Windows 7 Takes Top Spot in OS Battle, Defeats Windows 8.1

[CommanderFrank]

Windows 7 is still the reigning champ of all operating systems for the 14th month in a row. In what has to be an embarrassment to Microsoft, Windows XP is still in the number two position, followed meekly by Windows 8.1, at a dismal third.

Only time will tell if 7 will be able to maintain its title as everyone’s favorite OS by the time 10 comes along, but if early adoption numbers are any indication, the two could be deep in competition for the years to come.

 

[somecallmeTim]

8.1 is still nearly three times OSx... so, there's that

 

[Dildonose]

Windows 10? I'm in! I already have the preview running on two of my boxen. That shit is fast and DX12: Awesome!

 

[ManofGod]

You do not say? We already knew that but then again, why would businesses switch to another OS just now when they just got done switching in the last 4 years? I still run Windows 7 Pro but only in a Virtualbox VHD on my home and work computer. Windows 8.1 Pro is my host OS in both cases.

I am not really sure why this would be an embarrassment to Microsoft. Last time I checked, they got money for every single sale that occurred regardless. Wish I could make that kind of money well being "embarrassed".

 

[Godmachine]

8.1 is still nearly three times OSx... so, there's that

Yea quite a feat for such a "meekly" used OS.

The only thing I didn't like about Windows 8 was Metro and frankly I've never understood all the hate. Its a totally solid OS.

That said Windows 10 looks like a dream. Might even topple XP.

 

[Monkey34]

heh. The last XP rig just got tossed at my company, and replaced with (....drum-roll.....) Windows 7 Pro.

Not to say we don't have any Windows8......but it's only a couple.

 

[nightanole]

How the hell is 8/8.1 still only around 11%? You havent been able to by a preloaded windows 7 computer in years. Yes you can use your downgrade rights, or find a business machine with windows 7 on it, but thats it. All the touch screen notebooks, all the tablets, all the notebooks/desktops sold at retail, are windows 7 boxes?

Or is it just the fact that 1/3 of the pc population is 5-10 year old win7 machines at corporations? So no matter what, win7 will have a 33%+ market share till MS kills it, or capacitors start blowing left and right?

Can we get sales numbers of machines sold in the last 2-3 years, not just alive?

 

[nutzo]

How the hell is 8/8.1 still only around 11%? You havent been able to by a preloaded windows 7 computer in years. Yes you can use your downgrade rights, or find a business machine with windows 7 on it, but thats it. All the touch screen notebooks, all the tablets, all the notebooks/desktops sold at retail, are windows 7 boxes?

Or is it just the fact that 1/3 of the pc population is 5-10 year old win7 machines at corporations? So no matter what, win7 will have a 33%+ market share till MS kills it, or capacitors start blowing left and right?

I just ordered a computer for the office with Windows 7 last week, and will likely be ordering at least a dozen more by mid summer. I'm sure that all the companies upgrading to Windows 7 over the past couple years counts for a large part of these numbers.

I wonder if the companies will still be allowed to ship systems with Windows 7, after Windows 10 comes out?

All 4 desktops at my home and both laptops are running Windows 7. I see no reason to upgrade to 8/8.1 when Windows 7 works fine or even better. I do have a tablet running 8.1, but that still leaves my household at 88% Windows 7 and only 12% Windows 8.1

(Android phones/tablets not included in these numbers)

 

[MrPatate]

Will upgrade from 7 when 10 is available for sure. But 7 will hang around for a lot of people because most normal user never format their PC and think about changing the OS. It will run 7 till the computer's death. Like XP user do right now.

 

[ep0x73]

The whole doom and gloom that XP will blow up never came to pass after a year. I still have a copy I pull out, fire up and update and it has zero issues.
I keep the copy with all my old games which don't play nice on 7+ for someday.

 

[jbltecnicspro]

Windows 7 ain't going anywhere unless Microsoft plays hardball. As of right now, it's a VERY solid OS.

 

[carlbme]

I never understood the hate for Windows 8.1, it took all the MANY flaws of Windows 8 and fixed them and improved upon the good things. Windows 10 is OK, but so far there are way to many things I don't care for. I know I'll upgrade anyway if for no other reason than DirectX 12.

 

[heatlesssun]

I never understood the hate for Windows 8.1, it took all the MANY flaws of Windows 8 and fixed them and improved upon the good things. Windows 10 is OK, but so far there are way to many things I don't care for. I know I'll upgrade anyway if for no other reason than DirectX 12.

8.1 Update is very nice OS when used on a hybrid device like the Surface Pro line. But Microsoft simply made too many changes to accommodate hybrid by focusing on the touch and tablet elements and the changes were simply not liked by too many traditional desktop users.

As for Windows 10, I think this latest build has struck close to right balance. Tablet operation has greatly improved since the first 10 TP but it's still not refined enough to be better than 10 but it's pretty close. The Start Menu is still half baked but is an ok combination of the 7 Start Menu and 8 Start Screen, though this combination will draw ire from those that just want 7 Start Menu.

But I do think that overall 10 is headed in the right direction. The big issues for keyboard and mouse users with 8.x are gone. The foundation is there. The key will be getting the right options, cleaning up the Start Menu and upgraded aesthetics and consistency. And getting the power consumption down. The battery life of 10 sucks on my SP3, it's using WAY too many resources.

 

[Insula Gilliganis]

What Microsoft really needs to worry about is their eroding dominance on what people use to get on the Internet. 6 years ago (April, 2009), 9 out of 10 people accessing the Internet did it through Windows.. now that figure is 4 out of 10.

(one slide of Mary Meeker's 2013 "The State of the Internet")

 

[heatlesssun]

What Microsoft really needs to worry about is their eroding dominance on what people use to get on the Internet.

They are worried about it. But no amount of desktop OS awesomeness would change that. I understand that desktop centric folks don't like mobile concepts in a desktop OS but that's a losing battle. Sure initially it's disruptive and pisses off a number of existing users. But time marches quickly in the tech world. More and more people are computing without keyboards and mice. That's what the graph you linked is pointing out.

 

[Mr Milquetoast]

I never understood the hate for Windows 8.1, it took all the MANY flaws of Windows 8 and fixed them and improved upon the good things. Windows 10 is OK, but so far there are way to many things I don't care for. I know I'll upgrade anyway if for no other reason than DirectX 12.

The hate for 8.1 most likely stems from the fact that 8 was abysmal and people think 8.1 is the same since it's only a minor revision. However, the same changes they made in 8.1 turned it from an unusable OS to a very usable one.

I agree with you completely when you say 8.1 is a great desktop OS (after some modifications like Classic shell, a third party file manager and changes to the settings). I also agree that 10 has way to many problems and is even more flawed then 8 was. It didn't take many changes on Microsoft's part to go from the unusable 8 to the very usable 8.1. However, 10 has so many flaws I can't see them ever being able to make it usable.

8.1 is supported until 2023 so hopefully the might be able to make something decent before the, but with the direction they're heading I can only see things getting worse rather than better.

 

[Chunder]

My work (school system) distributed laptop/tablet hybrids from HP running on Windows 8.1 (I'm not sure the exact model) to every staff member this school year, along with docks to project onto a bigger screen and what a great device it is! I've long been using Windows 8.1 at home with metro UI disabled, but using it on a touch enabled/portable device has been a great treat. This summer however we're giving EVERY student one of the Windows 8.1 devices for next school year. These devices are suppose to be updated to Windows 10 either this summer, or sometime around the November Thanksgiving break. I'm curious to see if this has any measurable effect on the adoption numbers.

 

[MacLeod]

I think that's hilarious. Win8 is in third place. Hahaha!

What's even funnier is that Win10 looks more like 8 than 7. Way to listen to your customer base there Microsoft.

 

[WaltC]

With greater than 95% of all desktops in the world using a Microsoft OS, I doubt Microsoft has anything to be embarrassed about... Rather, it's the people still using ancient XP for which there are no current hardware drivers and for which there is no current update support--who should be embarrassed, imo. XP is the living dead...using it is like practicing Necrophilia..

 

[heatlesssun]

I think that's hilarious. Win8 is in third place. Hahaha!

Behind Windows 7 and Windows XP. Haha indeed if you're not Microsoft.

What's even funnier is that Win10 looks more like 8 than 7. Way to listen to your customer base there Microsoft.

Looks like 8 perhaps. On the desktop it's much more like 7. Even the Start Menu is functionally much like 7. Yes, people will complain about tiles but there's nothing really confusing about them and they can be removed. The aesthetics aren't clean and it's half-baked at this moment but the only big functional difference I see between the 7 and 10 Start Menu menus adding in Cortana with 10 is that you can't pin items on the left. There is the integrated web search that isn't easily disabled for those that don't like the could but there is a group policy for that.

 

[MacLeod]

Looks like 8 perhaps. On the desktop it's much more like 7. Even the Start Menu is functionally much like 7. Yes, people will complain about tiles but there's nothing really confusing about them and they can be removed. The aesthetics aren't clean and it's half-baked at this moment but the only big functional difference I see between the 7 and 10 Start Menu menus adding in Cortana with 10 is that you can't pin items on the left. There is the integrated web search that isn't easily disabled for those that don't like the could but there is a group policy for that.

Thats good. Last I heard you couldn't remove the tiles in the Start menu. If they give us that option, I'm fine with it. I've actually been reading some of the Win10 threads here and elsewhere and while it started out seeming like a Win8 clone, these later builds look like Microsoft actually is doing a lot to answer the gripes of guys like me. One thing I would like is to be able to disable Metro completely so I don't have to fool with it at all. I accidentally fat finger the Windows key on my Win8 laptop a lot and get sick of Metro popping up. Would rather just have the option to turn it off.

I would love for MS to prove me wrong and it looks like they are heading in that direction so I have to admit, it's looking like I'll make the jump once it drops retail.

 

[Converge]

Probably why its so damn hard to get a system with windows 7 on it anymore. Freaking everything has 8.1. Wanted to get a laptop with 7 on it but had to settle for 8.1 since they're was nothing to pick from. Now that I have used 8.1, I don't think I would bother switching until I needed a reformat. I may consider trying out 7 when that time comes in a year or two.

 

[delahaya]

I don't understand why everyone hates Windows 8. Just get Start 8 from Stardock if you need the Windows 7 desktop. Windows 8 runs faster in less memory. It networks better. And so on. I like it....with Start 8.

 

[MacLeod]

I don't understand why everyone hates Windows 8. Just get Start 8 from Stardock if you need the Windows 7 desktop. Windows 8 runs faster in less memory. It networks better. And so on. I like it....with Start 8.

Because the UI sucks. I hate Metro with every fiber of my being. I dont want to have to do hacks or use special apps to get my OS to look like it should. Im not using it on a tablet. If Im gonna have to do all kinds of tweaking to get Win8 to work the way it should like Win7, I might as well just keep using Win7.

As far as performance, I notice no difference. Ive got a laptop with Win8 on it and its no better or worse than my 2 rigs with Win7 on them. There may be differences that show up in benchmarks but its not anything youll see in real world performance, at least I cant.

 

[ICOM]

Because the UI sucks. I hate Metro with every fiber of my being. I dont want to have to do hacks or use special apps to get my OS to look like it should. Im not using it on a tablet. If Im gonna have to do all kinds of tweaking to get Win8 to work the way it should like Win7, I might as well just keep using Win7.

As far as performance, I notice no difference. Ive got a laptop with Win8 on it and its no better or worse than my 2 rigs with Win7 on them. There may be differences that show up in benchmarks but its not anything youll see in real world performance, at least I cant.

This. In a nutshell.

Soon, this entire "debate" will become irrelevant as W8 gets relegated to the same recycle dump as ME and Vista. W7 is so good now that even W10 may be a tough sell. Omitting Media Center from W10 is one of the first chinks in the W10 armor.

 

[nutzo]

I don't understand why everyone hates Windows 8. Just get Start 8 from Stardock if you need the Windows 7 desktop. Windows 8 runs faster in less memory. It networks better. And so on. I like it....with Start 8.

I'd never put my career on the line by depending on a 3rd party utility to make the Windows GUI usable for the average user. There is no telling when an update might disable it and then my phone would be ringing off the hook with people who couldn't figure out how to open any apps, or even how to restart the computer.

If the OS doesn't have a GUI right out of the box that is usable by non-technical office users who already know to use Window XP/7 then it doesn't even get considered.
And no, I'm not going to recommend everyone be sent to training just so they can learn to use the new GUI.

From what I've seen of Windows 10, it might just be close enough to Windows 7 that I can eventually switch people.

 

[Quix]

Because the UI sucks. I hate Metro with every fiber of my being. I dont want to have to do hacks or use special apps to get my OS to look like it should. Im not using it on a tablet. If Im gonna have to do all kinds of tweaking to get Win8 to work the way it should like Win7, I might as well just keep using Win7.

As far as performance, I notice no difference. Ive got a laptop with Win8 on it and its no better or worse than my 2 rigs with Win7 on them. There may be differences that show up in benchmarks but its not anything youll see in real world performance, at least I cant.

Start8 is buggy, slow and ugly. Classic shell is all of those as well, with slightly less of the buggy and slightly more of the ugly.