Every time Microsoft releases a new version of Windows, it’s met with mixed emotions. Windows XP had some initial growing pains due to its largely re-written core, but changes to its interface were primarily only skin deep, allowing users to adapt quickly. Vista, while not entirely different from its predecessor, did change quite a bit on the UI front; however, its perceived failure was brought on by the marketing nightmare of being caught in Apple’s crosshairs. The quick adoption of Windows 7 – which is essentially Vista minus the stigma – is proof that the minor interface tweaks were still perfectly adaptable.
Windows 8 could very well be taking things too far. Microsoft has replaced the traditional desktop with what it has named its Metro UI. Popularized on Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 platform, Metro UI is a touch-centric interface which will have a lot of trouble making itself comfortable in the PC marketplace, where the mouse, keyboard, and large non-touch displays still reign supreme.
The new Metro UI does stand some chance of gaining ground with general consumers, but power users will be appalled. Take, for example, shutting down your computer. In Windows 7, this could be achieved in two clicks of the mouse. In Windows 8, you have to hold your mouse to the side of the screen for a moment to pull up the “Charms Bar,” click the Settings option, click the Power icon, and then click Shutdown. It’s a complete mess from the power user’s perspective.
Of course, that’s not to say Windows 8 doesn’t have any features that would appeal to the power user. Features like native USB 3.0 support and lightning fast boot times top the list. An (arguably) improved task manager and enhanced software RAID support sweeten the waters a bit as well.
The big question is whether or not the benefits of Windows 8 can make up for the loss of the traditional desktop workspace. Just about any Windows power user would answer that question with a big, fat “No;” however, it’s possible to tweak Windows 8 to get the best of both worlds, and we’ll show you how.
http://www.zdnet.com/microsoft-said-to-block-ability-to-boot-straight-to-desktop-in-windows-8-7000002219/
http://www.tomshardware.com/news/Windows-8-Metro-RTM-Server-2012-Release-Preview,16666.html
"Take, for example, shutting down your computer. In Windows 7, this could be achieved in two clicks of the mouse."
You're already doing it wrong. Just push the power button and it will shutdown (if all goes well). Otherwise mousing to shutdown is silly, tap start menu button and quickly navigate to shutdown/sleep/restart etc with u/u or u/s u/r or the arrow keys (for Windows 7) and the preferred selection which takes less than a second. Wondering if there's more stuff like this in the rest of this article.
Which is why tapping start and arrow keys (for desktops) is much faster than trying to mouse for the start button and shutdown options on a high resolution desktop.
Win8 will be a spectacular flop. Trust me.
Only this time, Windows is flopping simultaneously on many fronts: enterprise, home users, phones, tablets, app store.
The upcoming months will be disastrous time for Microsoft shareholders.
And the so called “Metro Interface” windows 8 style user interface is the thing that most people I show windows 8 to is in love with. I have installed windows 8 on three computers in the Philippines and just watch how people used it. And not one person said they want windows 7 back. So if what I am reading here and on other sites is true and people can’t learn windows 8 that is just so sad that these people call themselves power users.
P.S. I have shown well over 50 people how to use windows 8 here and overseas .
I hope Windows 8 fails big time and I'm a Windows user. Why would I want to see it fail? Because I'm tired of being "nudged" like sheep being herded to go where I don't want to go. Furthermore, I see this as merely a transitioning point in Microsoft's longer term agenda and/or plan to tighten down the computer for eventual Windows use only. Oh yes in Windows 8 there will be a work around for people who want to install another OS like Linux, but eventually that will phased out in later versions of Windows that come installed on PC's. Microsoft is moving in the direction of a "closed garden" app store. Oh in this version of Windows 8 you'll be able to install programs that do not come via the Microsoft store, but in time that too will be phased out in later versions as Windows. Microsoft know they can't throw the "frog" into boiling water for the "frog" will jump out, but they can put the "frog" in cool water and turn the temperature up slowly eventually cooking the frog. In time Microsoft will nudge us to the point that only Windows can be installed on a Windows PC and if you want software you'll have to go through them and their Microsoft app store. They can't get a cut of software revenue for an app or program sold independently of their app store and they are planning to change that in time. That will only drive me to fully embrace Linux or BSD. It's my PC machine and the software I want to put on my PC comes from where I want to buy it and not from where Microsoft tells me I must buy it as they take their cut. I also note that cut will just increase my overall software costs, because it will be passed on to the consumer like taxes are passed onto the consumer as a cost of doing business. Step back and look longterm. The direction I believe Microsoft is heading is not the direction or destination in which I want to go. My opinion...
I'm sticking with my Microsoft Vista and when I upgrade it will be to Windows 7. If Windows 9 is a further move towards a closed system, i.e. closed garden, where all your software must come through Microsoft, then I'm moving to Linux. Microsoft wants to nudge us all towards using our computers as a Windows closed box and Xbox for our games. Valve has a legitimate concern as do all game "manufacturers"/programmers with Microsoft's future transitioning anti-competitive agenda.
The Windows Store is for Metro apps, guys. It's for mobile devices. The reason it's on the desktop version is because they're consolidating the OS making it the same on all devices. Nobody is forcing anyone to buy metro apps, noone is forcing developers to create metro apps. Normal Windows software will still exist, normal games will still exist. Just because they've chosen to compete with Apple in the mobile OS sphere doesn't mean they're going to start doing the same in the desktop sphere. They don't NEED to compete with Apple in the desktop sphere. Apple lost that battle many, many, many moons ago.
If you even for one second that Microsoft is going to abandon it's enterprise OS market just so they can sell a few craptastic mobile phone apps in their store, you're either slow or not paying attention.
The more MS pushes a UI that is difficult for users to adapt to and software developers (games and productivity) to support, they too will jump ship by favoring general purpose Linux flavors or proprietary operating systems.
Hogwash. All of it.
OEMs have not jumped ship on Windows 8 for PCs. A couple of TABLET OEMs have expressed displeasure at the Surface, but that has nothing to do with Windows 8, that is only because they know that MS will be able to undercut them on price because they don't have to shell out $100 per tablet to pre-install it. HP has definitely not done anything of the sort. They are planning a Windows 8 tablet as well as a full line of PCs. You require sources for your "information".
Metro is not difficult to adapt to. If you find it so, that's a personal problem, not a usability problem. Developers will not have to support Metro if they don't want to, so there nothing for them to adapt to. Also, where do you get your information that Metro is difficult to develop for? I've seen nothing to support that claim anywhere. Again, sources.
Lastly, if you think people are going to be upset because of the non-existent usability issues with Windows 8, why on God's green Earth do you think they would move over to Linux of all things? That's not a lateral shift, my friend. That's going from using Windows 7 to trying to surf the internet on a rabid bear while trying to ride a unicycle over the grand canyon. Linux is about as mainstream user friendly as a nuclear reactor. The thought that Grandpa is going to throw up his hands because he can't master the windows key, or the scroll wheel on his mouse and install Ubuntu is ludicrous at best.
The only people I have seen complain about Metro are pseudo "power users" who can't even navigate Windows 7 without a mouse, and since those people are the same people who had a third grade tantrum about Windows XP when it was first released and 2 years afterwards were calling it the greatest thing since sliced bread, I don't think their opinions are worth too much.
"Linux is about as mainstream user friendly as a nuclear reactor."
I don't know where you've been in say, the last decade or so...
But many modern linux distributions are MORE user-friendly than Windows ever could be. I'm comparing (for example) ubuntu to (for example) Windows 7.
In most cases, installing and configuring linux is not only easier but MUCH, much faster than installing windows. And I'm talking about total installation, including all appropriate drivers and applications.
If Microsoft wants to retain market share dominance, Microsoft should take notes from some of the linux distros in how to make an operating system user friendly.
I will give you this much though...your ignorance of linux is typical and FOR THAT SPECIFIC REASON linux is not likely to put a dent in Microsoft's OS market share anytime soon. It is the unfortunate (and WRONG, thoroughly OUTDATED) *perception* that linux is hard to use that is holding linux back.
Full disclosure...I'm currently using windows 7 exclusively. Nothing wrong with linux, I just happen to *like* windows 7. And for all of linux's merits, there is still no Microsoft Word port to linux. And no, the various office suite copycats just don't cut it...
I will be the first to admit that I haven't used Linux at all since I had to occationally roughly 5-6 years ago. If it's gotten easier to install that's fantastic. I'm glad to hear it. So it's got a completely 100% windows compatible software library now? Can you install 100% of that software without using the command line at all? Do drivers for every current device exist? Are they easy to install if they do? Can you update the kernel without a) knowing what the kernel even is and/or b) 5 pages of command line instructions?
If you can answer yes to those five simple questions, then I consider myself corrected. If you can't, then it's not mainstream user friendly.
That does give me an interesting experiment to try though. I was going to update my laptop from Windows 8 CP to Windows 8 RP this weekend. I'm going to ask my wife (Who is computer illiterate, but can use Windows 8 just fine. She's the primary user of said laptop when I'm not tinkering with it) to install Ubuntu on it for me and see how she does. If I remember I'll come back and report.