Posted on 09/26/2012 7:19:39 AM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
To hear Microsoft tell it, work on Windows 8 wrapped in August and the final version of the new OS is already shipping to PC makers. But according to a source close to Intel, Redmond's closest hardware partner thinks the current Windows 8 code is still only half-baked.
At a recent company meeting in Taipei, Taiwan, Intel CEO Paul Otellini told staffers that Windows 8 is being released before it's fully ready, Bloomberg reports, citing an unnamed source who attended the event.
But although Otellini thinks the Windows 8 code needs improvement, the source claims, he still believes that releasing it before the 2012 holiday season is the right move and that any needed fixes can be made post-launch.
Microsoft has said Windows 8 will hit retail stores on October 26, the same day that it plans to release its Surface tablets running Windows RT, the ARM-based version of the OS. Neither announcement has been met with particular enthusiasm by analysts and industry bigwigs, however, several of whom have voiced doubts similar to Otellini's.
In July, Gartner research director Gunnar Berger said that the Windows 8 user experience on PCs without touchscreens was "bad," and that when the analyst firm asked its clients whether they were evaluating the new OS, "most laughed."
That same month, gaming mogul Gabe Newell told conference attendees in Seattle that he expected Windows 8 to be "a catastrophe for everyone in the PC space," and that top-tier PC makers would be forced to exit the market when consumers stopped buying their goods.
While Newell's view may be a bit extreme, Otellini's remarks will surely stoke the fires of those critics who are already comparing Windows 8 to the much-maligned (and commercially disastrous) Windows Vista.
For its part, Microsoft denied that there's anything wrong with Windows 8. "With over 16 million active preview participants, Windows 8 is the most tested, reviewed and ready operating system in Microsoft’s history," the company said in a statement.
But although "active preview participants" has a nice ring to it, we here at El Reg's West Coast aerie might suggest another term, based on Otellini's reported comments: how does "guinea pigs" sound? ®
Having used Win8 Preview for the past couple of weeks, I think that Paul Ortinelli is understating the case, in a very, very big way. I doubt that MSFT’s Ballmer could buy a clue.
It’s like MSFT is bound and determined to commit suicide in a very public method. To say that Win8 isn’t ready for release is like saying my 2 yr old grandson is a classical Shakespearian Actor ready for his broadway performance.
It’s horrible ... it’s beyond horrible. Forget everything you’ve learned since Windows 3.1, WinME, Win2K, WinXP, Vista or Win7 - as it’s all pretty much useless now. Re-train your IT department and everyone in your company. Even turning the stupid PC off is now more convoluted than you would believe.
Apple couldn’t possibly buy an advertizing campaign as successful as Win8. Win8 is MSFT’s own worst enemy.
> ... Windows 8 to the much-maligned (and commercially disastrous) Windows Vista.
I must admit I hated Vista and went to Windows 7, but my machines now all run with Vista. Windows 7 is fine for the Starbucks crowd, but Vista grows on you after a while and is really good at handling very large files and multiple virtual machines.
Too bad apple is not enterprise ready, but I’ve seen lots of small organizations in the planning stages to jump to apple. I’ve not dug into windows8/server 2012 very deep yet, but so far, once you get past the gui, the underlying stuff appears to work about the same to me, but I admit I’ve barely scratched the surface.
I’ve played with it and do not like it. I’ll stick with Win 7 and Mac’s.
Windows 8 is going to be a fiasco that will make Vista look like the greatest marketing triumph since the Model T.
I thought you could turn off that hideous Metro interface and go back to a normal Windows screen?
Not exactly from what I can see. You can sorta jump back and forth but I think there is stuff on the metro you can’t get to on the windows screen.
Well, that kills it for me.
I’ll eventually have to evaluate it when the ‘brains’ in IT upper management want us to upgrade our desktop O/S for no reason.
I love Windows 7.
Yeah.. that sounds like Microsoft
Is intel still upset that it is not written exclusivly optimized for intel? Is intel upset that new chip architetures will work with win8 and will mean more competition for intel?
Brother. The usual cabal, spouting the usual.
There are 2 things you can count on with media reporting:
Republicans always lose.
Microsoft is terrible.
That is until the GOP wins and MS sells a ton of OSs.
Nope, explictly forbidden by MSFT. It's Metro .. .get used to it, or go somewhere else.
Personally, I'm dropping $519 for a refurb Mac-Mini and going to try that. On the plus side, I can load Bootcamp or Parallels and run BOTH WinXP and OSX at the same time.
Nice to know some things never change.
ORLY? I believe you are the first person I've ever known to like Vista more than Win 7.
I love Win 7, and don't plan on changing for a very long time.
Win 8 = Windows me Tablet Edition?
Been using Win 8 in various forms - developer’s release, consumer preview and now the RTM (release to market) code. My laptop has a touchscreen and I love the OS. Tablet(iPad) like is you want but full featured widowns if youneed it. Best of both worlds.
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