Is Windows 8 doomed to be "largely irrelevant" on the desktop?

franko12345 (New user):

Ubuntu is having the same problem with the new Unity UI for the long term 12.04 release. It also is more tablet then pc designed, but is better integrated and user friendly than Win 8.

I have been trying out both and I think Unity is a better fit for pc usage then Win 8. At least you do not get confused the way Win 8 has two different desktops depending on what you are doing.

DandamanV (New user):

It's a sad thing that Silicon Valley companies are being clingers-on of the tablet form-factor. I really thoroughly enjoy desktop environments and I am really not taken by Microsoft's Windows 8. It's not fun to use with a mouse and keyboard, and Samsung is the only company that's bothered to make a PC tablet that can compete with iPad and Android. Ultimately, after I used the beta, I decided that I wasn't going to upgrade. Viva la Windows 7?

Friction (New user):

The UI for Windows 8 is totally useless for a normal Windows user. 95% of desktop computer still only use non-touch monitors, so this will be a total waste. We aren't ready for a total touch environment UI yet.

Tin (Cornerstone member):

Plus touch screens aren't exactly that good for lengthy input - they aren't as good as a regular keyboard for real typing, and they can't offer as many buttons or the accuracy of a mouse.

These limitations will probably be around until we get direct thought control, or someone invents better fingers.

Your Average Joe (Cornerstone member):

Oh Crap! .... There goes my clean desktop and my bikini clad babes wallpapers :(

Friction (New user):

Not if you don't upgrade! I certainly won't be! I've tried one of the Aplha releases and I wasn't impressed with the usability to say the least.

Mutley (User):

There is another reason why Windows 8 may take-up may be slow.
With MS no longer supporting Windows XP, corporates/government are now in the process of being dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century having to install Windows 7.

Many of them will then cling to Windows 7 for over ten years too with excuses for not updating like cost of upgrading, application compatibility, blah blah - in other words corporate inertia.

I expect the first beta of Windows 8 will be a lot more usable than the (alpha) Developer Preview.

Friction (New user):

I would agree that most businesses will cling to Win 7 for many years to come. Win 8 doesn't give any benefits other than touchscreen ability that I have seen.

Until they remove the Metro UI (which doesn't look likely) I can Win 8 beeing a big flop financial wise for M$.

ss-rotel (Senior Forumologist):

guys... you DO realize that you can turn Metro off, right?

there are alot of things that win8 will do better then win7, and i'm sure they will be brought to light closer to release date.

I've played with the "developers" edition, which is like an alpha release, and it's going to need a bit of work, (ok, that was a bit of an understatement), but it did show potential.

Friction (New user):

I don't know where or how you found that out, but when I 'played' with the Developers edition there was no way to turn it off. The Mero UI is the whole selling point behind Win8 so why would they allow for it to be switched off.

Tin (Cornerstone member):

There's a registry key that switches it off and (apparently - I haven't tried it yet) returns the Win7 style Start menu.

I imagine they'll make Metro optional in the final release. It'll be another Vista if they make it default and not easy to turn off.

Mutley (User):

Yeah. I usually turn Metro off too.
Hopefully the February beta will make it a bit easier to switch between the two and set your default to either interface.
I am hoping the new "resilient file system" is not restricted to server editions only as some sites are suggesting.

J876 (Regular user):

Since this is an Alpha release of Windows 8 it is still up for major development so its a bit early to say yet what is going to happen.

I agree totally that for a desktop machine or a laptop without a touchscreen the Metro interface should be able to be turned off and the desktop mode to be set as the default interface. The user should be able to choose which interface they want to run depending on the form factor.

Also there should be only one common control panel for settings not two. This is wasteful and I can see many hardware configuration problems and software issues down the track. Make the control panel common with tiles when its in Metro Mode and Icons when its in desktop mode but the content and settings should be set from one location.
And anyone who has tested the developer preview needs to give feedback to Microsoft so that the next iteration will be better. If nobody contacts Microsoft directly to give feedback about bugs or features nothing will change.

As for gaining traction in the Tablet market, the business applications on the Android and Apple App stores are nowhere near as good as their desktop counterparts. For example, CAD software, REAL Microsoft Office with full macro support, SharePoint sites, payroll and accounting packages etc. Windows 8 will have the edge on Apple and Google in the corporate space because they have a bigger library of work related applications. Let’s be honest here, the current crop of Android, RIM and Apple tablet software are geared more towards to consumer rather than the corporate market. I would personally like to have an ARM or x86 tablet (multiboot of course) that can run a full version of office instead of cloud apps or watered down versions and be able to run full versions of my work software.

Ultimately, it’s up to Microsoft to listen to users because they will be the ones forking out the cash and if they don't like it, they won't buy it and we could have the third edition of Microsoft car crashes: Windows Millennium Edition (hopeless edition), Windows Vista (resource hog and militant UAC), Windows 8? (I hope not).

This is make or break for Microsoft.

Friction (New user):

I think they are targeting the wrong market. This OS would be good for Tablets, but not for Desktops, Laptops, or Mobiles.

ss-rotel (Senior Forumologist):

i wouldn't say this is make or break for ms... that's a bit extreme, dont you think? it can't be any worse than vista or win ME, and they are still around now?

you all, (well, 80% yeah?), use windows of some flavour as an OS, right? if you DONT want to use win8, but have to replace your OS for whatever reason, what else would you run???

the SMART thing to do would be relase a SE Version of win7, beside the win8 release, like XP with MCE And tablet editions.

OR maybe they will just release a touch SKU of win8, that runs metro as the UI, and this arguement is moot.

OBVIOUSLY, the only SKU we have available is the developers ed, and they're going to want you to give the one with EVERYTHING be damned..

remember this article ONLY focus on metro, and how bad that is... for a computer WITHOUT a touch screen.

beta is tipped for feb next year, so offical release is proably not going to be until 4th quater 2012.

do you think touch screens aren't going to be common place in 12 months time?

what about Kinect support in win 8, problem solved?

John in Brisbane (Regular user):

With win7 actually working pretty well, aren't MS due for a serious money wasting mistep??? :-)