Microsoft employees reportedly call Windows 8


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Microsoft employees reportedly call Windows 8 ?the new Vista?

 

http://bgr.com/2014/01/17/microsoft-windows-8-vista-comparison/

 

We?ve argued in the past that it wouldn?t be fair to compare Windows 8 to Vista, in part because Vista was widely hated by many Windows users while Windows 8 is merely polarizing. In other words, even though Microsoft surely wishes more people liked Windows 8, it can at least take solace in the fact that the new platform has its share of passionate fans and advocates.

 

However, the well-connected Paul Thurrott says that?s not how Microsoft is internally looking at things. In fact, Thurrott says that Microsoft employees are internally referring to Windows 8 as ?the new Vista,? which is a seeming admission that the platform has not achieved its goals of reigniting interest in PCs and needs some serious changes.

 

In a followup tweet, Thurrott explains that the view from within Microsoft is that Windows 8 has been at least as bad as Vista in terms of sales and market acceptance while adding that Vista might actually have sold better than Windows 8 when it was at this point in its life cycle.

 

Add it all up and it looks like Microsoft has a lot of work to do before it launches Windows 9 next year, because its big bet that making a more touch-centric version of Windows would revive PC sales has clearly not paid off.

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windows generally has been on a good release bad release schedule for the last 10-14 years

 

2000 good

ME bad

XP good

vista bad

windows7 good

windows 8 bad

 

to be honest vista got a bad rep and i thought it wasn't the devil but it was a lot worse when you compared it to how great 7 was 

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Vista was considered bad at the time because the lack of driver support and the fact people were trying to install it on a crappy pc. Vista really brought computing a big step ahead, without it there wouldn't be windows 7 or 8.

Windows 8 doesn't suffer the same problem, the problem it has is a big learning curve and a whole redesign.

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Microsoft is in a pickle.  If they don't change things up, people call them a dinosaur that doesn't keep up with the times.  If they do, people complain that they're changing a platform that was perfectly fine thank you very much, and by the way I want my start menu back.

 

Personally, I think Windows 8 is revolutionary and more than just one step in the right direction, albeit not perfect.  But what do I know.

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Welcome, gentlemen (mostly) and ladies, to the daily Neowin yipyapfest. In the red corner, twenty-seven pounder D. M. with his team and the physical manifestation of their argumentation - Hamlet's father! In the blue corner - the elephant in the room. LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE!

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Vista was considered bad at the time because the lack of driver support and the fact people were trying to install it on a crappy pc. Vista really brought computing a big step ahead, without it there wouldn't be windows 7 or 8.

Windows 8 doesn't suffer the same problem, the problem it has is a big learning curve and a whole redesign.

i agree, and i want to clarify my post above in that "bad" meant different things for each OS

 

Vista didn't have the drivers or hardware to make it shine and it took so long to be released the longhorn visions made it look pretty half baked. that being said, years down the line on the same hardware windows7 ran like a champ while vista on the same laptop had things it struggled with

 

windows8 is bad because it removed things people came to love about windows7 like the searching in the start menu, the glass look and the desktop first perception.

 

if you have a windows tablet i don't think windows8 is bad in anyway just not as mature as it will be 

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IMHO, its impossible to compare the two.. There were literally things that prevented you from using Vista and it was slow even on fast systems.

 

There is absolutely NOTHING that keeps you from using Windows 8. The desktop is still there.. No one should care if MS tried to make the best of both worlds in one product. People would just be complaining about having another SKU for tablets if it had made a separate one. Oh, and if you press the windows key in windows 7, there is a box to search and get results. Guess what happens when you press the windows key and type something in windows 8...... A search box with results.

 

I am glad Metro is integrated with Win8 because the UI has basically been the same since Windows 95.. If it aint broke you don't have to fix it but if its old something new should replace it.

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I am glad Metro is integrated with Win8 because the UI has basically been the same since Windows 95.. If it aint broke you don't have to fix it but if its old something new should replace it.

 

That only works if the 'something new' is better, and in 8's case that 'something new' isn't better. Hell, that 'something new' doesn't even fit properly on the main platform for windows, the desktop.

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Microsoft is in a pickle.  If they don't change things up, people call them a dinosaur that doesn't keep up with the times.  If they do, people complain that they're changing a platform that was perfectly fine thank you very much, and by the way I want my start menu back.

 

Personally, I think Windows 8 is revolutionary and more than just one step in the right direction, albeit not perfect.  But what do I know.

 

The problem isn't that they changed, they just didn't do it well. Eventually they'll get it right. One thing is for sure, Modern UI is the best Microsoft solution for mobile devices. And they're rethinking their vision of how that plays with the desktop, which was the major mistake. Not having apps ready and some of the incomplete ecosystem was also a mistake.

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I'm not shocked to hear this.

Windows 8 is getting similar hate to Vista, so I'm sure many within MS feel its on the same level. That public hate has spilled over into the general user group and made it hard for MS to get over the hump, not mention all the other factors that are pushing the pc market down. So even when MS does improve the situation, its hard to convince people to even give it a chance. Vista had the same problem.

Its just interesting to see people post on topics like this. You can really tell who hates it and who is fine with it. Oh and when I say fine, I don't mean they think its perfect. Plus, people seem so obsessed with Metro on Win 8.

That only works if the 'something new' is better, and in 8's case that 'something new' isn't better. Hell, that 'something new' doesn't even fit properly on the main platform for windows, the desktop.

You know, there are actually improvements to the desktop as well, including performance.

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That only works if the 'something new' is better, and in 8's case that 'something new' isn't better. Hell, that 'something new' doesn't even fit properly on the main platform for windows, the desktop.

How much did people balk about Windows 95 when it replaced Win 3.1? New takes time to be great.. 

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The problem isn't that they changed, they just didn't do it well. Eventually they'll get it right. One thing is for sure, Modern UI is the best Microsoft solution for mobile devices. And they're rethinking their vision of how that plays with the desktop, which was the major mistake. Not having apps ready and some of the incomplete ecosystem was also a mistake.

The ironic thing is that MS didn't even really change much. They took the Win 7 desktop, removed Aero, and removed the Start Menu. Then they went in and made a bunch of small improvements to the desktop such as the improved file transfer ui.

After that, they developed a new UI and set of APIs in the form of Metro and WinRT. Metro was simply their evolution of the Windows Media Center UI with a touch focus. They then connected Metro to the desktop, allowing the two UI to mingle. So Metro took over the Start Menu duties and the desktop gained access to touch controls via the charms bar.

Based on the clear reaction by many around here, MS' mistake was the mingling of the two. If only they had made that optional and if only they had still offered a start menu, they might have avoided the negative feedback. They simply did not execute the shared parts well.

So 8.1 comes along and starts to repair that bit. You can boot straight to the desktop and disable bits of Metro that mingle with the desktop. Next may be the return of some sort of start menu and more options to tailor your experience.

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How much did people balk about Windows 95 when it replaced Win 3.1? New takes time to be great.. 

The biggest problem for Microsoft right now that they didn't have in the Win95 era is alternatives. Although Microsoft is dominating the desktop they aren't dominating mobile and hardware is lasting a lot longer than it ever has in the past...

 

People no longer have to upgrade and many are substituting their limited computer usage with a Tablet or Smartphone running something other than Windows. Although they had push back in the 3.1 -> 95 era they were going to eventually win anyway via a war of attrition. No so much this time around...

 

They may get back to dominance, but they need something to get them there and Windows 8 definitely isn't it, on any platform.

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What don't people like about Windows 8? I enjoy using it. I'm going to switch back to Windows once my iMac dies.

visually i think the lack of shadows and lack of glass looks meh, same goes for some of the font choices and the removal of flip3d - personal but I'm not a fan of flat UI's 

 

if I'm watching a video and want to search for a program in start i don't like being taken away from the desktop, even temporarily.

 

i don't think the share buttons are integrated enough or uniform enough, the sidebar is kinda useless IMO

 

metro apps that use hidden menus and buttons that need to be slid down from the top are bad UI design because i don't always know what features are available until i specifically go searching for them

 

control panel was kinda of messy before 8.1 

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The biggest problem for Microsoft right now that they didn't have in the Win95 era is alternatives.

 

+1000

 

Microsoft is going to have to change it's Modus Operandi in markets where there are alternatives. Consumers don't have to wait years for MS to "get it right" in tablets and smartphones.

 

I think they've learned their lesson (basing that solely on the backtracking on design elements in Windows 8 and the reorganization and house cleaning).

 

They will be a major player, but dominant, they'll have to bring the killer apps to become dominant. They're hedging their bets though. Lync and Remote Desktop work great on iOS and Android devices. Even MS seems to be able to deliver more polished apps for iOS than WinRT, lol. Their iOS apps are great!

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How much did people balk about Windows 95 when it replaced Win 3.1? New takes time to be great.. 

 

As I recall Windows 95 was a huge success when it came out. I like Windows 3.1 in a nostalgic sort of way but face it, the Program Manager shell sucked.

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As I recall Windows 95 was a huge success when it came out. I like Windows 3.1 in a nostalgic sort of way but face it, the Program Manager shell sucked.

Not to many, it didn't. They complained about it just as much as other are about the Start Menu.

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As I recall Windows 95 was a huge success when it came out. I like Windows 3.1 in a nostalgic sort of way but face it, the Program Manager shell sucked.

 

It also had the wind at its back with this new thing called the "Internet" -- you could surf that information superhighway, in cyberspace and whatnot.  Remember winsock.dll?  

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