Update: Since this article was published, Windows 10 has been released to the public so find a Windows 10 key here and update your computer. While the system isn’t perfect, Microsoft has improved a lot of the features that were lacking on Windows 7 and 8.
Microsoft set out to release a single operating system for all devices. What they achieved was a great operating system for tablets and mobile devices and an operating system that was OK for computers and laptops. I would be saying it’s a great o/s for all devices if a computer or a laptop was touch screen, unfortunately, they aren’t!
If Microsoft wanted a single operating system across all platforms then fine, personally I think that’s a great idea. It allows users to pick up a device and instantly know how to use it. What they did though is “fudge” together Windows 8 to get it to work as a computer operating system.
Microsoft should have taken a similar approach that many websites are now adopting. If you are using a computer or a laptop you get the “full” version of Windows 8. If you are using a mobile device or tablet you get a “compact” version. This would give users the same feel and experience throughout any Windows device but still give the user the power a computer has. Windows 8 needed to be Windows 7 with mobile and tablet integration.
Microsoft are going to have issues when it comes to businesses. Who would let the average user loose with Windows 8? I certainly wouldn’t let any of my users use it in its current form. I’d be getting support calls all day and night! Windows 8 needs to be built on the same foundation as Windows 7, give it a Start Button with the normal Windows Start menu, but also give it the metro tiles. They seem to have missed a step to get the average user used to the idea of Windows 8. There at least needs to be the option to make it look more like Windows 7. It has taken me a solid week to get one of my elderly users used to the idea of Windows 7 from XP. If I put Windows 8 in front of her, she’d have a nervous breakdown. The first time I used Windows 8 I struggled to find where shut down was!
The mighty giant that is Microsoft need to understand that a big change like that might be great for tech minded individuals but for people that need to use it on a day to day basis for their job, it can cause all sorts of problems.
Admittedly with the release of Windows Blue (or Windows 8.1) many of the issues I have with Windows 8 will be resolved but it shouldn’t take an update to fix user interface flaws. These should have been ironed out in testing! Many people are suggesting that the main reason for the Windows Blue update is to give Microsoft a way of adding subscription services down the line. Personally I don’t agree but this is something that will almost definitely happen in the future. Think of the money Microsoft loses out on when somebody buys the operating system. One purchase and that’s it, no more revenue from that user until they upgrade in a few years time!
Windows 8 is necessary, in a world full of smart phones and tablets, it is needed. There needs to be an operating system similar on all platforms. But there needed to be a stepping stone, there needed to be a Windows 7.5 to get non-tech minded users used to the idea of “life without the start button”. They needed that middle ground where Windows 7 integrates with Metro.
Post By Dan Ward