Windows 8 Hits 100 Million Sales

[Jaeger_CDN]

IT professional checking in here. Windows 8 is perfectly fine from an optimization standpoint, but in terms of usability, it's a pile of shit. We regularly joke about it in the office. We're not putting that rubbish on any of the PCs we manage, it wouldn't be in anyone's best interests.

That's where Microsoft miscalculated , window 8 is not built for enterprise use which has been their biggest source of income.

 

[Waaghpowa]

Any laptop I buy with Windows I replace with Linux, but I still count towards the Windows numbers.

A lot of people genuinely don't like Windows 8. Yes, there are people hating it for hating sake, like everything, but there are some legitimate reasons for why a lot of people think it's so awful.

I've used Windows 8 myself and it's much faster and performs better. It has much better use of resources than previous Windows. Problem is, the UI totally kills the experience. It's so unintuitive. It sends you straight to the "Metro" and not the desktop, you have to physically look for the desktop "app". Then you have to set it to default to the desktop, which you shouldn't have to do. Not to mention the side bars for settings is absolutely obnoxious.

I work electronics retail, we have several computers out with Windows 8 on them and a single laptop on display that I installed Ubuntu Linux on. Customers are always complaining about how Windows 8 is confusing and they don't know how to do anything, but then say that the Ubuntu computer is much easier to use.

You can go on about how much better an OS Windows 8 is from a technical stand point, but fact of the matter is that the average user will think it's bad simply because it's UI is confusing and cumbersome.

 

[cidbahamut]

IT professional checking in here. Windows 8 is perfectly fine from an optimization standpoint, but in terms of usability, it's a pile of shit. We regularly joke about it in the office. We're not putting that rubbish on any of the PCs we manage, it wouldn't be in anyone's best interests.

That's where Microsoft miscalculated , window 8 is not built for enterprise use which has been their biggest source of income.

I'd argue it's not particularly well constructed for home use either, but in an enterprise environment? That thing was dead on arrival.

 

[Strazdas]

Stating that windows 8 is popular based on copies sold is liek stating that Wii Sports is the msot popular game in the world becasue it has most copies sold.
The reality is both of those come as bundles and i know for a fact majority of win8 prebuilt pcs gets win 8 thrown out and win 7 installed the day they are bought. it is illegla in my country to buy a PC without a OS, and MS does not allow selling with anything but 8, so there, a overnment run business for Microsoft.

Ha! While everyone was busy complaining like little bitches who are afraid of new things I actually figured out how to use Windows 8 on my desktop just like Microsoft intended.

How about they let me use my desktop how I intended isntead? why must i bow to what Microsoft like when i can do whatever i want and set it up the way i want on an older version of their product?

Well not if whoever set up the PCs did their job properly and made everyone's programs visible on the start screen in an organised and properly grouped fashion. It's rather like setting up Windows 7 or Windows XP to have all the correct programs under the start menu in a properly organised way.

Windows 8 is not possible to set up properly for it is flowed from the very roots.

Seriously the amount of bs I'm reading, about how bad this system is, is just ridiculous. Sure, the start screen is still far from being perfect, but the OS itself is fast, stable and simply better than any of the MS OS was less than 1 year after it's release.

The only BS here is people who think that Win 8 can be called good.

 

[viranimus]

Its funny to me, I do not watch commercials often. However I have noticed several Microsoft ones advertising 8.

How are they advertising 8? Pretty much the exact same way they tried to push Vista off on people. By telling you "No, really, this is good. Dont listen to every credible source, friends, family etc who will tell you how awful, counter intuitive, pointlessly cumbersome, restrictive and watered down Windows 8 is, see we have people who are absolutely WOWed by its awesomenessez."

I honestly do not believe for a moment MS has sold 100 million copies of win8, even including those OEM installed on prefabs. Well unless Bill Gates bought 50 million and has been using the discs for skeet shooting or toilet paper.

But, Meh, its moot. Even if it is by some miracle actually true, it really does not matter. The OS is awful. It is pointless. It does nothing positive for the user, Only pushes unwanted garbage on them. So if it is actually as popular as Win 7, I guess you cant be surprised. The world is chocked full of stupid people. There will always be more of them than there are of us.

But hey, on the bright side, Windows 8 does do one thing absolutely flawlessly. It acts as an incentive for people to migrate to Linux.

 

[piclemaniscool]

I'm reading this on a laptop I bought with Windows 8. Of course I had to upgrade to 7 the day I got it so I could actually be productive. I doubt Microsoft is going to count that in the numbers.

 

[Joccaren]

I think every single one of the detractors in this thread hasn't actually used it and is going "WIN7 GOOD, WIN 8 BAAD" by default.

Because anyone that doesn't agree with you doesn't know what they're talking about.

I'll admit that was my first reaction to the OS; It looks like shit. But, my father buys 8 licenses every time a new Windows comes out anyway, so we'd already given them sales. Installed 8 to give it a go, a week later uninstalled it. Thank god I was on a new PC at that point. Dad said it really wasn't that bad, and it just took some getting used to. A month later he uninstalled it and re-installed Windows 7, and said he hated it. The only person in my family, friends, anywhere that actually likes the OS is my sister, who uses her laptop for Facebook and nothing else, and she likes it because it looks pretty.

Seriously, you like Windows 8? Great, good for you. Majority of people have a problem with it, and its not that they haven't tried it. Its that they have, and it doesn't work for their needs. At all. I hope to hell Microsoft learns for Windows 9 and gets rid of Metro. The split between what is handled through Metro and through the desktop is one of the more annoying things, as is the fullscreen start menu idea of Metro. Why the fuck would I want a fullscreen start menu. I have the desktop. The start menu exists to be a small, unobtrusive menu with a few applications that are very commonly used there, not something that blocks out everything else I'm doing and fills the screen with a desktop with massive items with a different visual style to what I like having my desktop set up as. I'm really not seeing the point.

 

[zzkill]

Hey, it's a good OS as performance goes, no objection there, it runs good, except for some dodgy drivers for a shitty mobo (I'm looking at you ECS, you pile of shit, my aunt made my days a sample of hell because of you). They did a good job with how it demands resources and now it accepts SSDs and the defragmenter sends TRIM commands to SSDs and defrags HDDs, good job. But hell if I like the interface. I don't like how the colours are uniformed and the corners are edged, and I don't even use the GUI, the desktop is fine. Oh wait, I do use the GUI, I press the Desktop tile. Sheesh, am I blind or something? Doesn't the desktop do the same thing as the wonderful GUI? What programs you use you put on the desktop. You want updating weather reports there? Use a gadget, that's why it's there, and I like them.

Long story short, W8 is good performance-wise, but I like the gloss and shine of W7, the rounded corners, the transparency of the bars and the gadgets, and my eye pleasure is more important than 2 more fps in games and a few seconds less when I boot. Enjoy your sales MicroS, I'll only use it on my tablet.

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but 100mil licenses sold doesn't necessarily mean that 100mil people are actually using it, no? It just means a lot of companies have ordered it in bulk?

I doubt vary many companies ordered it in bulk, generally they get a specialized license that enables multiple simultaneous installs off the single purchase.

Besides as a business OS Windows 8 couldn't fail any harder even if it tried.

 

[Snotnarok]

Oh Win8 is terrible the lighter faster loading OS is just so unappealing right? It's so different with the metro bar being accessed in the same spot as the old task bar whine whine whine.

All the nay sayers may want to be reminded that Win8 was also sold for 15 bucks at launch if you had bought a PC and wanted to upgrade for like a year you got it for dirt cheap, not just PCs coming with it they also had a insane deal.

WIN8 isn't shit it's the exact same OS with a different looking taskbar, something that has changed many times and wasn't even part of Windows from the beginning. And it's pretty easy to tell who hasn't even used WIN8 when their complaints are just wrong, can't organize the task bar? Why ..yes, yes you can, and make your own groups, and select sizes, and search just by typing. Can't find the task bar? Same spot, or just hit the windows key that's on every keyboard.

I don't get the whining, I was really put off from all the negative reviews but it's the same OS with a different coat of paint.

 

[masticina]

Yes sales to shops and computer makers

But sales to actual people?

Windows sold those licenses and now it is up to the shops and companies to sell them.

 

[Akimoto]

Despite its detractors, the number of licenses sold for Windows 8 are comparable to those for Windows 7.

You know, I'm sure this has been said elsewhere but do the sales take into account

1- pre-installed computers for those with little to no understanding of IT
2- companies that are strongly dependent on Windows for business
3- schools that have contracts with MS to provide Windows laptops for students

I absolutely dislike figures that do not distinguish between those who buy it because they really want it and those who have no choice. Windows 8 is for touch screens but because MS is late to the party, they're ramping up a large campaign to make it look successful.

Yuck.

 

[SpAc3man]

snip

How about they let me use my desktop how I intended isntead? why must i bow to what Microsoft like when i can do whatever i want and set it up the way i want on an older version of their product?

There is nothing stopping you from setting up Windows 8 the way you want. In fact it is designed to be personalised to your needs. The desktop doesn't operate any differently to how it used to. In fact it does everything it used to but better. Just like Microsoft intended.

snip

Windows 8 is not possible to set up properly for it is flowed from the very roots.

Everything you have said just shows that you actually do not have a clue what you are talking about. The "roots" or kernel of Windows 8 is actually very stable. Windows 8 has an insane amount of built in support for hardware. It has numerous improvements for power users such as ISO support, a much improved task manager, the power user menu, an excellent multiboot system, a vastly improved search function, an improved file explorer and quite clearly an excellent replacement to the aged and disorganised start menu that is much easier to use and organise to the user's preference.

Please elaborate on your grossly misguided statements. I am having trouble seeing any examples backing up your rather vague criticism.

 

[Hagi]

Been using Windows 8 for a month now and as long as I pretend the whole start screen doesn't exist I'm actually liking it a lot better than Windows 7. It's not like you actually need to use the start screen, the desktop fulfills the exact same purpose anyway.

Most of the game seems to come from the fact that it's the newest Microsoft OS. Those are always hated.

As several have mentioned already, performance-wise it's actually better than Win7.

 

[Jaeger_CDN]

Most of the game seems to come from the fact that it's the newest Microsoft OS. Those are always hated.

As several have mentioned already, performance-wise it's actually better than Win7.

Performance wise yes it works well but if it looks and acts like crap, it's still a crap OS. The whole point of a GUI is to make the experience of using it easier. What Microsoft did was take 23 years of user experience and toss it down the drain just because it peeked over the fence at Apple and wanted to copy them. Hell even Apple is in trouble because they are losing market share left and right to Android driven products in both tablets and phones.

 

[Hagi]

Most of the game seems to come from the fact that it's the newest Microsoft OS. Those are always hated.

As several have mentioned already, performance-wise it's actually better than Win7.

Performance wise yes it works well but if it looks and acts like crap, it's still a crap OS. The whole point of a GUI is to make the experience of using it easier. What Microsoft did was take 23 years of user experience and toss it down the drain just because it peeked over the fence at Apple and wanted to copy them. Hell even Apple is in trouble because they are losing market share left and right to Android driven products in both tablets and phones.

I'm not quite sure what Windows 8 you're using, assuming you've even used it. But everything is still there.

Just close the damn start screen and it's pretty much exactly the same except it performs better. The only thing that isn't there is the start menu. If it's a program you use often it should be on your desktop anyway and if it's one you don't then just use the search function to find it instantly or find it through the perfectly normal Windows Explorer.

95% of Windows 8 is just Windows 7 with some fresh paint and a whole bunch of optimizations. In order to see it though you do need to have the amazing ability to close the indeed horribly designed start screen and go to your normal desktop.

 

[Strazdas]

There is nothing stopping you from setting up Windows 8 the way you want. In fact it is designed to be personalised to your needs. The desktop doesn't operate any differently to how it used to. In fact it does everything it used to but better. Just like Microsoft intended.

Setting up windows 8 the way i want? well if i recode it perhaps. but then having to recode the OS to do what the previuos version did is hardly an improvement.

Everything you have said just shows that you actually do not have a clue what you are talking about. The "roots" or kernel of Windows 8 is actually very stable. Windows 8 has an insane amount of built in support for hardware. It has numerous improvements for power users such as ISO support, a much improved task manager, the power user menu, an excellent multiboot system, a vastly improved search function, an improved file explorer and quite clearly an excellent replacement to the aged and disorganised start menu that is much easier to use and organise to the user's preference.

Please elaborate on your grossly misguided statements. I am having trouble seeing any examples backing up your rather vague criticism.

Stability is useless without functionality. Windows 7 had insane amount of support for hardware too. they were called drivers.
ISO support? i never asked for this. i dont even use this obsolete format, everything is in .bins now. I agree that iso support should have been supported natively from, say, windows 2000, but any archivator that you are going to use anyway will do that for you. And no, the support for now obsolete ZIP and cintinued support for rarely used CAB will not do. The day windows starts to naturally extract .dat files we can talk about not needing 3rd party archivators.
Have you tried to isntall any home brewed software, heck, even the less known officialy supported software? it tells you the proram is unknown and you wont be albe to do anything, because hey we want you to pay for this program how dare you download a free version.
I never in my life needed a multiboot, unless the multiboot would allow me to keep linux and windows on at same time, can it?
The search was... lacking i give you that.
start menu is not disorganized, that is, unless you make it so. you seem to give examples of pointless addons that could been no more than a autoupdate patch or features they ruined as exampels of why win 8 is superior....
I mean i cna understand EA wanting you to pay 10 dollars for 2 maps, but i shouldnt pay the price of new windows for a few windows updates should i?

Oh Win8 is terrible the lighter faster loading OS is just so unappealing right? It's so different with the metro bar being accessed in the same spot as the old task bar whine whine whine.

All the nay sayers may want to be reminded that Win8 was also sold for 15 bucks at launch if you had bought a PC and wanted to upgrade for like a year you got it for dirt cheap, not just PCs coming with it they also had a insane deal.

It was so bad they had to sell it at 15 dollars?
Speed of OS loading - maters the first 5 minutes of you starting to work with it. the way OS works matters for 8 hours that follows. which is more important?

 

[SecondPrize]

I don't understand the hate for windows 8. I upgraded to it for free from my university and I've found really good performance.

My computer is a little more snappy and I have been able to run things at slightly higher settings than on 7. Unlike some people I really like the start screen and the charms. I've always thought that the start menu was retarded and used things like rainmeter to bypass it.

Things like upgraded task manager, better networking support, easier multi-screen support and the improved search tool has really helped. I use some of the apps, but not too many, but the smartglass is actually pretty nice for netflix and stuff.

Once you get used to keyboard shortcuts you don't need menus anyways.

The problem is some people do need menus. Windows' biggest purchasers are businesses and they have users who STILL think the dvd drive is a cup holder. With a lot of sweat and hard work they can get the basics beaten into them and barely manage to function, providing the methods they've learned to operate the OS don't get changed up on them.

 

[SpAc3man]

Setting up windows 8 the way i want? well if i recode it perhaps. but then having to recode the OS to do what the previuos version did is hardly an improvement.

There is nothing stopping you from installing programs that add the functionality you want. The start screen can be organised how you want. The taskbar, desktop and program defaults are all yours to set how you want. Windows 8 isn't hard coded to be one thing and one thing only. It is designed to be personalised. You don't need to recode anything unless no one else offers what you want.

Stability is useless without functionality. Windows 7 had insane amount of support for hardware too. they were called drivers.
ISO support? i never asked for this. i dont even use this obsolete format, everything is in .bins now. I agree that iso support should have been supported natively from, say, windows 2000, but any archivator that you are going to use anyway will do that for you. And no, the support for now obsolete ZIP and cintinued support for rarely used CAB will not do. The day windows starts to naturally extract .dat files we can talk about not needing 3rd party archivators.
Have you tried to isntall any home brewed software, heck, even the less known officialy supported software? it tells you the proram is unknown and you wont be albe to do anything, because hey we want you to pay for this program how dare you download a free version.
I never in my life needed a multiboot, unless the multiboot would allow me to keep linux and windows on at same time, can it?
The search was... lacking i give you that.
start menu is not disorganized, that is, unless you make it so. you seem to give examples of pointless addons that could been no more than a autoupdate patch or features they ruined as exampels of why win 8 is superior....
I mean i cna understand EA wanting you to pay 10 dollars for 2 maps, but i shouldnt pay the price of new windows for a few windows updates should i?

The functionality is all there. They haven't removed anything that wasn't obsolete.

When I say hardware support I mean built in drivers. Even more than Windows 7 for that matter. My Windows 8 installation could use my networked printer right away while when I had Windows 7 I had to download drivers to make it work.

Now that I see that you think ISO is obsolete and using raw binary files as disk images is better I can honestly say you are actually taking the piss and don't actually know anything.

Archivator is not a type of program. It is an app for Macs.

Windows 8 doesn't stop you from installing unsigned software. It gives you a warning that you can choose to ignore.

A lot of people who know what they are talking about find multi-booting useful. I for one have Ubuntu installed in a multi-boot for C, C++ and Python development.

The search function doesn't lack anything apart from maybe a global field as well as apps, settings and files. You don't seem to have any reasoning for that statement.

The start screen is a lot quicker and easier to organise than the start menu ever was.

Microsoft is a commercial company. They aren't about to scrap making new operating systems to focus on delivering all their new products as free patches.

Lastly I would recommend you proofread your posts. Web browsers have spell checking these days so there is really no excuse for the number of spelling errors you make.