Posted on 02/01/2016 1:58:08 PM PST by SeekAndFind
Windows 10 has surpassed Windows XP to become the second most-used operating system in the world. NetMarketShare figures from January show Microsoft's latest version is running on 11.85 percent of global PCs, edging out Windows XP, which runs on 11.42 percent of machines.
The news will be a boost to Microsoft as it aims to get as many people to upgrade as possible. Microsoft wants 1 billion devices running the operating system globally in 2018. To reach this goal, the company is offering free upgrades to customers running Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 for Windows 10's first year of availability.
Windows 10's market share has grown quickly since the OS launched in July. Last month, Microsoft revealed that Windows 10 is the fastest-growing version of Windows ever, with over 200 million installations complete.
Windows 7 is still far ahead in first place, in use on 52.47 percent of the world's computers. The 6-year-old OS may not stay on top forever, however. Gartner predicted in November that Windows 10 would beat even Windows 7 to become the most widely installed version.
There are plenty of reasons for users to upgrade. The release refines many of the concepts introduced in Windows 8, like a touch-friendly interface, while ditching some of the more confusing aspects that left keyboard and mouse users befuddled. It also introduces new features like a voice-activated personal assistant, known as Cortana, that runs on the Bing search engine.
Windows 10 is also boosted by its system requirements. New versions of Windows typically demanded better and faster hardware to run the new features. In Windows 10's case, the requirements match Windows 8.1 and only marginally increase from Windows 7.
I was somewhat amazed my laptop made the Win 7 >> 10 transition seamlessly.
Somebody told me since Ballmer is gone, customer service isn’t a forbidden term at MS any more.
FROM BUSINESS INSIDER:
http://www.businessinsider.com/windows-10-overtakes-windows-8-market-share-2016-2
The total PC market is thought to contain about 1.5 billion PCs, which means Windows 10 is on about 180 million computers. Microsoft recently announced that 200 million people were using Windows 10, but that is spread across tablets, PCs, and Xbox.
Windows 7 is still the dominant operating system, with a 52% share of the desktop market that includes about 780 million users globally. Mac OS X, the desktop operating system from Apple, has about 75 million users.
Microsoft’s goal is 1 billion people using Windows 10, a figure Apple recently announced its mobile iOS operating system had achieved. The company is giving away Windows free until late July in an effort to increase use.
Well, they forced it on everyone, so the install base of 7 and 8.x pretty much HAD to migrate.
This is just a question of market share for MS overall.
They need to put PDAs in the mix for a proper comparison. Many are abandoning their “computers” for pure PDA.
Well duh, Microsoft 10 has been working hard to trick me into downloading it. I’m sure it’s nailed lots of other people.
That’s nice. I’m sticking with Windows 7.
Free stuff (Windows 10) is always a big seller in a Socialist country.
I have Windows 8. Still trying to figure out the benefits of going Windows 10.
Coercion doesn’t count.
Did you hear that Microsoft acquired Electrolux?
After making numerous design revisions, they will
finally be releasing a product that doesn’t suck!
Microsoft would use roofies on a woman, then brag to their friends that she must really like them.
That is great parallel.
Sick of the daily reminders to upgrade.
They should call it Windows "SPY."
No thanks. I'm not ready for 1984 just yet.
My 8 yr old windows XP crashed and my husband bought a rebuilt 7 that was glitchy. Just bit the bullet and bought a new computer with 10. I don’t do anything fancy so it has been fine. I HATE change so I am glad that I won’t get that constant nagging to upgrade LOL!
Well, I did download an unlicensed copy, from Microsoft, to install into a virtualbox (on my Mac) to check it out.
Not real impressed. Tiles suck! And all the crap you have to turn off so it’s not constantly talking to Redmond; and even then you can’t really be sure unless you have a sniffer running on something else.
No thanks.
I was sitting here on my computer maybe about a couple of weeks ago... and caught windows 10 freaking downloading in the background, without any kind of notification.
I wonder how many other people Microsoft has nailed like that?
If you download Classic Shell (it’s free) you can make Windows 8/8.1 look and feel like Windows 7.
I download it for all of my computer clients.
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