Windows 8 Sales Well Below Projections, Plenty of Blame to Go Around

[vcarpio2]

Change just for the sake of change does not equate to IMPROVE.

Most people don't do actual work with their phones, and the starting point is like using a computer from many years ago, so people are more open to the hardware/user-experience changing rapidly. (At least with Android. iOS has barely budged in years. That seems to be what iOS users prefer, which is fine.)

Meanwhile, if you're going to 'change' a tool I use to earn a living with -and especially if you're going to force the change and remove other options- the change had better actually be an IMPROVEMENT.

I haven't seen where Metro is an improvement over anything on a desktop- it's much more a hinderance. Even many Win8 fans talk about how to avoid it, as if that in and of itself was a positive feature of it. (It's easy to get around!) Great sales pitch.

Other aspects of Win8 are improvements- I like the ribbons on menus and improved speed. Those things actually count toward what I use a computer for.

Well said, thank you. I've been trying to say the same thing in so many words.

EDIT: Now if I can just find this Media Player so I can do a quick rip of this CD I just bought and go back to work...

 

[GrumpyMan]

Everyone loves new experiences in computing, and well, some have a harder time with them....

 

[cboath]

Change just for the sake of change does not equate to IMPROVE.

Most people don't do actual work with their phones, and the starting point is like using a computer from many years ago, so people are more open to the hardware/user-experience changing rapidly. (At least with Android. iOS has barely budged in years. That seems to be what iOS users prefer, which is fine.)

Meanwhile, if you're going to 'change' a tool I use to earn a living with -and especially if you're going to force the change and remove other options- the change had better actually be an IMPROVEMENT.

I haven't seen where Metro is an improvement over anything on a desktop- it's much more a hinderance. Even many Win8 fans talk about how to avoid it, as if that in and of itself was a positive feature of it. (It's easy to get around!) Great sales pitch.

Other aspects of Win8 are improvements- I like the ribbons on menus and improved speed. Those things actually count toward what I use a computer for.

There's not been a 'designed for windows 8' application released yet. An application that isn't an app, but a full fledged program you'd run off the desktop. Hard to say there aren't improvements when only looking at pre-existing applications. That's not to say anything new will illustrate any improvements, either, but it is possible and no one seems to be willing to even consider that fact. No one seems willing to consider that the start screen could be a phase one type thing that will make boatloads more sense down the line. I'm not saying that's a given either, it could very well get dumped for the PC market, but all we've got to work with at the moment is pre-existing software.

I'm not saying all of you made up your minds after a day or two, most probably did not, but a number of vocal people decided they hated it in the first day or two and never gave it a chance. If I went of initial feelings and impressions, i'd have dumped my android phone after a month and gone back to an iphone. I'm glad I didn't though, because after using it a while I find it much better.

 

[vcarpio2]

There's not been a 'designed for windows 8' application released yet. An application that isn't an app, but a full fledged program you'd run off the desktop. Hard to say there aren't improvements when only looking at pre-existing applications. That's not to say anything new will illustrate any improvements, either, but it is possible and no one seems to be willing to even consider that fact. No one seems willing to consider that the start screen could be a phase one type thing that will make boatloads more sense down the line. I'm not saying that's a given either, it could very well get dumped for the PC market, but all we've got to work with at the moment is pre-existing software.

I'm not saying all of you made up your minds after a day or two, most probably did not, but a number of vocal people decided they hated it in the first day or two and never gave it a chance. If I went of initial feelings and impressions, i'd have dumped my android phone after a month and gone back to an iphone. I'm glad I didn't though, because after using it a while I find it much better.

I (perhaps you, too) have been around since Windows 1.0 (and before). So I'm not unfamiliar with whining on every major release which I think started around WinME(?). (I think complaints in the past were mostly on the engine though, not the interface.) What you're saying about "hated it in the first day or two" to me goes without saying. That's going to happen. But still there could be valid complaints.

I really think MS missed out on some basic philosophical stuff on the Win 8 UI. Then it basically altered my work environment--like someone walking into my office and changing everything--without the option of getting my old one back. So I'm feeling kind of forced into a situation right now. How can I possibly like change, phase one or otherwise, if done that way, that is, forced?

EDIT: When I click the Games tile, it takes me to XBOX. That to me is like validating the cause of my son's plummeting grades. Incorporating it with Windows which runs majority of desktops at work, home, and college to me almost sounds like MS sees the future (of America) as going the way of gaming. (I'm just glad my son, when I offered Win 8 to him on his PC, didn't think so. He wanted none of it.)

EDIT#2: The Photos live tile is absolutely not the way I want it to behave. I am a photographer (hoping to succeed in fine art). So my Photos folder contains "work" photos some purposely underexposed some purposely overexposed, as well as my finished artwork. (I do HDR.) I don't want them showing randomly on the Photos live tile because the under- and over-exposed ones look ugly. If I remove more and more tiles, there'd be pretty much nothing left on my Metro screen so what's the use?

EDIT#3: I don't have a camera connected to my PC so I'm not sure what the Camera tile is doing there.

 

[HeXen]

How can I possibly like change, phase one or otherwise, if done that way, that is, forced?

Cause you wouldn't change otherwise. Few adults do much changing of habits that they either like or think nothing of.

 

[vcarpio2]

Cause you wouldn't change otherwise. Few adults do much changing of habits that they either like or think nothing of.

Um, is "HeXen" your real name? Or an alias? I would just like to know if I should listen to you.

 

[HeXen]

sure, hexen von derp is my real name. wtf? i don't care if you listen to me or not. either you consider it a valid point or not and move on.

 

[vcarpio2]

sure, hexen von derp is my real name. wtf? i don't care if you listen to me or not. either you consider it a valid point or not and move on.

OK. I would just consider you a minor then and reply politely. I think what you're saying about mature people being resistant to change is a myth. Being resistant to change as part of human nature is not. Maybe, and this is just a big maybe on my part, mature people open their mouths more about things they find wrong. But resistant to change, absolutely not.

EDIT: BTW, thank you for telling me your real name. Mine is Virgelio Carpio.

I'm not sure what this is all about, but cut the attitude.
-ViRGE

 

[blurredvision]

EDIT#2: The Photos live tile is absolutely not the way I want it to behave. I am a photographer (hoping to succeed in fine art). So my Photos folder contains "work" photos some purposely underexposed some purposely overexposed, as well as my finished artwork. (I do HDR.) I don't want them showing randomly on the Photos live tile because the under- and over-exposed ones look ugly. If I remove more and more tiles, there'd be pretty much nothing left on my Metro screen so what's the use?

The photos app on Windows Phone 8 actually lets you configure photo "favorites" and will only show those on the live tile. I'd imagine the W8 app will eventually mimic this functionality. Until this, you can turn off the live tile functionality and it will just show a solid-colored Photos app tile. No need to completely remove it (that's what it sounds like you think is the only option).

 

[vcarpio2]

The photos app on Windows Phone 8 actually lets you configure photo "favorites" and will only show those on the live tile. I'd imagine the W8 app will eventually mimic this functionality. Until this, you can turn off the live tile functionality and it will just show a solid-colored Photos app tile. No need to completely remove it (that's what it sounds like you think is the only option).

Thank you, blurredvision. Good to know.

 

[vcarpio2]

OK. I would just consider you a minor then and reply politely. I think what you're saying about mature people being resistant to change is a myth. Being resistant to change as part of human nature is not. Maybe, and this is just a big maybe on my part, mature people open their mouths more about things they find wrong. But resistant to change, absolutely not.

EDIT: BTW, thank you for telling me your real name. Mine is Virgelio Carpio.

I'm not sure what this is all about, but cut the attitude.
-ViRGE

My apologies, ViRGE.

 

[Scooby Doo]

Heh.... just playing Hexen: Dark Knight of the Citadel for the first time...

 

[szvwxcszxc]

Reason:

Windows 8 sucks.
Windows 7 did not need fixing (or in win8 case, completely rewriting the OS from the ground up).

 

[TheInternal]

Despite some minor flaws (that I hope will be addressed soon), I've liked Windows 8 alright. It's different, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

 

[Mem]

Change just for the sake of change does not equate to IMPROVE.

Most people don't do actual work with their phones, and the starting point is like using a computer from many years ago, so people are more open to the hardware/user-experience changing rapidly. (At least with Android. iOS has barely budged in years. That seems to be what iOS users prefer, which is fine.)

Meanwhile, if you're going to 'change' a tool I use to earn a living with -and especially if you're going to force the change and remove other options- the change had better actually be an IMPROVEMENT.

I haven't seen where Metro is an improvement over anything on a desktop- it's much more a hinderance. Even many Win8 fans talk about how to avoid it, as if that in and of itself was a positive feature of it. (It's easy to get around!) Great sales pitch.

Other aspects of Win8 are improvements- I like the ribbons on menus and improved speed. Those things actually count toward what I use a computer for.

Depends how you look at it,I look at Win8 as a hybrid OS which caters for areas ie tablet,desktop,laptop,phone etc...Metro is actually growing on me (never thought I would say that,was neutral before) but I like the way I can make my own columns like "My games,My Software,Win8 applications" etc.. I removed tiles I don't need and have everything I need within one or two clicks max regardless of desktop or Metro,damn easy.

I also have my desktop sorted with my shortcuts on taskbar etc..
I hate to say it I think the pure Microsoft desktop OS is going the way of the dinosaur and you can probably expect Win9 etc to continue being a hybrid OS with probably more refinement on Metro.

End of the day Win8 is a change but not hard to use and easy to navigate IMHO,I don't even miss the old Vista/Win7 style Start menu anymore.

Improvement is relative you can ask 100 people and get different feedback etc..,I think Win8 is fine ie fast,stable,runs all my software and easy to customize and did not take me long as a desktop/gamer user,I went into Win8 open minded and it grew on me.

I look forward to Win9 .

 

[Wilnuff]

When is someone going to realise that Windows8 and WP8 is just a precursor to Blue, a version of which will be on all MS devices(incl. new X-Box, Tablets, Phone, Desktop etc.) to allow for Convergence. The future is nearly here. The future is BLUE.

 

[colonelciller]

When is someone going to realise that Windows8 and WP8 is just a precursor to Blue, a version of which will be on all MS devices(incl. new X-Box, Tablets, Phone, Desktop etc.) to allow for Convergence. The future is nearly here. The future is BLUE.

I'll wait for violet