[PCWorld]

Post your comments for How's Windows 8 doing? Microsoft reflects, 90 days in here

[tdrroc]

Evaluating a MS release after 90 days is sort of useless... the company has a long history of patiently outwaiting naysayers until products gain traction in the market (see Xbox for a good example of this).

Windows 8 will have slow adoption precisely because it is different from previous versions AND it follows relatively shortly after the successful release of Windows 7. That being said, 40 million is a drop in the bucket when you consider it is now bundled in every new Windows PC sold. Looks like the adoption rate is pretty low.

The aggressive pricing will gradually bring more upgrades and over time I believe Win 8 will be the foundation for the primary alternative to Android in tablets. I believe the fact that you can integrate Win8 across tablet, phone, and desktop will bring a long-term upside that Android simply doesn't have and Apple (for whatever reason) has studiously avoided.

[kennyrosenyc]

I tried a demo of a serious DAW (music creation software) that was optimized for Windows 8 and it was basically great. People just don't get it yet. You can do things like zoom in on the timeline, extend the length of tracks, etc. using the 'pinch' functions on the touchscreen which saves a ton of time and effort. I imagine programs like Photoshop will have similar functionality which will be the real benefit. It feels like a real pain now to have to go all the way down to the scroll bar and move that around to do the same stuff.

[newyorkcitymale]

According to Strategy Analytics/StatCounter, Windows 8 is grabbing about 0.1 pt of market share every week. That'll put it at about 12% or more by the end of the year. That's more than all of Mac OS versions combined. So it's all relative whether it's good or poor.

[PoliTecs]

As of this weekend I am now ALL WINDOWS - New W8 Phone (Nokia), Surface and Laptop and I am LOVING IT!

Unification was long overdue while still retaining their distribution model of years old. Other products have their choice for option like Dell, Samsung et al but the bottom line is that now all my computing power is of similar UI and that is so nice!

Way to go Microsoft!

[TsarNikky]

Of course, Microsoft is going to say that sales are good. Total sales might be good. What is missing is which marketplace is responsible for those sales. Sales analysis based on business/enterprise users have been conspicuously absent. But, that comes as no surprise.

[npco543]

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using the 'pinch' functions on the touchscreen which saves a ton of time and effort. I imagine programs like Photoshop will have similar functionality which will be the real benefit. It feels like a real pain now to have to go all the way down to the scroll bar and move that around to do the same stuff.

I use Photoshop with a new Wacom Intuous 5 tablet, which supports touch gestures on the same surface the pen is used on. It's cool at first, but honestly, pinch zooming and panning is less efficient than traditional keyboard shortcuts + mouse/pen input:

To pinch zoom, I need to put my pen down or use awkward finger combinations to both hold the pen and perform the gesture. If I put the pen down, I then need to pick it back up and return to my position on the tablet.

Panning with a gesture (a 3 finger drag) doesn't require putting the pen down, and it's not difficult, but at the same time, it's not necessarily easier than simply holding down the space bar and dragging with the pen.

In both cases, performing these gestures on an actual monitor definitely requires putting the pen/mouse down, and no one who actually needs to be productive is going to choose that over simply holding down 1 or 2 keys on a keyboard or a programmed key combination on a tablet button. It's JUST. NOT. EFFICIENT. It just isn't. Furthermore, these carry the inherent problem of touch screens that no one has yet satisfactorily addressed - that of getting finger prints all over the same screen you need to look at. Anyone doing real photo work relies on their monitor to provide a clear view of the image being worked on. Finger prints, to say nothing of wear and tear, are a non-starter.

All these people saying touch input will be great for graphics work... have never don't any serious graphics work. Touch input has it's place, but there are many instances where it is absolutely, and simply, not as efficient as mouse/pen/keyboard input, and it's both difficult and frustrating to understand why so many people ignore and argue against this.

[Greywoof]

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As of this weekend I am now ALL WINDOWS - New W8 Phone (Nokia), Surface and Laptop and I am LOVING IT! Unification was long overdue while still retaining their distribution model of years old. Other products have their choice for option like Dell, Samsung et al but the bottom line is that now all my computing power is of similar UI and that is so nice! Way to go Microsoft!

So which division of Microsoft do you work in? How much content do you create on the Desktop? Or do you spend all your time doing touchy-feely with the MS toys viewing other people's content? And "et al"? Sounds like the departed Sinofsky...

[kjh55]

Been a Microsoft user for many, many years. Windows 3.1 and before. This latest OS upgrade (Windows 8) has actually made me decide that my next computer will be a MAC. Time to say goodbye to Microsoft.

[mal68]

I'll wait for another year or five

Still running on XP

My work uses 32 bit programs which mean that for my company, Windows 8 is just bloatware.

And since I need to access my work from my home pc, that's staying with XP as well.

2007, Windows VIsta, the greatest thing since sliced bread.

2009, Introducing Windows 7, the greatest thing since sliced bread.

2012 Introducing Windows 8 the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Yeah, I'll wait.

[orlbuckeye]

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Of course, Microsoft is going to say that sales are good. Total sales might be good. What is missing is which marketplace is responsible for those sales. Sales analysis based on business/enterprise users have been conspicuously absent. But, that comes as no surprise.

Who have to remember business/enterprise market is different as far as licensing. My company when we purchase PC's (we have over 2000) we purchase with the current OS software license and because we are replacing we can use a previous purchased OS license. So we get the machine and install our image with OS and enterprise applications. Currently our standard is XP but any replacement we will install a Windows 7 image. My pc im' using now has XP and has Vista sticker because it was purchased in 08. We have enterprise software the have browser requirements. We use Sharepoint which also requires IE. In the business market OS isn't as immportant as long as the employee can do their jobs. normal employees just need to know how to run their applications needed for their job.

Currently there are now reasons for my organization to implement Windows 8 as the standard. We are going through a multi-million dollar upgrade to our ERP system and that is a priority.

[ginman86]

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I'll wait for another year or five Still running on XP My work uses 32 bit programs which mean that for my company, Windows 8 is just bloatware. And since I need to access my work from my home pc, that's staying with XP as well. 2007, Windows VIsta, the greatest thing since sliced bread. 2009, Introducing Windows 7, the greatest thing since sliced bread. 2012 Introducing Windows 8 the greatest thing since sliced bread. Yeah, I'll wait.

The fact that you're using a Yahoo account says it all. No further comment.

[orlbuckeye]

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I'll wait for another year or five
Still running on XP
My work uses 32 bit programs which mean that for my company, Windows 8 is just bloatware.
And since I need to access my work from my home pc, that's staying with XP as well.
2007, Windows VIsta, the greatest thing since sliced bread.
2009, Introducing Windows 7, the greatest thing since sliced bread.
2012 Introducing Windows 8 the greatest thing since sliced bread.
Yeah, I'll wait.

I bought a Windows 8 laptop to learn Windows 8. I need to be able to connect to my PC at work and log in. My other PC is a Windows 7 machine that I used to use to connect but now I use Windows 8 exclusively to do it. I use Juno a desktop app that i execute and connect to my work network then I run the remote desktop app i got from the MS Store and I love it. Way better remote app then both XP and Windows 7.

[StygianAgenda]

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I tried a demo of a serious DAW (music creation software) that was optimized for Windows 8 and it was basically great. People just don't get it yet. You can do things like zoom in on the timeline, extend the length of tracks, etc. using the 'pinch' functions on the touchscreen which saves a ton of time and effort. I imagine programs like Photoshop will have similar functionality which will be the real benefit. It feels like a real pain now to have to go all the way down to the scroll bar and move that around to do the same stuff.

You just nailed some of the key things I really like about Windows 8. The touch controls are excellent! I can also see that Microsoft seemed to set their sites higher from the start, compared to IOS or Android, because the level of multitouch is much more sophisticated than the overwhelming majority of other touch-enabled OS-environs I've used.

Using the pinch control with Google Maps or Google Earth brings a whole new dimension to those apps... something I tried out late last night with Warhammer 40000 - Dawn of War... it actually supported several of the touch abilities, even though it wasn't written with touchscreens in mind. Regardless, it was really trippy to use pinch-gestures to zoom in on the battlefield in real-time!

Also, I really like the swipe gesture used for switching applications, or the close-window-swipe gesture... which wasn't immediately obvious, but when I discovered it for myself, it brought an immediate smile at how intuitive it actually is. Now, the corner menu contact zone on the start screen could be a bit larger or more consistently sensitive, but... it could just be skin-oils building up on my stylus, from switching back and forth between using that and using my bare fingers. Either way, it seems that the slide-out menu (right side) should consistently respond from the corner, as stated in the initial mini-training the OS gives you while it sets up for the first time. However, I've noticed that on my screen, I need to perform the gesture either about a centimeter above the bottom corner, or a centimeter below the top corner, in spite of the fact that response from those zones of the screen are otherwise responsive in all other applications (which is what tells me it's an issue with the target zone for the gesture not being as sensitive as it should be).

[okfine]

So what is a Microsoft spokeswoman supposed to say? Our UI interface was an Android knockoff which is not being received well by our enterprise customers. Dear Ms. Spokeswoman both Apple - Mac and Google have put in their dues with the youth market, their loyalties won’t be swayed this easily. More likely, you are going to piss off the enterprise market that you’ve won fair and square.

[GetReal]

"Windows 8 is a big, ambitious change. as I said."

And as I have said, Computers started out with plugs and patch-cords, then flip switches on the front panel. Next came numeric keypads, CRT's with keyboard, mouse, touchpad etc, depending on that days technology. People learned to use each, then re-learned to use the next, then re-relearned to use whatever followed, ad-nauseum. For many people getting any real volume of work done was out of consideration for weeks after each change!

Now we straddle technology again, using keyboard, mouse, touchpad AND touch-screen - all together! So when might I expect to see foot pedals, elbow pads and optical sensors so I can learn to blink an eye or even nod my head (oops, I was NOT falling asleep).

This rant specifically does not address the issue of do I want to be seen while keying, mousing and touching simultaneously? Nor the distance or arm-fatigue from reaching my display screen - possibly hours on end.

Enough - we CAN settle into a routine user interface that suits all >>> if MS would equip a good & adjustable UI with each release .....

[Guitar1969]

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I'll wait for another year or five Still running on XP My work uses 32 bit programs which mean that for my company, Windows 8 is just bloatware. And since I need to access my work from my home pc, that's staying with XP as well. 2007, Windows VIsta, the greatest thing since sliced bread. 2009, Introducing Windows 7, the greatest thing since sliced bread. 2012 Introducing Windows 8 the greatest thing since sliced bread. Yeah, I'll wait.

"Still running on XP" I think that says it all.

Windows 7 was great improvement over XP. Win 7 has no problem working with older XP boxes.

[Guitar1969]

I can't understand why everybody says Win8 is confusing. It runs just like Win7, but insead of the start menu, there is the new modern UI. In the backend, everything else is the same. And if you really want it to be like Win 7 you can get pretty close. In fact if you are on the desktop and you move your mouse to the lower left hand corner(where the start button used to be), a smal version of the modern UI pops up. I just upgraded 2 on my Win7 systems to Win 8 and they run so much slower. Nobody is forcing you use the Modern UI apps, but they are pretty cool and customizable. Are the gripers all people over 50 that can't handler change? The new seach option in the Charm is awesome - very comprensive.

[compnovo]

Guitar1969, on 04 February 2013 - 02:20 PM, said:

Are the gripers all people over 50 that can't handler change?

Please.
One of the biggest gripers about Win8 in this forum is 15 or thereabouts. I'm a Win8 advocate and I'm 63.
Can we keep age out of it?

[AsokAsus]

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As of this weekend I am now ALL WINDOWS - New W8 Phone (Nokia), Surface and Laptop and I am LOVING IT! Way to go Microsoft!

Too funny paid MicroShill marketing dude or dudette. Let me pre-post the the rest if your taking-points right now so you don't have to go to the trouble of cutting and pasting them from the MicroShill Talking-Points Web Site:

1. Anyone who says they don't like Windows 8 has never used it.

2. Anyone who doesn't like Windows 8 is stupid.

3. Anyone who doesn't like Windows 8 is "afraid" of change.

4. I've upgraded my 8 year old laptop that has 1 GB ram and 80 GB HD with Windows 8 and it runs 10 times faster than with XP.

5. I bought a Windows 8/Window RT device for each and every member of my family and they ALL simply LOVE it!

6. Windows 8 is EXACTLY like Windows 7, only better!

7. Metro UI is REALLY the same as the Start Menu.

8. Poor acceptance of the Windows 8/Windows RT/Metro UI is all the fault of the "Apple Fanboi" and "Windows 8 hater" writers and blog posters. Their negative comments are what have caused the average non-technical consumer who never reads these web sites in the first place to stay away from Windows 8 in droves. If only the "press" had given Windows 8 a "fair" shake, it would have been a roaring success (even though the public doesn't read the tecnical press in the first place).

9. I'm a business consultant and ALL of my business clients have been clammering for Windows 8 and they ALL just love it when I install it and they now realized how much FUN computing can be!