Does Windows 8 continue to get worse with each update? Apparently one of the world’s most well known Microsoft fans thinks so.
It’s really hard to find non-Microsoft blogs and articles which rave about Windows 8 — but it is very easy to find articles and blogs critical of Windows 8. And it’s not so much that Windows 8 is so bad, it’s so bad because Microsoft completely ignored their core customers: the enterprise and the consumer.
Microsoft has recently published articles pushing the remaining Windows XP users to move to Windows 8. Perhaps they wouldn’t have had to plead so long or so hard had they listened to their most important customers — the personal user and the corporate users — neither group is embracing Windows 8, in fact, they’re avoiding it.
And I know some of you love Windows 8, and that’s fine. I don’t find it so terrible that I can’t use it, but I perfer Windows 7 because I’m a laptop user who doesn’t use a touchscreen (although I can – my tablet has one); I’m comfortable with a mouse and keyboard. Those who are not, and those with touchscreens may find Windows 8 their cup of tea, and if you’re one of those, you won’t like the next update of Windows called Windows 8.1, Update 1.
The jury is no longer out with the Windows 8 verdict — it’s in, and it’s clear. The majority don’t like Windows 8 and each update reminds us that Microsoft is scrambling to fix what it should have never had to fix — if only they had listened to their loyal customers.
The following article explains, in part, why Windows 8 is such a disaster and why Microsoft is hurrying Windows 9 to market:
Microsoft Fan Says: ‘Windows 8 Is A Disaster In Every Sense Of The Word’
One of Microsoft’s strongest supporters took a good, hard look at the soon-to-be released next version of Windows 8, which could arrive in April, and threw his hands up in frustration.
The new version is called Windows 8 Update 1, and it includes a number of small changes, mostly minor tweaks.
These tweaks try to fix some of the complaints people still had about Windows 8. But blogger Paul Thurrott of the influential Windows blog “Supersite for Windows” says they really just make Windows 8 more difficult to use, especially on a tablet.
He took Microsoft to task, writing:
Windows 8 is a disaster in every sense of the word. This is not open to debate, is not part of some cute imaginary world where everyone’s opinion is equally valid or whatever. Windows 8 is a disaster. Period.
Read more at http://goo.gl/mS3PEX
Oh no – not another one who is either too lazy to read or too self centred to look up simple instructions. I think that person should stop blogging.
To make 8.1 look and behave like Windows 7 just right click on the taskbar, select Properties/ Navigation and click the first box under Start Screen. Lo and behold no tiles. If you then click the Widows logo on the desktop you have the graphic equivalent of the old Start Menu programmes and more. However, don’t go looking for the programmes – just type the first few letters e.g note….. and if you are looking for Notepad its icon is their waiting to be pressed.
First of all, Paul Thurrott is one of the most respected Windows experts in the world. To assert he has not “read the instructions”, is ludicrous.
Secondly, he is writing about Windows 8.1 Update 1, which, unless you’re a Microsoft Beta Tester, you’ve never seen and therefore wouldn’t have any knowledge at all about how to make it “look like Windows 7”. If you had done a little research you’d have learned that Windows 8.1 Update 1, boots to the desktop by default and has (at this point) a start button that opens a start menu rather than the start screen.
Third, Windows 8/8.1 is the worst selling Windows ever. And whether you like it or I like it, most people don’t like it — and it has nothing to do with reading instructions.
Your comment is full of hubris. You criticizing Paul Thurrott for not reading instructions shows a complete lack of knowledge about the author of the article. Your comments are condescending and assume anyone who doesn’t like Windows 8 / 8.1 is stupid.
You have a computer and you have a browser and instead of trying to show everyone how knowledgeable you are about Windows, you should have found out who Paul Thrurrott is and what he’s accomplished.
Since you didn’t do that, I have done it for you:
First of all, Paul Thurrott is one of the most respected Windows experts in the world. To assert he has not “read the instructions”, is ludicrous.
Secondly, he is writing about Windows 8.1
First of all, Paul Thurrott is one of the most respected Windows experts in the world. To assert he has not “read the instructions”, is ludicrous.
Secondly, he is writing about Windows 8.1 Update 1, which, unless you’re a Microsoft Beta Tester, you’ve never seen and therefore wouldn’t have any knowledge at all about how to make it “look like Windows 7”. If you had done a little research you’d have learned that Windows 8.1 Update 1, boots to the desktop by default and has (at this point) a start button that opens a start menu rather than the start screen.
Third, Windows 8/8.1 is the worst selling Windows ever. And whether you like it or I like it, most people don’t like it — and it has nothing to do with reading instructions.
Your comment is full of hubris. You criticizing Paul Thurrott for not reading instructions shows a complete lack of knowledge about the author of the article. Your comments are condescending and assume anyone who doesn’t like Windows 8 / 8.1 is stupid.
You have a computer and you have a browser and instead of trying to show everyone how knowledgeable you are about Windows, you should have found out who Paul Thrurrott is and what he’s accomplished.
Since you didn’t do that, I have done it for you:
First of all, Paul Thurrott is one of the most respec
I am well aware of Paul Thurott and his site, and read it. That does not mean he is always correct, so please don’t brush this issue under the carpet by using a defensive attitude! I am being factual. I also have the leaked ISO of Windows 8.1 update 1 (despite not being a Microsoft tester).
I use Windows 8/8.1 on both a Microsoft Surface tablet and laptop, so am experienced with both normal and touch screen. Just forget that 8/8.1 works with a touchscreen (unless you want to e.g. use the excellent touchscreen handwriting tool) and treat it like a normal machine, as I have noted, as you have in the past. It is unlikely Windows 8.1 update will not contain the ‘fixes’ I have noted.
PS I have been writing a national computer column for 14 years. I train corporates, groups and individuals in Windows. To date, not a single one of those trained complain about Windows 8./8.1 after training.
The one thing I agree is that Microsoft did a poor marketing job explaining the dual system.
Your hubris is funny. I don’t think anyone is challenging the operating system — it works well. But is a vast improvement over Windows 7? No, it’s Windows 7 under the hood, with some new things added — System Refresh is nice (when it works), System Reset is a good idea (when it works), and it’s really nice you can run installations directly from an ISO by mounting it rather than going through the rigmarole of making a DVD or CD. But essentially it’s Windows 7 under the hood. Actually, this generation of Windows started with Vista, which was a disaster too.
Microsoft is scrambling to win back its core customers – the enterprise and the consumer. I can’t imagine any enterprise deploying Windows 8, and in fact, that’s borne out by the slagging sales. Windows 8/8.1 is the worst selling Windows ever. That’s not my opinion and you can’t dispute it. If that were not true Microsoft would not be rushing out Windows 9 by April 2015.
Microsoft, in an attempt to cut corners, tried to release a “one-size-fits-all” operating system, and failed. Apple doesn’t use the same operating system on its tablets as it does on its desktops and laptops — and there’s a reason for that. And Google doesn’t distribute the same OS for tablets and phones as it does for Chromebooks…and later this year laptops and desktops.
Further proof of the failure of Windows 8 is the unceremonious departure of its hard-headed designer.
Microsoft’s profits are up because of Office and not because of Windows. Microsoft suffers from Google and Apple Envy – as well they should. Windows 8 is a good operating system, but it’s not what people want. If people wanted it, PC sales and sales of Windows 8 would not be so poor. And HP would not be spending millions of dollars on a Windows 7 advertising campaign.
Your personal opinion and mine don’t matter. Sales of Windows 8 are horrible because people and the enterprise do not like it.
My personal opinion of Windows 8 design is that it’s a failed attempt to copy Android and Apple…a Frankenstein hodgepodge of Windows, Android, Apple, and tablet and smartphone operating systems.
Microsoft lost ability to innovate, and Windows 8 demonstrates that clearly.
Is it technically a bad operating system? No. Is it innovative? Hardly. It has not been poorly marketed at all, Windows has spend more millions on advertising Windows 8 than any previous version of Windows. Hell, the paid gazillions for a Stupor Bowl ad.
But your comments are full of hubris. Thanks for making me laugh!
I cannot but agree with the sentiments expressed by 80+. Period
I personally love Windows 8/8.1and have touch screen. I didn’t realize how much I used my touch screen, until I got on a laptop to help a friend, and I kept grabbing the screen. As TC noted in prior articles, if you set it up right, you don’t even realize you are using Windows 8 if you are used to Windows 7.
I have set up dozens of Windows 8 computers for customers used to XP and they love it once it is tweaked a little.
I keep reading about it being a disaster, and maybe it is as far as sales, it is, but as far as using, I really cannot tell much difference anymore.
Darcy (Eightball)
Could it be that that those who have upgraded to Windows 7 do not feel the need to go to Windows 8/8.1 – that could also be a reason why 8/8.1 sales have been slow or low. I think we jump to too many conclusions without facts.