Final thoughts on Windows 8: A design disaster

[bill]

Final thoughts on Windows 8: A design disaster [zdnet.com]

Summary: The biggest problem with Windows 8 is that it wasn’t born out of a need or demand. Its design failures, particularly with ‘Metro UI’ will likely be its downfall. Here’s why.

[lucy24]

it wasn’t born out of a need or demand

What on earth are they talking about? The people who sell computers need to keep selling new ones-- planned obsolescence, right?-- and software manufacturers need to squeeze more money out of users by selling upgrades to make the old product work on a new computer. So everyone demands a new operating system every few years.

If the new system is lousy, so much the better, because then you can come out with a still newer one next year.

[Robert Charlton]

The article reinforces my worst fears about the ribbon, etc. At the same time, I look at the favorable anticipation that some of us have for the Surface tablet, as in this discussion here...

MS releases own tablet "Surface" for Win 8
[webmasterworld.com...]

...and I'm thinking we're going to find ourselves in a very confused situation for a while. I assume that the Surface tablet will be useless without Windows 8. OTOH, I can't imagine wanting to use the touch interface on a desktop machine.

I'm in the process of speccing out a new desktop setup (I know... great timing), and I'm wondering what kind of hardware to consider, how many copies of Windows 7 to stockpile, etc etc.

[bill]

That Metro screen interface still hasn't convinced me it's better than what I have now, but I'm trying to like it. As a start screen it isn't bad to have all your information in those Metro tiles. However, I'd rather have the option to work the way I prefer and not be forced into this new system.

I'm in the process of speccing out a new desktop setup (I know... great timing), and I'm wondering what kind of hardware to consider, how many copies of Windows 7 to stockpile, etc etc.

Well, the advice I've read is to get Windows 7 Home version and you can get a free upgrade to Windows 8 Pro [webmasterworld.com].

[smallcompany]

I'm in the process of speccing out a new desktop setup

I did my desktop little more than 2 years ago. Windows 7 is good, I set it to run in performance mode (makes it look like Windows 2000).
i7 at 2.8, 4GB, VelociRaptor 300MB as primary HD.

[ByronM]

Lots of people missing the boat..

WinRT / Metro was borne out of demand. People are demanding applications that can run on any kind of device and an ecosystem that can fulfill that demand.

MS has been on a "3 screen" bandwagon for 10+ years and it amazes me people still write it off as if its new and misguided.. just where have you been?

Metro is their design language/UI for Phone, TV and Computer - regardless of form factor in any of those "3 screens". The UI is interactive for mouse, touch, gesture, voice, keyboard, remote & controller experiences and lends itself to being super intuitive and simple to use.

Its a paradigm shift for sure, but its a shift in a direciton i'm enthusiastic about because it opens the doors to new possibilities and yet somehow they were able to maintain great backwards support capabilities.

Not only that, but windows 8 as an OS has been improved vastly, fast boot, low memory foot print, more secure, hypervisor support, better deployment options.. the list goes on and on.

Developers wanted HTML5/JavaScript capability, they got it. Developers wanted C/C++ capability, they got it. .Net is proving its worth, especially as MS goes cross platform and users, we're potentially winning HUGE with a single ecosystem where we buy an app and we run it anywhere.. no more "an app" for my phone, an app for my desktop and an app for my tablet..

oh well.. /rant lol