This is considered to be "productive".
But this is considered to be "hard".
Posted on 10/22/2012 7:34:25 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Microsoft is launching its new operating system, Windows 8, this week.
Windows 8 is a radical departure for anyone who has used Windows in the past two decades. The new interface is designed primarily for touch-screens. And based on some anecdotal responses from those who have tried it--professional reviewers and normal people alike--it's not exactly love at first sight.
SAI's Matt Rosoff reviewed a preview version of Windows 8 a couple of months ago. He found it "needlessly confusing and hard to use."
The AP said the new OS interface "baffles" consumers.
The New York Times's David Gallagher invited 5 people to try Windows 8 and filmed them while they did so. One of the five people seemed to like the look of the design ("Awesome," "This is so cool,"). But figuring out how to actually go about doing things seemed to confuse the hell out of everyone--including the person who liked the design.
The video is embedded below.
Here are some of the quotes:
"I don't like this design."
"I think it's really confusing."
"Some of it feels intuitive once you've already done it, but it doesn't feel automatically intuitive."
"It should be easier. I shouldn't have to think about it."
"Beats me." [In response to a question about how to print something]
"I felt like the biggest computer user amateur ever. It made me feel stupid."
I've never used Windows 8, so all I know about it is what I've seen in this video and read in a couple of reviews. One thing I can tell you I already hate about it, though, is the apparent need to manipulate it by touching your laptop screen.
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
How much of that is because you get Win 7 when you buy a PC. It isn't exactly a victory for Microsoft when they win because the XP computers are being replaced because of age attrition.
Sometimes the best thing for the OS to do is "not get in the way". Vista got in the way of using the computer. Windows 7 less so. I don't know about Windows 8, but it looks like it will get in the way more. When I use a desktop computer, I usually want a big screen out of arm's reach so a touch interface will either be difficult or impossible for me. Even with a mouse interface I look for the keyboard shortcuts so I don't have to take my hands off the keyboard for most operations.
But then I'm still looking for a way to send Free Republic a stack of punch cards and get 14x11" printouts a few days later.
Right next to the button that makes the cup holder slide out...
According to Zogby and NBC/Wall Street Journal polls 80% of Windows users prefer Windows 8.
You have been getting Win 7 on new computers since 2009, and before that Vista since 2006 on new computers, and that still didn't dislodge XP from having the biggest installed base. Windows 7 acquired the biggest installed base of any desktop/laptop OS on the planet in 3 short years, because its the best desktop OS out there. Period!
“It isn't exactly a victory for Microsoft when they win because the XP computers are being replaced because of age attrition.”
It is, given that attrition never stopped XP before from having the biggest installed base. XP has been out since 2001.
” Vista got in the way of using the computer.”
Vista was fine. Just so happens that most of the hardware that Vista was initially shipped on, didn't have the power to run Vista. Microsoft screwed up by low balling the system requirements for Vista. Running Vista on one of them low powered machines was a nightmare.
” I don't know about Windows 8, but it looks like it will get in the way more”
Nonsense.
This 3 year old found using Windows 8 a doozy.:
http://microsoft-news.com/3-year-old-shows-exactly-how-hard-it-is-to-learn-windows-8/
“Even with a mouse interface I look for the keyboard shortcuts so I don't have to take my hands off the keyboard for most operations”
Both RT and Windows 8 work fine with keyboards and mice, maybe even better.
I loaded the Win 8 predevlopment on a laptop I did not use. It came with Win 7 but two usb ports blew out. I had the care package on it so got it replaced but they blew out again. Decided not to replace it again.
So it had one usb port, I loaded the Win 8, and gave it to my grandson for his 8th birthday six months ago.
So far, working great. He has some experience with XP and iPad. My son runs both MS and Apple, so he could help out if little Jack needed it, but so far no problems.
“Seen lots of people that huffed and puffed, when it came to having to learn new programs critical for the department, get passed over for more enthusiastic younger people that were more open.”
Dude, I worked military test. Now tell me what Windows 8 does that is “critical”. In business, you don’t spend time teaching people new interfaces for fun. You only do it if you get something out of it. If 8 gives me something “critical”, I’ll do whatever it takes. What is that “critical to the department” function?
“Windows 7 Overtakes Windows XP As the Most Popular Desktop OS”
Ummm...yes. After MS stopped selling and supporting XP.
From your link: “It took three years for Windows 7 to become the world’s most popular OS.”
That is why I now have Windows 7. But I would be happy to still be using my XP machine, except the keyboard wore out and the USB ports were dying.
Windows 7 didn’t do anything that helped me, but MS left me with the choice of using 7 or going to Linux or Mac. The interface change between XP & 7 was minimal. If faced with that choice for 7 going to 8, I might defect and use a Mac.
Again, it’s not about people being unable to change, it’s about people not being motivated to change if there is no need. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is not being in a rut, it’s common sense.
You say it’s dangerous for the basic interface to be the same for 20 years. Why? What is dangerous about a user interface? What is the pressing need to revamp the entire interface? The ordinary user is rightly surmising that there is no need, and that is why they can’t summon up the motivation to learn something new, needlessly.
Yep...I could have waited for 8 to come out (since I needed a new one, but not on an urgent basis), but I bought a new computer this summer so I still could get 7. Evidently it was a good decision...I remember Windows ME. Yuchh..
>> “The ordinary user is rightly surmising that there is no need, and that is why they can’t summon up the motivation to learn something new, needlessly.” <<
.
Exactly. - Windows 8 will be the most profound failure of all time for PCs and Laptops.
It’ll kill the market for computers too, at a time when the industry is already staggering from Obama & Co.
Great post.
One giant mistake technology companies make is assuming the entire world is going to wholesale abandon the old in favor of the new.
W8 is an operating system for touchscreen computers - full stop.
They are betting the ranch that the desktop/laptop market is gone.
They see dragging the legacy market behind them as a giant liability and they are trying to cross the chasm to portable computing in one OS release.
A ham handed product strategy from a company that was never strong at product strategy in the first place.
Ummmm..Microsoft initially, officially stopped selling XP way back in 2008(http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/tech/products/software/2008-06-30-microsoft-xp_N.htm?csp=34&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+usatoday-TechTopStories+(Tech+-+Top+Stories)), but that still stop XP from having by far the biggest desktop/laptop install base by far for another 4 years. It was only in August this year that Win 7 overtook XP. So you can't claim that merely stopping XP sales caused Win 7 to overtake XP
Futher, you entirely fail to mention the netbook craze which started in 2008, and sold tens of millions of netbooks, most of which run XP, which Microsoft sold at a cheap price to OEM’s in order to undercut and overtake Linux in then etbpook market, Linux having earlier on been dominant in netbooks, until low cost XP powered netbooks from Asus and others clobbered Linux in netbooks.
“That is why I now have Windows 7. But I would be happy to still be using my XP machine, except the keyboard wore out and the USB ports were dying.”
Speak for yourself. Win 7 is vastly superior to XP,and is vastly more secure and easier to administer in a Windows server shop than XP. Most corporates decided to move to win 7 for those reasons, even tho Microsoft is still supporting XP till 2014.
“Windows 7 didn’t do anything that helped me, but MS left me with the choice of using 7 or going to Linux or Mac. “
Nope.
Its very easy to buy a modern, new PC with no OS installed on it,and simply install your own OS if you like. You had plenty of choice, mate.
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/category/category_slc.asp?CatId=119&name=No%20OS%20Systems
http://www.google.com/#hl=en&sugexp=les%3B&gs_nf=3&gs_mss=buy%20a%20pc%20wi&cp=20&gs_id=26&xhr=t&q=buy+a+pc+without+os&pf=p&sclient=psy-ab&oq=buy+a+pc+wiyth+no+os&gs_l=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=39618ea2901acf65&bpcl=35466521&biw=1920&bih=989
“The interface change between XP & 7 was minimal. If faced with that choice for 7 going to 8, I might defect and use a Mac”
Good riddance to a professional whiner, that's what I say. Meanwhile, win 8 pre-order sales have been pretty brisk, and Win 8 will proceed to sell in the hundreds of millions, with or without you.
It took 4 years of not having XP machines on the market before 7 took the lead, and you consider that evidence that folks were rushing to buy 7?
And just how many people like buying a blank machine and installing their own OS? Not very damn many.
“Good riddance to a professional whiner, that’s what I say.”
Well, then goodby to a techno geek who wants the latest regardless of how the latest performs. Change for the sake of change isn’t progress.
Yup.
How big do you think the entire XP install base was to start off with, and how many PC’s are sold per year?
Also, back in 2008, the netbook craze started,and most netbooks run on XP, because Microsoft sold XP cheaply to the OEM’s , making it the only way Microsoft was able to compete with and beat Linux which had earlier on dominated netbook sales.
“And just how many people like buying a blank machine and installing their own OS? Not very damn many.”
Not relevant. You claimed that “ MS left me with the choice of using 7 or going to Linux or Mac”. I merely pointed out that you had the choice of buying a blank machine and installing XP if you really wanted to, and gave you the links to where you can buy em.
“Well, then goodby to a techno geek who wants the latest regardless of how the latest performs. Change for the sake of change isn’t progress”
Win 8 is NOT change for the sake of change. Win 8 is Microsoft finally bringing Windows into the tablet age(Win 7 wasn't). You may have noticed that tablet sales have exploded, with little to no participation from Microsoft. Win 8(as well as Surface) is Microsoft's answer to tablets as well laptops, netbooks, and desktops. This is badly needed change.
That sums it up nicely. The take-away quote from the article, and the reason that I hate Office 2007 and up...
""— every minute I have to spend learning how to use a new tool is a minute I could have spent actually working —""
Fact is, the change does nothing for productivity, for actually USING the computer. It's simply change for the sake of change. And it presents a formidable obstacle to the user. Time and money will be wasted learning and training when people could be doing instead.
The only place I can see this being somewhat useful is on a touch-screen computer like the i-pad or similar. It does nothing for those of us that sit back in our chair with our keyboard and mouse, looking at multiple large monitors that we can actually read without pressing our nose against the screen.
Prefer it to what, a date with Sandra Fluke?
Never, if you use this company's products.
I use these on my devices and they rock.
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