3 ms·

Most people do have a desktop. They've invested years of time learning Windows and have applications specifically written for it. And then BAM... Windows 8! Go

by naner 14y ago

Most people do have a desktop. They've invested years of time learning Windows and have applications specifically written for it. And then BAM... Windows 8! Good one Microsoft.

potatolicious 14y ago
Inertia doesn't last forever, neither does lock-in. Microsoft was in a classic catch-22: if they don't modernize and shake things up they will lose their lead slowly but surely. If they do they risk alienating their existing users in the short run. For all of its annoyances, IMO Win8 was necessary. The problem is that they went overboard - the whole OS is just one gigantic pain in the ass for keyboard/mouse users (aka almost everyone), but pretty great for touch users (aka a small portion of everyone who bought a Windows machine in the last 3 months). I wouldn't count Win8 out just yet. MS seems to be expecting that laptops/desktops move universally towards becoming touch-enabled, at which point Win8 makes a lot more sense. This is a future that's not certain, but quite likely if MS plays its cards right.
- Joeri 14y ago
  I've heard that PC stores are seeing plenty of people interested in windows 8 but walking away when they learn that current laptops don't have touch screens. I think microsoft underestimated the incompetence of the PC vendors. They sort of assumed that the surface would set the bar for touch devices, and that this meant PC buyers this holiday season would be getting a good touch experience. I don't think they considered it a possibility that the PC vendors largely wouldn't bother with touch (aside from some token devices at the luxury end of the price range). It's like the PC vendors collectively gave up and decided they didn't much care for selling new PC's. Anyway, we'll see what happens this year. Once the majority of PC's for sale are touch-enabled you could see a turnaround for windows 8, but that really hinges on ability to execute from the PC manufacturers.

by naner 14y ago

Most people do have a desktop. They've invested years of time learning Windows and have applications specifically written for it. And then BAM... Windows 8! Good one Microsoft.

potatolicious 14y ago

Inertia doesn't last forever, neither does lock-in. Microsoft was in a classic catch-22: if they don't modernize and shake things up they will lose their lead slowly but surely. If they do they risk alienating their existing users in the short run. For all of its annoyances, IMO Win8 was necessary. The problem is that they went overboard - the whole OS is just one gigantic pain in the ass for keyboard/mouse users (aka almost everyone), but pretty great for touch users (aka a small portion of everyone who bought a Windows machine in the last 3 months). I wouldn't count Win8 out just yet. MS seems to be expecting that laptops/desktops move universally towards becoming touch-enabled, at which point Win8 makes a lot more sense. This is a future that's not certain, but quite likely if MS plays its cards right.

Joeri 14y ago
I've heard that PC stores are seeing plenty of people interested in windows 8 but walking away when they learn that current laptops don't have touch screens. I think microsoft underestimated the incompetence of the PC vendors. They sort of assumed that the surface would set the bar for touch devices, and that this meant PC buyers this holiday season would be getting a good touch experience. I don't think they considered it a possibility that the PC vendors largely wouldn't bother with touch (aside from some token devices at the luxury end of the price range). It's like the PC vendors collectively gave up and decided they didn't much care for selling new PC's. Anyway, we'll see what happens this year. Once the majority of PC's for sale are touch-enabled you could see a turnaround for windows 8, but that really hinges on ability to execute from the PC manufacturers.