the start menu.

Mark my words; Windows8 will suffer from a lot of negative press from consumers for at least the first 6-12 months of it's life. I wouldn't be surprised at all if it causes business to wait for the next version of windows ( think: vista ).
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I don't think Windows 8 is a lost cause...at least not yet. Unlike Vista, the "bones" of 8 are quite good. (stability, driver support, etc.) If they simply included an option to disable metro in order to focus on the desktop environment I think you'd see much wider adoption. MS just has to come to their senses and include the addition of that option in an update.
 
ComputerBox34 said:
I don't think Windows 8 is a lost cause...at least not yet. Unlike Vista, the "bones" of 8 are quite good. (stability, driver support, etc.) If they simply included an option to disable metro in order to focus on the desktop environment I think you'd see much wider adoption. MS just has to come to their senses and include the addition of that option in an update.
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Oh, I don't want to give the wrong impression here; I actually like 8 for mobile devices. In my own desktop use, I'm pretty neutral to it over all.

But for consumers...ya. I predict this will be a PR disaster for MS UNLESS their tablet and phones really start gaining traction.
 
ComputerBox34 said:
I don't think Windows 8 is a lost cause...at least not yet. Unlike Vista, the "bones" of 8 are quite good. (stability, driver support, etc.) If they simply included an option to disable metro in order to focus on the desktop environment I think you'd see much wider adoption. MS just has to come to their senses and include the addition of that option in an update.
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There's one problem with that: I get the impression that MS really want people to adopt Metro. That's a tough task--you've got decades of inertia to overcome on the side of both users and developers. If MS offer users an easy way to stick with the desktop, that's exactly what users will do, and you'll see continued resistance to Metro. If you force users to deal with Metro (or make it a pain to get to the desktop), you'll get a lot of complaining for a while, but (hopefully) users will eventually make the shift. The question becomes "how much bad press will this cause?" and "how much will this impact our revenues and Win8 adoption?"

It's similar to the Ribbon in Office, but on a grander (and riskier!) scale.
 
Mohonri said:
There's one problem with that: I get the impression that MS really want people to adopt Metro. That's a tough task--you've got decades of inertia to overcome on the side of both users and developers. If MS offer users an easy way to stick with the desktop, that's exactly what users will do, and you'll see continued resistance to Metro. If you force users to deal with Metro (or make it a pain to get to the desktop), you'll get a lot of complaining for a while, but (hopefully) users will eventually make the shift. The question becomes "how much bad press will this cause?" and "how much will this impact our revenues and Win8 adoption?"

It's similar to the Ribbon in Office, but on a grander (and riskier!) scale.
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Very true. You'd think that MS wouldn't shit where it eats but I personally think they have.

You can see the early impacts of Win8 adoption in the article I posted - early adoption of the release/consumer previews are bleak in comparison to Windows 7.
 
Windows Gr8
Metro H8

There is a difference. Thanks to third parties, Metro will be optional.
 
Didn't you hear? People are saying that Microsoft is sabotaging Windows 8 so that you have to use Metro!

Muahahaha!

Of course, the rumors are a little fuzzy on just how exactly mean old Microsoft is going to do this, but that's what people are saying!
 
Eman D. Rahym said:
Didn't you hear? People are saying that Microsoft is sabotaging Windows 8 so that you have to use Metro!

Muahahaha!

Of course, the rumors are a little fuzzy on just how exactly mean old Microsoft is going to do this, but that's what people are saying!
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Supposedly they are attempting to strip out the code for the start menu that they don't want to be used. Something they would have done anyway, since it is code not meant to be used, as far as they are concerned. No sense in leaving code you don't intend to be used in the OS.

Even if removed, the people fixing Win8 will still be able to pull any code needed from the betas, and previews, or from Win7 to restore the start menu. I suppose MS could attempt actual sabotage, Like breaking these third party repairs every patch Tuesday, but I don't think that would end well for them, or is even worth their time.
 
That's kind of my point: these rumors are silly on their face. Microsoft sees the Start Menu as superfluous now. Of course they are going to delete unneeded code. I'm sure they are constantly cleaning up their code base, but in this case folks have to impute some malevolent motivation for doing so, not the perfectly reasonable one of not wanting to ship unnecessary code.

Further, as you point out, it's code, not magic pixie dust. If Microsoft pulls it out there's nothing to stop someone from putting in new code to replace it. So far as I can tell, people are working on that right now.

Finally, this is Microsoft we're talking about, not Apple. If third parties come up with a Start Menu alternative and begin selling it I would be astonished if Microsoft cared about it either way. Heck, they'd probably list it in their app store.
 
And for all of the debate about the Start Menu, how many people are really going to bother putting it back in? The overwhelming majority of people will just use what's there.
 
Eman D. Rahym said:
That's kind of my point: these rumors are silly on their face. Microsoft sees the Start Menu as superfluous now. Of course they are going to delete unneeded code. I'm sure they are constantly cleaning up their code base, but in this case folks have to impute some malevolent motivation for doing so, not the perfectly reasonable one of not wanting to ship unnecessary code.

Further, as you point out, it's code, not magic pixie dust. If Microsoft pulls it out there's nothing to stop someone from putting in new code to replace it. So far as I can tell, people are working on that right now.

Finally, this is Microsoft we're talking about, not Apple. If third parties come up with a Start Menu alternative and begin selling it I would be astonished if Microsoft cared about it either way. Heck, they'd probably list it in their app store.
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Because lord forbid the actual shipping product be usable in the fashion people actually WANT to have it in from the get-go, right?
 
heatlesssun said:
And for all of the debate about the Start Menu, how many people are really going to bother putting it back in? The overwhelming majority of people will just use what's there.
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The fix is going to end up being more common knowledge, than the Vista downgrade to Xp was. As common knowledge as Firefox being an alternative to IE. There will be much, much less reason not to do it, since all that will be needed is a 30 second download, and a quick double click on the exe. Time will tell how many end up using it.
Provided I end up with a Surface Pro, or similar device, I will still use the fix, for the times when I use it like a laptop, with a mouse. The current fixes out do not do away with Metro, they merely allow me to bypass Metro when the device is not being used as a tablet.
 
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I suspect Metro will become more popular once the Store is open for business. Right now there isn't much of a choice there, and what you get are more teasers than finalized apps.

Still, I have to admit that I'm starting to spend more time in Metro myself. When I first installed Windows 8, once I configured the desktop to run like it did in Windows 7, I hardly ever saw Metro. However, now I have to admit that I'm starting to use some of the Metro apps. Even in their beta state they can be interesting, and the sky's the limit once the Store goes live.

Since Microsoft pulled all the built in games from the desktop environment, I bet we will soon start seeing folks playing Angry Birds or whatever next year's hot game is in Metro.

I think there are a lot more folks out there who will find utility in Metro than will want to resurrect the Start Menu. Of course, that's sort of a no-brainer guess. Obviously Microsoft thinks that way too or they wouldn't be betting the farm on Metro.
 
Eman D. Rahym said:
I think there are a lot more folks out there who will find utility in Metro than will want to resurrect the Start Menu. Of course, that's sort of a no-brainer guess. Obviously Microsoft thinks that way too or they wouldn't be betting the farm on Metro.
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A lot of people around here have been trying to avoid Metro and Metro apps on the desktop instead of actually using them. You're correct in that there aren't a lot of interesting Metro apps currently, but that's going to change quickly. But even now the some of the ones there look and work great on a big screen with keyboards and mice. Some of the stuff is just so fresh and clean and smooth for a PC. A lot of average PC owners are going to eat this stuff up if for no other reason that it's just new and shinny.
 
I just wish someone would do something about the registry. I hate how every damn program/ has to make their entry in the registry and when uninstalled the keys are not deleted. Hell, some of them are so stubborn you almost have to reformat to get rid of them.
 
No. I will never install Windows 8 on any of my computers.

Metro is an annoyance that interferes with my productivity. However, it is just that, an annoyance.

Far more dangerous is the insidious attempt by Microsoft to turn the PC into a closed platform wherein Microsoft has the sole power to approve what operating systems and software you can run.

"Restricted boot" means that your computer will only boot approved operating systems that are signed with a key that only Microsoft holds. Restricted boot does not have the ability to have multiple keys and thus, the only way for OEMs to "include" other keys is to remove Microsoft's (not likely). For right now, you can turn this anti-feature off however this ability can be rescinded in the future; there is no guarantee that computers 5 or 10 years from now will be able to disable this.

Even with the ability to disable this anti-feature, it impedes the adoption of alternate operating systems because this anti-feature is deceptively referred to as "secure boot"; making users disable this will cause alarm even though, in reality, restricted boot does nothing to boost the security of your system.

Then there is Metro. With Metro, you no longer own your computer, you just rent it from Microsoft. Microsoft can decide what applications you can install and Microsoft can remove stuff from the computer without your consent or permission. In addition, Microsoft takes on the roll of a shakedown artist as they force all application developers to hand over a large chunk of their profits. Yes, you have the desktop, for now, but again, Microsoft has made it clear they consider the desktop legacy. How long until they remove the desktop altogether?
 
Krieger91 said:
I just wish someone would do something about the registry.
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Microsoft is doing something about the registry: officially deprecating all other arguably superior forms of storing program data.

Thankfully, software developers don't have to care about this and can continue to use the methods Microsoft urges them not to. Naturally this doesn't apply to Metro apps.
 
wonderfield said:
Microsoft is doing something about the registry: officially deprecating all other arguably superior forms of storing program data.

Thankfully, software developers don't have to care about this and can continue to use the methods Microsoft urges them not to. Naturally this doesn't apply to Metro apps.
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Deprecated what, things like ini files? Ok. XML configuration files have been a long and still acceptable way of configuration storage. But a Windows desktop app can even to this day still use ini files.
 
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